Rare Rides: The 2004 MG XPower SV-R, an Italian-British-American Amalgam

Recently we featured the MG RV8, which was an old MG B with a V8 engine from Rover. Today we cover a similar V8-powered MG idea, with some additional crazy sprinkled in for good measure.

Presenting the 2005 MG XPower SV-R. It’s all over the place.

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Rare Rides: The 2001 Qvale Mangusta, Certainly a Purebred Italian

Technically complicated, Italian designed, and American powered, the Qvale Mangusta mixed together ingredients from two continents into an exotic sports coupe.

But it wasn’t supposed to be called Mangusta, nor was it to wear a Qvale badge. The looks aren’t the only dramatic part of this coupe.

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Across The Block: Mecum Auctions, Anaheim

It seems that I have much to learn about the classic car auction scene. A yearly January couch session with beer and remote in hand is clearly not enough to understand how cars go under the gavel. Depending on how I feel like keeping score, I’ve slipped well below the Mendoza line in my two short weeks handicapping vintage auto sales.

Fortunately, I have another chance for redemption this weekend. Once again, Mecum is doing the selling, this time in sunny Anaheim, California. I’m now seriously regretting not flying west to cover this week’s Los Angeles Auto Show.

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  • Alan As the established auto manufacturers become better at producing EVs I think Tesla will lay off more workers.In 2019 Tesla held 81% of the US EV market. 2023 it has dwindled to 54% of the US market. If this trend continues Tesla will definitely downsize more.There is one thing that the established auto manufacturers do better than Tesla. That is generate new models. Tesla seems unable to refresh its lineup quick enough against competition. Sort of like why did Sears go broke? Sears was the mail order king, one would think it would of been easier to transition to online sales. Sears couldn't adapt to on line shopping competitively, so Amazon killed it.
  • Alan I wonder if China has Great Wall condos?
  • Alan This is one Toyota that I thought was attractive and stylish since I was a teenager. I don't like how the muffler is positioned.
  • ToolGuy The only way this makes sense to me (still looking) is if it is tied to the realization that they have a capital issue (cash crunch) which is getting in the way of their plans.
  • Jeff I do think this is a good thing. Teaching salespeople how to interact with the customer and teaching them some of the features and technical stuff of the vehicles is important.