Columns
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Chicken Little May Have Had a Point…
Making sure your car is Q-tip-perfectly prepared before the concours judges arrive is stressful enough, but do we now have to watch for debris falling out of the sky? We’re talking about what the FAA calls Unmanned Aircraft Systems, but the rest of us call them drones. Drones are pretty fantastic devices that hover and…
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1950 Ferrari 166 MM/195 S Berlinetta Le Mans
It was the Tipo 166, introduced in 1948 as a replacement for the 125 S, that first established Enzo Ferrari’s Modenese workshop as a leading manufacturer of racing cars. Powered by a 2-liter Gioacchino Colombo-designed V12 engine, the 166 set forward a course of development that would define the look, sound and inimitable character of…
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2003 BMW Alpina V8 Roadster
In 1956, BMW released the 507, a stunning two-seat roadster that delivered exhilarating performance, luxury and rarity and that remains one of the most coveted BMW models ever produced. At the 1997 Tokyo Auto Show, BMW displayed a stylish retro-inspired concept car, the Z07. The Henrik Fisker-designed concept was initially intended to merely exist as…
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1955 Alfa Romeo 1900C SS Boano Coupe
During nearly a decade of production, Alfa Romeo’s highly successful 1900 series included just 854 examples of the 1900C SS, with the “C” denoting its short-wheelbase chassis and “SS” declaring its competition-oriented specifications. This car was the star display on the Boano stand at the 1955 Turin Auto Show, and according to its corresponding Automobile…
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1952 Allard J2X
Exciting and engaging to drive, with features meant for performance over style, the Allard J2X successfully straddles the worlds of hot rods and sports cars. Truly a roadster intended for spirited driving, whether on the track or the street, the fun is in mastering its handling and its growling beast of an engine. With the…
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1953 Cadillac Series 62 Coupe by Ghia
Admiring the car offered here, one would be hard-pressed to guess its origins as anything but Alfa Romeo in the early 1950s. Only its very American size and presence belie its roots, as do the subtle Cadillac script and badging. Underneath its design, the creation of Ghia principal Luigi Segre is the same Series 62…
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The Best Deals in the Desert
With crude-oil prices tanking, election rhetoric soaring, the stock market teetering and certain collector-car segments already correcting, Scottsdale 2016 was among the most keenly watched auctions since 2009. As described in Publisher Keith Martin’s column on p. 16, in aggregate, though, the effect was neither terrible nor terrific. Certain 1950s and 1960s bellwether investments, such…
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1989 Nissan Skyline GT-R
Single owner and less than 14,000 km (9,700 miles) All original and never modified The first year of the “Godzilla” GT-R
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1966 McLaren M1B Can-Am
In 1961, Bruce McLaren applied his design skills to the M1 sports racer, developed at the same time as the Lola T70. The two mid-engine cars would fiercely contest the new Canadian-American race series. McLaren launched the M1 at the Mosport Grand Prix for sports cars in September 1964, where he led the race until…
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The Sky Is Falling! The Sky Is Falling! (Well, Maybe Not)
“We’ve got to separate the signal from the noise.” That’s what collector car connoisseur Miles Collier says when we are trying to find our way to the core of a challenge. Miles’ saying refers to tuning a vintage radio, where you adjust the dial until the static disappears and a voice can be heard clearly.…