ballaban
Michael Ballaban
ballaban
Deputy Editor, Jalopnik. 2002 Lexus IS300 Sportcross.

PGP Fingerprint: 0D03 F37B 4C96 021E 4292 7B12 E080 0D0B 5968 F14E

Definitely not a flop! This is the best thing Maserati has done in ... well a really long time. Read more

I’ve seen Enzos on the street and they’re meh-looking. I’ve seen an MC-12 once, at an auto show, and it was WILD looking. The length-to-height ratio on that thing is just off the charts in person, and I can’t imagine seeing it on an actual street. Read more

Second year? Jesus, I could have sworn this was around for at least like 5 years beforehand. Read more

it looks SOOOO much better than the enzo does, i believed that when it came out and i think it holds true today, its definitely aged more gracefully.  Read more

I can’t decide which half is the bad half.

Plus it was a Gumpert. WhoTF would admit to owning a “Gumpert”? Read more

I worked at a dealer when the SLR came out. We had one sit for a year and a half until we traded it to another dealer that was desperate for a white G63 we had. (obviously not a straight trade) 

I think part of the “problem” with 458 vs 488 values is that people are prospecting the market thinking it will be like 993 and the last air cooled 911s. People think that because the 458 is the last NA V8 Ferrari (as far as we know) that it should command a premium. However, I don’t think it really should; Ferrari Read more

It was successful, I think. It was developed by Jaguar’s racing arm, and as such lived up to its billing as a race car you could drive on the street (in the UK, at least) if you wanted. It complied with Group C regs, in general, so it satisfied a niche market of buyers who wanted a Le Mans-style Jaguar for the road Read more

I think I might be too over-sensitive at this issue, but we just stop dragging the Jaguar XJ220 as a flop. This shit has been said for a few decades now and we get it, It was supposed to be AWD and V12, but the original to-be owners got shafted with the production car came out. Why the hell does it matter anyway,

Let’s get a bit obscure here. I give you the Gumpert Apollo. It set the Top Gear track record, had a blazing twin turbo Audi V8, and looks that were umm, too German. It did so well that Gumpert declared bankruptcy because they had done everything they set out to do.

Hennessy Venom? I guess they sold all they made, but didn’t they accept payment for many they didn’t actually deliver? Maybe this is more the company was a flop and not the car itself.

Depends on your definition of “Super” but I’d say anything with a Spyker badge on it. Read more

Didn’t they sell every example? And they’re selling used for over $500K (original MSRP $375K). The XJ220 straight up didn’t sell, and buyers sued Jaguar to get their deposits back when they learned that the production version was a mere shadow of the concept. Read more

I’m pretty sure it’s illegal to drive around with a baby and no car seat. I don’t condone crimes.  Read more