Affordable Classics

Alfa Romeo 2600

There are collectibles that play to the crowd, leaving us all in awe of their technical and artistic mastery-and the amount of money invested in them. Other collectibles, more affordable, strike purely personal chords: a first car; the car I was married in; or the one I’ve wanted forever.Generally Alfa […]

Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow II

The Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow was introduced in 1965 at the Paris Auto Show. The product of more than ten years of development, this car was to be the future of Rolls-Royce Motors, bridging a gap between the traditional Silver Cloud buyer and the next generation of Rolls owners. The Silver […]

BMW 2002

Light steering, reasonable acceleration and braking, a delightful gearbox and above-average build quality have led the BMW 2002 to cult car status. With its cohorts, the Austin Mini-Cooper and the Lotus Cortina, these classic cars reinvented the simple box as automotive performance art. In BMW’s case, the 2002 probably saved […]

Jaguar XJ-S V12 Convertible

When does a car cross the line from used car to classic? If you can figure that out, you may be able to buy that older car you’ve always admired at the absolute bottom of the market, after it has ceased depreciating and before it has started to accrue a […]

Datsun Sports Roadsters

(1500, 1600, & 2000)   The first reaction of many sports car enthusiasts when they saw the Datsun 1600 roadster in 1965 was that the Japanese had created a rather crude imitation of the already-dated MGB. They were wrong on three counts. The Datsun 1600 and its later companion, the […]

1970-73 Porsche 911S

The E-type and the 911 share the distinction as two of the most recognizable sports car shapes of all time. Both cars conceptually leapt ahead of the competition when introduced and both had teething troubles in their infancy. But after eight years of production, the E-type had lost its edge […]

’67-’72 Aston Martin DBS Coupe

A 1967 to 1973 Aston Martin DBS 6 (known briefly in 1972 and 1973 as the AM Vantage) is a fine automobile, equipped with the ultimate version of the twin-cam 6-cylinder motor that powered most of Aston Martin’s post-war cars. These elegant coupes were initially designed for the Aston V8 […]

1983-87 Lotus Esprit

Limited volume manufacturers such as Lotus occasionally have monumental turning points. The introduction of the Turbo Esprit in 1983 suddenly provided Lotus enthusiasts with the opportunity to drive a car that was faster than a scalded cat, still had the proverbial glued-to-the-road Lotus handling and was actually reliable.For $47,984 you […]

1990-93 Mazda Miata

During its introduction in 1989, the Mazda Miata was said to be a replacement for ’60s British sports cars. With its front-engine, rear-drive configuration, tiny 6-cubic-foot trunk, and reputation for great handling, it recalled British two-seaters like the MGB and Triumph TR-4 that were popular in the ’60s. Although similar […]

1965-1969 Corvair Corsa and Monza

The second-generation Corvair was one of the cleanest designs of its day. Although many predicted classic status because of its unusual rear-engine, six-cylinder boxer powerplants, 30 years later there is no shortage of decent cars around $5,000, with $9,000 buying a sharp turbocharged Corsa convertible.Corvairs are delightful to drive, with […]