German

The plastic dome permits excellent visibility, but hot, sunny weather turns it into a sauna The roots of the Messerschmitt “Kabinenroller” (cab scooter) go back to post-WWII when Fritz Fend designed a car that wheelchair-bound vets returning from WWII could drive. Two major features made the design work for disabled people: The canopy swung open…

The Carrera was intended for high-speed touring, a fast, exclusive car built for hops from Paris to Monaco with a wife or lover-your choice The evocative “Carrera” name first graced the flanks of a Porsche in 1955. Applied to a 356A powered by a slightly less ferocious version of the racing 550 Spyder’s 1.5-liter, twin-overhead-camshaft,…

This was an extraordinary result, greater than the next highest street M1 sale on record by nearly 50% A proposed Group 5 “Silhouette Formula” for production-based cars triggered the M1 program in the mid-1970s, a mid-engined concept car designed in-house at BMW by Paul Bracq providing the basis. Ex-racing driver Jochen Neerpasch was responsible for…

VW won the hearts of collectors. The best first-generation Ford Econoline would be hard pressed to bring $10k, even with $5k in pennies in the back The Type 2, as its name suggests, was the second variant of the VW Beetle (Type 1), using the same running gear, and was introduced in 1950. Multiple types,…

I’d call it heavy and ungraceful, but not ugly. As if a Bavarian housewife had muscled in on the turf of a Brazilian lingerie model {vsig}2009-6_2333{/vsig} BMW began life as an aero engine manufacturer in WWI (check out the propeller on the badge) and branched into heavy trucks and motorcycles in the early 1920s. The…

In many ways, the Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster was an improvement over its Gullwing predecessors. The multi-tube chassis was redesigned with lower sills and conventionally hinged doors for easier entry and exit. Roll-up windows overcame one of the Gullwing’s greatest drawbacks-inadequate interior ventilation-and the seats were given a three-position backrest rake adjustment. Beyond providing more accessible…

This price is good news for anyone who wants to enjoy a very special example of the most bulletproof 911 With the introduction of the 911 Speedster, Porsche revived a charismatic model from its past, the name previously applied to that most stylish of the many Type 356 variants. Based on the 911 Turbo Cabriolet,…

The pool of original cars continues to shrink, thanks to fires, floods, rust, and kids with a hankering to build a sand rail   {vsig}2009-2_2282{/vsig} The Volkswagen Beetle sedan inspired unusual loyalty and enthusiasm based on its practicality, reliability, adaptability, and affordability. Originally conceived by Dr. Ferdinand Porsche in the earliest days of his consulting…

Though the 853 bears an uncanny resemblance to the legendary Mercedes-Benz 540K, and has a similar output, values lag behind the better-known car Horch is one of the four companies that merged to form Auto Union, from which the present-day Audi descends. After training as a blacksmith and qualifying as an engineer, August Horch set…