#RacingCars

The standard Dodge Aspen and Plymouth Volare are primarily remembered (and not seen) because they rusted as soon as the dew settled on them on a spring morning. While that makes standard examples sort of rare today, there’s a very special model which was very rare from the beginning.

It’s the 1978 Dodge Aspen Kit Car, and that’s its real name.

A short-lived Italian experiment, the ASA brand was created by Enzo Ferrari himself. Think of it as a stylish Sixties Scion, if you will.

Today we take a look at a stylish grey Alfa Romeo that is the only example of its type. With coachwork from one of the greatest names in the business, it’s Fifties artwork that moves.

In what may be a Rare Rides first, today’s featured coupe is sporty, aggressive, and completely off the map. Don’t bother searching TTAC for Gillet, because there are zero results. Let’s learn a bit more about whatever this is, as it’s surely very good.

While normal cars appear to be vanishing from automaker lineups at an unsettlingly swift pace, it now seems as though there are more supercars available for purchase than ever. Earlier this year, British racing car manufacturer and former Formula One racing team Brabham announced it was planning to produce another one.

We were a little disappointed when we found out it wasn’t intended for street use. Still, as track-only models go, you’d be hard pressed to find something boasting better specs. It may be just another mid-engined plaything for the super wealthy, but it pays homage to the brand’s racing heritage and takes aim at McLaren’s Senna — and that’s worth getting excited about.

Perhaps more importantly, the Brabham BT62 provides a glimpse into the brand’s future — which is supposed to include a Le Mans endurance racer and a street-legal variant of the same model.

We’re having a Jaguar kick in the Rare Rides series, and by that I mean two cars in a row from the leaping cat.

Though most everyone’s heard of the XJ220, fewer are likely aware of its predecessor: the XJR-15. It’s not slow, it isn’t cheap, and it’s not luxurious.

You want it!

Nissan appears to be considering adorning the Leaf with a NISMO nameplate and appearance. Unveiled on Monday at Nissan’s Futures 3.0 event, the stock 2018 model provides improved performance, range, and less nerdy looks. However, Nissan wants further improve the Leaf’s image with a NISMO-trimmed variant.

Oh goodie.

While we get that economy models can morph into fun-to-drive little darlings, we also scrunched our noses at Toyota’s performance-enhanced GR Prius last month. Not every car can be the next GTI and, if automakers would like to build something that could be, they’ll have to provide us with more than a bodykit and a set of custom wheels.