Buy What You Like, Pay What You Should
Stephen Serio
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Aston Martin’s Third Savior
Aston Martin and its various ownership incarnations have perfected the art of going under — think massive avalanche — and then being saved for another life of making cars. Anyone familiar with the history of this much-admired, cherished and revered company realizes that Lazarus has nothing on these car builders from the United Kingdom. The…
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The “Pretty Woman” Lotus is a Winner
Few modern classics offer more performance and visual bang than a Lotus Esprit Turbo SE. Somehow, this softened version — the less-aggressive, non-origami, original shape — has aged gracefully over the past 20 or so years. Peter Stevens gets credit for this design, with honorable mention to Julian Thompson for the refreshing in 1994. I’m…
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1971 Mercedes-Benz 280SL convertible
This car was supplied new to the wife of well-known Tulsa-based actor and producer Milton Berry. She kept this quality, matching-numbers Mercedes-Benz 280SL until it was traded in to the original Tulsa, OK, Mercedes-Benz dealer in 1999. It stayed in his personal collection until 2010, when it was ultimately purchased by the present owner after…
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Did You See That ’58 Aston Martin DB Mark III?
Is there such a thing as an affordable classic or a good deal during Monterey auction week? Watching collectors and enthusiasts flock to the numerous auctions searching for a special, once-in-a-lifetime deal is like watching a professional goat rodeo. If you are a chaos junkie, this is for you, but making sense of this madness…
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1975 BMW 3.0 CSL “Batmobile”
In 1968, BMW launched the 2500 saloon, and it was this car that gave birth to a string of elegant coupes that peaked with the CSL “Batmobile.” The first such model was the 2800CS, and with independent suspension, taut chassis and a 170-horsepower engine, it was an attractive candidate for circuit racing. While the factory…
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1950 Aston Martin DB2 Vantage Coupe
This superb DB2 was sold new to William “Bill” Spear, wealthy amateur American racer and a close friend of Briggs Cunningham, the famed American gentleman racer and sports car builder. In fact, the two of them each ordered a new DB2 in November 1950. LML/50/19 is the 19th car built, an original right-hand drive example…
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1936 Lincoln Model K “Howard Hughes” Boattail Speedster
This Lincoln Model K speedster started out as Howard Hughes’s personal 1936 Lincoln K model V12 Limousine, until he converted the car into his idea of a Boattail Speedster. It was originally shipped to Long Beach, California, in January of 1936 and apparently special ordered with only one foot rest in the rear. Other documents…
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2001 BMW Z8 Roadster
One of the most incredible modern sports cars to ever be built, the Z8 was destined to become a future classic after its debut in the James Bond film “The World is Not Enough.” The concept project was given to Henrik Fisker, who in 1997 was the head of BMW’s U.S. design studio in Newbury…
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1976 Lagonda V8 Series 1 Saloon
What’s interesting about “007” is that it has been hot-rodded, modernized, and neutered of its ZF 5-speed {vsig}2008-8_2208{/vsig} Lagonda had been dormant for a decade when Aston Martin revived the marque in 1974 as the model name for a sensational new four-door sedan based on the existing V8 coupe. Launched at the London Motor Show…
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1961 Aston Martin DB4 Series III
I truly believe there is no price guide for something that has few peers with regard to originality The car offered here is a DB4 Series III Aston Martin, which differs from the previous two series due to a better oil cooling system, including a bigger sump. The car condition is as exceptional as its…