The 190SL’s designers had a challenge on their hands-to echo the 300SL’s styling, but not copy it Close your eyes and picture your local main drag on a Saturday afternoon. Parked outside the neighborhood coffee shop, what do you see? Likely one or two Mercedes SLs, 280s. 560s. 450s. 380s. […]
Profiles
1970 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Convertible
Not only will your collegiate daughter love it for its looks, but it certainly isn’t powerful enough for her to get into too much trouble {vsig}2004-11_1466{/vsig} Volkswagen’s popular Beetle spawned a number of other automobiles, creations like the Thing, Microbus, and most interesting of all, the Karmann Ghia. One of […]
1935 Mormon Meteor Duesenberg SJ Speedster
Prior to the auction, guesses as to its eventual selling price were rampant, and the result was a staggering achievement for a Duesenberg. {vsig}2004-11_1470{/vsig} In an era of record-setters, Ab Jenkins and his Duesenberg Special surpassed them all. Racing on the Bonneville Salt Flats, he performed landmark miracles of speed […]
1969 Chevron B16
Chevron B16s are just about the coolest, most beautiful, fastest little fantasy of a race car that you can get your hands on {vsig}2004-11_1475{/vsig} Only 23 Chevron B16s were built and today they are universally praised by their drivers for handling, performance, and-most elusive of all-an exceptionally graceful design. Indeed, […]
1966 Ferrari 275 GTS Spyder
The GTB/GTB4 has catapulted in value over the past 18 months and dragged the GTS along with it {vsig}2004-11_1457{/vsig} Ferrari introduced the 275 GTS at the October 1964 Paris show alongside its sibling, the 275 GTB. The two shared the same chassis and driveline, although the GTS engine was more […]
1962 Jaguar XKE SI 3.8 Convertible
Raise the bonnet and you are treated to one of the most beautiful engine layouts in sports car motoring. As Sir William Lyons was rumored to have said, “It costs no more to make it pretty” {vsig}2004-11_1461{/vsig} The E-type is one of those rare gifts to the automotive world, the […]
1974 Lamborghini LP400 Countach
At the sub-$40,000 price, this car is cheap sculpture, a conversation piece in the garage, something fun for the kids so they can play “let’s pretend we’re Valentino Balboni” {vsig}2004-11_1452{/vsig} Offered for sale direct from the museum to which it was donated in 1999, this Lamborghini LP400 Countach is somewhat […]
1967-1969 Saab Sonett II
Above 3,000 rpm driving a Sonett II is like hanging onto an out-of-control chainsaw The words “Swedish” and “sports car” seem entirely uncomfortable bedfellows. But back in the 1950s, before Saab and Volvo had acquired the safe-and-sane reputations that still accompany their current American parents, both companies set off to […]
2002 Mercedes-Benz CL55 AMG
Electronic gadgetry in late-model Mercedes has recently taken its toll-the latest J.D. Power numbers finds Mercedes lagging behind such stalwart marques as Hyundai and Mercury {vsig}2004-10_1445{/vsig} When Mercedes-Benz set out to build the finest sports coupe in the world they came up with the CL500 and its V12-powered sibling, the […]
1937 Cord 812 Westchester Street Rod
Purists cry out in despair when custom cars are made from desirable models, but in this case the builder told me he had found four Cord Westchester bodies in a Texas wrecking yard and used “the worst of the four” {vsig}2004-10_1423{/vsig} This all-steel, all-real 1937 Cord Westchester 812 started life […]