I’m not one of those naysayers who think all modern cars look alike or what-not, but sometimes it feels difficult getting excited about an increasingly monolithic, globalized industry. Yet I guarantee I’d be excited if I could win any car on a game show. What if it was a Corvette? Tonight, on May 15, you’ll be able to bear witness to a Wheel of Fortune contestant winning a 2026 C8 donated by none other than Jay Leno.

This week has been “Big Money Week” at the veteran game show. Earlier, on Monday, Leno and the illustrious Vanna White announced that a 2026 Chevrolet Corvette would be the grand prize for the show’s Big Money Week tournament. “All five winners from this week’s show will return for a bonus round face-off, after which the winning contestant will be awarded the car,” according to USA Today.

Certainly, a C8 Corvette is a big-money item, listing at around $70,000. It will be one of over 600 cars given away by the game show since its inception in 1975, but we bet none have been as cool as this one.

To discover who the lucky winner is, be sure to tune your television tonight for the Wheel of Fortune Big Money Week tournament finale.

The older I get, the more I realize that I have a soft spot for music, movies, and cars from the 1990s and 2000s. I recently saw a shockingly modern/retro combination: a Land Rover Freelander towing a pair of colorful jet skis. Inspired by Diego’s and Tyson’s car-spotting stories, I just had to share it with you.

I came across this unusual sighting while filling up the 2026 Genesis GV70 3.5T Sport Prestige after a high-speed run through some curves (review to come soon!). There are droves of SUVs in the Phoenix area, but I think I’ve seen only two Freelanders in the five years I’ve lived here. When it came out as a 1998 model, the Freelander was a very different kind of Land Rover. Available with three or five doors (counts that included the rear door), the Freelander not only was a unibody vehicle, but it also used all-wheel drive and a viscous coupling unit to get over nature’s obstacles.

Land Rover began offering the five-door version of the Freelander here in the “Land of the Free” for the 2002 model year. The following model year, Land Rover brought over the three-door SE3, the Freelander I saw. The Borrego Yellow paint is hard to ignore, but if you can look past that, you’ll see some cool features (and lots of bird poop). This particular SE3 was dressed up with a chrome brush guard and bright running boards, but its most interesting features were higher up. Above the front seats was a pair of removable glass panels; that triangular black hardtop at the rear was also removable, meaning you could enjoy an open-air driving experience in this little rig.

Unfortunately, it was miserably hot when I spotted the Freelander, so I can’t blame the owner for keeping everything closed. I guess (s)he cooled off by riding the waves on one of the jet skis. I have no idea when they were made, but the foreground had a very 1990s purple, teal, and white color scheme that made me think of windbreakers, movie theater carpeting, and disposable cups from back in the day.

A 2.5-liter DOHC V-6 powered the Freelander and sent its power to the road or trail below through a Jatco five-speed automatic. The brochure for the 2003 Freelander shows that the SE3’s cabin came standard with a heated windshield, leather-wrapped steering wheel, black technical fabric upholstery, steering wheel-mounted audio controls, and Harman Kardon 240-watt audio system with nine speakers. The Freelander also had hill descent control, a feature that’s so commonplace in modern off-roaders.

Whoever owns this pairing of fun land and water vehicles is keeping a certain era alive. Most importantly, since you just don’t see a lot of Land Rover Freelanders on the road any more (and they were discontinued at the end of the 2005 model year), (s)he is keeping a relic of the 2000s visible. Perhaps you’ll get a chance to see this rolling history exhibit yourself at a future RADwood show.

Funny story: I was looking through ClassicCars.com to choose a car for the Pick of the Day. I found a nice 1965 Buick Wildcat convertible but decided to save it for a later date — glad I did because, three days later, it popped up on AutoHunter!

You’ll find that car as one of my AutoHunter Picks, along with a muscle Plymouth, a photogenic drop-top pony car, and an Italian berlina that marked Maserati’s return to form after many struggles since the 1970s.

1965 Buick Wildcat Custom Convertible
Folks sometimes think the Wildcat is a sports model but, considering it was available as a four-door, how sports can it be? Buick liked to call it “style and flair,” so I’m willing to say “sporty,” though conditionally. This 1965 Wildcat Custom convertible certainly is sporty.

The Custom had the fanciest interiors within the Wildcat series, plus this one has the step-up engine option, the 340-horsepower 425 (otherwise known as the Wildcat 465). Combine that with peak GM styling and I know someone’s gonna be VERY happy with this one.

1967 Plymouth GTX Hardtop
My friend Dennis Kerry (RIP) was a ’67 GTX fiend, having bought one new and restored several more when he and Laura found themselves as empty nesters. I grew to appreciate the charms of the ’67 GTX, which was Plymouth’s first “proper” muscle car to go head-to-head with the GTO.

It’s difficult to find fault with the standard 440 Super Commando, and the same could be said for the TorqueFlite automatic. All that’s needed is your heavy right foot.

1968 Chevrolet Camaro RS Convertible
While I am not a Camaro guy (or a pony car guy), I’d be hard-pressed to think of a more custom-looking car out of Detroit than the 1967-68 Camaro Rally Sport. Fans can argue whether the ’67 or ’68 is better (it may come down to whether you think vent windows clutter the look), while I’ll argue that these look best sans SS or Z/28 stripes, which seems to be the default look.

I could see this on the showroom floor waiting for that special someone to be entranced. Care to repeat the sequence?

2007 Maserati Quattroporte
It’s hard to believe it’s been over 20 year since the Maserati Quattroporte’s renaissance. Reading up on them, it seems there was a running change in transmissions, with this 2007 version featuring the six-speed ZF update. My favorite view is from behind because it has a smooth, almost bumperless appearance.

If you yearn for a Ferrari but are stuck with a Ford, then this trident may be your best bet in gleaning some of the essence of the Cavallino Rampante.

There are certain features that are synonymous with particular cars, such a BMW’s twin-kidney grille or the Ford Mustang’s tri-bar taillights. For most of the Porsche 911‘s life, round headlights have been one of its visual signatures. Our Pick of the Day comes from a very different point on the German sports car’s timeline. You can find this six-speed 2002 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet listed on ClassicCars.com by a dealership in San Diego. It comes with two keys, owner’s manual, spare tire, and more.

In 1999, the 996 generation of the 911 brought significant changes. Up front, its round headlights were replaced by units that many thought were shaped like fried eggs. The body’s wheelbase, length, and width grew, yet the 996 weighed less than its 993 predecessor.

At the rear, the engine remained a flat-six, but it received four-valve heads and water cooling to meet more stringent emissions requirements. On top of that, the 996 era spawned the first-ever GT3, an homologation model that offered higher performance than the basic 911 without the use of turbos and all-wheel drive.

This particular 911 Carrera Cabriolet is from the 2002 model year, when Porsche revised the front end by installing the 911 Turbo’s headlights and a larger, more powerful 3.6-liter engine with 320 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque, among other updates. “Turbo Twist” wheels always look great on a 996, but the 18-inch Porsche Sport Classic IIs are an attractive change of pace.

And check out the color combo. Sleek and understated, Seal Grey Metallic pairs so well with the black soft top and the tan leather interior. Given that 996s are fairly modern sports cars, their cockpits typically have metallic or carbon fiber trim, yet this one has bright trim as well as glossy wood accents on the steering wheel, center stack, shifter, and e-brake handle. Another thing you don’t usually see on 996s? The kind of mileage that’s on this car: I’ve come across many 996s with 20-40,000 miles on them, which is great for a car that’s 20-plus years old, but whoever used to own this ’02 really babied it because it’s covered only 5,396 miles over nearly a quarter-century.

Driving may not be a feature of a car, but it should be synonymous with one, especially a Porsche 911. This low-mileage 2002 Porsche 911 Cabriolet needs to be driven. Buy it for $58,000 and start enjoying it.

Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com

Jeep has a long, rich history to tap into for special-edition Wrangler models, which is evident in many of the Twelve 4 Twelve releases celebrating the brand’s 85th anniversary. But Jeep knows that 2026 is the only year it can create a Wrangler commemorating America’s 250th birthday, so its seventh vehicle from that series is the 2026 Wrangler America250 edition.

The Wrangler America250 is based on the Willys trim, a nod to Willys–Overland, the brand that started Jeep and one with its own military and off-road legacy. While casual observers may not make that connection, it should be immediately obvious to everyone what inspired the America250’s color scheme.

Red, white, and blue can be difficult to combine in a subtle way because of all the contrast, but it looks as if Jeep’s designers pulled it off. The base color is Bright White, which is accented with body-color fender flares, and red and blue graphics on the hood, front fenders, and doors. Of course, special America250 fender and swing-gate badging is part of the package.

In collaboration with Marvel, Jeep dressed up the spare tire cover with a graphic styled after Captain America’s shield. A Jean Blue soft top covers the cabin while dark blue 17-inch wheels with 33-inch BFGoodrich all‑terrain tires, steel rock rails, and front and rear tow hooks give the America250 freedom from sticky situations.

Like the Wrangler Rockslide, the America250 comes with Jean Blue cloth upholstery on the seats and the dashboard insert, but it also receives its own special touches. The front seats are equipped with red seat belts and recline straps as well as an America250 Velcro patch. Red, white, and blue stitching accents the steering wheel and dashboard; red and silver stitching highlights the transmission and transfer case shifter boots. Anodized carbon HVAC vent and steering wheel bezels, and Mopar all‑weather floor mats round out the America250’s interior treatment.

Expect to see the 2026 Wrangler America250 edition in Jeep dealerships starting this summer with a starting price that’s $2,095 higher than a comparably equipped model. If you buy one and need to wind down a little after hosting a giant Fourth of July pool party, you can read the included Marvel comic book that features a special Captain America and Jeep Wrangler America250 edition cover. Just be sure not to drop any apple pie crumbs on it while you’re flipping through the pages.

In 2012, you may have caught sight of a large, derivative sedan built by a company named after an engineer/inventor born and raised in the Empire of Austria. This car was the second model from this company but the first that wasn’t borrowed from another manufacturer. A lot has changed since then, including the visibility of the brand — Tesla — so it is with some surprise that I learn the imaginatively named Model S (and its much cooler cousin, the gullwinged Model X) has been discontinued.

I think most enthusiasts’ experience with EVs back in 2012 had to do with watching an old Datsun converted to electricity on YouTube, ripping it up at a drag strip. There were few EVs already in the American market at the time, with the Nissan Leaf being the best-known. According to Car and Driver magazine, what the Model S got right was that it performed very well as a car no matter what the propulsion.

In its first year, the Model S was available in four trim levels: base, Performance, Signature, and Signature Performance. In the periodical’s first instrumented road test, the $109,600 2013 Model S Signature Performance pulled off 0-60 in 4.6 seconds, which almost seems slow these days. The motor was rated at 416 horsepower and supported by an 85-kWh battery.

Over time, a lot has happened: the proliferation of Supercharger stations, EV acceptance beyond Greenies, state dealer organizations that tried to prevent Tesla sales, aggressive driving stereotypes that would make a BMW driver blush, and even Elon Musk’s rise (and fall) in popular culture. Through thick and thin, Tesla has remained the EV to which all others are compared. The fact that the Model S has continued to compete (if not remain competent) today — now with up to 1,020 horsepower — speaks to its good bones despite the quality issues that have plagued the upstart. And with the Plaid starting at $111,630, the Model S appears to remain a fair value considering 0-60 happens in 2.1 seconds.

It would be nice to know what’s coming next, but that’s never been a stable proposition with Tesla — per Car and Driver, “Tesla has proved that making promises is more profitable than keeping them, at least on a projected timeline.” You’d think that would be problematic for most consumers, but we live in a different world these days.

So, no, we can’t say what’s next for Tesla, but considering the President is meeting with his Chinese equivalent, I predict the brand is the impetus for seeing Chinese EVs on American roads within five years. Additionally, I hope to see more buttons in Tesla interiors instead of misguided attempts by computer designers to reinvent the wheel.

As a kid in the 1980s, my weekends revolved around Saturday morning cartoons, and some of the television commercials that have stuck with me for decades promoted Micro Machines.

Originally produced by Galoob from 1987 through about 2000, the miniature cars came in 1:150 scale and could be accompanied by intricate playsets. I still have a few Micro Machines in my collection today. At this point, some of them may be a little bit rare or collectible. Many were extremely detailed for their size, even including opening doors, hoods, and trunk lids (or rumble seats, as shown below).

The cultural impact of Micro Machines extended to the big screen, where they were famously featured in the movie “Home Alone” when Kevin McAllister was setting taps for two bungling burglars.

I put a lot of (scaled-down) miles on these two back in the day.

The star of the Micro Machines commercials was John Moschitta Jr. (now age 71), who ended each ad with the words, “If it doesn’t say Micro Machines, it’s not the real thing.”

Moschitta became known for being a record-setting fast-talker. In the 1980s, he was recognized by Guinness World Records as the World’s Fastest Talker for his ability to articulate 586 words per minute. Here is an example of one of the memorable Micro Machines commercials:

As it turns out, the Micro Machines name was revived in 2020 by Hasbro, and there are new vehicle designs available at major retailers such as Walmart. So, if you don’t want to scavenge eBay for vintage Micro Machines, you can acquire new ones. I doubt you’ll find any as cool as my blue school bus, though! Back in the day, it even had working interior illumination, but the battery died decades ago.

Check out our story archives about diecast cars if you’re into scale model collecting. You might also want to check out the videos in our Collectible Corner YouTube series. And by the way, in case you couldn’t already tell, I’m having just as much fun playing with toy cars at age 44 as I was at age 10.

Currently listed for sale on AutoHunter is this 2002 Chevrolet Camaro SS. It was built in the final year of production for the 4th-generation Camaro and marked the 35th anniversary of the model. For many people, this generation is a favorite among newer Camaros, with strong performance and great looks. This one is powered by a factory LS1 5.7-liter V-8 mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. Finished in Bright Rally Red over a Neutral leather interior, this 60,133-mile pony car comes the selling dealer with a clean AutoCheck report and a clear title.

The exterior is in great shape, with the Bright Rally Red paint shining nicely and only a few stone chips. The quality of the exterior trim also looks fine, as do the T-tops and correct 17-inch cast-aluminum SS wheels, which are clad with 275/40 Kumho Ecsta radial tires.

The cockpit looks almost as good as new, with the factory Neutral leather upholstery showing no cracks or tears. This Camaro SS is nicely equipped with six-way power-adjustable drivers seat, cruise control, air condioning, power windows, power locks, adjustable steering column, and factory Monsoon 500-watt sound system.

Under the hood is the Corvette-derived Chevrolet LS1 5.7L V-8 engine that is backed by a four-speed automatic transmission. Output is 325 horsepower and 340 ft-lb of torque, assisted by the forced air-induction system included with the SS package. What this means for performance is a 5.2-second 0-60 and a quarter-mile ET of 13.5 seconds, making it one of the quickest Camaros out of the showroom. Everything under the hood looks to be in excellent condition and reasonably clean.

The underside is more of the same, with pristine floors, suspension that looks clean and tidy, and no evidence of leaks from the engine or gearbox. The seller notes that it is equipped with a Torsen limited-slip differential, performance suspension, and a SLP cat-back dual exhaust system.

I remember how sad enthusiasts were in 2002 when Chevrolet announced the end of the Camaro, which gave sales a nice bump before the F-body was discontinued. The final 2002 Chevrolet Camaro SS was a little bit faster than the Ford Mustang Cobra from the same period, too — speaking of faster, if you are interested in our AutoHunter Spotlight, you better act fast and bid now because on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at 11:30 a.m. (PDT) it just may end up belonging to someone else.

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and a photo gallery

American Motors Corporation had a tongue-in-cheek tagline that read, “If you had to compete with GM, Ford and Chrysler, what would you do?” One answer that could be given is, “Produce two Trans-Am cars for the street!” Our Pick of the Day is one of those cars, though, truth be told, it’s not. This 1970 AMC Trans-Am Javelin is listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Belpre, Ohio.

When American Motors decided to meet the Big Three toe-to-toe, it seemed like a natural to produce a pony car. After all, pony cars were the hottest segment out of Detroit within several years of AMC’s about-face. The Detroit-based automaker (after the 1954 merger between Nash and Hudson, the Kenosha, Wisconsin headquarters had moved to Michigan) started working on the Javelin pony cars in 1966, with Dick Teague’s design studio producing two AMX-themed show cars to gauge public reaction.

The production Javelin that debuted at the end of the summer of 1967 was built on the Rambler American chassis. Aside from fine styling, the Javelin also boasted better measurements than its market competition, including rear-seat and trunk room. Two trim levels were available: base and SST (Super Sports Touring). Available with a straight-six or several V-8s up to a 315-horsepower 390, the Javelin was well-equipped to handle the competition aside from the most powerful rivals. And even though the Javelin was only available as a swoopy two-door coupe, a short-wheelbase version called the AMX upped AMC’s image in spades — something a convertible could never do.

Updates for 1969 were minimal, with AMC solidifying its position in the marketplace with fancy, youth-oriented features including Big Bad colors, new stripes and spoilers, and even a partnership with Hurst to produce an AMX for Super/Stock. But for 1970, AMC gave the Javelin a facelift to keep it fresh, including a new grille and parking lights, optional air induction system (part of the Go Package), and taillights. Engines were updated as well, with the mid-range 343 V-8 upped to 360ci, and the 390 receiving a 10-horsepower bump.

During this era, AMC was a competitor in SCCA’s Trans-Am circuit, having contracted Kaplan Engineering in 1968. For 1970, AMC worked with Roger Penske, with whom Mark Donohue handled research and driving duties. In response, a homologation special called the Mark Donohue Javelin SST was introduced to certify AMC’s entry in the Trans-Am circuit. Included with the package was the 360 four-barrel, Go Package, C-stripe, and unique ducktail rear spoiler designed by Donohue himself — it even featured his signature. It is believed 2,501 were built.

And then there was the Trans-Am Javelin. Yes, we refer to it as “Trans-Am,” but it was not used to homologate the race cars. Rather, it was a promotional model to hype AMC’s efforts in SCCA racing. Why bother when there was a true homologation Mark Donohue Javelin? That one was months away because AMC was required to re-homologate the pony car due to the restyle. In turn, the Trans-Am Javelin was the placeholder that announced AMC’s intention. Glance at this 1970 Trans-Am Javelin and you’ll notice the bold red/white/blue paint, special adjustable spoiler, standard 390 Go Package with four-speed manual and 3.91 gears, Magnum 500 wheels wrapped in Goodyear white-letter Polyglas F70x14s, and more. Documented in the T/A Registry, this particular example also features a new Legendary interior, rebuilt 390 and T10 transmission, rebuilt rear end with Moser axles, new springs and shocks, sandblasted chassis, re-chromed bumpers, and more.

Only 100 Trans-Am Javelins were built for 1970. Of those, only 36 are currently registered. How many Z/28s are out there? For the same amount of coin ($119,000), you can show the other Trans-Am contenders that you’re much more exclusive.

Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com

In this final installment of cars I saw during my trip to Argentina in March/April, I’ll go over the cars I didn’t see. Many of these are homegrown, though there’s a badge-engineered vehicle here ‘n there. One of them you may even lust after, so read on!

Industrias Kaiser Argentina
There’s a lot of cross-pollination with this one. IKA was founded in 1956 and started with Willys Jeeps, as far as I know. Then, the dies for the Kaiser Manhattan (which was discontinued in 1955) were shipped to Argentina, where the Kaiser Carabela was produced for several years (in all my travels, I only recall seeing one in an alley). By the beginning of the next decade, IKA was producing the Renault Dauphine. Renault would have a long relationship with IKA. which would also include the 4, 12, 18, and Fuego.

Also beginning in 1960 was the Bergantin, a restyled Alfa Romeo 1900 powered by either a Willys four-cylinder or, later, the Continental six-cylinder from the Carabela.

Next in the IKA story was a cooperation with American Motors Corporation. The Rambler Classic and Ambassador replaced the Carabela and Bergantin for 1962 using the Continental engine. And, in an ironic twist, the Jeep Gladiator (later to become an AMC product itself) began to be produced.

However, the IKA Torino was the progeny of what many consider the greatest car to be built in Argentina. If you can imagine a 1964 Rambler American sent to Pininfarina, what would it look like? It came out spectacularly well and was built from 1967-82. Kaiser’s Tornado OHC straight-six powered the Torino, and a less fancy version was used for Ramblers as well.

IME Rastrojero
Industrias Mechanicas del Estado was a state-owned manufacturer that produced several vehicles that I used to see around Buenos Aires. The first-gen Rastrojero (“Pathfinder”) truck clearly has a Willys influence.

The second-gen version was a lot more car-like, but it stands to reason because it also was produced as a passenger car — in fact, it gives me Checker vibes. These 1968-79 vehicles were powered by a Borgward diesel four-cylinder, later to be succeeded by a Peugeot diesel four.

Fiat 1500
While many Fiats were produced in Argentina (including several we had in the U.S.), the 1500 is the one I used to look at with curiosity. For one, I had an old Matchbox of it, so I could actually see this car in the flesh.

The other reason is that doesn’t come off as being very Italian, especially with what appears to be a Corvair-influenced design.

Peugeot
My uncle used to have a robin’s-egg blue Peugeot 404 with the rally lights and a column-shifted four-speed. These used to be seen everywhere as it was produced through 1981.

The 504 also was popular, available from 1969, but starting in 1981, it began to be produced by a new company called Sevel that merged Fiat and Peugeot’s Argentine operations to become the largest automaker in the country. Sevel continued producing the 504 (as well as the 505, several Fiats, and a full-size Chevrolet C10 pickup) through 1999, when Sevel was disbanded. Like the Falcon, the 504 went through several styling updates that were unique to Argentina.

SIAM DiTella
The SIAM (Seccion Industrial Amasadoras Mecanicas) Di Tella was based on Pininfarina’s British saloons from BMC. Up front, it looked like a Riley 1500, which was not an attractive car to this kid, but apparently, it was popular as a taxi due to its spacious interior. It was produced until 1966, when the company went bankrupt.

Once again, big thanks to Michael for the use of his scans.