Keith Martin
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BMWs at Buttonwillow
I’ve been to a variety of driving schools, with instruction ranging from cursory to custodial. When the opportunity came for my daughter Alex and me to attend a two-day BMW Car Club of America high-performance driving school in Southern California, I thought I knew what to expect. I’d be in the advanced class (of course…
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From Carlisle to Carousel
The collector car summer goes out with a roar. For me, it was a blur of events that included Fall Auburn, the Kirkland Concours, Funfest, Fall Carlisle and a visit to the Milhous Collection. My airline status for next year is assured; I’ll always be the one who gets asked first whether he wants…
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Keith’s Blog: Audi S6 Avant vs. P1800—And the Rovers Are Ready To Rumble
Well, 73 blog comments later, my search has narrowed. I appreciate the knowledge, enthusiasm and opinions you’ve all shared during the past week, and you have definitely propelled things forward. Here’s where we stand. I’ve located a gray / gray 1995.5 Audi Avant in the Pacific Northwest that seems like a good candidate for the…
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Keith’s Blog: Is it P1800 time? Or Would a 1995 Audi S6 Trump All?
Passions and opinions run deep in the world of sports cars. To the many, many people who emailed me their suggestions as to whether the next addition to the SCM stable should be an Alfa Berlina, a BMW 2002 tii “roundie” or a Volvo P1800, I thank you. Just when I thought I had settled…
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Keith’s Blog: What’s Next – P1800, 2002 tii or Berlina?
Christmas is approaching, and I’m wondering what to get SCM to celebrate the holidays. In the past few months, we’ve sold our Series III Land Rover 88, our Volvo 544 and all three of our MGBs. Our Mercedes Ponton went away as well, but through mishap rather than planning. So it’s time to think about…
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Keith’s Blog: Sensory Bombardment at SEMA
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Well, in that case, here is the pictorial equivalent of 25,000 words, which is still not sufficent to describe the sprawling acreage of automotive sensory bombardment that is SEMA. It wasn’t our first time at the annual Specialty Equipment Market Association trade show, but there really…
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Monterey Millions
This issue offers the most complete and incisive coverage of the Monterey weekend, with 75 pages of comments and analyses. More than 220 collector cars are discussed in detail. Million-dollar cars sold like there was no tomorrow, with no fewer than 31 going to new homes. In short, Monterey 2011 was a particularly good…
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Keith’s Blog: Our 25th Anniversary
Our January issue, which ships to the printer in a couple of weeks, will mark the beginning of our 25th year of publishing Sports Car Market. The 1960 MGA that was 27 years old in 1987, when we began, is now 52. In 1987, chances are it was very, very worn out, or “gently used”…
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Keith’s Blog: The SCM Fleet Settles in for Winter
When the busy season of summer driving events draws to a close, the comings and goings of the SCM garage subsists mostly of visits to and from various shops. The 1967 Alfa Romeo GTV is finally getting its door repaired this week, after a passing cyclist dented it while parked this summer. We were also able…
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Keith’s Blog: Looking for the Perfect Road Trip Car Under $10,000
Our Road to Reno trip in three 1974 MGBs last summer was a great success. In addition to the scenery and the camaraderie, we learned that for under $10,000 you can have a fun, reliable vintage sports car. As we settle into winter, we’ve started thinking about next year — and the next road trip.…