Profiles
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1983 Renault 5 Turbo
Not to be confused with the conventional front-wheel-drive Renault 5 Gordini Turbo or GT Turbo, the Renault 5 Turbo (and later Turbo 2) was a mid-engined homologation special built in limited numbers for professional rallying between 1979 and 1986. Renault’s considerable Formula One-derived turbocharging expertise was applied to the humble 1.4-liter overhead-valve engine, resulting in…
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1981 Mercedes-Benz 380SL Custom
This radically restyled interpretation of the 1981 Mercedes-Benz 380SL was built to exacting standards by Long Island coachbuilder and artisan Niko Sokol. Long known to clients seeking greater exclusivity and personalization than the factories could provide, Niko-Michael Coachworks enjoyed a reputation for quality work and drew a strong clientele. Thoroughly reimagined with a sweeping profile…
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2004 Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale
This Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale is a stunning example of the lightened and more-focused V8 supercar. It boasts a timeless factory color scheme, as well as a few discerning upgrades, and has been treated to notable cosmetic refurbishment in recent years to ensure it presents superbly. With deft handling and intoxicating performance, it is bound…
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1951 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Super Sport Villa d’Este
Bridging the gap between the pre- and post-war eras, Alfa Romeo’s 6C 2500 debuted in 1939 as the third series of Vittorio Jano’s legendary 6-cylinder Alfa Romeos. Capable of 160 km/h, these cars benefited from four-wheel independent suspension and could be had in a handful of levels of tuning. This included the 87-horsepower Turismo, moving…
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1969 Ford GT40
One of the little-known aspects of Ford’s GT40 program was the company’s early interest in civilizing it for the road as the Mk III, to be marketed as an exotic halo model. To that end, 20 late-production GT40 chassis were commissioned in late 1966 by Ford headquarters in Detroit for the planned Mk III program.…
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1987 Buick GNX
This 1987 Buick GNX with 8.7 miles is number 480 of 547 created for the single model year, which is indicated on the plaque mounted to the passenger’s side of the dashboard. Ralph’s Buick in Mena, AR, initially sold the vehicle in 1987, and it was then shown in the display area of a Texas…
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The Everyman’s Sports Car Becomes Collectible
Honda turned a generation of otherwise pragmatic buyers into driving fans when the Civic-based CRX hit showrooms in 1984. The 2-door, 2-seat hatchback was a smaller, livelier version of Honda’s compact commuter car while still maintaining a healthy dollop of practicality. Today, history most fondly remembers the second-generation CRX, which arrived for the 1988 model…
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2014 Chevrolet SS NASCAR
Jeff Gordon’s iconic No. 24 DuPont Rainbow livery is the winningest paint scheme in NASCAR history, with 52 wins at 17 tracks, three championship titles, and more than 10,000 laps led. After “Fire and Flames” became the norm for Gordon’s No. 24 in 2001, the Rainbow only made one more appearance until Gordon’s final season…
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1991 Lamborghini Diablo
Number 283 of just 401 examples built for that first year of production, this Diablo is an exceptionally well-preserved and highly original example. Delivered new to an owner in the suburbs of Philadelphia, PA, via Ultimate Motor Works of Longwood, FL, it was finished in red over a black leather interior and outfitted with red…
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1934 Mercedes-Benz 500/540K Spezial Roadster
The sensation of the 1934 Berlin Auto Show, Mercedes-Benz’s legendary 500K supercar was the creation of the gifted engineer and former racing driver Dr. Hans Nibel. What set his supercharged Mercedes apart from the big, blown Mercedes of the previous decade was the model’s advanced chassis design, which combined swing axles at the rear with…