Fun at the Neverland Ranch

Car fun. Not the creepy kind. God, I hope not. Innocent until proven guilty. And so forth.

So the King of Pop is in, shall we say, tremendous financial trouble, and last fall Michael Jackson lost ownership of his vast Santa Barbara-area fantasyland, Neverland Ranch. With it, a giant hoard of mostly adolescent treasures of the Sega Strike Fighter (and Virtua Racing!) arcade console and Boba Fett-in-original-packaging variety. And more than a few cars and car-related toys. All of the contents of the estate, in fact, and all now going to auction to help settle the debt.

Who knew he could even drive? Who needs to when you can moonwalk?

There are only a handful of actual collector cars in the sale that I’ve found. Auctioneer Julien’s says this is a reproduction of a 1909 Autocar detamble Model B roadster. It’s full size, if you’re wondering, with some sort of internal combustion engine, but details are otherwise lacking.

This is the only bona fide collector car in the bunch, a Cadillac Fleetwood made rather famous as the Driving Miss Daisy movie car. I’d guess Jacko was more interested in the Jessica Tandy connection rather than Morgan Freeman. The auction catalog calls it a ‘54, but there were two cars used in the film, a ‘55 and a ‘56, and I can’t tell them apart from the front, so the whole thing is kind of sketchy.

This is both not creepy and really cool, a Jimmy outfitted for on-ranch emergency duty. The catalog says it’s a six-cylinder. A 4.8 V-6 (non-Vortec?) was the base 3500 engine, but I’ll be damn surprised if you could get a High Sierra 3500 dually with a six. Carfax says the VIN is wrong, but the one they have printed shows a W-code engine, so I’m going to say its a 454. The 292 made a listed 115hp, so any fire would have been out long before the NFD arrived.

OK, now we are getting into creepy territory, but on the basis of absolutely no information at all, I’m going to say this was used by Neverland employees, not MJ. Carfax doesn’t like this VIN, either, but I think Julien’s wrote a “1″ as an “i.” I would drive this truck.

I would not drive this truck. Mr. Jackson should not have owned a van. I do kind of wonder about the louvers and scoop, though.

There isn’t much information about this E-Type Junior, but it’s part of a huge fleet of go-karts. Shows a lot of use.

Julien’s only has five of the eight catalogs online right now, so more might turn up. Here’s their press release:

Michael Jackson’s Curious Car Collection

The interior of Michael Jackson's 1999 Rolls Royce Silver Seraph.

As those of you who’ve seen "The best car songs... ever!" know, we are music fans as well as car fans. And while Michael Jackson got awfully strange and maybe a little criminal toward the end of his life, I love some of his music, and I think it’s a shame he so clearly never learned how to truly grow up despite - or perhaps because of - his absolutely massive success.

Maybe Jackson’s desire to live his whole life as a child explains why his car collection consisted mostly of vehicles that allowed him to bask in over-the-top luxury in the rear while someone else drove. Auto Trader UK assembled a slide show featuring some of Jackson’s cars in an article on a planned-but-canceled auction of Jackson items in February, including a 1999 Rolls Royce Silver Seraph limousine for which Jackson designed the interior himself, using lots of 24-karat gold.

Sadly, that limousine and a 1997 Neoplan Touring Coach (which doesn’t appear until near the end of the slide show) are the only really interesting vehicles in the bunch, and they are interesting mostly because they’re so over-the-top gaudy and gold (including the fixtures on the bidet in the tour-bus’s bathroom). No Ferraris or rare muscle cars, no hot rods, not even a well-preserved classic from the year of his birth - Jackson had the money, at least in the ’80s, to assemble a fleet of cool cars that would rival Jay Leno's. But no, he built a 2,700-acre amusement park instead.

Based on the segment from Jackson’s film “Moonwalker” called “Smooth Criminal,” though, he did at least appreciate the futuristic looks of the Lancia Stratos - he morphs into a 1970 prototype version to escape Mr. Big and his cronies in the video. Of course, Michael probably didn’t handle the driving for that scene, and maybe one of his collaborators selected that car to feature. According to Wikipedia, that car now sits in a private showroom for Bertone, who did the exterior styling, in Italy. But surely Michael could have found - and afforded - one of the other 500 or so versions of the Stratus. Why didn’t he?

I guess the King of Pop and I don’t have too much in common. I wear two gloves at a time, I’ve never had and don’t want a pet monkey, I wouldn’t hang my child out a hotel window, and I don’t moonwalk at all well. But if I had enough money to start assembling a collection of cars, you can bet I’d have some beautiful Italian cars, some American muscle, and I’d drive those babies myself.

Thanks for sharing your enormous talent with the world, Michael, and may you find more peace in the afterlife than you did in this world

Save our GP, say Button and Hamilton

Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton on Thursday issued an emotional rallying cry to preserve the British Grand Prix.

As Silverstone prepared for possibly its final weekend as the host circuit for the British race, the two Britons united to call for the traditional race to remain on the calendar.

The British Grand Prix is scheduled to move to the troubled venue of Donington Park next year after that track's new management won a 17-year deal to host the event.

But money and development problems have left the project in limbo and F1 commercial supreme Bernie Ecclstone has stressed that there is no way he would return to Silverstone after this weekend.

Defending world champion Hamilton, of McLaren Mercedes, said: "We just want to show our support and show the importance of the British Grand Prix.

"I think perhaps people look at the British Grand Prix and perhaps don't realise what it would be like without it - I think we should all step back and realise what motorsport would be like without it and understand that and then take action.

"We just all need to pull together and support it. I think we need support from the (British) government. We need support from other backers wherever we can get it.

"As long as we have a British Grand Prix then Formula One will always remain a great sport."

Championship leader Button of Brawn GP was equally keen to see his home race retained.

He said: "We both agree that we would love a British Grand Prix and we obviously want it to be at a good venue, but having a British GP is the point that we're trying to push.

"It's not us two sat here I think it's the whole of Formula One. There are a lot of British people that work in Formula One on the racing side of things and on the journalism side of things.

"So to not have a British race would be a real shocker for all of us involved and surprising I think for the fans, especially when we have packed out crowds for the races here."

Button admitted he would be sad not to race at Silverstone again.

"It is a very special race. The British fans are fantastic and we have so many fans in Britain for motorsport and Formula One," said Button.

"Last year was a sell-out crowd and I'm guessing it's going to be the same this year and you don't get that in many circuits around the world, especially with the way the economy is at the moment.

"This is a circuit that I love. It's a fantastic fast-flowing circuit like Spa, Suzuka - it's one of the true greats and has been through the last few decades."

2011 Chevrolet Spark

Chevrolet has confirmed at the Detroit Auto Show that it will bring a latest compact car called up the Spark to the United States by 2011. The 2011 Chevrolet Spark will go on sale in the U.S. in 2011. The European-market Spark, shown here, is slated for an early-2010 release.

The 2011 Chevrolet Spark production model will have 4 doors. The Chevrolet Spark will feature a motorcycle-inspired instrument cluster that is mounted on the steering column.

Toyota Philippines to Launch Prius at P2.25M

Toyota Motors Philippines is finally launching its hot-selling Prius hybrid in the Philippines next week, but the ecologically-correct car could carry a price tag of around P2.25 million.

“Toyota wants to be the first to locally introduce hybrid, environment-friendly cars as alternative vehicles,” said Raymond Rodriguez, Toyota Motor’s first vice president for vehicle sales.

The third-generation, 1.8-liter Prius would be imported completely built from Japan and subject to a 30-percent tariff in addition to the excise tax and 12-percent value-added tax, Rodriguez said in explaining the hybrid’s higher price.

By contrast, Toyota’s most expensive sedan available locally, the 3.5-liter V6 version, retails for P2.005 million.

According to industry sources, the local Toyota has been given an initial allocation of 25 units and another 10 units a month given the three to four months of waiting time for Japanese customers to drive home a new unit.

Targeting the mainstream market, the new model is more powerful than its predecessors, with more headroom, a bigger trunk and better gas mileage.

It is rated at 50 miles a gallon, according to US press reports, 10 miles better than its principal hybrid competition, the Honda Insight.

San Sebastian College of Law Sponsors Transformers 2 Movie Screening

Cars: mankind’s coolest inventions. But you know what’s cooler?

Cars transforming to robots locked in blazing battle scenes, gunfights and explosive special effects!

The San Sebastian College of Law invites everyone, especially car enthusiasts out there, to a block screening of Michael Bay’s Transformers 2: Revenge of The Fallen, this June 24, 2009 7:30PM at Cinema 4, SM Manila with a Pre-Show to be held on the same day at 5-7PM. Organized by the San Sebastian College of Law Centralized Bar Operations and co-presented by Wenson Industries Inc., and with the help of our other sponsors, the block screening of this year’s most awaited sequel aims to support our bar reviewees as they again engage the turbulent Bar Season - but who says charitable can’t be cool?

Each ticket not only brings you an exhilarating visual treat, (and an undeniably good karmic experience) but it also gives you the chance to win a 3day-2night accommodation for 4 to Boracay (courtesy of Grand Boracay), or a 3-day-2night accommodation for 2 to Crown Regency Hotel Cebu (courtesy of Club Ultima)! Plus, grab the opportunity to attend our pre-show – a movie-appetizer at the SM Manila, Events Center (Ground Floor), 2 hours before the showing of the film – and be dazzled by our sponsors’ display-booths, an ultramodern fashion display, and an exciting raffle draw to determine the lucky winners of the Boracay/Cebu accommodations and other awesome prizes!

Each ticket to the block screening costs only P250. Our sponsors to this thrilling event are:
Wenson Industries, Inc.
Club Ultima
SM Manila
Legal Advantage
PTT
Grand Boracay
GV Cosmetics, Inc
Kellogg’s
BB Boys
Tsikot.com
Pastrana Fallar
Atty. Ryan Rey Quilala
Atty. Reynold Munsayac
Atty. Philip Yam
Atty. Voltaire Duano
Cargo Safeway Inc.
Atty. Gemy-Lito Festin
Atty. Kenneth Sagauinit
Justice Efren dela Cruz
Atty. Noel Ortega
Atty. Imelda Aquino-Melendrez

Be there as cars, coolness and charity merge to form one exciting movie experience!

For Inquiries: Please look for SB at (0915) 998-8809 or 734-8931 loc. 201

Gemballa Mirage GT Carbon Edition

The Gemballa Mirage GT Carbon Edition. Limited to only five pieces will inhibit the motor sports hearts of its future owners in ultrasonic speed. Established on the Porsche Carrera GT the specialists from Leonberg near Stuttgart present an extremely attractive version of the MIRAGE GT. The eye-catching main evolutionary characteristic is the GEMBALLA body element production in carbon fibre.

Gemballa Mirage GT Carbon Edition claimed that it will also do 0–100 km/h (62mph) in 3.7 seconds (Stock 3.9) 0-200 km/h (124mph) in 9.7 seconds (Stock 9.9). We suspect that this Mirage will be lighter than the other through the use of Carbon Fibre and Ceramic Brakes

Honda Civic Type-R By Mugen

MUGEN the tuning car company just rolled-out their latest upgrade car package for Honda Civic Type-R hatchback.

The Honda Civic Type-R By Mugen would be available in the UK market in the third quarter of the year, the Tuning company Mugen enhanced the Honda Civic Type-R goes with a four-cylinder, 2.0-liter i-VTEC engine that gets a minimum 200 horsepower, as well as uprated shocks and springs and Mugen’s new ‘I-TCMS’ tire monitoring system.

Aero Dynamics

• Front Under Spoiler
• Front Sports Grille
• Aero Bonnet
• Rear Under Wing
• Rear Wing

Performance

• Hi-Performance Air Cleaner & Box
• Filter Maintenance Kit
• Filter Element
• Sports Exhaust System
• Hi-Performance Engine Oil REV-R

Hi-Performance Brake System

• Brake Pad (2 Types)
• Brake Rotor
• Micromesh Brake Line
• Hi-Performance Brake Fluid

Wheel

• Aluminum Wheel GP 18×7½J+60

Suspension

• Sport Suspension

2009 Lotus Elise

Latest car 2009 Lotus Elise. Lotus Elise is equipped with a standard 1.8 liter, 14, 189 horsepower engine that achieves 21-mpg in the city and 27-mpg on the highway.

The other trim is Convertible SC which is fitted with a standard 1.8 liter, 14, 218 horsepower, supercharged engine that achieves 20 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway. A 6 speed manual transmission with overdrive in standard on both trims.

Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen opens

Yesterday I got invited by LG to a special premiere for bloggers of the new Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen movie. Though I wasn’t expecting it, the first movie was surprisingly entertaining so I had quite high expectations from this one too. And though the overall impression was that the movie could’ve been better (maybe because of the problems they faced), I really liked it. I mean we have cool cars (my heart started beating faster every time I saw the Camaro, it’s just an amazing car), we have Megan Fox, we have robots beating the shit out of each other and we have some great special effects. What more can you ask from a movie. It’s not Oscar material, but it’s really, really entertaining.

Comparing it to the first one, the movie’s producers brought in several new funny robots, like the AutoboTwins Skids (Chevrolet Beat) and Mudflap (Chevrolet Trax) or Wheelie (a really funny toy car). Also, at the beginning of the movie there’s a Decepticon (for those of you who don’t know, these are the bad guys) which is an Audi R8 which is being cut in half by one of the Autobots. Like someone in the theatre said, it’s pretty ironic that the GMs always wins, but the company’s bankrupt.

Anyway, the conclusion is that if you feel like going to a movie that has some cool cars, great special effects and the smokin’ hot Megan Fox, you might really enjoy Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen. If you haven’t seen it, you have the trailer after the jump.