The car was like a snappy retort delivered after the party was over-clever, but presented to an empty room {vsig}2005-10_1888{/vsig} Following on the success of Wilbur Shaw’s win in his Maserati Tipo 8CTF at the Indianapolis 500 in May 1939, the Maserati factory was confident it could repeat this victory […]
Profiles
1956 Ferrari 250 GT Boano Coupe
Subdued styling kept values among the lowest of V12 Ferraris; they wereentry-level cars priced about the same as a 250 GTE or a 250 PF coupe {vsig}2005-10_1887{/vsig} At the 1956 Geneva Motor Show, Pinin Farina unveiled a prototype built on a 250 Europa GT chassis. The new body made the […]
1956 Jaguar XK 140 “MC” Roadster
During the Second World War, William Lyons and his colleagues conceived a new car design that featured the world’s first high volume twin-cam engine, called the XK series. A short wheelbase chassis and a two-seat sports roadster body were married to this new engine and the result was nothing less […]
1969 Lancia Fulvia HF Fanalone
Most references politely say that Fanalone means “large lights,” but Italian friends have told me that it’s actually slang for “big breasts” During the 1960s, the wonderfully nimble, front-wheel-drive Lancia Fulvia reigned consistently among the highest echelon of international rally contenders. Campaigned by the Lancia factory team in 1966, they […]
1970-1977 Mercury Capri
With the exception of a few fake side vents and one character line too many, the Capri was handsome and looked the part of a 2/3-scale pony car “The Sexy European” was how FoMoCo billed the Capri for its U.S. launch in 1970, as if it was peddling Sophia Loren […]
1959 BMW 507 Roadster
Someone called it Germany’s answer to the Thunderbird-and trust me, this was not a compliment Unveiled to gasps of delight at the Frankfurt Auto Show in 1955, the remarkably beautiful styling of the two-seater 507 came from the drawing board of German Count Albrecht Goertz, influenced not a little by […]
1969 Chevrolet Yenko Camaro
I remember when I sold one for a record price of $30,000. I’m sure someone called the buyer a lunatic for paying so much Don Yenko was the major Chevrolet performance dealer for many years, and was instrumental in laying the groundwork for the 427 Camaro. He converted numerous cars […]
1967 Alfa Romeo 1600 GTA Corsa
I couldn’t keep away from the white GTA on the showroom floor, admiring it like it was a Playboy centerfold {vsig}2005-9_1876{/vsig} This striking Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA is documented as the car in which future Ferrari and Alfa Romeo T33 sports-prototype star Andrea de Adamich won the 1967 European Touring […]
1964 Ferrari 250 GTL Lusso
This car’s association with Rob Walker is probably more hype than provenance, but for me it’s enough to want it in my garage {vsig}2005-9_1874{/vsig} When the new 250 Gran Tursimo was launched at the 1954 Paris Salon it was described as the first standard series production Ferrari. Pininfarina subsequently developed […]
1962 Jaguar E-Type Series I 3.8 Convertible
Early E-types had a variety of distinctive styling features that complemented the elegance of their lines, though not all of them were practical {vsig}2005-9_1872{/vsig} The new E-type had understandably received rave reviews at the Geneva Auto Show in March 1961, so Jaguar Cars Inc. geared up for another public […]