Tag archives: cars

What a Concept: Car Designer Lends Talents to Help Classic
By Nick Masuda   |   October 12, 2021

Mark Stehrenberger is not David Hasselhoff. Nevertheless his body was iconic on the TV show “Baywatch.” The RIOT sportscar was his creation, one that car enthusiasts and car-noscenti drooled over as it sped along the Malibu coast in the 1990s television smash hit. “I didn’t get to meet Pamela Anderson though,” Stehrenberger quipped. He wears […]

Train of Thought
By Ashleigh Brilliant   |   August 19, 2021

Many people seem to forget that the automobile was not the first “horseless carriage.” For most of the 100 years before motor cars began to appear on our roads, self-propelled vehicles originally powered by steam, had been crisscrossing the world’s continents. The main difference was that “locomotives,” as they were called, required a very special […]

Hydrogen: The Simple Solution Unpacking the Color Codes for Our Future Fuel
By Rinaldo Brutoco   |   May 13, 2021

Brown Hydrogen, Grey Hydrogen, Blue Hydrogen, Green Hydrogen. Who knew hydrogen, the most abundant element in the universe (76 percent of all molecules in the universe are hydrogen), came in so many colors! Actually, it doesn’t. Those color references relate to how hydrogen (“H2”) is made. If the source of electricity for electrolyzing H2 from […]

On the Road
By Ashleigh Brilliant   |   June 18, 2020

Don’t let them fool you. All roads do not lead to Rome – at least, not anymore. But: there is always a close connection between any road and whatever travels on it. Most of our roads today began as animal tracks. Animals didn’t need motels, or scenic views. They bought no souvenirs, and never wrote […]

Start Your Engines!
By Richard Mineards   |   September 26, 2019

It was horsepower of a very different kind on display at the Santa Barbara Polo Club when the 8th annual Montecito Motor Classic, which used to display its pricey wares on Coast Village Road, pitched up at the Carpinteria equestrian facility. With the theme Supercar Designs & Legacy Milestones, featuring one-of-a-kind cars made by Lamborghini, […]

The Montecito Motor Classic
By James Buckley   |   September 19, 2019

The annual Montecito Motor Classic, going into its eighth year, has officially outgrown its Coast Village birthplace and has moved to the larger venue of the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club, 3375 Foothill Road, Carpinteria (805-684-6683). Without the move, it’s safe to say, there would have been no car show this year. Damage to […]

Vroom, Vroom
By James Buckley   |   April 11, 2019

This is the Santa Barbara Boys & Girls Club’s sixth Rally4Kids – a one-and-a-half day celebration of all things vehicular – and it’s the club’s biggest fundraiser of the year. It has also been a roaring success and lots of fun. This event begins the night before (Friday evening, April 26) at a private “drivers” […]

On the Road with Arlo
By Hattie Beresford   |   March 14, 2019

The Atchison family came to Santa Barbara from Centralia, Washington, in 1912 seeking health for the father who suffered from chronic stomach problems. Alas, salubrious Santa Barbara was not able to work its magic on Garrett, and he died that July. His wife Sarah had set up housekeeping in a home on Carrillo Street, and […]

A Fascinating Future
By Bob Hazard   |   November 8, 2018

The best way to predict the future is to watch those who are working hard to create it. It is fascinating to reflect on how fast the world is changing. The Auto Industry Last week, the Los Angeles Times reported that Alphabet Inc’s Waymo has become the first company to receive a permit from the […]

The Woody Robinson Experience
By Jon Vreeland   |   October 25, 2018

In 1985, an unfamiliar face appeared at a Santa Barbara car dealership and demanded a job as an auto detailer. The man who moved from the San Fernando Valley convinced the owner of his skills and devotion when he donated three days of labor free of charge. Yes, Lynwood “Woody” Robinson landed the job. Then, […]

“Couture Collection” of Cars
By Erin Graffy   |   September 20, 2018

The 7th Annual Montecito Motor Classic (MMC) rolls onto Coast Village Road this Sunday, September 23. The show opens promptly at 9 am with an eye-popping stroll of historic and super-cars that will stay on display until 3 pm. Dolores Morelli Johnson, founder and chair of the Montecito Motor Classic, says “This is one gorgeous […]

Rubber Meets the Road
By Richard Mineards   |   September 6, 2018

Despite paying a world-record price of $38.1 million six years ago for a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, which formerly belonged to British racing driver Stirling Moss, Montecito-based cellular phone billionaire Craig McCaw seems to have made a good investment. A similar model of the same year – one of just 36 in existence – just […]

Ready to Rally
By James Buckley   |   July 5, 2018

Okay, quick, what do the following names have in common: Denzel Washington, Jennifer Lopez, Shaquille O’Neal, Edward James Olmos, Jeff Henley (VP, Oracle, also president of United Boys & Girls Club of Santa Barbara County advisory board), and Angel Martinez (former CEO, Deckers Brands)? Give up? They were all at one time or another members […]

A Rally for Corey
By James Buckley   |   July 5, 2018

I met Ashley Iverson, the widow of Corey Iverson – who died fighting the Thomas Fire last December – at the Kick Ash Bash in Summerland, where I learned that she was not only being sponsored by Nina Tierzan but was also staying with Nina in her beach house in Montecito. I have described Ms […]

Bilt to Last
By Richard Mineards   |   June 14, 2018

Karen Earp, manager of the Biltmore, hosted a media bash at the beachside hostelry’s Ty Lounge for local scribes to welcome the Four Seasons hotel’s re-opening after five months of closure due to the catastrophic mudslides in January. “It is so good to be back!” enthused Karen. “There was a lot of cosmetic damage, and […]

Montecito Motor Classic
By James Buckley   |   April 12, 2018

It’s not scheduled until Sunday, September 23, but planning is fully underway for this year’s Montecito Motor Classic. The Montecito Inn, a landmark on Coast Village Road, celebrates its 90th birthday this year, as does the Model A Ford, and the September event will reflect that dual celebration of the two American classics. MCC founder […]

Hot Wheels
By Richard Mineards   |   March 29, 2018

Italian carmaker Lamborghini is not normally noted for family-friendly vehicles, but following in the footsteps of other prestige marques such as Bentley and Rolls Royce the carmaker has launched the world’s fastest SUV. The $200,000 vehicle, which can go from 0 to 60 in 3.6 seconds and has a top speed of 190 mph – […]