The hillclimb at Mount Ascutney yesterday (video here) was a very fun and very loud way to see cars that are beautiful in the form-follows-function way. Check out this brief gallery for a closer look at their battle scars, and don't forget to click on the images to get desktop-resolution pictures.

Hillclimb races (although "time trials" would be a more apt term) make up a unique genre of racing. Like rallying, the sport involves modified (or not) hot hatches and sedans driving up narrow roads that cut through dense forest, but unlike rallying, it's generally more easily accessible. Unfortunately, the two forms of competition share another trait: a scarce following in the United States. It's incredibly lucky, then, that the endless mountains of New England are home to not just this event, but several more throughout the season, including runs at Mt. Burke, Mt. Philo, Mt. Bulton, and the Okemo ski resort, all culminating in the famed Mt. Washington hillclimb. From what I saw today, the drivers who take part are are close-knit group who love the sport and drive everything from STIs to purpose-built, exoskeleton-equipped lightweights, to fully-prepped rally Evos. It's one of the most pleasant car club atmospheres around.

As of now, the Ascutney event is still going on, so I can't report on the best times. Nonetheless, here's a video from the day that I hope will give you a taste of what it feels like to stand just feet away from the action in the rare sport of hillclimb racing.

It so happens that I've been to and from Bernardston, Massachusetts twice in the past week, but the last time was a worthwhile trip to check out the second Cars and Coffee: Western Mass meet in that town. What made the experience even more enjoyable was the fact that, like most Cars and Coffee shows, the vehicles that show up are different every time - and incredibly rare. Last time, it was a brand-new MP4-12C that filled that category, not to mention a one-of-99 Gordon Keebler and a Mercedes-McLaren SLR Roadster. This time, the Massachusetts exotic car owners upped the ante, with the supercars' spots being occupied by a number of pristine Bentleys, a Fisker Karma, and an Aston Martin DB5. Other vehicles of note included a Beetle once featured in a well-known movie (in which the car itself was the main character) and a one-of-25, special-edition Saleen. Oh, and way in the back was a 750-horsepower GT500KR.

So, yes, it was all pretty cool. If you're in the area, be sure to check out their Facebook page and my previous video. For now, enjoy this one - and look forward to more in the coming weeks!

This past Sunday was a fantastic, mild spring day in Vermont, a great time to enjoy Route 100 on the way to Mount Snow to film Brent Rabideau's 2005 Subaru Legacy GT. The 270-horsepower, 350 lb-ft, Stage 2-tuned beast was a blast to see, ride in, and, most notably, hear. As usual, enjoy the video and look forward to more in the near future.

The Cars and Coffee event from last week was a great way to see some amazing vehicles, as I've discussed in various posts. But while everything was impressive, the combination of rarity, beauty, and occasion that came with this McLaren MP4-12C (not to mention the fact that these cars are brand new) made it deserve a video of its own. After the show, I hung around and grabbed some shots of the burnt-orange supercar (flanked some other not-too-boring vehicles) and made this video.

Enjoy! As usual, more stuff coming soon.

Last weekend's Cars and Coffee meet in Bernardston, Massachusetts (see the video here) was a great season opener, and something I'll probably be back to film next month. Until then, enjoy these shots of just a handful of the vehicles present, mostly supercars. These included an LP640, a Ferrari 458, and two brand-new additions, a McLaren MP4-12C and a 991-generation Porsche Carrera S.

Enjoy the shots, and don't forget to click for larger, 1280x720 resolution images (if you want a 1920x1080 version, let me know in the comments).

The Mercedes 220S detail (click for video) from last week was a rare opportunity to see an old car transformed through an in-depth cleaning process, and there are some more pictures to showcase the car after its cleaning. The detailing itself was done by Parente Mobile Detailing in Dorset, Vermont. Don't forget to click on the images to open a higher-resolution version (and if you want an even larger version, leave a comment about it).

UPDATE: To see the video for the May event, click here.

Cars and Coffee events, small-scale meets popular throughout the country, often start earlier and run later than the rest of the auto show season, and while last Sunday's show in Western Massachusetts was early, it had a strong season-opener vibe. Kringle Candle, a fantastic store and restaurant, made a great location, and the range of cars present was huge; a MK1 GTI sat back-to-back with a McLaren MP4, and a 500-horse E39 next to a one-of-99 Gordon Keeble. It's a nice, relaxed meet, and one I'd recommend going to if you're in the area. Check their Facebook page for the dates of upcoming events.

The weather once again proved troublesome for filming, but it was a fine day for the detailing of a rare vehicle. This 1957 Mercedes 220S Cabriolet was detailed over the weekend by Parente Mobile Detailing in Dorset, Vermont, and I had the opportunity of filming the deliberate process. It's an involved task that amounts to much more than a simple cleaning. Watch to the end of the film to see this rare Mercedes in all its sun-lit glory.

Because the weather here in Vermont has fluctuated between 85 degrees last week and below 30 today, it's difficult to arrange certain shoots. Nevertheless, this film of Andrew Corvo's sleeper Neon SRT4 was produced just in time - today, the car is shipped to Arizona. Enjoy the film, and remember that there are more Real Drivers (and event) videos coming soon.