Buy What You Love, Pay What You Should
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1960 Jaguar Mk II 3.8 Saloon
Concours restorations can exceed six figures; if you’re very lucky, you might get half of that back when you sell {vsig}2008-6_2183{/vsig} “Grace, pace and space” was the Jaguar slogan in the 1960s, and no model epitomized this more than the mid-sized Mk II sedan, which was affordable, elegant and quick. In its ultimate form as…
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1935 Alfa Romeo 6C 2300 Pescara Spyder
“La bella figura” means presenting the best face to the world. Mussolini wore tailored uniforms and was equally attentive to his cars {vsig}2008-6_2184{/vsig} By the early 1930s, Alfa Romeo was accumulating silverware and losing money in seemingly equal measure. It was rescued by the state-backed I.R.I. (Institute for Industrial Reconstruction). To attract new customers while…
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He Won the Bid, Not the BMW
If you’ve been tracking the legal analysis, you probably think the buyer is going to get the BMW. Sorry, you’re mistaken about that {vsig}2008-6_2188{/vsig} BMW’s new M3 sport sedan offers very impressive performance in an appealing package. At an MSRP of approximately $70,000, they fly out of dealers’ showrooms, and there have been reports of…
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Convertible Assets Indeed
Throughout the week of March 12-17, the demise of Bear Stearns sent a shudder through the world’s economy. If, like me, you consider The Economist fun reading, and you survived the 1974 and 1979 gas crisis and the 1980-85, 1990-95, and NASDAQ 2000 recessions, it’s been all-too-predictable. The U.S. economy went wrong again. So what,…
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Bad Dog, Rover
At the end of the day, the Rover P6 counts as a “nice try.” It’s the equivalent of a brainy kid who’s always sick Some of you may find this hard to believe, but I’m the last person to argue that all old British cars-regardless of how quirky or unusual-are collectible. There, I’ve said it.…
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The Time-Traveling Investor
To earn 8% over 30 years, that $12,000 “concours” Speedster from 1977 would have to bring $224,000 in 2008 What if you could go back 30 years and buy any Porsche you’d like? What a way to make a killing. With what we know now, we’d know exactly what to buy and hold for today’s…
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Nash’s “Mini Me” for ’53
The American automotive scene is littered with the tiny carcasses of small cars that U.S. manufacturers have tried to foist on a largely unwilling and disinterested market. American Bantam, Playboy, Crosley and Nash with the Metropolitan all tried, with varying degrees of success. But in the end, the American market’s love for large cars would…
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The Future as History
{vsig}2008-5_2178{/vsig} As I look at these pictures of my children, Alexandra and Bradley, taken 16 years apart, I wonder what kind of automotive world they will inherit. We Baby Boomers are the last generation to experience raw, unregulated cars as daily drivers; those built from 1955 through 1974 represent a golden age of motoring. Engineers…
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1928 Mercedes-Benz S-type Saoutchik Roadster
The underbidders stopped bidding when they thought the car wasn’t selling-bad luck, as it was {vsig}2008-5_2173{/vsig} The 6.8-liter S-type was produced in four series from 1927 to 1930, with a total output of some 170 cars. This car is from the original 1927-28 series, of which just 26 were built. It was ordered new from…
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Who’s a Mister Softee, Then?
At first glance I’d have to say very well sold indeed, but what price can you put on fun? Maybe it’s a bargain {vsig}2008-5_2167{/vsig} This month’s “American Profile” is going to take a tiptoe amongst the automotive daisies, the puff and fluff of the market. Along with the heavy hitters at RM’s February 15-17 Fort…