Holy celebrity car auctions, Batman – The original Batmobile is up for grabs! Pow! Bam! Zoom! If you’re a longtime car enthusiast and comic fan, a piece of your childhood is headed for the auction block. E3 Spark Plugswants to know if you’ll be among the high-dollar bidders for the original Batmobile, up for grabs at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Arizona on January 19. This ain’t no replica wannabe. It’s the real deal – the one and only original constructed by celebrity customizer George Barris for the live action TV series, Batman, which began airing in 1966. The car also appeared in the movie adaptation starring Adam West and Burt Ward – the original Dynamic Duo. The Batmobile might just prove the biggest ROI ever for a car...

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in his Plymouth PA Phaeton. “The President. The First Lady. The King. The Queen. The Mother. The Mistress…One weekend would unite two great nations…After cocktails of course.” That’s the tagline for the ever so slightly tawdry biopic that chronicles President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s not-so-secret romantic dalliance with sixth cousin Margaret “Daisy” Stuckley, focusing on the historic 1939 weekend visit by the King and Queen of the United Kingdom – the first ever British royal visit to the U.S. Based on accounts penned in Stuckley’s personal diary, discovered after her death, Hyde Park on Hudson stars Bill Murray as FDR and Laura Linney as Stuckley. Samuel West as King George VI...

New Jaguar F-Type makes its US debut at the LA Auto Show. One of the biggest stories coming out of the Los Angeles Auto Show this week is the U.S. debut of the Jaguar F-Type two-seater sports coupe and convertible. This supercharged head-turner was unveiled in Paris, but seen for the first time Stateside in LA this week. But we got a surprise that those blokes across the pond didn’t – a first look at the sub-XK performance machine’s new “Black” design pack. This styling package’s bold signature is a gloss black finish on the grill surround and side vents, a flat-bottomed sport steering wheel, gloss black interior touches, and instrument panel rings. It’s available with the F-Type’s Ultimate Black, Polaris White, Italian Racing Red,...

One of the many awesome sights at the 2012 LA Auto Show. The Los Angeles Auto Show is in full swing and a walk through the exhibit halls is like a theme park visit. If you’re in the area and can snag a ticket, E3 Spark Plugs highly recommends you stop by, but wear comfortable shoes and plan a full day. Topping news from the LA Auto Show are several high-profile debuts of some very cool rides, including the new Toyota RAV4, Subaru Forester, Porsche Cayman, Chevrolet Spark EV and Audi diesels. Do not miss the Porsche hall, the James Bond-preferred Aston Martins or the 2014 SLS AMG Black Series Mercedes-Benz. “This is what you get when we let our engineers just go wild and crazy,” said Rob Moran of Mercedes-Benz. “When it comes to the holiday wish list, it...

The 1912 Ford Model T Pickup’s chassis and truck bed were sold separately and bolted together by the dealer or customer. Yet, it’s among the most influential automobiles ever, as detailed in the new book, “Engines of Change.” When one is asked to name the most influential vehicle in automotive history, the matronly minivan likely doesn’t come to mind first. Pulitzer Prize-winning author Paul Ingrassia begs to differ. In his new book, Engines of Change, he lauds the quintessential soccer mom-mobile as having revolutionized the auto industry. The minivan “would help define the lifestyle of a generation, or at least the lifestyles of baby boomers who were into painting the nursery instead of painting the town,” Ingrassia writes. “All this...

The 2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser boasts the overall best resale value by Kelley Blue Book. A top consideration of car shoppers these days is the potential resale value of the ride they’re eyeing. E3 Spark Plugs users are smart shoppers. So, they’re undoubtedly familiar with Kelley Blue Book’s annual Official Residual Value Guide – a trusty aid in choosing a vehicle deal that will pay off not just today, but down the road, too. Compiled each year since 1981, the guide is an industry standard relied upon by financial institutions, governmental agencies and the automotive leasing community as well as individual buyers. And from the guide is gleaned a three-part list of vehicles on the market boasting the best resale rates among specific brands, vehicle categories and...

Check out those awesome shirts! Team E3 Racing winner Dan Bunting and his ExtremePowerboatRacing.com crew recently set the APBA world record for for quarter-mile speed. Check out other recent Team E3 accomplishments and get ready for your chance to win. As we gear up for the next round, we’re catching up with a few winners from our inaugural Team E3 Racing class. Team E3 Racing winner Cody Erdmann entered his #52 Ford Mustang in the Track Competition – Dwarf Class at the 50th Anniversary O’Reilly Auto Parts World of Wheels in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and drove away with the Outstanding in Class award. While there, he made a generous donation to the Pinstripe Legends Art Auction, helping to raise more than $54,000 for cancer research at the Children’s Hospital of...

Well, they’re not totally naked. But now that we have your attention, we’ll explain. You see, one need not speed much over the posted limit to cause a devastating or deadly crash. Low-level speeding poses great risk as well. In fact, most accidents happen when at least one of the vehicles involved is traveling below the speed limit. And by some accounts, for every three additional three miles-per-hour, the risk of a crash doubles. But crash statistics don’t exactly make for exciting billboards. So, the Motor Accident Commission of South Australia came up with an eye-catching way to get the point across and encourage an overall reduction in speed. Enter body artist Emma Hack and 17 scantily-clad friends. Hack stacked the group of participants, all bodybuilders,...

This car, hit by Hurricane Sandy’s storm surge, could presumably show up on an auction or used car lot in the coming months. E3 Spark Plugs offers tips on spotting flood-damaged vehicles. As towns hit by Hurricane Sandy begin what may be a long and arduous recovery, victims will be looking for ways to get back on their feet financially. Unfortunately, a few less scrupulous individuals will find ways that cause further victimization. And among the common tactics is selling flood-damaged vehicles, passing them off as strong, clean rides. Buying one of these cars saddles victims with a load of trouble. Flood water is an abrasive mix of water, dirt and other contaminates that can seep into every crack and crevice of a vehicle. Upholstery and carpet is ruined – but...

Attention Racers! E3 Spark Plugs is getting ready to launch their Team E3 Racing 2013 Sponsorship Contest on December 1st. Do you have what it takes to be on the team? We’re looking for up-and-coming racers and crew who want to rev up their pro racing careers. If that describes you, this is your chance to be one of 12 first place winners and receive $500 in cash, 16 E3 Spark Plugs, official apparel and decals for you and your team. So how do you enter? First, make sure you are a fan of the E3 Spark Plugs Facebook Fan Page. Check our page often to get all of the details and be ready to enter when the contest goes live December 1. Want to meet a few current Team E3 Racing winners? Visit our blog and click the “Team E3 Racing” category link in the sidebar to the...