What price would you pay to own a piece of history? We’re thinking that might depend on what sort of historic significance we’re talking about… or, in the case of this 1964 Cadillac Hearse, how morbid that history may be.

As you may remember, Barrett-Jackson in 2011 auctioned off a 1963 Pontiac Bonneville ambulance that some thought carried John F. Kennedy’s body to the hospital after his fatal shooting. Turns out the provenance of that machine was very much in question, and bidding stalled at just 0,000.

Following up that unimpressive sale a year prior, Barrett-Jackson decided to bring out a car who’s history was never in question: the car that carried the casket containing JFK, along with his wife, Jacqueline Kennedy, from Parkland Memorial Hospital to the airport at Love Field.

Regardless of the fact that it is known to have carried JFK’s body, it only garnered a high bid of 0,000. After fees, the new buyer will pay 6,000.00 to own this 1964 Cadillac Hearse. Check out our live images of the car at Barrett-Jackson above, and read more about it after the break.

Continue reading Barrett-Jackson 2012: 1964 Cadillac JFK Hearse garners final bid of 0,000 [w/video]

Barrett-Jackson 2012: 1964 Cadillac JFK Hearse garners final bid of 0,000 [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 21 Jan 2012 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The funeral of Kim Jong-il made for a big story internationally, but in true Autoblog fashion, we were just as interested in the classic cars that figured prominently in the procession. Of particular interest was a 1970s Lincoln limousine that carried the deceased leader’s casket – but not because it was some sort of rare classic that would fetch millions at Barrett Jackson.

Instead, many wondered how the North Koreans managed to obtain the vehicle in the first place. After all, the U.S. and North Korea aren’t exactly cozy, as evidenced by the 58-year old armistice that is still in effect. Was it a Russian ride that was converted to look like a Lincoln? Was it a genuine Lincoln smuggled into the country?

The good folks at TheDetroitBureau.com did some digging, and they think they’ve found the answer. TDB contacted the former head of Ford of Japan to ask how the vehicle could have ended up in North Korean possession, and the answer could stem from a rogue dealer from Japan. Their source claims that one or more Japanese Ford dealers was rumored to be shipping vehicles to North Korea, in spite of Japanese laws that forbid exports to the communist country.

There is no way of knowing if this educated guess is the definitive explanation of how Kim Jong-il’s Lincoln ended up in North Korea, but it’s certainly as as good as any we have heard.

How Kim Jong-il’s final ride came to be in a Lincoln originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Dec 2011 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aston Martins often prove capable of tangling with the likes of Ferraris and Lamborghinis. But one thing that sets them apart is that, while their Italian counterparts often place their engines amidship, Astons are always front-engined. Right?

Well, discounting their Lola-built LMP1 Le Mans racer, everything that rolls out of the factory in Gaydon – much as they did before at Newport Pagnell – has its engine up front, even with supercars as exotic as the One-77, V12 Zagato and Vanquish. That’s where HBH comes in.

The Danish firm, as we initially reported back in May and followed up on in July, takes its initials from the last names of its brain trust: Jesper Hermann, Christian Brandt and Torben Hartvig, who between them have a wealth of niche supercar experience to impart. For their latest project, the trio teamed up to produce the vehicle you see here: the Aston Martin Bulldog GT.

Aside from the engine being place behind the cabin, the Bulldog GT features unique aluminum bodywork that looks suitably Aston-like and accommodates placing the engine in the middle. And in case the 6.0-liter V12 lifted from the Vantage weren’t powerful enough, HBH has bolted on two superchargers to boost output up to 666 horsepower. That’s said to be enough for a 3.9-second run to 62 mph and a 186-mph top end, but we wouldn’t be surprised to find those numbers conservative.

Perhaps the most intriguing bit is that HBH is not just selling the car, but half of its production rights along with it. That means the buyer can choose whether to keep it as a one-off or put it into limited production and reap the rewards. Sounds like an interesting business model to us. Take a closer look at the finished product in our gallery of images and draw your own conclusions.

HBH reveals final design for mid-engined Aston Martin Bulldog GT originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 Nov 2011 14:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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