Welcome back to The Lost Cars of Brooklyn – where we discovered a classic 1983 Oldsmobile 88 Delta Royal Brougham V8 Coupe.

A private seller down in Dyker Heights is offering up one mint condition Oldsmobile two-door for just $1,750.

With 117,000 on this 8 cylinder’s odometer, it may be a coupe but this car’s got girth. We aren’t going to try estimating miles per gallon, because you drive this vehicle for style, not to save the Earth.

For a 1983 model, there’s a nice amount of modern installed features:

Air Conditioning
Cruise Control
Power Door Locks
Power Windows
Power Steering
Power Seats
Tilt/Telescope Steering Wheel

According to the seller’s description, this Oldsmobile includes an original engine and rebuilt transmission. Inside, 88 Delta has a new headliner, body trim moldings, and center wheel emblems. This is a great find, click the Auto Trader link below if interested, now!

Source: Auto Trader

Auto critics have chosen their Cars for 2011, along with models they believe will be great buys in 2012. Now, it’s Automopedia’s turn.

2011 was an interesting and inspiring year for the automotive industry. Jobs are coming back to The Motor City, profits are rising in America for the first time since 2008, and companies merged, died, killed old models, and welcomed new. We look back at 2011′s best, followed by a few picks for this coming year.

Why is this traffic cone monster the main photo for our blog post? No reason.

Best of 2011:

5. Fiat 500
Love it or hate it, Fiat is here (again) to stay. American audiences were excited to see a return of the tiny Fiat 500. Those same audiences were not very surprised that Fiat is not selling well. After an expensive commercial broadcast campaign starring Jenny from the Block, sales tanked in various markets (with the exclusion of NYC and Los Angeles). According to NHTSA crash test results, Fiat 500 scored a three-star rating, which is a very poor one. Many wonder if 500 will last in The USA.

4. Honda Insight
Insight is Honda’s response to Toyota’s Prius. With a body pretty much identical to Prius (and Volt, frankly) Insight was canned for cheap materials and large blind spots when it first arrived on dealer lots. What do you expect for a base price under $19,000? In 2011, these critical errors were answered. Insight was constructed better, with smaller rear blockage and a little more of a unique front end. We see good things for the Honda Hybrid going forward.

3. Ford Ranger
Ranger was Ford’s crowing achievement in small pickup trucks. Around for decades, the auto maker decided to discontinue the vehicle (for only North America) due to slow sales, as well as rising love for the larger, but still fuel efficient F-150. Personally, Automopedia loved all variants of the utilitarian friendly Ranger, and we are sad to see it go.

2. Porsche Panamera
The first “mainstream” Porsche vehicle ever. Bringing German luxury and performance to the everyday All-American family. Four-door Panamera received top honors again during 2011, and paves the way for what Porsche execs call an “economically friendly” line of vehicles, including Cayenne and Cajun. Porsche once the car of fantasy, one day soon it could be your commuting reality.

1. Chevrolet Volt
Boy, people can’t seem to stop talking about Chevy Volt EV. But it’s not all good news. Obama and his administration continually praise the hybrid electric sedan for green tech and miles per gallon. Then again, his administration is a major shareholder in General Motors, thanks to the bail out. So of COURSE they want to talk highly of it, and pray that these electric fires / burning down of owners’ homes is something that will not continue. Volt is #1 on our list not only for being a marvel of American automotive engineering, but for causing the most news reports, and joke slogans featuring “lightening” and “fire” throughout 2011.

Who Will be Tops in 2012:

5. Dodge Durango
It was an initial redesign made by the new Fiat-owned Chrysler & Dodge. Featuring a revised cross-hair grill, Durango hopes to bring SUVs back into popularity. That may not be so difficult: Dodge gave base Durango models a competitive starting price, as well as superb MPG ratings (23 highway!), a slew of standard luxury items, their Pentastar engine (producing 290 HP and traveling 550 miles per tank), and towing caps of 6200 lbs on V6, 7400 lbs in V8.

4. Acura NSX
At the 2012 Detroit Auto Show, Acura surprised everyone in attendance with a revival of their 90′s classic NSX. This Next-Gen version will be a sleek model, powered by mid-engine mounted hybrid V6. We really hope Acura goes ahead with plans to start production soon.

3. Cadillac ATS
This model will hopefully drop onto dealer lots in late 2012 (for the 213 model year). The GM brand is cashing it all in on smaller, sportier vehicles like ATS. Its 2.5-liter four-cylinder is rated at 200 HP, with a turbocharged, direct-injected 2.0-liter four-cylinder hitting 270. This should bring in a younger audience, depending on cost, of course.

2. Toyota Prius Family
Prius C is one of several vehicles Toyota will introduce in 2012 and 2013. Already out there is Prius V, basically a minivan trim of the popular and long running hybrid. Prius C is a more compact version, similar to Honda’s Fit (which has a hybrid overseas, but not in America). Base price for C is also under $19,000. Good, very good in fact, for a car with projected EPA fuel economy of 53 mpg city, 46 mpg highway.

1. Ford Fusion Hybrid / Plug-In
Another model for 2013, Fusion will be out later this year. It was the doll of NAIAS displays, attracting positive feedback from fans and press alike. A 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine will power base trims, making 179 HP and 26 city, 37 highway MPG. Fusion Hybrid receives a 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder, with electric motor and new lithium-ion battery pack. Expected to grab 47 city and 44 highway, Fusion is destined to have buyers stopping at Ford lots.

The Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid, another popular draw from 2012 NAIAS, is aimed at getting over 100 MPGe.

Source: Edmunds | Chryslerpedia | Fordpedia

The Bayou Billionaire reject above is Bobby Cleveland, holder of a …umm, unique, world record. The world’s fastest lawnmower.

Bobby and his modified lawnmower hit the Bonneville Salt Flats back in September 2010, recording a top speed of 96.529 mph.

“I was a little disappointed with that speed,” Cleveland said. “I should have done about 120. But once you get above 80 mph, the wind really hits you.”

What’s powering this intense grass cutter? Cleveland began with a 20-hp modified Briggs & Stratton engine, billet crank and a hotter cam. He states the motor now puts out around 40 hp. Cleveland spent $3,000 on the engine, $4,000 in total for his record book entry.

104 Octane booster sponsored Bobby Cleveland’s mower riding adventurer. Cleveland, 54, was a design engineer at Snapper lawn-mower company in Georgia. He currently acts as a spokesman for Gold Eagle Co.’s fuel-additive products.

Source: Auto Week

There seems to be no middle ground, at least if you live in NYC: You either love cars, or you love cycling. Biking has grown from a way to commute into a lifestyle for many. To others, it is merely a passing trend, of which they want in on while city or single speed / fixed gear biking is “hot.”

Only in Brooklyn will you find someone who is probably classified as a ‘Yuppie,’ and will try desperately to fit into both:

If this image, which is from Bike Snob NYC, makes you say “ugh,” join the club. For the record, this blogger is an avid cyclist, and is constantly tormented due to a fondness for both two wheels and four.

Welcome to Car Care – Automopedia’s advice section on caring for your vehicle. Today, we help you deal with that beater. Oh, and Edmunds.com lends us some advice too.

With today’s economy in the toilet, car owners are taking what they feel is a savvy approach to keeping an automobile. The trend is known as having a “transitional vehicle” – used cars, purchased on the cheap, to get you through a period between owning new ones. Many feel it saves money – but when getting into a beater, it’s good to know what to expect.

In the end, you might end up spending more on it than payments of a new car (take it from me, someone who purchased a used mid-90′s Toyota for around $2500, and pumped almost $5000 into it during one year).

Edmunds helped with this breakdown of how to keep that beater:

Maintain what could cause your vehicle to lose control: braking system, tires, steering, etc. Keep a close eye on everything under the hood: This includes radiator hoses, fuel lines, CV joints and fan, and timing belts. Check the oil daily / weekly.

Having a friend around who knows cars (assuming you do not) also helps. If replacement parts are needed, scour craigslist.org or flea markets.

Insuring your beater is typically inexpensive, and many won’t put out for anything above liability coverage. Keep in mind, that old vehicle you’re commuting in has a low resale value. Translation: one small accident could render it “totaled” and then you’ll be without a car once again.

So, how do you know when it’s time to dump the beater? For some, it depends on current financial situations. Do you now have enough money to put down on a new(er) vehicle?

Here’s the best way to know that it’s time to drop the used car – as stated above, are you spending more in a year to maintain it than you paid for the car? That’s a sign, when your $1500 car kills its $2500 transmission. He’s dead Jim.

Source: Edmunds.com

There were many impressive concepts unveiled at the 2012 North American International Auto Show, these are Automopedia’s 5 favorites:

1. 2013 Dodge Dart – Resurrection

Based off Fiat’s Compact US Wide body (CUS-wide), the 2013 Dodge Dart took many of us by surprise. Instead of dropping teasers months before Detroit’s annual show, Chrysler Group kept their rebirth of the Dart nameplate pretty secret until about one month before NAIAS. Its sleek design borrows from the soon-deceased Avenger (up front) and Charger (rear end). The auto maker believes its appeal will range “…from millennials, young professionals likely buying their first car, to empty-nesters, those with active lifestyles who appreciate good value but don’t want to sacrifice quality and amenities in their choice of vehicle.”

Dart receives three separate four-cylinder engines: A 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 160-horsepower, a 160-horsepower 1.4-liter turbo, and 2.4-liter 184-horsepower. Chrysler adds that Dart “offers a special blend of style, performance and innovation.”

2. The SMART For-Us

Smart For-Us wants you to rethink the pickup truck, by shrinking it… A LOT. Comedian Jon Lovitz introduced Smart’s pickup concept at the press conference. Maybe we’re not supposed to take it seriously.

This electric SMARTCAR comes standard with a 55-kilowatt magnetoelectric motor. For-Us has the potential to hit 80 mph, while hailing practically nothing in its three foot tailgate.

3. Acura NSX – The Return

A second surprise appearance at 2012 NAIAS is Acura’s NSX Concept, another call back to the 1980′s and early 1990′s sports car. Available in both rear wheel drive and all wheel drive, NSX (which the Japanese auto maker hopes to premier by late 2014, as a 2015 model) will be powered by hybrid gas-electric motors.

The mid-engine V6 and new SH-AWD system, “uses the gasoline engine to power the rear wheels and provide juice for the two electric motors mounted up front.”

4. Ford Focus Energi – Possibly The World’s Greenest Ride

Ford calls it the “world’s most efficient mid-size sedan” – given its size and performance, Focus Energi could very well be the perfect introduction to EV vehicles becoming everyday drives, and not someone’s novelty car.

2013 Ford Focus Energi plug-in hybrid comes with an EPA mileage of over 100 MPGe (equivalent). Energi uses a 2.0-liter Atksinson-cycle four-cylinder engine, the same as Fusion Electric Concept.

5. 2013 MINCOLN MKZ – The Auto Maker’s Savior?

“This is what the future of Lincoln looks like,” according to brand design director Max Wolff. MKZ concept gives us a hint as to what the production 2013 MKZ sedan will look like. Ranging in prices starting at the mid-$30,000′s – LINCOLN (who insist on spelling it annoyingly in all caps) hope to appeal to young drivers, while shedding their design link to parent company Ford.

Honestly, we don’t see how this vehicle will save LINCOLN. Prove us wrong fellas.

Images: Jalopnik | Motor Authority

The favorite limousine of Eva Perón (Evita) was a 1939 Packard Phaeton Super Eight.

After years of rotting away in a garage, the original chassis has been saved, and is even on tour at car shows in South America. This video (thanks to TheRealEvaPeron for posting) gives us a brief history of the person, the vehicle, and its restoration.

It seems that putting on a large scale auto show, featuring hundreds of concept cars and thousands of people in attendance, can be sort of dangerous.

During the 2012 North American International Auto Show, anything can happen. We expect to see the latest, most outrageous concepts from auto makers both foreign and domestic. Sometimes, the content gets a little too hot.

Case in point, just the other day LINCOLN (yes, they insist it be spelled all CAPS) showcased their MKZ Concept for 2013. A new direction for the company, as stated in the release. Unfortunately, as the vehicle sat on display, it started to smoke. Yes, LINCOLN’s hot new model caught fire.

No explanation was given for this smokey event, while reps for the company stood in front of the driver’s side door – hoping no one would notice.

This isn’t the first fire at a Detroit Auto Show. During 2010′s event, an electrical fire inexplicably began above Audi’s E-Tron (electric car, irony?) Concept booth. The area was evacuated of both people and automobiles.

In 2009, another almost-fatal incident occurred at the Cobo Center in Detroit. Chrysler’s Pentastar logo, perched high above the auto maker’s then-new line of 200C Concepts, fell from the sky, almost hitting a passerby.

Again, no one was injured, and much like this year’s smoking MKZ, automotive press officials had themselves a good laugh.

IFC Theatre, located in Manhattan’s West Village, ended 2011 (and started 2012) with a celebration of the car chase. Beginning this past October, IFC showcased their top picks for films that emphasize gorgeously shot high speed chases. But a car chase isn’t all speed and crashing. These motion pictures represent pivotal advances in film stories, and how action is recorded. Stunts witnessed in these features were rarely seen before their debuts. Each truly pushes the limit.

We highly recommend adding these to your Netflix Queue. This coming weekend will see the theater’s final showing: a packed house checking out Steve McQueen’s 1968 feature, Bullitt.

Previous airings includes the sequel to Mel Gibson’s spectacular debut in Mad Max – The Road Warrior, as well as the grindhouse feature Death Proof, Smokey and the Bandit, the 1970′s indie flick Two Lane Black Top, and Fast & Furious.

All films have been, and will continue to be weekend midnight showings – so Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. If you are near New York City, check out Bullitt this weekend on the big screen, tickets may still be available from IFC.

These fashion images not only show off retro styling of the 1950s (some of which is trendy again), but also classic automobiles. These rides would be only found today at local car shows, or eBay Motors.

The photos by John Rawlings are some of the earliest color shots (for advertising) on record. We are lucky to have a site the likes of Retronaut.co around to present a beautiful trip down automotive memory lane.

While perusing these images, why don’t you take a guess at the makes & models (cause frankly, there are a few we can’t seem to identify) – enjoy!