Automobile Magazine has just driven the all-new, 2009 Audi Q5, a vehicle that made its world debut this past April at the Beijing auto show and which is Audi's answer to the BMW X3. The Q5 is the latest luxury entry in the small crossover SUV market segment that has grown rapidly in recent years and which is expected to continue expanding as more and more Americans ditch their full-size SUVs for smaller crossovers that drive better, achieve better fuel economy, and yet retain many of the utility and all-weather features of traditional SUVs. While vehicles as myriad as the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, Ford Escape, Saturn Vue, and Hyundai Santa Fe serve the mainstream part of this market segment, the 2009 Audi Q5 joins the likes of the BMW X3, the Acura RDX, and the Land Rover LR2 in serving the luxury slice of the small-crossover segment. When it goes on sale here in February or March of 2009, it will also be joined by the all-new Mercedes-Benz GLK and the all-new Volvo XC60. Like those vehicles, the Q5 attempts to let its drivers have it all: attractive, modern styling; a powerful but efficient drivetrain; a luxurious, versatile interior; a full complement of safety equipment; and a sporty driving experience. Now that we've driven the U.S.-spec version of the 2009 Q5 in Valencia, Spain, let's see how successful Audi was in meeting those goals.

Not just another pretty face.

To our eyes, the Q5 is a very handsome, even pretty, vehicle, with good proportions and exquisite detailing in items like the LED headlights and taillamps. Audi's modern, so-called shield grille dominates the front-end styling, and it makes for a very attractive face. In America, the Q5 will be offered exclusively with a full chrome treatment for the grille, whereas in other markets it is available in glossy black and matte gray guise as well. The European market also is offered an off-road styling package with polished front scuff plates, but at launch, Audi of America will not offer that here. Eighteen-, nineteen-, and twenty-inch wheels will be offered, and all of them are attractive, save for a twenty-inch chrome wheel (twenty-inch aluminum are also available).

In Spain, where Audi enjoys a higher luxury-brand awareness and regard than BMW and Mercedes-Benz (so claims Audi) and where Audi A3s and A4s are a very common site, people on the streets of Valencia took favorable notice of the Q5. We expect that Americans will like it, as well.

Step in, sit down, enjoy.

Anyone who has sat inside the 2009 Audi Q5's big brother, the Q7, or for that matter in the new, 2009 Audi A4 or Audi's flagship, the R8 supercoupe, will instantly recognize the Q5's interior design theme, instrument panel, and controls. As in all contemporary Audi models, the Q5's interior is beautifully rendered in quality plastics, supple leather, and precisely engineered controls. It's a very pleasant place to be.

For the U.S. market, many features will of course be standard, such as power seats, windows, and locks; leather upholstery, a ten-speaker stereo, 60/40-split rear seats that recline and also slide fore and aft by four inches; and a new-and-improved version of Audi's MMI, or Multi-Media Interface, system that controls climate, radio, and navigation functions through a central knob and a display screen.

Audi of America plans two major options packages plus a number of stand-alone options.

The first options package will include bi-xenon headlights and a power-operated tailgate, among other items. (Cornering headlights will not be offered.)

The second options package will offer keyless start, a blind-spot detection system, nineteen-inch wheels, and a 14-speaker, 504-watt, Bang & Olufsen stereo system.

Among the stand-alone options are:

• An all-new navigation system, bundled with a rearview camera, that is likely to cost about $2400;
• A panoramic sunroof, which Audi claims is the biggest in the segment;
• The aforementioned Bang & Olufsen stereo, which will probably cost about $1000;
• An S Line exterior appearance package, which includes twenty-inch wheels;
• The aforementioned twenty-inch chrome wheels;
• Adaptive cruise control;
• Audi Drive Select, which allows the driver to choose among three levels of tuning for three dynamic parameters: powertrain, suspension, and steering. This option is likely to cost close to $3000; more details on it are below.

Get lost? Not with Audi's new, advanced, 3D navigation system.

The screen display for the optional navigation system is among the best we've seen. It provides three-dimensional-style images of buildings and topography that's similar to what you see on Google Earth. Audi of America has not yet confirmed, but we expect they will offer a traffic-reporting function as well; the Euro-spec vehicles we drove in Spain had the feature.

The MMI interface itself is pretty much the same as it currently is in other Audis, which is to say largely quite intuitive and easy to use, at least when compared with BMW's iDrive. As with all such systems, there's a learning curve, although we expect most owners will master what they need fairly quickly. With one new feature, if you have the MMI screen set to display the navigation map and you then change the settings for climate control, the stereo, or the seat heaters, a small inset box will pop up on the left or right side of the nav screen temporarily. In previous iterations of MMI, these temporary indicators would take up the entire nav screen. It's a small but welcome detail.

The navigation system ditches DVD storage drives in favor of a 40-gigabyte, hard-drive storage system that can accommodate more detailed maps of the entire continental United States than we have seen in the past, plus many more POIs (points of interest, such as restaurants). The system also allows you to set aside several gigabytes of storage space for up to 2000 tracks of MP3 music. Naturally, full iPod connectivity is available, wherein you can use the MMI controller to access play lists.

Standard V-6 power and Quattro all-wheel drive. But how about that turbo four-cylinder, Audi?

In a decision that clearly was made well before gasoline crested $4 per gallon, the U.S.-market will be offered exclusively with Audi's 3.2-liter, direct-injection V-6, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission - there's no four-cylinder model. Since the 2009 Audi Q5 does not go on sale until next winter, Audi is months away from receiving official EPA fuel economy ratings, but Audi of America product planning head Filip Brabec says that their preliminary expectations are 17 mpg city, 24 highway for the V-6.

In Spain, we drove a Q5 equipped with the V-6 and Audi's upcoming S Tronic seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, which performed brilliantly, with sharp off-the-line throttle response and crisp, rev-matching upshifts. Unfortunately, the S Tronic will not be offered in the U.S.-market Q5, at least initially, but our past experience with Audi's six-speed Tiptronic automatic, the sole U.S. Q5 transmission, has been largely favorable. In any case, with 270 hp and 243 lb-ft of torque, the V-6 offers plenty of performance for the Q5; Audi claims a 0-to-62-mph time of 6.8 seconds. The top speed will be limited to 130 mph due to tire specifications.

We also had the opportunity to drive a Q5 fitted with Audi's superb 2.0 TFSI turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which is newly available in the 2009 Audi A4 but which at this juncture Audi of America will not offer in the Q5. With 211 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque, it takes the Q5 to 62 mph in 7.2 seconds, according to Audi, and it suffers little in driving performance when compared with the V-6. It's clear when speaking to Audi officials that they wish this engine would be available from the get-go when the Q5 goes on sale in the United States in February or March 2009, but it won't be. However, Audi of America's Brabec allows that any engine that already is engineered for the A4 chassis (which underpins the Q5) could fairly easily be homologated for U.S. duty. Our prediction: the 2.0 TFSI will be brought to the United States just as soon as Audi of America can make a business case to its parent, Audi AG.

Naturally, Audi's Quattro all-wheel-drive system is standard, and here it offers a 40:60 front:rear torque split. Although the Q5 is clearly not intended to be a rock-crawling off-roader, Audi maintains that it has the capability to tackle most off-pavement tasks that owners will throw at it. Ground clearance is 7.9 inches, the approach and departure angles are both 25.0 inches, and the Q5, Audi claims, can climb hills with up to 31 degrees of incline. Hill-descent control is standard.

Take control: Dial in your preferences for the chassis, the steering, and the powertrain response.

Audi Drive Select, a stand-alone option that will cost close to $3000 when the Q5 arrives in America, allows the driver to choose among three settings - comfort, normal, or sport - for throttle response, power assistance for the steering, and shift points for the transmission. The driver can mix and match his or her choices for each parameter or create a custom program.

The Drive Select system can be augmented with electronically adjustable suspension dampers and with Dynamic Steering. Audi's version of BMW's Active Steering, it varies the steering ratio and power assistance continuously. In concert with Drive Select, we found that it made a substantial difference in the Q5's steering feel, giving it very fast response with minimal lock-to-lock, especially at low speeds.

The Q5 puts the "sport" back into "sport-utility."

The Q5 is based on the same platform as the new Audi A4, so it's perhaps no surprise that this new crossover drives more like a sport sedan than an SUV. In that vein, it's a lot like the new Infiniti FX50 and the BMW X6: SUVs with a whole new level of driving prowess.

From the first turn of the steering wheel on our test car, we noticed the faster, firmer-feeling steering, a welcome change from what you find in many Audis. This was thanks to the Audi Driver Select program, and although that option is rather expensive, we'd want it in our Q5.

Body control and grip are superb, but not at the expense of ride quality over rough pavement (and we did find some rough pavement around Valencia, surfaces that were every bit as bad as what we have back home in southeast Michigan). On smooth pavement, the Q5 rides very well, if firmly, without undue harshness. We were very comfortable riding in both the front passenger's seat and the driver's seat.

The Q5's V-6 sounds great as you rev it to the limit in each gear. It offers plenty of torque, and great throttle response off the line. As noted above, it's a shame that we won't get Audi's new S Tronic 7-speed transmission for the Q5, but Audi officials say that they prefer to introduce that transmission on a sportier vehicle than a crossover. We imagine that, eventually, it will also trickle down to the Q5.

A standout performance in a new class of crossovers.

We came away very impressed by the 2009 Audi Q5. It clearly has surpassed the aging BMW X3 in terms of exterior styling, interior ambience, drivability, and comfort. Audi will face plenty of challengers in this segment, though, from the new Mercedes GLK and Volvo XC60, as well as from the existing entries from Acura, Land Rover, and BMW. Buyers in this category might also consider the new Audi A4 Avant, which shares its platform with the Q5. Although we like the Q5 as it is, we hope Audi of America finds a way to offer it soon with the superb 2.0 TFSI four-cylinder turbocharged engine and perhaps also the 3.0-liter TDI V-6 diesel that is debuting this winter in the Q5's larger sibling, the Q7.

2009 Audi Q5

Base price (estimated): $39,000
On sale: February or March 2009

Powertrain
Engine: 3.2-liter DOHC 24-valve V-6
Horsepower: 270 hp @ 6500 rpm
Torque: 243 lb-ft @ 3000 rpm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Drive: Four-wheel

Measurements
L x W x H: 182.2 x 74.0 x 65.1 in
Legroom F/R: n/a
Headroom F/R: n/a
Cargo capacity (seats up/down): 19.1/55.1 cu ft
Curb Weight: 3836 lb
Fuel economy (Audi-estimated, preliminary city/highway): 17/24 mpg

The 86th running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb brought with it a large number of red flags and very few new records. The event was held on July 20, 2008 along the 12.42-mile, 156-turn course that ends at the mountain's 14,110-foot summit.

The King of the Mountain himself, Nobuhiro "Monster" Tajima, was unable to best his time from last year. After beating Rod Millen's long-standing record in 2007 with a time of 10:01.408, Tajima and his crew from Suzuki Sport were determined to break the ten-minute barrier with their twin-turbo V-6 Suzuki XL7 Hill Climb Special. Tajima managed a time of 10:18.250, which was still a win for the uncontested Unlimited class and the event overall. Tajima was "happy given the conditions," and felt that, with the improvements made since last year, the car performed better.

Conditions, Conditions, Conditions

Dry, hot weather leading up to and during race day put the course in less-than-ideal shape for the competitors. The lack of rain caused the gravel sections to be very loose, while in years past a clean, packed line would form on the course. Temperatures in the 90s caused problems for several vehicles, especially those running hot turbo setups.

Records are a funny thing at Pikes Peak these days, because along with varying weather and dirt conditions, the amount of tarmac on the course increases each year. As a result of a Sierra Club lawsuit citing soil erosion, paving of the road began in 2001. Since then, two sections of the road have been paved, with this year's total at six miles, or nearly half of the course length.

Next year there will be a third paved section at the top where Tajima and others believe they lost the most time. There, the road has been narrowed by concrete curbs that were poured in preparation for the next section of pavement. This forced racers to use a tighter line, and also use greater caution to avoid damage from the sharp edges.

Few Records Broken

Though the conditions may not have been right for Monster's sub-ten-minute run, several racers managed to best the times for their divisions. The records for two motorcycle classes and one quad division were broken, as it seemed the smaller vehicles had an easier time finding a packed line in the loose conditions. The exhibition class record also fell to Leonard Vahsholtz who drove a heavily modified Ford Explorer up the mountain.

For the second year in a row, Rhys Millen won in the Time Attack two-wheel drive class with his Pontiac Solstice GXP. Millen beat his own record by nearly 14 seconds, which was set last year when the class was first introduced. What's more impressive is that Millen had no practice time in the car before the event because it was being repaired after a crash at a drifting competition.

We knew quite a bit about the 2009 Lotus Evora before, but we didn't actually know the car's name until its official debut at the 2008 London motor show.

We'd known for some time that the car, Lotus' first all-new creation since the 1995 launch of the Elise, would use a nomenclature beginning with 'E,' although it wouldn't be Esprit (that car's revival is still in the works).

Externally, the Lotus Evora bears some resemblance to the smaller Elise and Exige, but the similarities end with the interior. In stark contrast to the minimalist cockpit of the Elise, the Evora features a stylish, well-appointed cockpit. A swath of stitched leather starts in each door panel, and wraps up into the front surface of the instrument panel; the center console itself is trimmed in a similar manner.

Technically, the car is a 2+2, but even Lotus advises using the rear seats for children only. We suspect most owners will simply flip the rear seats down, using the resulting package shelf to accommodate extra luggage.

As previously reported, the Lotus Evora uses a Toyota-sourced 3.5-liter V-6. Essentially the same engine found in the Camry, Lotus' tweaks have it producing 280 hp 6400 rpm, and 252 lb-ft of torque at 4700 rpm - increases of 12 hp and 4 lb-ft over a 2008 U.S.-spec Camry. Coupled to a six-speed manual transaxle of Toyota origin, the V-6 is expected to push the Evora from 0-60 mph in less than five seconds and a top speed of 160 mph.

Such performance comes courtesy of the Evora's light weight. Built upon Lotus' new Versatile Vehicle Architecture, the structure is manufactured from aluminum extrusions bonded together, similar to that of the Elise. The complete chassis weighs only 440 pounds; the entire car - with weight-saving features like a composite roof panel - weighs 2976 pounds.

Production of the 2009 Lotus Evora, assigned to an all-new assembly line at Lotus' headquarters in Hethel, England, will be limited to 2000 cars per year. Global sales are expected to begin in Spring 2009; with cupholders and interior spaces designed to appease and accommodate (larger) American buyers, we're expecting to see the car stateside soon after.

Q&A: Cheryl Pilcher, Chevrolet Camaro product manager

A muscle car fan that developed the fourth-generation F-body, Chevrolet product manager Cheryl Pilcher has been working for General Motors (and with Camaros) since 1986. Now, Chevy's baby 'Vette is about to be reborn with Pilcher's help. We asked assistant editor David Yochum , an F-body owner himself, to get the full skinny on Camaro design details, options, and future Camaro plans.

Cheryl, I've got to know. Have you driven the Camaro yourself and, if so, what was it like?

CP: "Yes. Oh my gosh, it is awe-inspiring! Thrilling. Because of my work on the past generation car, I was so sad to see that we didn't continue it right away after 2002. It was such a neat moment when I was driving a Camaro again. It just makes your heart and soul feel good."

What has been the focus groups' reaction to the Camaro?

CP: "We've had some events with core enthusiasts and had them out driving the cars at relatively low speeds. When we first showed them the car, it was so emotional. There were tears in their eyes - literally men and women."

Who then is the target Camaro buyer?

CP: "We are trying to target a buyer that maybe doesn't know Camaro from the past. We'd hope to attract them with the great looks of the car, a new high-technology direct-injection six-cylinder engine, good fuel economy, all the standard equipment, and higher technology features."

Obviously the Camaro is no longer a hatchback and it doesn't look like the last generation F-body. Explain the new design direction.

CP: "I think what Tom Peters, our exterior design director, and Jeff Perkins, the interior design director, have done is balance the right amount of a few heritage cues. But they did not make things so overt and retro that it might offend or might not be attractive to somebody unfamiliar with the Camaro's past."

What are the visual differences between the V-6 and V-8 models?

CP: "On the V-8 SS model there is a front fascia that looks similar to the concept car. There is a small lip above the upper grille, it has a larger lower grille opening than the V-6, and the SS has 20-inch wheels, whereas the six-cylinder has 18-inch and 19-inch wheels. The SS also has a subtle spoiler, standard Brembo brakes, and a blackout rear diffuser around the exhaust tips. All models will have dual exhaust - the V-6 has three-inch tips and the SS tips measure three and three-quarters of an inch. The SS interior will have 'SS' embroidery on the headrest, steering wheel, and instrument cluster. Both base models have halogen headlamps, and there are HID headlights available with the RS package."

Will there be a Z28 model?

CP: "There will be no Z28 model. Through the four generations of Camaro, there have been cases where Chevrolet chose to make the Z28 the top dog or the SS the top dog. As you're aware, Chevrolet is encouraging the SS strategy with cars such as the HHR SS and Cobalt SS. Consistent with this strategy, we have a Camaro SS."

What is the full model lineup and how are the models differentiated?

CP: "The base model is an LS. It comes with 18-inch heritage-style steel wheels, and relatively few options. It has the direct-injection V-6, standard roof rail airbags, side impact airbags, OnStar, XM radio, standard stabilitrack with traction control, and ABS brakes. Then we have the LT model, which is a six-cylinder with two levels - an entry-level LT and a loaded LT. With the loaded LT, you get 18-inch, five-spoke aluminum wheels, a power driver's seat and fog lamps. Then we've got a base level and loaded SS. The base V-8 entry is for buyers who want ultimate performance, but not necessarily things like leather seats (it's more bare bones). The loaded SS comes with leather, a Boston Acoustics audio system, electro-chromatic mirrors, steering wheel controls, Bluetooth capability, remote-start on the automatic transmission, and a USB port and wireless interface. If you have your iPod or a device plugged into the center console, you can use steering-wheel controls to scroll through song selections. The loaded V-6 and V-8 Camaro also have auxiliary gauges - the four gauges just forward of the shifter.

Larry Sully, GM accessories design manager, revealed his team is working on larger wheels and a body kit for the Camaro. Will these accessories be part of the RS package?

CP: "The RS package is available on all models except the LS. Like I said, it has HID lighting, a darker tailamp treatment, and on a V-6 RS you get the spoiler found on the SS. The wheels are expected to have a unique paint treatment - not black, but not a typical bright silver finish. And then the V-6 RS option also includes 20-inch wheels."

In spring 2007, you told the guys at CamaroHompage.com that you "don't believe a Camaro is the right place for a hybrid powertrain." Do you still feel this way? Could we see the first hybrid muscle car?

CP: "You know, it's interesting how quickly things change, right? All of a sudden gas is four dollars per gallon and creeping up. I think that our team, along with the rest of GM, is looking at all different fuel solutions for Camaro and everything else out there. Things do change and we will change with the times. The V-8 we have does use active fuel management."

Have engineers had a chance to test Camaros with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine?

CP: "We are definitely keeping our options open for the future. To keep on making Camaro, we will have to follow along with all the strict fuel economy standards required by law. Interestingly, the die-hard enthusiasts we talked to were very open to hybrid, four-cylinder, and alternative-powered Camaros. There are definitely some opportunities there. Performance is an important part too, but that doesn't necessarily mean V-8 performance. There's other ways to get great horsepower and good torque besides a small-block V-8."

Could the new Camaro be fitted with all-wheel-drive technology?

CP: "All-wheel-drive is not something that we've investigated and we are not planning on doing that. I've not heard our enthusiast group bring that up as something they are interested in. The enthusiast buyer wants the launch feel. For someone who is concerned about traction in the wintertime, we do have standard stabilitrack and our V-6 tires are all-season tires."

Will T-tops or a glass roof similar to what will be available on the Mustang be a Camaro option?

CP: "A sunroof will be available at the start of production and a convertible will be released within a year of the coupe."

Will the Camaro have any goodies that we haven't seen and wouldn't expect?

CP: "One of the really cool things on the interior is, when you start the car, the sequence of lighting and the instrument cluster gauges are all illuminated in a cool kind of a way. There is a light ring that goes around the actual tachometer and speedometer. Additionally, on cars with a leather interior, there is what we call a two-inch ambient lighting LED pipe that goes across the instrument panel and then also goes into the door trim on each side. It's very similar to what was in the concept car. It will have ice blue lighting, and we have a special inferno orange accent package with orange seat inserts and orange-red ambient light. Through GM accessories dealers, you will also be able to get different colored accessory pieces. Also, GM accessories will offer 21-inch wheels in two different looks. They should fit both the V-6 and the V-8 car. More Camaro accessories will be announced during the 2008 SEMA show."

How many Camaros is GM trying to sell? Is a reasonable goal about 100,000 units in North America and 5000 in Europe?

CP: "I think that's a good ballpark target. But look at the Mustang, the big dog right now. Its volume went down by 30 percent last year. Just like overall new car sales have gone down, so has regular sports car sales. But with the new Camaro and what we feel is pent-up demand for it, I can see we are going to have some pretty good first-year sales."

Has any pricing information been finalized?

CP: "Final pricing will be released toward the end of the year, 30-60 days before the start of production. We expect it to be very competitive with the Mustang. "

What is the Camaro's anticipated showroom date? Still February 2009?

CP: "We've been saying first quarter of next year, probably a March time frame. And it will be labeled a 2010 model."

Lastly, I read your first car was a 1986 Trans Am. Is there any scenario that would make it feasible, at this point or any point in the next three years, for GM to revive the Camaro's sister car, the Pontiac Firebird?

CP: "There is not work currently going on at Pontiac on a new Firebird. The G8 is kind of their car for that."

We'd think an enthusiast event would be the last place to bring a top-secret prototype, but a 2010 Ford Mustang took to the Road America course this past weekend as a pace car at the Kohler International Challenge races.

While technically a three-day event, Ford officially revealed the car to enthusiasts on Saturday, which was deemed an honorary 'Ford Mustang Day.' Along with the 2010 Mustang, Ford brought other historic vehicles, including the 1983 Mustang GTP race car, to the Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, track.

Although the 2010 Mustang was in the public eye for the entire weekend, Ford didn't show its entire hand. A considerable amount of the car was clothed in thick, heavy camouflage, saving some secrets until the car's launch in 2009.

No, you're not looking at a concept car. You're looking at the first Foose Coupe to be delivered to a paying customer.

The brainchild of designer Chip Foose, the Foose Coupe loosely resembles a modified 1932 Ford roadster, but takes things to new extremes. For example, it's powered by a 500-hp, 382-cu.in. Mopar Hemi V-8, coupled to a five-speed manual transaxle sourced from ZF.

To date, four Foose Coupes have been built (this is number four), with total production limited to only 50 examples. If you're interested in picking up your own, expect to plunk down close to $300,000 for the hand-built hot rod.

For more information, visit www.hillbankusa.com.

Audi didn't hide much about its new 2009 Q5 during its unveiling at the 2008 Beijing show, but the automaker has now revealed a few additional details about the North American-spec SUV that we previously didn't know.

Although global markets will receive Q5s in gas- and diesel-powered forms, the U.S. is slated only to receive a gas motor. Q5s destined for America will use a direct-injection 3.2-liter V-6, good for 270 hp and 243 lb-ft of torque. The V-6's power will be channeled through a six-speed Tiptronic transmission and Audi's Quattro all-wheel-drive system.

Audi claims it currently has no plans to add the diesel motors or the S tronic gearbox from the European Q5 range, but says both "will be considered" for future offerings. Not in the cards, however, is a front-drive Q5; like the Q7, it too will use only Quattro.

Also not in the cards is an S or RS sport version. Although the Q5 shares some of its modular construction with the A4 sedan and A5 coupe, none of the performance bits from the S4 and S5 will transition to the SUV.

Like the A4 and A5, the Q5 will be built in Audi's plant in Ingolstadt, Germany. Production is scheduled to begin this fall, but U.S. deliveries won't begin until March or April of 2009. Audi won't talk about projected sales volumes, but it expects 28 percent of Q5s to find homes in North America.

Vintage race cars occasionally come up for grabs, but we can't recall the last time a Chaparral happened to change hands. Perhaps that's why seeing a 1962 Chaparral as part of RM Auctions' Sports and Classics of Monterey sale, scheduled for August 15 and 16, piques our interest.

Although the Chaparral name conjures images of Jim Hall's innovative designs, the Texan had little to do with the 1. The car was largely designed by Dick Troutman and Tom Barnes, both former Scarab designers who struck out on their own. By purchasing two cars from the duo, Hall unwittingly became a sponsor of sorts and his Chaparral brand was affixed to the car.

Troutman and Barnes ended up building five cars total, with Hall receiving chassis number 001 and 003. The car you see here is chassis 004, originally sold to Chuck Jones, who lent the car out to Skip Hudson. Jones kept the car until the '80s, when a California real estate magnate bought the Chaparral 1 and had it professionally restored.

As it stands today, chassis 004 sports a 318-cu.in. small-block Chevrolet V-8 (good for 340 hp), a four-speed manual transmission, and independent suspension at all four wheels. Better yet, the car also carries current FIA/ACCUS certification, and is eligible for vintage race events.

RM expects the Chaparral to change hands for between $750,000 and $950,000. Given that it's possibly the only Chaparral of any vintage that'll be for sale in the near future (most of Hall's collection is currently in a museum), that may be a safe bet.