Buy What You Love, Pay What You Should
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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…
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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,…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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1972 Maserati Boomerang Concept
Credit or blame it, this car inspired years of “folded paper” design {vsig}2005-5_1838{/vsig} The Maserati Boomerang was first displayed as a non-functional model at the Turin Motor Show in 1971. By the Geneva Salon of March 1972, it had been transformed into a fully operational vehicle, fitted with the race-bred, 4.7-liter Maserati V8, developing no…
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Of Miatas and Mini-Cars
The 1974 Mustang II, by nearly any standard, was a pathetic shadow of the original. It was also a terrific sales success, its 384,000 units sold far outstripping the 134,267 of the 1973, final-year, “Big Mustang.”The reason Mustang IIs flew out of the showroom was simple. Gas prices zoomed as a result of the 1973…
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1983-87 TVR 280i
Mine had a habit of popping its pop-up headlights when going over bumps TVR was founded by Trevor Wilkinson in the late 1940s, and has since endured more receiverships, changes in ownership, and near-liquidations than probably any other car company-Lamborghini included. Yet no matter how close to financial ruin the Blackpool, England, firm has veered,…
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1990 BMW Z1
The Z1’s clean lines are less contrived than the Bubba-built Z3’s cow-catcher face-and we won’t even mention the Z4 {vsig}2005-4_1834{/vsig} BMW’s sensational Z1 sports car was essentially a concept car that went into production. The Z1 was special indeed, a front-mid-engined sports car with rear-wheel drive and excellent handling. Its straight-six, 2.5-liter, 170-hp engine gave…
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1954 Oldsmobile F-88 Concept
GM’s Motorama displays ignited millions of automotive passions, and the heat can still be felt in 2005 {vsig}2005-4_1830{/vsig} Throughout the 1950s, the grandest expressions of General Motors’ visions of the automobile’s future routinely went on display at the corporation’s Motorama shows. But once out of the spotlight, GM’s “dream cars” were supposed to be destroyed.…