The M121 4-cylinder engine produced a modest 105 hp and it desperately needed another 50-even 30 would have done the trick Available from May 1955, the 190SL convertible shared styling cues with its grander brother, the 300SL. It was a sports tourer, robustly built and designed for customers who preferred […]
Profiles
1941 Chrysler Town & Country Barrel Back Estate Wagon
Built for a limited time, the Town & Country remains arguably the rarest, most desirable pre-war Woody produced {vsig}2008-4_2154{/vsig} Conceived in 1939, the Town & Country Estate wagon represented Chrysler’s desire to create an entirely new car that was both luxurious and dramatic. It had to be elegant enough […]
1952 Glöckler-Porsche Roadster
I will argue that the Glöckler-Porsches were early flickers, puffs of smoke in the weeds, and the tinder didn’t really catch fire until the 550 came along {vsig}2008-4_2163{/vsig} Walter Glöckler occupies an honored place among Porsche owners. Not only was he one of the first to race a Porsche, he […]
1963 Ferrari 400 Superamerica
5029 SA is to me the most beautiful Superamerica, a Coupé Aerodynamico with covered headlights {vsig}2008-4_2159{/vsig} The 400 Superamerica was launched in 1959. It featured a Colombo V12 displacing 3,967 cc and also boasted disc brakes, a first for Ferrari’s road cars. Over the course of a five-year “production” run, […]
1929 Bentley 4½-Liter Tourer by Vanden Plas
I’d put this price down to the mystique of an auction and congratulate the owner on courage worthy of a Bentley Boy {vsig}2008-4_2157{/vsig} Walter Owen Bentley’s automotive efforts were directed from the outset toward sporting motor cars, and the initial 4-cylinder, 3-liter models proved lively until burdened with saloon bodies. […]
1959 Fiat Abarth 750 Double Bubble
Values have been rising steadily for the least expensive coachbuilt Italian racing car with a decent history {vsig}2008-4_2158{/vsig} Abarth was an Italian tuning company founded in 1950 by engineer and designer Carlo Abarth. His 750 Zagato was designed to be equally at home on the track as on the street. […]
Avoidable Classic: GM Diesels
Have I Got a Smokin’ Deal for You. {vsig}2008-4_2153{/vsig} When pundits ponder why diesel cars failed in the U.S., the infamous engines built by Oldsmobile from 1978 to 1985 come to mind instantly. Critical engineering flaws, consumers who ignored strict maintenance schedules, and the handicap of a casually water-logged diesel […]
1959 Mercedes-Benz 220S Convertible
It takes a while for enthusiasts to realize these cars are about craftsmanship and balance, rather than style {vsig}2008-3_2147{/vsig} Mercedes continued its tradition of quality in the mid-1950s with the 220S and 300 model range. The 220S was offered in saloon, coupe, and convertible form. The 220S Convertible (W128) was […]
1958 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz “The Raindrop Car”
In 1958, Cadillac produced a total of 815 Biarritz convertibles. Five were taken straight from the assembly line to GM’s super-secret Styling Center, where they were highly modified. At least one of these cars has survived, reportedly the prototype of the “Raindrop” modification, and is presented here as part of […]
1965 Ford Lotus Cortina Mk I Saloon
That “inside front wheel in the air” was a function of stiff front springs and soft rear ones, which seemed to work {vsig}2008-3_2150{/vsig} Ford’s 1960s profile-raising competition program included recruiting Lotus boss Colin Chapman to give the new Cortina a sporting makeover. Chapman’s brief was to develop a Group 2 […]