by Gabrielle DeSantis

Some of the largest, privately-owned car collections in the world are ones that we may never get to see. Even smaller exotic car collections tend to stay cooped up in garages and warehouses, protected from the public eye until it’s time for a car show or high-end event. The American Muscle Car Museum in Melbourne, Florida also isn’t open to the public but rather works as a space for educating future car enthusiasts through local outreach programs and opening the doors for local charities to host one-of-a-kind events worth attending.

Cars for a cause

The American Muscle Car Museum is a rather unique collection. While it is privately owned, visitors can still spend hours in this car-enthusiast playground, oggling cars from every generation. You can’t just visit the collection on any odd day, either, as the owner, Mark Pieloch, has decided to give his private collection a true purpose: the American Muscle Car Museum is only open to host charity events, and, on a few occasions, special holidays like Veterans Day.

AACA Celebration of Cars 2021 | Andrew Mackey, The American Muscle Car Museum

What makes the collection even more notable is that this isn’t a business venture for Mr. Pieloch, as the museum volunteers the space for many local charities, like the Children’s Advocacy Center of Brevard. Along with free use of this incredible space, the American Muscle Car Museum provides these charities with the catering and beverage service, as well as offers volunteers.

This means that the charities are able to keep as much of the funds as they are able to raise without having to deduct the cost of hosting the event — which is a pretty big deal.

More than a private car collection

With the American Muscle Car Museum, Mr. Pieloch has done something rather odd and extraordinary. While some car collectors who have spent millions on finding the most unique and collectible cars might be tempted to keep them sheltered from the public eye, this museum is open to anyone looking to attend charity events, giving the museum a genuine and wholesome purpose.

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There is something for everyone at the American Muscle Car Museum

Fans of any type of car can enjoy the collection hiding inside of the American Muscle Car Museum. The cars are some of the best condition variations, uniquely specced, and beautifully colored options that were ever created, including one-off cars and cars with unique history and heritage you can’t see anywhere else. Here’s a taste of what you can expect to see at the museum:

  • More Ford GTs than you’ve probably ever seen in one place
  • Almost 50 Indianapolis 500 cars
  • 30 absolutely stunning Porsches, including the 918 Spyder for hypercar fans and even some Porsche tractors
  • 29 Yenkos
  • Over 35 Shelby’s
  • A car that is actually a giant high heel shoe with an engine
  • Motorcycles, novelty bumper cars, old soda, and cigarette dispensers, and one Indian outboard motor that most people didn’t know existed

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With hundreds of cars in the collection, it’s hard to know which ones to even look at, and I spent well over 5 hours in the museum without feeling like I saw everything there.

What makes the collection so astonishing is the owner and team’s dedication to the maintenance of the collection. Full-time staff led by Operations and Restoration Manager, Ed Dedick, work daily to keep each and every car in the collection in pristine condition, and while you may not want to take any of these incredibly low-mileage cars out for a spin, all of the cars are kept in genuine running condition.

The post This Captivating Car Collection Shows Rare and Exotic Cars a Cause appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

by Gabrielle DeSantis

A federal grand jury says Mustafa Qadiri used the Paycheck Protection Program to go on a luxury car shopping spree. The cars included in the investigation were a Ferrari 458 Italia and a Lamborghini Aventador. The PPP program was intended to help keep businesses afloat, not to fund personal car collections.

$5.1 million in false federal loans…and a Lamborghini

A Lamborghini Aventador on display in the streets of London | Martyn Lucy/Getty Images

While COVID-19 impacted the world, the Paycheck Protection Program helped struggling businesses. Qadiri applied for federal relief through multiple businesses that were not in operation at the time.

Qadiri received $5 million in funds and went shopping. He purchased cars, went on vacation, and lived a lavish lifestyle temporarily. According to The New York Times, he was “indicted by a federal grand jury on four counts of bank fraud, four counts of wire fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft and six counts of money laundering.”

Starting in May 2020, Qadiri obtained federal loans of upwards of $5.1 million by June in the same year. Qadiri allegedly altered bank account records to make it appear four different companies were eligible for relief. None of the companies were in operation.

In addition to altering bank records, he allegedly used a different name, social security number, and signature on applications.

A free Lamborghini, Ferrari, and Bentley

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The government seized a red 2011 Ferrari 458 Italia registered to All American Capital Holdings. A black 2018 Lamborghini Aventador S, registered to the same company, was also seized. Qadiri named all American Capital Holdings on the applications.

Dupont Registry has a few 2011 Ferrari 458 Italia models listed for between $179,000 and $199,000. Dupont Registry also has a few 2018 Lamborghini Aventador S models for sale between $319,500 and $439,951. The black 2020 Bentley Continental GT shows a price of $250,000 to $324,000.

All three of the cars are luxury vehicles that could amount to over $500,000 total. That is dependent on the mileage and the condition of the cars. Federal agents seized the cars last week.

Why not 39 cars while we are at it?

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Rudolph Brooks, Jr. of Maryland was busted for a similar fraudulent scheme in April 2021. Similarly, the U.S. Department of Justice charged him with one federal count of wire fraud.

Brooks is the owner of Cars Direct by Gavawn HWD Bob’s Motors. Known as Cars Direct. He incorporated the business back in 2010. Brooks forfeited Cars Direct in 2012. He revived the business in May 2020. Brooks allegedly applied for a PPP loan for more than $1.5 million.

“In support of the Cars Direct PPP loan application, Brooks allegedly submitted fraudulent tax forms which allegedly reported $724,469 in payments via Forms 1099-MISC and $7,471,630 in total unemployment payments to employees from Cars Direct.”

U.S. Department of Justice

Maryland’s Department of Labor has no records of wages paid by the business. However, Brooks paid no payroll-related expenses from the accounts that received the money. In other words, Cars Direct was not operating.

After that, Brooks used the fraudulent gains to purchase 39 different cars, including a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The 2018 Tesla Model 3 goes for around $50,000-$60,000. That is dependent on the condition. He also had around $2.2 million sitting in bank accounts.

Other vehicles include a 2017 Mercedes Benz S Class and a 2014 GMC Yukon XL. Similarly, a 2017 Infinity Q50, a 2015 Cadillac Escalade, and a 2005 Bentley Continental were purchased. In conclusion, the purchase of these cars was not an approved use of the PPP loans.

The post Man Used $5.1m in PPP Loans to Buy Lamborghini and Ferrari appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

by Gabrielle DeSantis

There are images of two different unibody Chevy small pickups popping up in MotorBiscuit’s feed that put teeth to the idea a Hyundai Santa Cruz fighter is coming soon. It was already confirmed earlier this year a replacement for the Chevy Montana/Tornado was coming in 2022. That’s the small unibody pickup GM makes in São Caetano do Sul, Brazil, and sold in Latin America and elsewhere. 

Riding on the GEM platform the Montana replacement will use some Tracker components

2022 Chevy Montana replacement speculation | Auto Segredos

Riding on the GEM platform this small pickup will share Chevy Tracker crossover components. But it will be different-looking enough to not resemble a Tracker. Those who have seen it say the front end looks similar to a Chinese TrailBlazer SUV. 

Mechanically, it will be like the Tracker. That means the same 1.2-liter three-cylinder turbo engine, suspension, and brakes. But we’re hearing that the engine will be bumped up to produce more than the 133 hp it currently puts out in the Tracker. 

This Chevy replacement will only be available as a four-door

2022 Chevy Montana replacement speculation | Auto Segredos
2022 Chevy Montana replacement speculation | Auto Segredos

While the Fiat Strada/Toro, its main competition, comes in both a two- and four-door version, this Chevy replacement will only be available as a four-door. Autos Segredos is saying that Brazil will be the first to get it toward the middle of 2022. It published these speculative images done by Kleber Silva whose work comes from the Behance website. They differ significantly from the second group of images.

2022 Chevy Montana replacement speculation in pearl white
2022 Chevy Montana replacement speculation | GM Authority

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These come from GM Authority, in case you didn’t notice their logo repeated endlessly in the background. They show the TrailBlazer-like front end with the LED running lights high on the fascia and the primary headlights located lower. Large wheels and limited body sculpting define the main body features. The blue pickup images show a jutting beltline and a fair amount of body sculpting. 

GM may not initiate new segments, but once one forms it wants to conquer it

2022 Chevy Montana replacement speculation rear 3/4 view
2022 Chevy Montana replacement speculation | GM Authority

The official word from GM is that the Montana replacement will not come to the US. But we also know that with the buzz and speculation the Hyundai Santa Cruz has generated that the General won’t let Hyundai have the segment to itself. Especially when it has a very competitive model already being cranked out on the other side of the Panama Canal. GM may not initiate new segments, but once one is developing it wants to conquer it. 

These unibody pickups are the next segment to see action, and Chevy will want a piece of it. We anticipate a larger engine, suspension tuned for US tastes, and mostly higher trim levels being sold here. We can’t wait to see this party get started beginning later this year. 

The post Is This Chevy’s Hyundai Santa Cruz Small Pickup Fighter? appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

by Gabrielle DeSantis

If you’re in the market for a reliable riding lawn mower, chances are you’ve got a John Deere mower somewhere on your list. The good news is that Consumer Reports has the inside scoop on the most reliable John Deere riding lawn mowers. Let’s find out what they are.

The John Deere X350-42 is a reliable riding lawn mower

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The John Deere X350-42 is a riding lawn mower that, according to Consumer Reports, delivers on cutting performance. That’s not all either. Consumer Reports gave it an 88 overall score, along with an Excellent predicted reliability rating. It also earned an Excellent predicted owner satisfaction rating, which shouldn’t come as much of a surprise.

In fact, based on Consumer Reports’ data, this John Deere riding lawn mower will leave you thoroughly satisfied. Beyond an Excellent predicted reliability and owner satisfaction rating, the John Deere X350-42 also earned Excellent ratings in side discharging, mulching, evenness, and handling. Unfortunately, it did earn a slightly lower rating for bagging.

As for how much the John Deere X350-42 costs? According to Consumer Reports, you can expect to spend approximately $3,200 on this John Deere riding lawn mower.

Pick the John Deere S240-48 for a reliable riding lawn mower

John Deere logo. | Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images

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The John Deere X350-42 riding lawn mower wasn’t the only mower to earn an Excellent predicted reliability rating. Consumer Reports also gave the John Deere S240-48 an Excellent predicted reliability rating. It earned an Excellent predicted owner satisfaction rating too.

“Talk about an ace performer. This 48-inch John Deere lawn tractor—though expensive—has Excellent side-discharging, mulching, and bagging performance ratings,” Consumer Reports explained. 

The organization added that this John Deere riding mower and tractor benefits from a slew of features, including a “comfortable high-back seat that gives you a clear view of the fuel level and a washout port that lets you easily clear clippings beneath the mower deck.”

Much like the John Deere X350-42, this reliable riding lawn mower is pricey. In fact, you can expect to spend approximately $2,899 on this reliable John Deere riding lawn mower.

The John Deere S170 is a $2,500 reliable riding lawn mower 

A group of John Deere riding lawn mowers in front of a store
John Deere riding lawn mowers. | Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg via Getty Images

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For a slightly less expensive riding lawn mower, consider the John Deere S170. This mower rings in at approximately $2,499 and, much like other John Deere riding lawn mowers, has earned some pretty high marks from Consumer Reports.

Not only did the John Deere S170 earn an Excellent predicted reliability rating, but Consumer Reports also gave it an Excellent predicted owner satisfaction rating. The John Deere S170 also earned Excellent ratings in side discharging, mulching, and evenness. It did, however, earn slightly lower ratings in bagging and handling.

The John Deere S120 isn’t just reliable; it’s also a Best Buy

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Say you really want to save a few bucks when shopping for a John Deere riding lawn mower but don’t want to compromise when it comes to reliability. If that’s the case, the John Deere S120 might just fit the bill. Unlike other riding lawn mowers, the S120 will only have you spending $2,100. Because of its low price, Consumer Reports tapped it as a Best Buy.

While its affordable price tag is certainly good news, the bad news is that the John Deere S120 didn’t earn quite as high ratings as other John Deere riding lawn mowers. Sure, Consumer Reports gave it an Excellent predicted reliability rating.

But when it came to tasks like bagging, handling, and evenness? The John Deere S120 struggled to earn an Excellent rating. In fact, the John Deere S120 only earned Excellent ratings in tasks like side discharging and mulching.

The post The Most Reliable John Deere Riding Lawn Mowers According to Consumer Reports appeared first on MotorBiscuit.