Brand identity is a term thrown around a lot by the modern enthusiast, especially with the advent of cars like the BMW i3 and Mercedes-Benz CLA-class, and before them the BMW 335d. But while these cars caused turmoil in the American market, the European car-buying public was probably unfazed; as I’ve recently witnessed while visiting that continent (specifically, Italy, France, and the principality of Monaco), these German marques are not nearly as isolated to high-end platforms as they are in this country. In that market, it’s the front-wheel-drive, diesel, and (in the case of Mercedes) commercial vehicles made up the majority of German vehicles I saw on the road. For this reason, I suspect that, should our complaints of brand dilution reach European shores, it would result in nothing more than a flurry of rolled eyes.

Weather here in Vermont may be cooling off, but Nick Parente's 1991 BMW 325ix, fresh from a mid-level restoration, is just entering a new phase of its life. The car was originally intended to be Nick's winter beater, a car to compliment an eventual summer car, but with its creamy white paint, classic red interior, and rebuilt top end, this E30 is so much more. Check out the gallery from last weekend's photoshoot with the car, and before you click away, remember to check back in a few weeks for a video of the car - I'll be filming a Real Drivers episode of it at some point.

For now, enjoy the gallery of one very clean E30.

In Internet years, the Sports and Exotic show may have been a while ago, but it's still not too late to post some pictures from the day. As you may have seen in the video, anything from a Mercedes 300SL to a Ferrari 458 to a Daimler Dart were in attendance. In all, it was a great, if boiling hot, day at the Saratoga Auto Museum. Enjoy the gallery, and click on the pictures to access high-res desktop versions.

The 2012 Ferrari Challenge at Lime Rock Park was a fantastic event that was great for filming. There were a ton of vehicles, some of which didn't hail from Modena, that were present and worthy of filming, but sadly, there was not time. Hopefully a few more of them will get some attention with this photos, taken alongside the video around the Lime Rock track last weekend, such as more FFs, some of the Challenge cars, an FR-S from the parking lot, more Challenge cars, and a 360 Challenge Stradale. Enjoy, and look forward to more stuff in the near future. Oh, and don't forget to click on the images to open a desktop-size version.

The show last weekend in Manchester, Vermont was a pleasure to attend for a number of reasons. While it opened overcast and closed at a high-for-Vermont 85 degrees, the show was set on the beautiful Dorr fields in a picturesque valley amid the Green Mountains, and ran 400 strong. Entrants ranged from a 1909 Cadillac to a modified Fiat 850 beach cruiser (complete with wicker interior), and from a Detroit Electric to a pair of BMW E9s. A walk through the spectator lot was just as varied; various classic Mustangs and MGs showed up, as well as - interestingly - a brand new Ferrari California and Mercedes SLS Roadster.

Here are just a few of the shots from the weekend. A video is on the way, and you will be able to see the rest of my shots on the Manchester Car Show website in a few days. Enjoy!

Mildred's Cruise In, a small meet hosted at Mildred's Dairy Bar at the Vermont Country Store in Weston, consistently displays some of the best lighting of all the regular events. As is typical of a traditional American cruise in, the brilliant sunlight is falling onto all sorts of classic American muscle, from rare C1 Corvettes to '68 Camaros to, at this show, an exquisite, low-mile 1930s Buick. A video is coming soon, featuring all the cars in their full glory, but for now, enjoy this brief collection of pictures.

For the past two days, a tour group 45 strong from Vintage Rallies came through Manchester, Vermont, staying at the Equinox Hotel and visiting various points of automotive interest throughout southern Vermont on the New England 1000. This rally (currently in its 20th year) is a TSD, or Time/Speed/Distance, event, where drivers must match a set average speed and arrive at a precise time. While it sounds simple, complications such as route directions, traffic, and mechanical issues can make it a heated race. Although the weather was overcast with intermittent rain showers, the cars (many of them convertibles) still looked as brilliant as ever - look forward to a video tonight.

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.

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).