Over 70,000 GTs were peddled in the U.S. from 1968 to 1973. The history of captive imports is a tale of ill-starred orphans. If you recall the Plymouth Cricket (née Hillman Avenger), Plymouth Fire Arrow, (aka Mitsubishi Lancer Celeste), or the Ford Sierra sold here as the Merkur XR4ti (complete […]
Profiles
1954 Porsche 550/1500RS Spyder “Le Mans Prototype”
Porsche built four 550 Spyders for the 1954 Le Mans 24 Hours, numbered 10 through 13. This car, S/N 550-10, was assigned to Richard von Frankenberg and Helm Glockler. In practice, it was the fastest of the 1,500-cc 550s, but it was also the first to retire. Only 20 minutes […]
1957 Chevrolet Corvette “Fuelie” Convertible
In 1956 Chevrolet introduced a restyled Corvette that was a complete departure from earlier models. The new Corvettes gave the American sports car a new identity that was much more sporting. They were fast, sleek, and extremely clean in their appearance. Recognized by collectors as benchmark years in Corvette styling, […]
1967 Lotus Type 51 FF
It was a class where being faster than the other guy meant you were a quicker driver, not that you had spent more money {vsig}2006-2_1915{/vsig} Introduced in 1967, the Lotus Type 51 was the Norfolk concern’s first specific Formula Ford design. Derived in part from the earlier Type 31 Formula […]
1959 Ferrari 250 GT “Tour de France” Competition Berlinetta
Ferrari’s 250 3-liter LWB Berlinettas so dominated the grueling Tour de France in the mid 1950s, they took their name from it. They racked up a string of victories in the epic French race, scoring a 1-2-3 in 1958, when only 21 of 60 starters finished. The five-day, 3,300-mile marathon […]
1951 Land Rover Series I
In the end, who cares about their pug-like looks. They work and they can’t be killed {vsig}2006-2_1911{/vsig} Land Rover is one of the most charismatic names in the motoring world, with a rich history around the globe. Its beginnings were humble-it was designed as a utility vehicle and mobile […]
1969 Monteverdi 375 S
I had always wanted one, perhaps because, like me, the car was Swiss-born, but with an American heart {vsig}2006-2_1912{/vsig} With its beautiful, squatted-back, ready-to-pounce body styling, the Monteverdi 375 S was designed to be the definitive combination of luxury and power. The steel-bodied car was both strong and smooth. With […]
1966-67 Oldsmobile Toronado
How can muscle car collectors overlook anything this big? The 1966 Toronado was America’s first front-wheel drive car since the Cord 810, 30 years earlier. It was certainly Oldsmobile’s (and possibly GM’s) last stylistic tour de force. The post-1967 years became increasingly unfriendly to this type of individuality as committees, […]
1939 BMW 327 Cabriolet
Because this car is a 2+2 and a cabriolet it weighs several hundred pounds more than a 328, and acceleration will be leisurely {vsig}2006-1_1908{/vsig} BMW’s first six-cylinder engine was launched in 1934, and formed the backbone of the company’s racing legacy. A modified version of the new powerplant was developed […]
1937 Cord 812 SC Convertible Coupe
E. L. Cord was a master salesman who acquired Auburn in 1928 after saving it from bankruptcy by unloading about 700 sedans languishing on the lot. He spiffed up the orphans with bright paint schemes and applied his considerable sales talent to move them. His reward was the company, which […]