Latest news with #AACA
Car and Driver
25-05-2025
- Automotive
- Car and Driver
1959 Lincoln Continental on Bring a Trailer Is Full On '50s Exuberence
Here's a late-'50s land yacht with all kinds of angle-eyed, pointy-finned, chrome-plated charisma. It's crammed with features including ultra-cool, reverse-canted, power rear glass for summer breezes. Expensively restored, it's a former AACA winner. The 1950s was a decade that saw the widespread adoption of television, the building boom of America's suburbs and the Interstate highway system, and the physical expansion of the United States with Alaska and Hawaii's admission to the union, all set against a backdrop of a rising standard of living for most people. It was a time to dream big—and to drive big. Courtesy: Bring a Trailer The cars reached their zenith in size and outlandish style at the decade's end, as epitomized by the offerings of America's three luxury-car brands. Cars like this 1959 Lincoln Continental Mark IV four-door hardtop, up for sale on Bring a Trailer (which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos). This is a sedan so big it should probably have "SS" painted on its bow. Spectacular in Cameo Rose, it glitters with chrome and mid-century optimism in equal measure, just shy of nineteen feet of opulence. Courtesy: Bring a Trailer This example was refurbished in the early 1990s, going on to win a national prize with the Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA). The restoration looks to have been thoroughly comprehensive, more than $60,000 worth of ground-up work—and that's in 1990s money. After earning 100 points in judging, it then spent two decades in long-term storage, surfacing in 2016. Courtesy: Bring a Trailer If you think this car's big on the outside, check the interior. There's enough legroom for an NBA forward, two sofa-sized bench seats, and a voluminous trunk that gets the seal of approval from the Springfield Legitimate Businessman's Social Club. Courtesy: Bring a Trailer There's also a surfeit of options including six power side windows and the power-retracting "breezeway" rear glass, a power seat, central vacuum door locks, and an automatic headlight dimmer. Everything works, and the air-conditioning has been overhauled and blows cold. Although you'd probably want to keep all the windows down when summer cruising in this majestic land yacht, especially with that opening rear glass. Under the hood is a huge 430-cubic-inc V-8 that put out 350 horsepower and an unstressed 490 pound-feet of torque when new. That elephantine torque and three-speed automatic should make this Continental an effortless tourer. Courtesy: Bring a Trailer Lincoln threw everything it had into this generation Continental in a desperate attempt to outdo Cadillac, and it shows. But the effort failed to break Cadillac's lock on the luxury-car market. So, while the similarly outrageous '59 Caddy has become a visual shorthand for the decade that spawned it, the lesser-known, less-often seen, but every bit as exuberant '59 Lincoln arguably carries a bigger visual wallop today. Courtesy: Bring a Trailer The auction ends on May 29. Brendan McAleer Contributing Editor Brendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He grew up splitting his knuckles on British automobiles, came of age in the golden era of Japanese sport-compact performance, and began writing about cars and people in 2008. His particular interest is the intersection between humanity and machinery, whether it is the racing career of Walter Cronkite or Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki's half-century obsession with the Citroën 2CV. He has taught both of his young daughters how to shift a manual transmission and is grateful for the excuse they provide to be perpetually buying Hot Wheels. Read full bio
Zawya
19-05-2025
- Health
- Zawya
New strategic alliance to boost Arab and African healthcare
In a strategic move aimed at enhancing health awareness and expanding access to healthcare services across the Arab world and Africa, the Arab African Council for Awareness (AACA) and the Arab Hospitals Federation (AHF) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to unify efforts in health education, capacity building, and sustainable development in the healthcare sector. This collaboration reflects the shared commitment of both parties to improving community health through impactful initiatives and meaningful partnerships. The agreement outlines plans for organizing joint health awareness campaigns, launching training programs, and advocating for equitable access to quality healthcare services—especially in remote and underserved areas. Dr. Ossama Shaheen, President of the Arab African Council for Awareness, stated: 'We firmly believe that health awareness is a cornerstone of sustainable development. This partnership with the Arab Hospitals Federation is a significant step toward unifying efforts for more informed and healthier communities.' Mr. Fady Alameh, President of the Arab Hospitals Federation, added: 'This alliance underscores the importance of institutional collaboration in supporting Arab and African health systems. By working together, we can advance awareness, empower professionals, and address healthcare challenges more effectively.' The parties have agreed to implement a series of joint initiatives in the coming period, including scientific forums, professional training workshops, and both digital and field-based awareness campaigns promoting healthy lifestyles and addressing emerging health challenges. This partnership sets a model for institutional collaboration in serving communities and achieving sustainable health development across the Arab and African regions—particularly as healthcare systems continue to evolve and require stronger alignment between civil society and formal health institutions.
Yahoo
26-01-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
25 years later, these 2000s cars are cooler than your AOL screen name
With the turning of the calendar, a fresh batch of cars turns 25 years old. That means they're officially considered antiques, and you can take them to your local AACA show or grab antique car insurance in most states. Feeling old yet? Here are eight notable vehicles that were redesigned or debuted for the 2000 model year. Penned by American car designer Freeman Thomas under the watchful eye of design chief Peter Schreyer, the two-seat Audi TT's look was inspired by Auto Union Grand Prix racers of the 1930s and named for Europe's Tourist Trophy, the world's oldest automotive race. Powered by a turbocharged 180-horsepower 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine, it shared its platform with the humble VW Golf. It would be joined by a 225-hp Quattro model a few months after pampering Cadillac DHS and sportier DTS replaced the DeVille but proved less popular despite being a far better car. With a 4.6-liter V8 providing 300 horsepower to the front wheels in the DTS and 25 horsepower less in the DHS, the new models were sleek and modern. The DHS and DTS were the first production cars to wear LED lighting. They were also the first car to offer Night Vision, which used infrared cameras to detect objects up ahead that couldn't be seen with the naked eye. An overlooked but notable automobile. Unveiled at the Paris Show in 2000, the 550 Barchetta Pininfarina commemorated the 70th anniversary of Ferrari's famed collaborator and coachbuilder Pininfarina. Ferrari built 448 cars, of which 127 came to America. The 550 Barchetta was based on the 550 Maranello, which debuted in 1996 as the automaker's first two-seat, front-engine, V-12 coupe since the Daytona. The Barchetta featured a more aggressively raked windshield, two-piece alloy wheels, the expected racing seats, and a reworked rear easy to forget what a revelation this compact entry was when it replaced the aging Escort. With communicative steering and great brakes, it proved to be both nimble and fun to drive. Available as a three-door hatchback, four-door sedan, or SE four-door wagon, the Focus was powered by a 130-horsepower 2.0-liter DOHC four-cylinder engine mated to a five-speed manual transmission. With a contemporary design and good space, the Focus proved that small American cars could still compete with their foreign competition. Sharing its platform with its corporate sibling, the Jaguar S-Type, the rear-wheel-drive LS was meant to take on similar midsize sedans from BMW and, well, Jaguar. The LS6 trim boasted a 232-horsepower 3-liter V-6 and five-speed manual transmission, while the LS8 came with a 280-horsepower 3.9-liter V-8 and a five-speed automatic. More than any American automaker, Lincoln's sports sedan had a clear European persona, more akin to a BMW 5 Series than a Lincoln Versailles, particularly in LS8 trim. This is notable yet as the S430 and S500, Mercedes-Benz's flagship sedan was completely revised for 2000, boasting a 4.3-liter 275-horsepower V-8 in the former and a 5-liter 302-horsepower V-8 in the latter. Both were mated to a five-speed electronic automatic transmission with manual shift capability and fitted with an air suspension as well as GPS navigation. Smaller and more efficient than its predecessor, its sleek modernism brought a breath of fresh air to Mercedes-Benz's design, even if the build quality wasn't what it once was. The Toyota MR2 Spyder was an attempt by the automaker to nab some younger buyers with a two-seat, mid-engine convertible. However, only 5,000 units were sold in the U.S. annually, so the volume was small. At 153 inches long, it was diminutive yet mighty, thanks to its 138-horsepower, 1.8-liter dual-cam four-cylinder engine mated to a five-speed manual and 2,200-pound curb weight. Unlike the front-wheel-drive Celica sports coupe, the MR2 Spyder was a true, dyed-in-the-wool, droptop, mid-engine sports car, and an affordable one at the first mass-produced modern hybrid vehicles in the world, the 2000 Toyota Prius might just be the most important. Power came from a 70-horsepower gas engine mated to a 44-horsepower electric motor. Engineered for fuel efficiency, not speed, the Prius was anything but quick, needing 13 seconds to reach 60 mph. However, it returned 35 mpg, which were impressive figures at the time. This car paved the way for all the hybrids that followed from Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Lamborghini, and others. It is a truly important if loveably nerdy-looking, car. Where were you 25 years ago? Top album: 'No Strings Attached' by 'N Sync Top Single: 'Breathe' by Faith Hill Top TV show: 'Survivor,' CBS Top movie: 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas' starring Jim Carrey Top fiction book: 'The Brethren' by John Grisham Top nonfiction book: 'Who Moved My Cheese?' by Spencer Johnson
