Speed Sculpture - Some cars don’t just roll off the production line — they’re crafted, almost like a piece of art. They carry the fingerprints of the people who dreamed them up, shaped them, and brought them to life. The Umdasch Celero R-6.3 is one of those rare creations, a machine that looks like it was sculpted for speed and built with a single goal in mind: to stand apart from anything else on the road.
The Umdasch Celero R-6.3, born in Austria from the workshop of Umdasch Sportwagenmanufaktur, is a Corvette-based creation sculpted for speed and built with a singular purpose. (Picture from: GTPlanet)
Born in Austria from the workshop of Umdasch Sportwagenmanufaktur, a company usually known for tuning everything from Volkswagens to Ferraris, this one-off sports car marked a bold step into making something truly their own. Six years went into turning the idea into reality. The name itself is a small story: “Celero”comes from the Latin word for “hurry,” the “R” stands for “Race,” and “6.3” tells you exactly what’s under the hood.
The Umdasch Celero R-6.3 made its public debut at the 2015 Essen Motor Show, a perfect stage for such an unapologetically unique creation. (Picture from: Autogen.pl)
The starting point was the chassis of a Chevrolet Corvette, but this wasn’t a simple rebody job. The Corvette’s engine and transmission were completely dismantled, reworked, and paired with a freshly engineered structure. The body was made entirely from lightweight, glass-fiber-reinforced plastics, giving the car both rigidity and a striking, exotic appearance.
The Umdasch Celero R-6.3 houses a 6.3-liter small-block V8 producing 504 horsepower in its base form, paired with a six-speed manual gearbox and rear-wheel drive. (Picture from: Autogen.pl)
The Celero R-6.3’s dimensions are low and wide — 4.46 meters long, 2.06 meters wide, and just 1.2 meters tall — with a fighting weight of 1,420 kilograms. It rides on forged, three-piece Umdasch wheels wrapped in Hankook rubber, 19 inches at the front and 20 inches at the back. Braking is handled by an in-house Umdasch system, with huge 356-millimeter front discs and eight-piston calipers for serious stopping power.
The Umdasch
Celero R-6.3 features a cockpit with two bucket racing seats, a three-spoke steering wheel,
and a simple dashboard equipped with instrument panels for water
temperature, oil temperature, hydraulic gauges, and various knobs.(Picture from: GTPlanet)
Up front sits the heart of the beast: a 6.3-liter small-block V8 producing 504 horsepower in its base form, paired with a six-speed manual gearbox and rear-wheel drive. That output might sound “modest” by today’s extreme supercar numbers, but the Celero wasn’t about chasing outrageous specs.
The Umdasch Celero R-6.3 features a body crafted entirely from lightweight, glass-fiber-reinforced plastics, providing both rigidity and a striking, exotic look.(Picture from: GTPlanet)
Umdasch hinted at several planned tuning stages to increase power, but even in its initial form, it promised a visceral, old-school driving experience. The prototype was first shown to the public at the 2015 Essen Motor Show, a fitting stage for something so unapologetically unique. Only one example ofthe Celero R-6.3
was ever built, making it as rare as they come. Back when it surfaced,
it even went to auction, though the final result remains a mystery. | Wn1XT6Hq1fo | D2L6eNDzGTM | N14PI3xh5AA |
Today, it stands as a reminder of what can happen when a tuning house decides not just to improve someone else’s vision, but to create their own from the ground up. It’s a car that blends passion, craftsmanship, and a refusal to follow trends — a snapshot in time when one Austrian workshop decided to put its name on something that could never be mistaken for anything else. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | UMDASCH-TUNING IN X | AUTOGEN.PL | GTPLANET | ALLCARINDEX ]
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Radical Versatility - In the world of cars, some creations come along that feel less like machines and more like wild experiments—bold statements that challenge what we expect a vehicle to be. Back in 2003, one such machine stole the spotlight at the Geneva Motor Show: the Rinspeed Bedouin. At first glance, it seemed familiar, rooted in the unmistakable DNA ofthe Porsche 911 Turbo. But spend even a few seconds looking closer, and it became obvious that this was no ordinary sports car—it was something stranger, more playful, and in many ways ahead of its time.
The 2003 Rinspeed Bedouin Concept. (Picture from: Rinspeed)
The Bedouin started its life as a 996-generation Porsche 911 Turbo, but Rinspeed’s vision took it in an entirely new direction. This Swiss design house, led by Frank M. Rinderknecht, has long been known for dreaming up vehicles that bend the rules, and the Bedouin might be one of their most daring ideas. It wasn’t just about looks or novelty. Rinspeed set out to prove that a performance car could be both environmentally forward-thinking and versatile enough to thrive where few sports cars dared to tread. Its engine was still a twin-turbocharged 3.6-liter flat-six, but it had been reimagined to run on natural gas—something that, even today, feels remarkably progressive for a concept car more than two decades old.
The 2003 Rinspeed Bedouin Concept. (Picture from: GridOto)
Visually, the Bedouin looked like it had stepped out of a parallel universe. The body, made entirely from lightweight composite materials, kept echoes of the 911’s silhouette but sat a full 15 centimeters higher on a specially designed Eibach adjustable off-road suspension. Large air intakes, widened fenders, and a functional diffuser gave it an aggressive stance, while 18-inch Rinspeed alloys wrapped in Continental SportContact 4x4 tires hinted that this Porsche-based creation wasn’t afraid of dirt trails or gravel roads.
The 2003 Rinspeed Bedouin Concept. (Picture from: CollectionCars)
And then there was its party trick—the roof. Unlike anything seen on a sports car before, the Bedouin’sroof could literally reshape the vehicle’s character. With the help of two electric motors, the entire upper structure lifted and folded in an elaborate motion. In a matter of seconds, a sleek coupe-like profile could transform into a pickup truck, complete with an extendable cargo bed stretching up to 185 centimeters. It wasn’t just clever engineering; it was theater on wheels.
The 2003 Rinspeed Bedouin Concept. (Picture from: GridOto)
Inside, Rinspeed didn’t hold back either. The cabin mixed Porsche familiarity with eccentric touches that felt more like jewelry than car trim. Rich Poltrona-Frau leather in Cotto brown wrapped the seats and panels, while Swarovski crystals were inlaid across the doors and even embedded into the shift knob, which itself was made of solid crystal. A Blaupunkt infotainment setup—complete with a fold-out 7-inch display, DVD playback, reversing camera, and the ability to connect a Sony PlayStation—turnedthe Bedouininto something of a rolling entertainment lounge.
The 2003 Rinspeed Bedouin Concept. (Picture from: CollectionCars)
For all its extravagance, the Bedouin wasn’t dismissed as a gimmick. Even Porsche itself acknowledged the creativity behind it, with Rinderknecht recalling that Stuttgart’s engineers appreciated how the transformation respected the 911’sessence without compromising its engineering soul. That’s saying something, considering how fiercely protective Porsche has always been of its flagship sports car.
The 2003 Rinspeed Bedouin Concept. (Picture from: GridOto)
Looking back now, the Bedouin feels almost prophetic. It hinted at a world where performance cars didn’t have to be tied down by tradition—where flexibility, sustainability, and sheer imagination could coexist in a single machine. While the recently launched Porsche 911 Dakar is a far more polished and production-ready take on the “all-terrain sports car,” the Bedouin remains a reminder of how bold concepts can spark ideas long before the market is ready to embrace them. | R_GR3RjDnWU |
Two decades on, the Rinspeed Bedouin still stands out as one of those rare concept cars that wasn’t just futuristic for its time, but almost futuristic for ours. It might never have made it to showrooms, but its spirit lingers in every unconventional sports car that dares to go off-road or rethink what performance should look like. For a fleeting moment in 2003, the Bedouin showed the world that a Porsche could be part desert explorer, part luxury lounge, and part sci-fi experiment—and somehow, it all worked. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | RINSPEED | COLLECTINGCARS ]
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Driven Vision - Every now and then, the automotive world gives us a story that feels more like a personal journey than a business venture. One that’s driven not just by horsepower or carbon fiber, but by passion, stubborn vision, and an almost childlike fascination with what makes a great car truly special. The story of John Parradine is one of those rare tales—where engineering dreams collided with raw ambition to create machines that still make enthusiasts smile today.
John Parradine’s first creation, the Proteus, made its debut in 1985 under the Deltayn Cars badge, blending Jaguar engineering with his own fresh vision of a handcrafted British sports car. (Picture from: TotalKitCar)
John Parradine (1950 - 2023) (Picture from: TotalKitCar)
Back in the mid-1980s, long before electric cars and digital dashboards became the norm, John made his mark with something rather unexpected: the Deltayn Proteus. Built under the Deltayn Cars name—a small independent car maker founded by John himself in Essex, England—the Proteus marked his first leap into the world of automotive creativity. Based
on Jaguar XJ components, the car was available in kit form because John
couldn’t find anything on the market that matched his taste, so he
decided to make one himself.
The Deltyn Proteus built based upon a ladder frame chassis with mechanical components from the Jaguar XJ and powered by Rover V8 engine with a 5-speed manual transmission. (Picture from: Classic And Recreation Sportscars in Facebook)
Its most distinctive feature was its triple-headlight layout on each side, giving it a striking front end that refused to blend into the crowd. A Citroën CX windshield added a touch of French flair, hinting—perhaps unknowingly—at the international chapter his story would later take.
The Deltayn Proteus stood out with its triple headlights and Citroën CX windshield, adding French elegance that hinted at John Parradine’s future ventures abroad. (Picture from: TotalKitCar)
The Deltayn Proteus might not have become a household name, but it reflected something remarkable about John’s spirit. He wasn’t chasing fame or fortune; he was chasing perfection. After producing only a handful of cars, he returned to his earthmoving equipment business—but that desire to build something beautiful never really went away.
Richard Oakes crafted the Pegasus as a meticulous styling exercise and detailed scale model, capturing John Parradine’s vision for a refined, high-performance grand tourer. (Picture from: TotalKitCar)
Engineering, it seems, ran in the family. John’s father once built a life-sized mechanical elephant powered by a Ford engine back in 1949. The elephant even became part of John’s company logo later on, a small but touching nod to his father’s inventive legacy.
The brilliant Pegasus made its debut at the 1990 Geneva Motor Show under the Parradine Motor Company banner, marking John Parradine’s bold entry into the world of advanced, handcrafted supercars. (Picture from: TotalKitCar)
When John came back to the automotive scene, he was ready to do things differently. This time, under a new banner—Parradine Motor Company—he introduced the Parradine Pegasus, a car that would rewrite what small-scale manufacturing could look like. Designed by Richard Oakes and still carrying Jaguar DNA under its skin, the Pegasus stunned everyone. It wasn’t just sleek—it was advanced. The car featured a full Kevlar and carbon-fiber body, making it the world’s first production car to do so. Underneath, a robust spaceframe chassis supported a tuned Jaguar XJ12 engine delivering around 350 horsepower.
The Parradine Pegasus featured a lavish interior crafted by ace trimmers Callow & Maddox, who brought their expertise from working on Bentleys and Rolls-Royces to create a cabin of true bespoke luxury. (Picture from: TotalKitCar)
Inside, luxury took center stage. Crafted by Callow & Maddox—the same team known for upholstering Bentleys and Rolls-Royces—the cabin was wrapped in Italian saddle leather and buckskin. With a launch price of £92,000 (about £142,000 in today’s money), the Pegasus wasn’t just a car; it was an experience. When it debuted at the 1990 Geneva Motor Show, it caused a sensation—nearly 400 orders poured in, each backed by a £5,000 deposit. For a boutique automaker from England, that was the stuff of dreams.
John Parradine deserved to see thousands of Pegasus cars on the road, but political pressures and the Gulf War abruptly ended production before his vision could truly flourish. (Picture from: TotalKitCar)
Even France took notice. The French government, keen to bring such innovation onto its soil, offered John the chance to relocate his operations to a new facility near the Magny-Cours race circuit. It was an incredible opportunity—so much so that even Jaguar’s own leadership gave their blessing, offering discounted parts and engineering support.
It was a pivotal moment when the Pegasus began its transformation into the Parradine 525, evolving from a bold concept into a more refined expression of John Parradine’s enduring design vision. (Picture from: TotalKitCar)
But like many brilliant but fragile ventures, the Pegasus dream was short-lived. By the early 1990s, shifting political tides, pressure from French carmakers, and the shadow of the Gulf War brought everything to a halt. Around nineteen cars were built before production ended abruptly. For John, it was a heartbreaking moment. He refunded deposits, packed up, and returned to England, his dream of becoming a global supercar maker cut short by circumstance, not by lack of vision.
John Parradine made a remarkable comeback with the 525S under the JJR Automobiles name, which took center stage at the 2000 British Motor Show as a long-awaited modern evolution of his visionary craftsmanship. (Picture from: TotalKitCar)
Still, you can’t keep a true creator down. A few years later, John returned once again—this time trading under a new company name, JJR Automobiles. With fresh energy and ideas, he set out to build his most ambitious car yet: the Parradine 525S. It made its public debut at the 2000 British International Motor Show and immediately drew attention—not only for its design but for its innovation. | OIwrTaMwBmo |
The 525S was years ahead of its time. Long before modern supercars adopted similar tech, it replaced traditional mirrors with cameras and dashboard monitors, offering a futuristic driving experience. Its retractable roof system, designed by Harvey Wooldridge, and Quantum H4-style doors gave it both sophistication and flair. Under the hood, it carried a supercharged 4.6-litre Ford Mustang V8, available in 430- and 525-horsepower versions, paired with a six-speed gearbox. Weighing only 1,350 kilograms, the 525S promised thrilling performance wrapped in elegant curves and craftsmanship.
The Parradine 525S was ahead of its time, featuring camera-based mirrors, a Harvey Wooldridge retractable roof, and Quantum H4-style doors that blended technology with elegance. (Picture from: AllCarIndex)
The car wasn’t offered in kit form—just like the Pegasus, it was a complete, ready-to-drive machine. Prices started around £130,000, with later announcements of the 525SC (Coupé) and 525SE (Estate) modelsin the following years. Production continued until the mid-2000s, when the company quietly closed its doors and John finally decided to take life at a gentler pace after decades of pouring his energy, vision, and resources into his creations.
The Parradine 525S Coupé, introduced in 2000 as a refined variant of the original 525S, showcased a sleeker profile and further emphasized the car’s blend of power and elegance. (Picture from: AutoPuzzles)
Looking back today, the Deltayn Proteus, Parradine Pegasus, and Parradine 525S stand as milestones in the story of one man’s relentless pursuit of innovation. Each car captured a different stage of his dream: the curiosity of creation, the excitement of success, and the wisdom of refinement. John Parradine didn’t just build cars—he built pieces of himself into every one of them.
The Parradine 525S Estate, introduced alongside the Roadster and Coupé, offered a unique blend of practicality and performance while maintaining the signature elegance of the 525S line.(Picture from: TotalKitCar)
Even now, these rare machines remind us that great cars aren’t only born in vast factories with big budgets. Sometimes, they come from a single person with a clear vision, a strong will, and the courage to build something the world hasn’t seen before. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | TOTALKITCAR | AUTOPUZZLES | ALLCARINDEX | CYBERNETICZOO | OBSCURESUPERCAR IN X | CLASSIC AND RECREATION SPORTSCARS IN FACEBOOK | RARECOMPONENTCARS IN FACEBOOK ]
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Elegance Engineered - Sometimes, cars are more than just machines—they’re rolling expressions of art, style, and a particular moment in history. In the 1960s, one such masterpiece emerged from France, where elegance and engineering met in the hands of a visionary coachbuilder. This creation was the Citroën DS “Le Dandy,” a car that managed to embody both the avant-garde spirit of the DS and the refined flair of haute couture tailoring.
The Citroën DS 'Le Dandy' embodied the avant-garde spirit of the DS while showcasing Henri Chapron’s craftsmanship and the refined flair of haute couture. (Picture from: QuirkyRides in X)
The DS had already turned heads worldwide when it debuted, thanks to Citroën’s futuristic design, hydro-pneumatic suspension, and technology that felt decades ahead of its time. But success brought familiarity, and by the early ’60s, the DS was no longer an exotic rarity on French roads. Enter Henri Chapron, a man who had been crafting bespoke automotive bodies since the 1920s for marques like Talbot and Delage. While others hesitated in the face of the DS’s monocoque construction, Chapron embraced the challenge, seeing it as a fresh canvas for his artistry.
The Citroën DS 'Le Dandy' stood out for its quiet boldness, produced between 1960 and 1972 in about 50 examples as a hardtop counterpart to Chapron’s “Le Caddy” convertible. (Picture from: ClassicDriver)
Among his many DS reinterpretations, the “Le Dandy”stood out for its quiet boldness, produced between 1960 and 1972 in only around 50 examples as a hardtop counterpart toChapron’s “Le Caddy” convertible. The Citroën DS 'Le Dandy'was built on both the DS19 and DS21 platforms—initially introduced in 1960 asa DS19 hardtop coupedesigned by Henri Chapron, and later updated in 1965 to the DS21 platform, featuring a larger 2.1L engine and revised rear wings while preserving its unique styling elements. Each Le Dandy carried subtle distinctions, ensuring no two were ever exactly alike.
The 1965 Citroën DS 'Le Dandy' variant, of which only two
were ever built, was particularly intriguing, painted in a soft green
with a slightly taller roofline than its stablemates.(Picture from: QuirkyRides in X)
The 1965 variant, of which only two were ever built, was particularly intriguing. Painted in a soft, elegant green, it featured a slightly taller roofline than its stablemates, intentionally designed to accommodate the tall silk hats favored by fashionable Parisian gentlemen of the era. Chapron also introduced some of the earliest tail fins on the extended rear deck, adding a touch of flair and confidence to its presence on the boulevard, making the Le Dandy a truly unforgettable expression of automotive artistry.
The Citroën DS 'Le Dandy' featured a meticulously hand-finished interior, combining luxurious upholstery with four practical seats, offering both elegance and comfort for its passengers. (Picture from: OtoBlitz)
Beneath its sculpted lines, the Le Dandy retained the DS’s 2100cc engine and manual gearbox, delivering smooth yet engaging drives. Inside, four seats were arranged for practicality, though the rear bench offered little legroom—making long trips best enjoyed with just two passengers, perhaps on a coastal drive from Cannes to Monaco, luggage neatly stowed in the boot. Regardless of the route, the DS’s legendary suspension ensured the journey was as unruffled as the driver’s perfectly pressed attire.
The 1965 Citroën DS 'Le Dandy' retained the DS’s 2100cc engine and manual gearbox beneath its sculpted lines, delivering a drive that was both smooth and engaging. (Picture from: OtoBlitz)
While some may debate whether Le Dandy was the most beautiful of Chapron’s DS creations, its charm lay in its individuality. It was for those unafraid to stand out, for drivers who understood that a car could be worn like a finely tailored suit. Oscar Wildeonce remarked that one should either be a work of art or wear a work of art; the Le Dandywas both, rolling down the street as if it had just stepped off a Paris runway. | _TS1RXNppLI |
Today, decades after its final example left Chapron’s workshop, the Citroën DS “Le Dandy” remains a rare sight—an automotive artifact from a time when style and engineering danced together in perfect rhythm. Owning one now isn’t just about having a classic car; it’s about possessing a piece of history that still whispers the language of elegance, confidence, and unmistakable French charm. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CLASSICDRIVER | OTOBLITZ | QUIRKYRIDES IN X ]
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Rolling Sculpture - Cars have always been more than machines that simply carry us from one place to another. For decades, some have served as canvases for imagination, where builders push the limits of design until a vehicle no longer feels like it belongs on the road. These creations stop being just transportation—they become art pieces on wheels. And among the most unforgettable examples is a one-of-a-kind Ford Thunderbird from 1962, a car draped in stunning Antifreeze Green Metallic that looks like it rolled straight out of a dream.
The 1962 Ford Thunderbird. (Picture from: ClassicCars)
This stunning Thunderbird may have started life as a recognizable Ford coupe, but today it stands as a rolling sculpture. The transformation is so complete that while you can still trace its roots back to Dearborn, Michigan, the car feels galaxies away from factory form. Its shimmering green finish seems alive, glowing under the light in a way that makes it impossible to ignore. The body has been reimagined with seamless flow, stripped of trim and badges for a clean, uninterrupted look. Even the door handles are gone, leaving behind a glass-smooth surface. Up front, the grille has been reshaped into a sharp brow above the headlights, while the rear features flat red taillights styled like retro-futuristic bullets ready to fire.
The 1962 Ford Thunderbird. (Picture from: ClassicCars)
Then there’s the roof, perhaps the most jaw-dropping detail of all. Instead of the standard Thunderbird hardtop, this machine wears a dramatic bubble canopy made of plexiglass, held in place by a custom stainless-steel frame. It looks like something from a 1960s sci-fi comic, with just a hint of Batmobile flair in its swooping curves. The canopy can even be removed, adding to its show-stopping presence. Turbine-style hubcaps and rear fender skirts complete the theatrical stance, giving the car a low, sleek, and otherworldly silhouette.
The 1962 Ford Thunderbird. (Picture from: ClassicCars)
Step inside, and the fantasy continues. The doors are finished in body-matching green with ivory leatherette accents, while the bucket seats combine ivory leather with bold green alligator-patterned inserts. The steering wheel is a crescent-shaped masterpiece with a gleaming chrome jewel at its center, unlike anything seen in a factory car. The dashboard is less of a dashboard and more of a sculpture, with Dolphin gauges set against a snakeskin-patterned background. Flowing down the middle, a center console made of cascading metal rods serves no practical purpose except to be art—proof that not every element of a car needs a function to be unforgettable. Even the pedals are custom, embossed with unique designs to keep the theme alive right down to the floor.
The 1962 Ford Thunderbird. (Picture from: ClassicCars)
Beneath its custom hood beats a bright red 390-cubic-inch V8 topped with a 4-barrel carburetor, paired to a Cruise-O-Matic 3-speed automatic transmission. Power is sent to a Ford 9-inch rear end with 3.00 gears, while stopping power comes from drum brakes all around. The undercarriage shows signs of age, with surface rust and patches, but this car was never built for daily commutes—it was built to dazzle.
The 1962 Ford Thunderbird. (Picture from: ClassicCars)
And dazzle it does. When eased onto the road, it cruises smoothly, with lights and signals still in working order. Yet this isn’t the type of car you casually drive through town. It’s the kind of machine that stops traffic, gathers crowds, and becomes the center of attention everywhere it appears.
The 1962 Ford Thunderbird. (Picture from: ClassicCars)
What makes this Thunderbird so extraordinary isn’t just the scale of its transformation, but the way it still retains a thread of its original identity. It’s wild, theatrical, and unapologetically crafted for the spotlight, collecting Best of Show awards wherever it goes. In a world where custom cars often blur together, this one stands as a singular vision—equal parts Thunderbird and fantasy. | iEZ9PSJNRhc |
More than sixty years after leaving the factory, this 1962 Ford Thunderbird survives not as a relic of the past, but as proof of what happens when creativity refuses to follow rules. It shows that a car can be more than a machine—it can be a dream you can see, touch, and, in rare moments, even drive. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CLASSICCARS ]
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Rotary Rebellion - Every once in a while, a car build emerges that completely rewrites what we thought was possible with automotive design. The Mazda RX-7has long been a canvas for wild creativity, especially within Japan’s custom car culture — but few projects have taken the leap quite like this one. Imagine a fusion between the sleek aggression of a Rocket Bunny kit, the nostalgia of a Porsche 962C race livery, and the practicality of a wagon silhouette. Sounds impossible? Not for Hiroshi, the mastermind behind what’s arguably one of the most unique RX-7 builds ever created.
The wagon-style Mazda RX-7 RZ by Miyoshi Paddock Racing unites world-renowned brands — RE Amemiya, GReddy, Rocket Bunny, and Work Wheels — into one stunning custom creation. (Picture from: BlackXperience)
Today, it stands as a reminder of what can happen when a tuning house decides not just to improve someone else’s vision, but to create their own from the ground up. It’s a car that blends passion, craftsmanship, and a refusal to follow trends — a snapshot in time when one Austrian workshop decided to put its name on something that could never be mistaken for anything else. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | UMDASCH-TUNING IN X | AUTOGEN.PL | GTPLANET | ALLCARINDEX ]
