Blogs
-
A poor relation or a worthy alternative? Looking at the 1955 -1963 Mercedes-Benz 190SL (W121)
Sports Car Market Publisher Keith Martin and SCM Contributor and German car authority Philip Richter look at the 1955 – 1963 Mercedes-Benz 190 SL. Built as a more affordable alternative to the 300 SL, the Mercedes-Benz 190 SL shares DNA with its legendary sibling, but is it worth owning today? Beautiful? Of course! Too slow?…
-
Keith’s Blog: The Modern-Day Three-Car Collection: AMG, Z4 and R8
I took the SCM 2004 Mercedes AMG SL 55 out for a 100-mile drive through the Oregon wine country last Saturday. It was a glorious early-spring sunny day. I spent most of the time with the top down. The most attractive feature of this 500-hp machine continues to be its hardtop convertible. There is simply…
-
Having their moment in the sun, the 1989 to 2001 Mercedes-Benz R129 (SL 280, 300 SL, SL 320, 500 SL, SL 500, 600SL, SL 600) takes off in the market.
SCM Contributor and German car authority Philip Richter examines the Mercedes-Benz R129 SL Class(SL 280, 300 SL, SL 320, 500 SL, SL 500, 600SL, SL 600) to see what’s driving their increasing popularity in the market. One of Bruno Sacco’s most timeless designs and with everything from an inline and V-6 to a V-8 and…
-
Keith’s Blog: Join the SCM Caravan to Concorso
We are currently planning our annual informal tour down the coasts of Oregon and California to Monterey. Anyone is welcome to join, although cars with at least a pretension of sportiness are preferred. Event stickers and SCM hats will be provided. At the moment, our plans call for me to drive the SCM 1971 E-type…
-
A Lucky Rabbit! A 1985 Volkswagen Cabriolet Wolfsburg Edition Time Capsule sells for $70,000!
Former GM executive Lowell Paddock and SCM Contributor Philip Richter discuss a 1985 Volkswagen Cabriolet Wolfsburg Edition that sold on Bring a Trailer for $70,000. With 39 miles on the odometer and all the options, this sterling Flash Silver example brought home the big dollars. What allowed this Cabriolet to sell for ten times the…
-
Keith’s Blog: Your SCM Books Are Finally in the Mail
Producing “The Best of Shifting Gears, Volume 1” and “The Best of Legal Files” has turned out to be a more formidable task that we imagined. But the books are finally printed and in the mail. Through the yeoman efforts of designer Jodi Ellis, print coordinator Matthew Strauss and editor John Nikas, we think you…
-
A worthy successor to the iconic 300 SL Gullwing. Looking at the 2010 – 2015 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG.
Sports Car Market Publisher Keith Martin and SCM Contributor Philip Richter examine the potent and powerful SLS AMG (C197) built from 2010 to 2015. Designed with help from David Coulthard and power from an M159 engine that was the world’s most powerful naturally aspirated unit, this supercar was the spiritual successor to the iconic 300SL…
-
Keith’s Blog: Disco or U-boat? Two Eight-Cylinder Choices
It was a brilliant winter afternoon. The SCM 1991 928 S4, dark blue with blue leather, was slicing through the turns on Washington State Highway 14. It’s a two-lane road that follows the northern side of the Columbia Gorge. The road is vastly more interesting than the four-lane Interstate 84 on the southern side. I…
-
What makes this 1980 Ford F-250 4 x 4 Custom worth $97,000? It’s not $90,000 of gold bars in the glove compartment
SCM Contributors Lowell Paddock and Philip Richter discuss a 1980 Ford F-250 that sold on Bring a Trailer for $97,000. A veritable time capsule with 76 miles on the odometer, this ¾-ton truck with a short-cab and long-bed came with a 5.8-liter V8 engine and three-speed automatic. Was it the resplendent and rare Midnight Blue…
-
Keith’s Blog: Buying a New Car – It Has Nothing To Do With Performance
When it came to making a choice about buying a new car for SCM everyday use, the drivetrain and suspension were irrelevant. Over the past decade, I have watched with interest as new-car platforms have become increasingly digital. More features and benefits related to safety are standard with each new generation. For those looking to…