Affordable Classics

1961-71 Austin/Morris Mini Cooper

A wolf in sheep’s clothing and a giant-killer on the track, the Cooper’s most famous racing victory came in the 1964 Monte Carlo Rallye The story of the original BMC Mini is long and complicated, and there were countless versions produced during the car’s 40-year run. But Sir Alec Issigonis’ […]

1991-96 Acura NSX Coupe

If you can’t afford a jet, the NSX might be the next best thing The Acura NSX, unveiled by Honda in 1991, was an attempt to fuse user-friendly ergonomics with supercar performance. The seven years of development that went into the car resulted in an exotic that was as easy […]

1985-88 Porsche 944

If Porsche had never built a 911, the 944 would be regarded as remarkable The 944 is the Rodney Dangerfield of sports cars, and it has been fighting for respect from the moment it was introduced in 1982. If Porsche had never built a 911, the handling and performance of […]

1968-70 AMC AMX

The AMX was hardly a car for conformists In 1968 American Motors finally had a winner. Maybe it’s just a law of averages type of thing, but the AMX was in many ways the right car for the right time. American Motors dumped the funky four-seat Marlin in ’68 and […]

1992 Corvette LT1 Convertible

1992 represented a milestone year in the life of America’s sports car. The one-millionth Corvette was built, ground was broken for the National Corvette Museum, and Corvette made its performance comeback with the introduction of the LT1 as the base engine. While from the outside, all of the 1984-1996 C4 […]

1985-89 Toyota MR2 Mark I

1984 marked the debut of the Toyota “Mid-engine runabout two-seater,” or “MR2,” in Japan. Less than a year later, it arrived on American shores amid enthusiasm and debate. Based on a prototype called the SV3, the short, lightweight, angular car found a comfortable seat in the Toyota model lineup. It […]

1959-61 Chevrolet Impala Two-Door Hardtop

The 1959 Chevrolet was designer Harley Earl’s final, dramatic statement before his retirement. While “all new all over again” was GM’s apt description of its entire 1959 model series, it was the full-size Chevrolet that sparked the most controversy both within the industry and from observers.With its signature cat’s-eye taillights, […]

1967-74 Triumph GT6

A “poor-man’s XKE” is what some call the Triumph GT6. They share a six-cylinder engine and fastback styling, both rarities in English cars of their era. And they both boast independent rear suspensions and relatively luxurious interiors. The fact that the GT6 can be bought for less than one-fifth the […]

1966-76 Jensen Interceptor

If one bought cars by the pound, Jensen Interceptors would be the best value in the marketplace. Produced in Great Britain during the death throes of the Jensen company and following the time-honored traditions of British companies installing big American engines into Italian-designed bodies, these cars are large, heavy and […]

1963-64 Studebaker Avanti R-1/R-2

The Avanti was an automotive Hail Mary, a last-ditch effort to bring excitement and warm bodies to Studebaker showrooms. In 1961 Studebaker president Sherwood Egbert made the decision to build a sports car-and to do it as fast as possible. He called upon one of the best-known industrial designers in […]