Detroit is nicknamed the Motor City, and never is that more evident than during the annual Woodward Dream Cruise. Hundreds of thousands of car enthusiasts congregate along one of Detroit's main thoroughfares to watch the slow-moving car show, as everything from vintage muscle cars to modern exotica cruise up and down Woodward Avenue. Nearly every microcosm of automotive passion is represented at Woodward, making it the best place to spot cool cars from every walk of life. Here were some of our favorites from this year's edition of the Woodward Dream Cruise.
The Dream Cruise runs through Birmingham, Michigan, one of Detroit's wealthiest suburbs, where we found this orange McLaren Senna. The Senna, named for three-time Formula 1 champion Ayrton Senna, is a track-focused supercar with a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 producing 789 horsepower. Built between 2018 and 2020, Sennas regularly fetch well over $1 million on the used market.
Call it the Kendrick Lamar effect, but there seemed to be more Buick Grand Nationals and GNXs at Woodward than in past years. Lamar, the Pulitzer Prize–winning rapper, released his sixth studio album, GNX, last year, on which he announced, "All I ever wanted was a black Grand National." We're sure K.Dot would have enjoyed his time at Woodward.
Several Dodge Vipers were prowling Woodward Avenue, but this white example with blue racing stripes caught our eye. The classic color scheme is paired with aggressive aerodynamics, as it appears to be a standard third-generation Viper fitted with the front bumper, hood, and rear wing from the track-focused ACR. The 8.4-liter V-10 engine under that vented hood sounded mean as the American sports car slinked past.
Woodward celebrates car customization, and there were plenty of crazy hot rods driving around. This one was our favorite, the massive grille and chopped roofline giving it a sinister look while the exhaust sprouts off the engine like a pair of swept-back wings.
There typically isn't much vintage Italian metal at Woodward, so this old-school Maserati Ghibli stood out. Built from 1967 to 1973, the Ghibli has dramatic proportions with a long hood and fastback roofline, and it packs a V-8 engine under its sophisticated bodywork. Fewer than 1300 were produced.
Woodward is full of gleaming, chrome-laden 1960s American cars, but we were especially enamored by this 1964 Plymouth Belvedere wagon. The two-tone red-and-white paint looks splendid, and the matching surfboard on the roof is a nice touch. The front plate indicates that this Belvedere is packing the potent 426 Hemi V-8 engine, which joined the Belvedere lineup in 1964.
Cadillac is trying to recapture the magic that once made it the "Standard of the World," as its old slogan declared, with the electric Celestiq. This electric flagship stretches over 18 feet long and is decadently adorned, and buyers are invited to customize their Celestiqs to their heart's content. Prices start at around $340,000 for this hand-built luxury cruiser, which looked resplendent on Woodward.
Not only is the Ferrari 488 Pista an achingly beautiful machine, especially in red with gold wheels, but it's incredibly quick, packing a twin-turbocharged 3.9-liter V-8 producing 711 horsepower. That shoots this mid-engined supercar to 60 mph in just 2.7 seconds and up to a top speed of 211 mph.
Many of the classic cars at Woodward have been modified, but this 1955 Buick Super stayed faithful to its original, distinguished look. The Super paired its stylish bodywork with a 5.3-liter V-8 and was one of several full-size offerings from Buick in the 1950s.
This isn't the first time we've spotted this Ford GT at Woodward, but it looks so good, especially with its adjustable rear wing raised, that we just had to include it on our list again. The GT served as Ford's halo car from 2017 to 2022, with a 660-hp twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6 tucked into its sinewy bodywork.
There were also plenty of cool trucks at Woodward, including this clean Dodge Power Wagon. We love the deep shade of green paint on this capable hauler.
Sticking to the truck theme, this Jeep Convoy was a surprise appearance, given that it was created as a concept for the Easter Jeep Safari this year and wore manufacturer license plates. Based on the Gladiator pickup, the Convoy features a unique front end inspired by the J-series truck sold in the 1970s and '80s. It's packed with off-road goodies, including a snorkel, a Warn 12,000-pound winch, and 40-inch BFGoodrich tires.
This Porsche 918 Spyder is a regular at Woodward, but it's always exciting to spot this sleek hybrid supercar, especially when it's sporting the iconic Martini livery. The 918 was a revelation when it debuted in 2013, with 887 horsepower from its combination of a V-8 engine and two electric motors.
While American cars dominate Woodward, some Japanese machines show up too, including this iconic duo. This Supra and RX-7 both sport tasteful modifications and would look right at home in Fast & Furious.
Despite looking like something out of Europe, this smoothly styled convertible is actually an under-the-radar American muscle car. Built by Panoz, based in Georgia, the Esperante packed a Ford Mustang V-8 under the hood and was offered with a manual transmission.
The wedge shape of the Lotus Esprit is iconic and was a nice break from boxy 1960s muscle cars. The Esprit had a long run, built from 1976 to 2004, and this Series 4 car is a later example that was introduced in 1994 and was sold with a twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-8.
This Audi S8 is a subtle luxury sedan, but that low-key bodywork hides a truly special engine: a 5.2-liter V-10 derived from the heart of the Lamborghini Gallardo. With 450 horsepower, this 4600-pound luxo-barge blasted to 60 mph in just 5.3 seconds and could cover the quarter-mile in 13.7 seconds.
We'll close it out with one of the most capable performance cars on sale today, the Porsche 911 GT3 RS. While the GT3 RS only produces 518 horsepower, the motorsport-inspired aerodynamics help it carve up racetracks with ease. It set a lap time of 2:37.2 at our annual Lightning Lap competition, becoming the third-quickest car we've ever run around Virginia International Raceway.
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