Author: Jeff Zurschmeide

Jeff is a lifelong automobile enthusiast with a penchant for sports and racing cars. He has raced SCCA, local circle track, and stage rally as a co-driver. He makes his living as a freelance automotive journalist and is the author of six books on automotive topics. As a rule, he practices catch-and-release fishing when it comes to collectible automobiles, trying to leave each one in better condition than he found it. Enduring passions include his MGA and Austin Mini, and his 1969 Corvette. He recently purchased a 1920 Ford Model T Touring because “you just have to have one of these once in your life.”

Don’t Call it “Cute”

The new Mini entered the market in the 2002, now under BMW ownership, and was immediately successful. This was an era of retro-fabulous versions of European classics. Volkswagen’s New Beetle had turned up a few years prior, and Fiat gave its venerable 500 the same treatment just a few years […]

2008 Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione

s name alone, “8C Competizione,” brings to mind the greatest episodes in Alfa Romeo’s racing history and the 8C’s victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and Mille Miglia, among innumerable other successes. Sold via the Alfa Tenailles Automobiles GTA garage in Nevers, FRA, this car in the color […]

The Triumphant Toyobaru

The affordable sports car has always been the foundation of the car-enthusiast hobby, and for decades such cars were plentiful. The Mazda Miata became the king of this segment in the 1990s, evoking everything drivers ever loved about their British and Italian sports cars while providing modern Japanese reliability. That’s […]

Secret Weapon

There’s a certain kind of person who’s drawn to Volvo station wagons. Typically, that person is a driving enthusiast who loves the practical applications of a wagon, affording all the cargo capacity of an SUV along with the performance and handling of a passenger car. The “long roof” cognoscenti smile […]

2001 BMW M5

Originally launched in 1984, the M5 was BMW’s first attempt to add its Motorsport ingredients to the already-sporty 5 Series. As the fastest sedan in the world, its future replacement, the E39 M5, would clearly have big shoes to fill. Unveiled at the 1998 Geneva Motor Show, the M5 delivered […]

Stamp of Approval

Last month, we looked at various factory-supported programs that provide certifications of originality, condition and provenance of collector cars. But those are not the only “stamps of approval” out there. There are also third-party services that provide inspections and documentation to help establish authenticity, although these vary in scope even […]

Factory Blessings

Among the many qualities that confer value upon a collector car, none is as important — or open to dispute — as provenance. The term refers to evidence that a vehicle is what a seller claims it is, and that any notable history of the car can be proven to […]

Escape Hatch

When the Volvo C30 arrived in America for the 2008 model year, it had been 36 years since production of the carmaker’s P1800 coupe ended. The new generation of sport coupe reflected the reality of its era, with an important nod to the past. The result was a 2-door hot […]

Escape Hatch

When the Volvo C30 arrived in America for the 2008 model year, it had been 36 years since production of the carmaker’s P1800 coupe ended. The new generation of sport coupe reflected the reality of its era, with an important nod to the past. The result was a 2-door hot […]

2016 Ford Shelby Mustang GT-H Coupe “Executive Car”

The run of 2016 Shelby Mustang GT-Hs for Hertz included 140 examples delivered into the rental fleet for allocation day-by-day to mere mortals, and then 16 of the “Executive Cars,” a name that to the Hertz Shelby enthusiast has a special aura. These 16 cars were not rented but were […]