The Mercedes-Benz 230SL, immediately recognizable for its Pagoda top, was an extremely popular car within the circles of the rich and powerful. In 2013, the 230SL celebrated its 50th birthday, and it is still an iconic car today, with fans around the world. The 230SL, built to fill the gap […]
One of the few automobiles deemed worthy of inclusion in the Museum of Modern Art in New York — and arguably the most easily recognized American car of all time — the Cord 810 debuted in November 1935, receiving a rapturous reception at U.S. automobile shows. The work of a […]
The Type 904, born of Porsche’s disappointing foray into Formula One in the early 1960s, was produced to bring the company back to its racing sports car roots. In 1962, the immensely talented Ferdinand A. “Butzi” Porsche was tasked with designing a new two-seat competition coupe that could also be […]
By the late 1950s, Pininfarina had established itself as not only the creators of the “Ferrari look” but also as the favored design house in Maranello. However, whilst the coachbuilder was rapidly expanding, it was not yet ready to meet the demand for increasing Ferrari production. As such, the first […]
The XJ 220 prototype was unveiled to the world in Birmingham in 1988. The car was greeted with enthusiasm, and the decision was taken to produce a limited series of 350 examples. As Jaguar was not set up to produce such a small series, the build project was given to […]
The Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Gran Sport was an exciting, fast sports car that combined minimum weight with sparkling performance. The chassis was low and lightweight, featuring semi-elliptical springs that passed through the front axle. The 6C 1750 would go on to be victorious over much larger and more powerful […]
It’s hard to see Toyota as a performance brand, especially given the current state of their offerings, but for a time the staid Japanese megabrand produced some real hot rods. The Toyota Supra started life as the performance model of the sporty Celica line. Designed to compete with the […]
The Siata 300BC barchetta (often referred to as the 750 Spider in period American advertising) entered production in 1951 and was nearly exclusively distributed to the United States, as it offered an ideal take on the road/racing spider that was soon to dominate SCCA racing. The model featured barchetta coachwork, […]
From its electrifying March 1961 Geneva launch, Jaguar’s E-type redefined the term “sports car” at one stroke. Careful development brought improved comfort, and during 1964, the DOHC “XK” engine was enlarged to 4.2 liters and matched to a full-synchromesh gearbox for heightened drivability. Iconic styling cues including beautifully covered headlamps […]
The introduction of Group B into the World Rally Championship in 1982 was an evolution that was dictated by a general industry move from rear- to front-wheel-drive cars, and it proved revolutionary. Contenders now had three classes to choose: Group N (standard production cars), Group A (modified production cars), and […]
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