I’ve always said that following your passions will lead you to interesting places! As my luck would have it, following my passion for automobiles has led me to the stage at the 2021 LA Auto Show as the recipient of the Hispanic Motor Press Foundation Scholarship Award!
The Hispanic Motor Press Foundation Scholarship is a scholarship dedicated to supporting young Hispanics pursuing a career in journalism focusing on the vehicle and transportation industries, with emphasis on the technology of the motor vehicle.
I applied to this scholarship because even though I’m not technically studying journalism, I am a transportation design student who does automotive journalism on the side as a hobby. This blog is the perfect example of that! Well, I’m happy to say that I was picked as the winner and I was presented with the award on stage at the LA Auto Show!
Of course, this wasn’t the only highlight of my day. This was the first time I had ever been to the LA Auto Show! So naturally my shutterbug instincts took over and I was snapping away at every interesting display or concept car I crossed while hunting down designers and other industry insiders to talk and network with!
So, please enjoy these photos from the 2021 LA Auto Show! Also I wanted to give a very special thanks to the following individuals!:
While I was enjoying my weekend setting off fireworks and napping on a boat in the middle of a lake, The Goodwood Festival of Speed kicked off and some amazing and wonderful cars were revealed! So, to keep up with everything I missed, I’m starting a new blog series: Weekend Rear-view! (Get it? Review / Rear-view? Ok.) So without further ado, here’s my Weekend Rear-view: The Goodwood Festival of Speed!
This past Le Mans saw the Ford GT program, unfortunately, end on a low note, as none of the cars took the class victory. Aside from this, the Ford GT program was Ford’s successful reentry into endurance racing since the Matech Ford GTs from more than a decade ago. To celebrate this now legendary car’s swan song, Ford has created a new customer program with a very limited edition, rule-breaking race car: the Ford GT MkII.
The Ford GT Mk II takes the hill.
Designed with the FIA rulebook firmly in the trash bin, the GT MkII makes 400 more pounds of downforce with a revised aerodynamic body, and 200 more horsepower from the 3.5L EcoBoost twin-turbo V6! This monster is even said to be able to drive upside down like an F1 car thanks to its massive downforce! Only 45 of these machines will be built-to-order.
The DeTomaso P72 might be the most beautiful car ever
To say I was pleasantly surprised would be an understatement. I nearly fell out of the boat when I heard that DeTomaso was making a comeback with what I honestly think is one of the most beautiful cars I’ve ever seen! The DeTomaso P72 made its worldwide debut at Goodwood, probably snapping necks as it went up the hill. Just LOOK at it! It’s like the Spyker C8 Preliator had a baby with The Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 Stradale, and went to reform school with the Pagani Huayra!
Of course, looks this good comes with a price. The P72 would have a limited production run of 72 units, all priced around $841,000 USD. The car is being built by the same people that brought us the Apollo Intenza Emozione so that glorious V12 sound emanating from the “trumpet” exhaust in the video might be the same 780 horsepower 6.3L V12!
Who would have thought polished copper would look so good?
It’s kind of hard to explain exactly how fast that is until you see the actual video. That car is FAST. The amazing thing here is that the ID.R actually weighs more and makes less power than the legendary F1 car. The ID.R was better equipped to tackle the hill than the McLaren thanks the crew setting the car up specifically for the hillclimb. Next, I want to see what that thing would do at the Circuit De La Sarthe!
That’s a wrap!
Well, that’s it for the Weekend Rear-view: The Goodwood Festival of Speed! See you next time!
