Columns


  • 1962 Ferrari 330 LM / 250 GTO

    1962 Ferrari 330 LM / 250 GTO

    Engineer Giotto Bizzarrini was tasked with further refining the 250 GT berlinetta for the 1962 racing season. Bizzarrini’s result was the 250 GTO. Introduced at a press conference in February 1962, the 250 GTO was absolutely stunning. Power was provided by the latest development of the 3-liter Colombo short-block V12. The new type 539/62 chassis…

  • 1967 Mercedes-Benz 230 AMG

    1967 Mercedes-Benz 230 AMG

    In 1967, AMG was formed by Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher, two former Daimler-Benz engineers with a passion for engine tuning and motorsport. The pair turned their hand to custom race configurations with a penchant for Mercedes-Benz, notably bulking out and entering the now-famous 300SEL-based “Red Pig” in the 1971 24 Hours of Spa.…

  • 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR Roadster

    2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR Roadster

    Mercedes-Benz has left a more significant imprint on motorsports history than any other manufacturer, bar none. So it came as little surprise that after decades of relative abstention from factory-based competition, it became a commanding winner in the German DTM series (Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft) in the 1990s with its potent C-Class race cars, the 190E…

  • 1927 Amilcar C6

    1927 Amilcar C6

    After being discovered behind the Iron Curtain, this Amilcar — along with a second chassis — is understood to have been exported from East Berlin via Switzerland prior to being sold to Morris Frost of Florida, where a restoration was carried out prior to the car being used on the road. A cracked engine block…

  • A Rare Rotary Comes Around

    A Rare Rotary Comes Around

    1972 Mazda RX-2 Coupe S/N S122A104481. 64,000 miles. “Replacement 1.1-liter rotary engine, 4-speed manual transmission, Herschel Orange paint, black vinyl upholstery, 13-inch widened steel wheels, front disc brakes, shortened springs, Panhard bar, Craig AM/FM radio, original purchase order.” Condition: 2. SOLD AT $34,650. Bring a Trailer, 11/9/23. The RX-2 was Mazda’s first rotary-powered car to…

  • Fantasy Meets Reality

    Fantasy Meets Reality

    As I wrote about in the October 2023 issue, my son Bradley got his driver’s license last summer. As a “safe and sane” first car, we decided on a 1982 Chevrolet Corvette Collector’s Edition. It was probably more my fantasy than his, but the right car at the right price suddenly appeared. I am genetically…

  • As the Escrow Flies …

    As the Escrow Flies …

    “Harry” and “Sally” are longtime Irish car collectors. At 78, Harry hasn’t given up on cars, and ended up being the high bidder in an online auction on Car & Classic. The prize was a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 220A cabriolet that hammered sold at a bid of €112,100 (about $123k). What makes this an interesting story…

  • Practical Performers

    Practical Performers

    By the time Subaru rolled out the 2008 WRX and WRX STI in the U.S. the car had already enjoyed massive success. Debuting in 2000 as a 2002 model, it was arguably the first modern rally-bred car sold here in significant numbers. Turbocharging and all-wheel drive have a way of making a 3,200-pound car move…

  • 1933 Auburn 12-160A Salon Speedster

    1933 Auburn 12-160A Salon Speedster

    In the tradition of great artists who became truly famous only after their death, Alan Leamy of the Auburn Automobile Company left behind 33 brief years of startling innovation in body contours — a portfolio that was appreciated in its time, but which only became legendary decades after his passing in 1935. Leamy’s finest design…

  • 1931 Frazer Nash Interceptor

    1931 Frazer Nash Interceptor

    Frazer Nash was founded in 1922 by Captain Archibald Frazer-Nash, who in partnership with H R Godfrey had been producing the GN cyclecar. Designed by Godfrey and Frazer-Nash, the GN was Britain’s first and best-known cyclecar. The two young engineers set up shop initially in Hendon, North London, whence the first GN emerged in December…