Buy What You Love, Pay What You Should
Columns
-
1961 Mercedes-Benz 190SL Roadster
Why spend $132,709 for this car? One reason: Mercedes-Benz provides service and parts to keep it running Mercedes-Benz managed, starting in May 1955, to produce a sports car that cost less than half the price of the very desirable — but hardly accessible — 300SL. The 190SL was a strong and sturdy car, and it…
-
2005 Ford GT
At the 2002 introduction of the modern-day GT40 concept car at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, MI, Ford’s vice president of design, J. Mays, declared the GT40 “the ultimate living legend.” Further, he added, “It’s a true supercar with appeal equal to that of the greatest sports cars in the world, but…
-
1929 Bentley 4½ Litre “Blower”
Among all Brooklands habitués of the 1920–30s, perhaps the most glamorous and charismatic of all the historic motor course’s racing celebrities was the diminutive Bentley-driving Baronet, Sir Henry Ralph Stanley “Tim” Birkin. He combined his “Bentley Boy” high-society image with a fearless driving talent. With fellow enthusiast/racer Mike Couper, Birkin & Couper Ltd was established…
-
1974 Ferrari 365 GT4 BB
In November 1971, Ferrari unveiled at the International Exhibition in Turin a Pininfarina prototype called the Ferrari BB Berlinetta Boxer. The style reflected the design of the Dino 246 GT with fewer curves. The engine was very similar to that of the famous 312B and 312P, with a displacement of 4.4 liters, the same as…
-
1954 Bentley R-Type Continental Fastback
To describe this magnificent Bentley R-type Continental, it is difficult to improve upon the typically perceptive and balanced analysis that George Daniels himself wrote of the car for his autobiography All in Good Time — Reflections of a Watchmaker, published in 2000: “The ease with which the Continental will cover vast distances without discomfort to…
-
1932 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Spyder Lungo
Few great classic sports cars can match the intense sensory overload provided by the supreme Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 in raucous action. Add the historic importance and cachet of the Le Mans 24 Hours race, of Sir Henry “Tim” Birkin, of Francis, Earl Howe and of Marshal Italo Balbo — and it becomes patently obvious…
-
The Triumph of Time
Fifty years ago, Bob Russell was driving home from work when a flashy red sports car caught his eye. “I had been thinking that we needed a second car, and my wife needed to learn to drive a stick,” Russell, 84, said. “So I just bought it.” He brought the 1962 Triumph TR3B home…
-
1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS Touring
This LHD example is the 38th 2.7 RS produced, and therefore, one of the first 500s built to “RSH” specification to meet FIA homologation requirements. After having been driven to Stuttgart for weighing, it was driven back to the factory for completion as a “Touring” (Porsche Code 472) version. It was highly equipped from new,…
-
1957 Pontiac Bonneville Convertible
Patterned after other GM luxury specials, Pontiac’s Bonneville convertible was a low-production luxury liner with power to spare. One of just 630 built, this mostly original 1957 Bonneville shows a believed-actual 53,032 miles. It was in careful storage from 1961 to 1980, when its Kenya Ivory paint and red interior were refinished to as-original condition.…
-
1966 Ferrari Dino 206 S Spyder
In February 1966, Ferrari debuted a new sports-racing car formulated for the FIA’s 2-Liter Group 4 class, with hopes of winning over the numerous privateer teams that campaigned in Porsches. Dubbed the Dino 206 S, the car was powered by the development of the 65-degree V6 engine that had been conceived by Dino Ferrari before…