Citroën SM

Citroën is the French auto manufacturer famed for the very early front-wheel drive Traction Avant and pioneering work in pneumatic suspensions, active suspensions and aerodynamics. Citroën owned Maserati in the late 1960's and early 1970's. The SM was Citroën's flagship, Motor Trend's Car of the Year and the basis for the French Presidential Limousine (click link for image of French President Georges Pompidou and Britain's Queen Elizabeth II in Citroen SM Limousine) as well as a platform for the Maserati Merak.

Maserati Wins 2010 FIA GT1 World Championship

Photo by FlashPhase

2010 FIA GT1 Champion Maserati Team & MC12s

Almost Everything Autobody celebrates Maserati's win in the FIA GT1 World Championship. GT racing is, in our humble opinion, the greatest racing in the world because it features cars that can actually be purchased and driven on real roads. Previously Maserati has won 5 consecutive FIA GT Manufacturers Cups from 2005-2009 with their dominating MC12. In 2005 Maserati beat 2nd place Ferrari by nearly 2x in the points standing! And now they have won the inaugural FIA GT1 World Championship, beating Aston Martin (another favorite), Corvette, Ford GT (okay, they are all favorites), Lamborghini & Nissan GT-R.







Maserati is near and dear to the hearts of the crew here at Almost Everything Autobody for 3 reasons.

The first, of course, is that Maserati has produced some of the most beautiful and fastest works of art in the history of man (we'll excuse them for everything that happened in the 1980s & 1990s.)

Second, since 2008 it has been a dream and is actually written into the employee manual & the business plan that Almost Everything Autobody will procure a Maserati Quattroporte to use as a customer courtesy shuttle. It was supposed to happen in Dec. 2010 but the past couple of years have been economically tough for everyone in the world as well as us here at Almost Everything so the plan has been pushed back. 2011 looks to be a good year for business and we are hopeful.

Third, Frank Barnard, Almost Everything Autobody's President, bought a Maserati-engined 1973 Citroën SM as his second car. Citroën is the French auto manufacturer that owned Maserati in the late 1960's and early 1970's. The SM was Citroën's flagship as well as a platform for the Maserati Merak.

Citroën SM

Congratulations to Maserati, the Vitaphone Racing Team and drivers Michael Bartels and Andrea Bertolini for their fantastic achievement. You are all welcome to stop by the shop anytime!

For more on the story, visit the Maserati website: http://www.maserati.com/maserati/en/en/index/maseraticorse/gt1-world/races/san-luis-magazine-2010/race.html?uid=6048745088&mid=600317332

2011(?) Ferrari 458 GTC Breaks Cover

From our friends at Top Gear and DogFightMag.com, here are some spy shots of the brand-spanking new Ferrari 458 GTC undergoing testing. Look for it at the 2011 Sebring 12 Hour endurance race.

Ferrari 458 GTC snapped in testing - BBC Top Gear