Columns


  • 1950 Jaguar XK120 roadster

    According to an interview with Sir William in the 1970s, the design was created, start-to-finish, in less than three weeks The first post-war auto salon held in London, the Earls Court British Motor Show, opened its doors on October 27, 1948. No one was prepared for the shock caused by the unveiling of the bronze-colored…

  • 1986 Lamborghini Jalpa P 350

    Even if the Lamborghini V8s are stuck playing character actor roles to the V12 stars, the Jalpa stands as a better car than you might realize Introduced in 1981 with production starting in 1982, the Jalpa was one of three Lamborghini production models imported to the United States at the time. Alongside the Countach and…

  • The End of Collectible Cars

    It’s time we all stopped pretending. For all intents and purposes, the last collectible serial production car rolled off the assembly line sometime in the mid-1970s.SCM has long maintained that the 1955-73 period will be regarded as the Golden Age of collectible cars, when the automotive equivalents of Van Gogh, Puccini and Frank Lloyd Wright…

  • 1966-85 Fiat 124 Sport Coupe and Spider

    Although the “Fix It Again, Tony” reputation of these cars will not die, at least they’re cheap to repair Reviewing the Fiat 124 when new, Car and Driver wrote, “The Fiat 124 Sport Coupe costs $1,400 less than an Alfa 1750 GT Veloce and $2,300 less than a Porsche 912. Within the limits of sanity…

  • 1985 Porsche 928S

    Many of the improvements the 928 introduced were just not the kinds of things most owners were looking for-at least not in 1978 Porsche’s distinctive 928 was announced in 1977 and followed the pattern of the groundbreaking but underwhelming 924, with a forward-mounted, water-cooled engine. Although similar in basic layout, the 928 shared no components…

  • 1959 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible

    Its massive fins reflect the height of American optimism, a sculptural representation of the opulence of the era {vsig}2005-5_1836{/vsig} This 1959 Cadillac convertible was previously owned by Princess Gloria von Thurn und Taxis of German Royalty. The onetime waitress who used to be known as the “Punk Princess” because of her wild clothes and hairstyles…

  • 1964 Lancia Flavia Sport

    Alternate terms for these quirky cars are “full of personality,” “individualistic,” and various other ways you’d go about describing a blind date {vsig}2005-5_1841{/vsig} When the Lancia Flavia was first presented to the public at the Turin Motor Show of 1960, most people were amazed at its unconventional layout. Developed by the gifted engineer Antonio Fessia,…

  • 1976 Alfa Romeo Alfetta Sedan

    When I first saw the car, it took my breath away. “Who would do a $65,000 restoration on an Alfetta sedan?” I wondered This rare and sought-after four-door Alfa Romeo Alfretta sedan features new exterior paint and new and correct interior. Its classic Alfa 2,000-cc inline four-cylinder has been treated to a recent rebuild, and…

  • 1974 Ferrari 365 GT4 BB Boxer

    A serious, high-speed missile which rewards the serious pilot and frustrates the casual driver {vsig}2005-5_1839{/vsig} The all-new 365 GT4 BB appeared on the world stage at the 1971 Turin Motor Show and received a rapturous reception. Of monocoque/tubular steel construction, it featured a mid-mounted, flat-12 engine derived directly from Ferrari’s sports prototype program. Pininfarina clothed…

  • 1962 Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato

    I can tell you firsthand that there were a number of bidders ready and willing to drop two and a half million bucks on this car {vsig}2005-5_1837{/vsig} That ultimately became the single most important Gran Turismo in the entire history of Aston Martin was first seen at the 1960 London Motor Show. The DB4GT Zagato…