Columns

The Best or Nothing

Since 1954, the Mercedes-Benz SL has built its legacy largely through popular culture. Think of Clark Gable and his 1955 300SL Gullwing or Hugh Hefner’s 1959 300SL Roadster. John Lennon owned a 1965 W113 “Pagoda” 230SL, and the R107 was given a starring role in countless 1970s–80s movies and television […]

Playing the Percentages

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act has traveled a rough-and-tumble political road, but we now have some certainty about the tax picture for the next 10 years. Collectors are now able to forge ahead on what to do with their car collections from a tax planning perspective. Income-tax rates Sales […]

Modern Times

“Dad, next year let’s take the slow Porsche.” Those were my son Bradley’s first words when he hopped out of the 2024 Porsche 911 Carrera he had been driving. We had just finished a leg of the NW Passage, the biannual tour put on by the Oregon Region of the […]

1956 Chevrolet Bel Air Nomad

The Chevrolet Nomad is by far the rarest of Chevrolet’s so-called “Tri-Five” Bel Air models, produced from 1955 through 1957. The nameplate, which would live into the early ’70s, carries a level of cachet unique to the model. Marketed as a halo model of the Tri-Five station-wagon line, the Bel […]

1985 Aston Martin V8 Vantage

In 1978, Aston Martin thoroughly updated its V8 grand-tourer model and gave it the curious “Oscar India” moniker, a pronunciation of the internal designation “OI” — for “October Introduction” — using the phonetic alphabet. Numerous revisions brought significant improvements in luxury, refinement and performance across the range. Higher-specification V8 Vantage […]

1938 Talbot-Lago T150 C Lago Spéciale Teardrop

Following Anthony Lago’s assumption of control at Automobiles Talbot in 1935, the company, now rebranded as Talbot-Lago, shifted its focus to a fresh lineup of sports cars. With engineer Walter Brecchia’s innovative designs, Talbot-Lago introduced a new 4.0-liter engine and modern chassis concepts, alongside a racing team led by René […]

1948 Ferrari 166 Spyder Corsa

The 166 Spyder Corsa was aimed at the most sporting crowd — those interested in both circuit racing their new Ferrari while maintaining the ability to drive it in road races and on the street. The Besana brothers (Soave and Gabriele) of Lombardy were perhaps the ideal first Ferrari customers. […]

1966 Fiat Abarth OT 1300

The Fiat Abarth OT 1300 needs no introduction as the embodiment of a GT racer that combines a high-revving small-displacement engine, lightweight construction and inherent agility. To combat excessive cockpit heat from racing, a roof-mounted “periscope” air intake became a distinctive feature, earning it the nickname “Periscopio.” According to Pubblico […]

One Too Many Times to the Well?

This coming September, I will be sending my precious and rare unrestored 1964 Abarth-Simca 2 Mila Corsa Short Nose to the Duke of Richmond’s motorsports soirée, the Goodwood Revival. Alert readers will immediately recognize that this is the self-same Goodwood Revival defined by “racing, red in tooth and claw.” There […]

Two Porsches, One Serial Number

One of the most exciting Bring a Trailer auctions ever went live on May 7, when a 1967 Porsche 910 (Lot 191750) was offered by a new seller, PSAutomobile. The listing was accompanied by over 600 photographs, and the auction would go on to rack up over 450 comments over […]