Jeff Zurschmeide splits his time between Tillamook, Oregon and Galicia, Spain. He is a mostly retired freelance automotive and adventure journalist.
In his free time, Jeff enjoys cooking, international travel, fiddling with sports cars, and guest-driving other people’s race cars. He’s always looking for the next great story to tell.
Books
Jeff has written many books on automotive topics:
Other Publications
Jeff has written for a vast array of automotive publications, including American Car Collector, Automobilia Resource, Performance Racing Industry, Eckler’s Chevy Classics, SportsCar, Diesel World, Maximum Drive, and many more. He spent four years as Editor in Chief at The Star, the membership magazine for the Mercedes-Benz Club of America, and eight years as editor of Amici di Maranello for the Northwest Region Ferrari Club of America, eleven years as editor of Loud Pedal for Oregon Region Sports Car Club of America. He’s a regular writer for Esses, the magazine of the early 911 Registry. He wrote a 2020 recap of the Alcan Rally for Hagerty.com, covered cars at the Portland Tribune from 2002 to 2024, and wrote for The Detroit Bureau daily from 2023 to 2025.
Events & Awards
Jeff served as a judge at the Forest Grove Concours d’Elegance, and as Chief Judge for both years of the Columbia River Concours. He’s been the announcer/awards emcee for many years at the Portland Historic Races, Rose Cup Races, All British Field Meet, and the Monte Shelton Northwest Classic Rally.
He received a Gold medal from the Automotive Heritage Media Awards for his retrospective on the life of Dan Gurney – Never Take No For An Answer – in SportsCar magazine, as well as numerous awards for the magazine while he was editor at The Star.
Articles in Sports Car Market
Here are the latest articles from Jeff:
2009 Nissan GT-R – The Nissan Skyline GT-R is, quite possibly, the most famous Japanese sports car ever created. Known the world over for its myriad appearances in popular media and atop motorsport podiums, the GT-R’s massive mystique is founded in its monstrous performance capabilities. From humble beginnings as a modestly powered “economy” platform of the late 1950s, each… Read more
Good Heavens! – If there is a heaven for car enthusiasts, it will look very much like the Goodwood Revival. It’s a perfect alchemy of history, performance, variety and good beer. Plus, you might bump into Sir Jackie Stewart, and who doesn’t dream about that? The truth is, if you’ve been a gearhead for any length of time,… Read more
2021 Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport – Chassis number: VF9SC3V31MM795008 Only 60 Chiron Pur Sport cars were built, making this example one of the rarest Bugattis of the modern era. Each was bespoke to its original owner, with highly customizable specifications. This Pur Sport presents in white with extensive carbon-fiber accents, a red leather-and-Alcantara interior and matching red Bugatti calipers. Delivered new… Read more
1995 BMW M3 – This extraordinary 30-year-old BMW M3 was purchased new in 1995 from Cheyne BMW in London by an Italian professional and is a true collectors’ gem. Shortly after acquiring the car, the owner relocated to Singapore for work. Before departing, he drove the M3 to his hometown of Alassio in Italy, where it was meticulously stored… Read more
Sleuthing the Paper Trail – I recently took a drive with a friend who works as a mechanic at a high-end shop in Southern California. He told me a cautionary tale about a customer who bought an older Ferrari with a sheaf of maintenance receipts, including a recent major service at another specialist in the area. The customer brought the car… Read more
All in the Family – The 1990s were an important time in Mercedes-Benz history. Since the late 1960s, AMG had been modifying Mercedes vehicles as an independent performance shop, but in 1993 the plucky tuner signed a contract of cooperation with Mercedes-Benz to gain access to its dealer network and to co-develop AMG-branded models. By 1999, Mercedes owned the majority… Read more
1964 Iso Grifo A3/L Spider Prototype – Only a single original Iso Grifo convertible was built: this car, actually a companion to the original A3/L prototype coupe, with which it shared such distinctive features as the side exhaust rakishly snaking through the passenger’s side of the cowl and under the rocker panel trim with its nearly matte finish, a nose with a… Read more
Kaishū Means Renovation – We have previously looked at factory heritage programs available from many European automakers (“Collecting Thoughts,” April 2023). From Aston Martin to Porsche, owners can send their collector cars back to the mothership for verification and, in some cases, factory restoration. Now as Japanese collector cars increase in value, a similar-yet-distinct set of services are becoming… Read more
Hitting the Sweet Spot – When you’ve owned a significant number of cars, there will be some that stand out in your memory, the special ones that appealed to you in a way that others did not. Like Goldilocks and her choice of porridge, they weren’t too hot or too cold, they were just right. That’s what we call the… Read more
Lexus IS as Lexus Does – The first generation of the Lexus IS was never much to look at. Apart from more-stylish wheels and a slightly more pugnacious stance, Lexus’ new compact sport sedan didn’t seem to differentiate itself much from some lesser Toyota models. You had to get closer and pay attention to see that Lexus had delivered a car… Read more
2015 McLaren P1 – McLaren unveiled the P1 in March 2013, and all 375 customer slots were filled within eight months. Rarer than the LaFerrari and 918 Spyder, each P1 is uniquely specified with an unbounded volume of special equipment available from McLaren Special Operations. However, not all P1s are created equal. Chassis 108 is a U.S.-specification bespoke creation… Read more
1968 Meyers Manx “Remastered” – Even after 60 years, the Meyers Manx remains a one-of-a-kind American icon. The company supplies parts, traditional Manx kits, and has been recently reborn, adding additional models such as the all-electric Manx 2.0 and 4-seat Resorter NEV. Our subject car is a “Remastered” Classic Manx, utilizing a brand-new fiberglass monocoque body and VW-based mechanicals hand-assembled… Read more
That’s Mister Two to You – The Toyota MR2 rocked the sports-car world when it arrived in 1984. With a mid-engine, rear-drive design that stood on the shoulders of the Porsche 914 and Fiat X1/9, the lightweight Toyota offered nimble steering and adequate speed at a truly affordable price. American buyers stepped up, purchasing more than 37,000 of them in 1985.… Read more
Die Another Day – Aston Martin was under Ford Motor Company’s ownership from 1987 to 2007, an era in which even its most ardent fans would have to agree the brand was in the doldrums — or at least a bit lost. Yet Ford’s money in that era certainly saved one of Britain’s legendary marques from the graveyard, and… Read more
Summer of Solstice – In 2005, Pontiac brought forth what would be its last sporty car. The 2006 Solstice was an attractive — even rakish — convertible 2-seater with excellent balance and handling. The Pontiac’s introduction was followed up later in 2006 with a badge-engineered döppelganger called the Saturn Sky and Europeans got the same model as a revived… Read more
A Messenger from Germany – “Why don’t we get the great cars that the Europeans get?” has been a constant complaint of American enthusiasts, regularly falling on deaf ears at the car companies. Well, except for one pair of ears — those belonging to the legendary Bob Lutz. Before he had GM importing Opels to sell here as Saturns (and… Read more
A Rose By Any Other Name – On the surface, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (now Stellantis) had a great idea for a new lightweight 2-seat sports car. The 2012 co-development agreement with Mazda that led to the 2017–20 Fiat 124 Spider was originally intended to produce a new Alfa Romeo model. However, its CEO, the late Sergio Marchionne, nixed that plan, saying that… Read more
The Last Affordable Manual BMW – If you’ve recently been looking for a cheap modern BMW with a manual transmission, you may have noticed that they are no longer so easy to find. Just a few years ago, if you had $5k–$10k to spend, you could have your pick of numerous models, 3 and 5 Series sedans and coupes galore. There… Read more
Big Benz Bang for the Buck – There aren’t many high-end sports cars that become truly affordable, both in purchase price and in real cost of ownership. The 2002–08 Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG, however, is one such unicorn. Typical market prices are less than the cost of a new Toyota Camry, and you get a sweet supercharged V8 wrapped in a sexy folding-hard-top… Read more
Don’t Call it “Cute” – The new Mini entered the market in the 2002, now under BMW ownership, and was immediately successful. This was an era of retro-fabulous versions of European classics. Volkswagen’s New Beetle had turned up a few years prior, and Fiat gave its venerable 500 the same treatment just a few years later. Europeans got a host… Read more
2008 Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione – s name alone, “8C Competizione,” brings to mind the greatest episodes in Alfa Romeo’s racing history and the 8C’s victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and Mille Miglia, among innumerable other successes. Sold via the Alfa Tenailles Automobiles GTA garage in Nevers, FRA, this car in the color “Rosso 8C Competizione” (code 202/B)… Read more
The Triumphant Toyobaru – The affordable sports car has always been the foundation of the car-enthusiast hobby, and for decades such cars were plentiful. The Mazda Miata became the king of this segment in the 1990s, evoking everything drivers ever loved about their British and Italian sports cars while providing modern Japanese reliability. That’s the context for the arrival… Read more
Secret Weapon – There’s a certain kind of person who’s drawn to Volvo station wagons. Typically, that person is a driving enthusiast who loves the practical applications of a wagon, affording all the cargo capacity of an SUV along with the performance and handling of a passenger car. The “long roof” cognoscenti smile and nod knowingly, hoping that… Read more
2001 BMW M5 – Originally launched in 1984, the M5 was BMW’s first attempt to add its Motorsport ingredients to the already-sporty 5 Series. As the fastest sedan in the world, its future replacement, the E39 M5, would clearly have big shoes to fill. Unveiled at the 1998 Geneva Motor Show, the M5 delivered exceptional performance in a stylish… Read more
Stamp of Approval – Last month, we looked at various factory-supported programs that provide certifications of originality, condition and provenance of collector cars. But those are not the only “stamps of approval” out there. There are also third-party services that provide inspections and documentation to help establish authenticity, although these vary in scope even more wildly than factory programs.… Read more
Factory Blessings – Among the many qualities that confer value upon a collector car, none is as important — or open to dispute — as provenance. The term refers to evidence that a vehicle is what a seller claims it is, and that any notable history of the car can be proven to a reasonable standard. Provenance may… Read more
Escape Hatch – When the Volvo C30 arrived in America for the 2008 model year, it had been 36 years since production of the carmaker’s P1800 coupe ended. The new generation of sport coupe reflected the reality of its era, with an important nod to the past. The result was a 2-door hot hatch that never really caught… Read more Escape Hatch – When the Volvo C30 arrived in America for the 2008 model year, it had been 36 years since production of the carmaker’s P1800 coupe ended. The new generation of sport coupe reflected the reality of its era, with an important nod to the past. The result was a 2-door hot hatch that never really caught… Read more
2016 Ford Shelby Mustang GT-H Coupe “Executive Car” – The run of 2016 Shelby Mustang GT-Hs for Hertz included 140 examples delivered into the rental fleet for allocation day-by-day to mere mortals, and then 16 of the “Executive Cars,” a name that to the Hertz Shelby enthusiast has a special aura. These 16 cars were not rented but were instead purchased by Hertz executives… Read more
Everything You Need, Nothing You Don’t – If you’ve ever discussed cars with a Lotus owner, you’ve probably heard the phrase, “What you have to understand is…” That’s just the nature of a Lotus. There are always going to be the parts that fail, the welds that crack, and sometimes the door handles that come off in your hand. (Honestly. It happened… Read more
One Impressive Impreza – Mention Subaru to most people and they’ll think of an Outback station wagon-cum-crossover. Tighten it up to Subaru sports cars and they will usually think of the WRX and WRX STI hot rods, or the strangely sci-fi SVX of the 1990s. But there was a brief period at the turn of the millennium where the… Read more
Guest Blog: SCM Goes Gambling – The Gambler 500 Rally is in some ways the polar opposite of Sports Car Market. Where we mainly concern ourselves with highly collectible cars in top condition, the cars of the Gambler lean mightily towards the “disposable” end of the spectrum. While the event no longer has a $500 rule, participants adhere to the idea… Read more
The Sweet Spot – BMW is well known for building performance cars, but it was the E30-generation 3 Series of the 1980s that really put the German automaker on the map for affordable performance. When the succeeding E36-generation 3 Series was unveiled, BMW fans expected something spectacular. What they got was not the lightweight, edgy sports sedan of the… Read more
Hot Hatch Fever – It takes some guts to walk away from everything that made your car company great, but that’s what Volkswagen did in the early 1970s. The 1974 Rabbit (or Golf, depending on your continent) was the replacement for the antiquated air-cooled Beetle. The all-new A1 platform was a complete departure for Wolfsburg, abandoning everything about the… Read more
Keith’s Blog: Jeff Zurschmeide’s Portland Swap Meet Report – The Portland Swap Meet has been on hiatus for the past two years, for obvious reasons. It’s been a long and boring pandemic, so this year’s event was highly anticipated, at least by me. The swap happens at the Portland Expo Center, with five large buildings and the entire parking lot filled with parts and… Read more
Depreciation, Italian Style – When Maserati returned to America in 2002, the company ended an 11-year absence from our market. A lot happened in those years, most notably an ownership transfer from Fiat to Ferrari. That change has been crucial to Maserati ever since. For one thing, it gave Maserati a ready-made dealership and service network. The Trident brand… Read more
2012 Aston Martin One-77 – This 2012 Aston Martin One-77 is the 25th of just 77 examples ever made. It was delivered to Switzerland in 2012. According to the accompanying Certificate of Authenticity, it was ordered in the subtly luxurious colors of Bronze Pearl over Bitter Chocolate leather with Cream Truffle trim, with brushed-metal exterior finishes, 10-spoke silver diamond-turned wheels… Read more
2002 Lamborghini Murciélago – As the Lamborghini story goes, the “Murciélago,” or “bat” in Spanish, was named after a famous bull that survived its matador in 1879 in the Cordoba arena. When it was launched in 2002, this was one of the fastest supercars of its day, capable of over 330 km/h thanks to a 580-horsepower, 6.2-liter V12 engine.… Read more
Status Symbol – So this Bentley owner is getting out of his car and he gets sideswiped, ripping the door clean off its hinges. The police show up and he starts yelling about the damage, and the cop says, “Sir, your left arm is torn off!” The Bentley owner looks down and says, “Oh my God, where’s my… Read more
2001 BMW Z8 – The BMW Z8 debuted in the James Bond film “The World Is Not Enough.” The Z8s were built for the American market and the styling carries the DNA of BMW’s famed 507. This Z8 features heated leather seats, cruise control, power windows, door locks and seats, multi-disc CD player and a built-in cell phone. This… Read more
Ten Years On, This Spyder Has Legs – There are certain words in a Porsche model name that give you a hint that something special is going on. “Speedster” is one, but also “Spyder.” The latter moniker harks back to the mythic mid-engined 550 Spyder, which James Dean made famous after dying in one on a California backroad in 1955. That grim history… Read more
1994 Lancia Hyena Zagato – Utilizing Lancia’s beloved Delta HF Integrale Evoluzione as a basis, the Hyena was a collaboration between Lancia and Zagato and the brainchild of a meeting between Andrea Zagato and Paul Koot, the official Lancia importer in the Netherlands and the proprietor of Lusso Service Holland. Underneath its handcrafted aluminum bodywork, the Hyena’s powertrain was tuned… Read more
1987 Audi Quattro – Audi’s Quattro is a legend that rewrote the book in international rallying, as well as causing rival manufacturers to rethink their offerings. It was, quite literally, a trailblazer. The story began with Audi chassis engineer Jörg Bensinger, who spent a Finnish winter testing the Volkswagen Iltis — a 4-wheel-drive West German military and forest-service vehicle… Read more
Type Righter – The motoring press went wild when Jaguar brought out the F-type in 2013. Normally sober critics such as Car and Driver described it as “the car you want to be seen in.” Even my own spouse went a little starry-eyed over the F-type the first time I brought one home. She compared the car to… Read more
2007 BMW Z4 M Coupe – Introduced at the Paris Motor Show in 2002, the Z4 roadster replaced the immensely successful Z3, the “retro” styling of which recalled BMW’s fabulous “328” sports car of pre-war days. More sharp-edged than the Z3, the Z4 nevertheless kept its predecessor’s proportions and overall look while having a slightly increased wheelbase and track. Beneath the… Read more
More Sports Car Than Electric Car – BMW produced the last of its i8 plug-in hybrid sports cars this past summer. With a few more than 20,000 units sold, the i8 could be called successful, but it never really caught on after its initial splash in the summer of 2014. At launch, the 2015-model-year i8 carried a price tag of $135,925. The… Read more
1994 Lancia Delta HF Integrale Evoluzione II – The Lancia Delta HF Integrale Evoluzione is perhaps everything a homologation special should be: just a stone’s throw away from its racing counterpart and offering the very best of the era’s available technology. The Delta Integrale, in all its many variants, won six consecutive World Rally Championships from 1987 to 1992, becoming one of the… Read more
The Pleasure and the Pain – You don’t have to dig around very much to find horror stories about the Lotus Europa. Colin Chapman’s strange mid-engine “bread van” design is known for major structural problems, dodgy fiberglass and the kind of mechanical troubles only Lotus enthusiasts can tolerate. The car’s reputation has kept prices low, but the Europa also has a… Read more
Ignore Your Inner Chad – “Midgets suck. Get an MGB.” That was the considered opinion of my friend Chad when I expressed my intention to buy a rather crusty 1970 MG Midget back in the late 1980s. Luckily, I resisted peer pressure and bought the car. It turned out to be one of the best automotive decisions I ever made.… Read more
1968 Challenger 2 Streamliner – Holds the fastest-ever certified speed-record run for a piston-driven vehicle Designed by Hall of Fame driver Mickey Thompson in collaboration with Kar Kraft in 1968 Driven by Danny Thompson to a new SCTA AA/FS record of 448.757 mph on August 12, 2018, at the Bonneville Salt Flats Chassis built by famed Indy Car constructor Quin… Read more
The Amazing, Affordable Alfa Spider – The affordable European sports-car pantheon usually comes down to just four cars: the MGB, the Triumph Spitfire, the Fiat 124 Sport Spider, and the Alfa Romeo Spider. I can already hear the seismic rumble of readers jumping up to mention the MG/Austin-Healey Spridget, Triumph TR-series, Opel GT, Sunbeam Alpine, Volvo P1800 and, God help us,… Read more
A Fun Copycat – In 1958, Lotus Cars founder Colin Chapman came up with a design for a basic sports car that could be road-driven all week and then raced on the weekend. His previous (and very similar) design was called the Lotus Mark VI, so this new model was naturally called the Seven. Chapman wasn’t overly impressed with… Read more
1971 Plymouth Duster 340 – Fresh 340-ci 4-bbl engine 727 automatic transmission Factory a/c car Broadcast sheet New T/A radials New paint Factory EV2 Tor-Red (Hemi Orange) V24 Performance Hood Treatment with engine callout Read more
1978 Volkswagen Combi Type 2 Campmobile – Chassis number: 2382043540SCM Condition for this car: 1- A couple of years ago, I spotted an used vw transporter vans for sale with a big sticker across the back that read, “HILLS ARE HARD.” With a whopping 70 horsepower pushing that brick up a grade, the sticker was a bit of an understatement. But one… Read more
Back to the Future With the SR5 – If you were a young man in the mid-1980s, you wanted a 4×4 Toyota SR5 pickup truck. By any name, these trucks embodied the virtues of the mid-1980s — they were stylish, a little bit boastful and a lot of fun. It’s no coincidence that young Marty McFly dreamed of owning a tricked-out Toyota SR5… Read more
1954 Taylor Aerocar – One of six built The only vehicle in the U.S. that is both air- and roadworthy Full FAA certification Lycoming 0-320 engine Wings, propeller and fuselage may be towed behind and can be attached in under 30 minutes 15,254 miles 781 flight hours Read more
The Car That Made BMW – If there was one car that did the most to cement BMW’s reputation in North America, it was the 2002. Actually, scratch that. There is one car that made BMW’s reputation, and it’s the pretty-much-legendary 2002. This still-affordable and very plentiful 2-door sport sedan transformed staid BMW into an affordable performance brand. The 2002 family… Read more
Bee-Stung: Datsun B-210 – The Datsun B-210 was the right car at the right time. In mid-1973, the OPEC embargo had Americans lining up around the block for gas. The beastly muscle cars of the late 1960s were too thirsty, and the latest replacements from Detroit were strangled and listless. As if on cue, Datsun kicked off the 1974… Read more
1993 Mazda RX-7 Touring – 255-hp 1.3-L turbocharged Wankel rotary engine Five-speed manual transmission Engine rebuilt by marque specialist Chips Motorsports Optional Touring package, power sunroof, rear wiper, fog lights, leather interior and Bose CD stereo system Offered with window sticker and warranty book Read more
1910 Stanley Model 60 Runabout – Held for over 70 years in the Buess Family Collection of Brass and Steam cars A particularly original example Optional 25-inch wheels Gas-fired headlights 2-seat runabout body Read more
1940 Ford DeLuxe Coupe – Restored in original Showroom Green 221-ci flathead engine Offenhauser aluminum heads 3-speed manual Corduroy seat covers From the Vault Portfolio Read more
1957 Chevrolet Bel Air 2-door hard top – Two-year frame-off restoration Super Turbo-Fire 283-ci V8 Dual 4-bbl carburetors 2-speed Powerglide automatic transmission Matador Red and India Ivory From the Vault Collection Read more
What Could Possibly Go Right? – The year was 1990, and the venue was Laguna Seca raceway. I was there to get some open track time in an MGB. My run group that day included a deep crimson Maserati Biturbo, and I spent several hours studying every detail of the taillights and rear end. That happened because passing wasn’t allowed in… Read more
1931 Detroit Electric Model 99 Coupe – 15-hp DC electric motor Mechanical speed controller Rear-wheel mechanical brakes Semi-elliptic springs Formerly part of Harrah’s Collection Read more
The Rick Astley of Z-Cars – Everyone has a Z-car story. If you didn’t own one yourself, you knew someone who did. Datsun (later Nissan) built an affordable 2-seat fastback sports car with respectable power and handling — and enthusiasts bought them in large numbers. However, the evolution of the Z-car is a cautionary tale for automakers because Nissan was too… Read more
The Overlooked Porsche — So Far – As a rule, it’s the overlooked cars that make the best Affordable Classics. That’s certainly the case with the Porsche 924. The more-developed 944 that came along later has completely overshadowed Porsche’s first water-cooled car. It’s well past time to take another look and find the appeal and the value in one of the last… Read more
1953 Glasspar G2 Roadster – Two-owner example of this rare early sports car Original DeSoto Hemi and Ford running gear Beautifully restored; just 122 miles since Read more
Keith’s Blog: The Rite of Spring – Editor’s note: Jeff Zurschmeide, frequent contributor to SCM, is taking over Keith’s Blog with week with his report on last weekend’s Portland Swap Meet and PIR Auto Swap Meet: By Jeff Zurschmeide April in Portland means two things: rain and the Portland Swap Meet. Both are as inevitable as the sunrise, but you have… Read more
1940 Ford Marmon-Herrington Standard Station Wagon – Formerly of the Nick Alexander Collection Rare Marmon-Herrington all-wheel-drive woodie Multiple award winner, including First in Class at Pebble Beach, 2003 Read more
1948 Playboy A48 convertible – An unusual and very rare American post-war microcar The 88th of 97 examples produced Equipped with retractable hard top Read more
A Type 1 Collectible – The auto industry has always been about newer and better, mostly because they want to sell everyone a new car every year. However, the Volkswagen Beetle stands in stark defiance of that idea. With only comparatively minor changes, the original Beetle was produced and loved worldwide for 57 years. With production of the new Beetle… Read more
2009 Lamborghini Murciélago LP670-4 SuperVeloce Coupe – One of only 185 made (out of a planned 350) Imported from Singapore “e-Gear” semi-automatic sequential transmission Circa 6,525 miles from new Freshly serviced by H.R. Owen Read more
1969 Chevrolet C-10 Pickup – 350-ci V8 engine with 4-bbl Turbo-Hydramatic transmission Frame-off restoration Original Protect-O-Plate, owner’s manual and sales books Loaded with some of the rarest options Factory a/c, power steering and brakes Factory cruise control, rare speed alert Engine-block heater Tilt wheel Deluxe Interior with bucket seats, console and headliner Deluxe gauge package AM/FM radio Oak bed floor… Read more
This Dino Was a Deal – When is a Ferrari not a Ferrari? Generally speaking, when it’s a Dino. These vehicles were created because Ferrari needed to build a production V6 in sufficient numbers to homologate the engine for racing in the mid-1960s. However, Ferrari didn’t want to offer a downsized engine in its own road-going cars, so another solution had… Read more
1984 Lamborghini Countach LP5000 S – Comprehensive restoration with extensive receipt file $23,000 paint by Stuart’s Paint & Body Specialists of Dallas, TX $80,000-plus in mechanicals by Norwood Auto Italia of Carrollton, TX New leather interior panels and carpet from marque specialists Factory tools and manual included Read more
Subaru Climbs Out of the Econobox – Subaru changed their thinking in the early 1990s — away from funky econobox subcompacts and towards performance and comfort. In so doing, the company ushered itself into a period of commercial and enthusiast success that continues to this day. Now that 25 years have gone by, Subarus of the early 1990s are moving into collectible… Read more
1991 Toyota Celica ST165 TC 4-55 – Factory car Driven by Carlos Sainz and Marc Duez during the 1991 season Restored by the former factory team Perfect for historic rallies 2nd at the 1991 Acropolis Rally with Carlos Sainz Read more
1985 Toyota Land Cruiser BJ40 – The iconic BJ40 offered here is a desirable convertible diesel variant that is seldom seen in the United States. The truck has just received a comprehensive, fully documented, body-off restoration by marque specialists. Every aspect of this truck has been thoroughly inspected and either upgraded or restored. The countless hours of detailed and meticulous craftsmanship… Read more
Exotic Street Cred on a Budget – Alfa Romeo made a bold choice to re-enter the U.S. automobile market with the near-exotic 4C. They chose the sleek and sexy coupe to signal that Alfa would be a premium sports car brand. Now as the rumor mill presages the end of 4C production, it’s time to take a look at this car’s collectibility… Read more
1958 Pontiac Chieftain USAC race car – Pontiac salesman’s demo car from Freeport, IL Two months invested in race preparation Entered in a 150-mile event at the Milwaukee Mile in July 1958, where it qualified fourth-fastest against factory-backed teams Raced at Rockford, IL, 1960–62 Retired from competition in 1962 Discovered in 2005 Restoration completed in July 2012 370/300-hp V8 engine Harmon Collins roller… Read more
2012 Lexus LFA Nürburgring – Known for its 0–60 mph time of 3.6 seconds or less, the Lexus LFA is any supercar fan’s dream. This is the LFA Nürburgring Edition in Sunset Orange, a 2-seat supercar. It is one of only 50 LFA Nürburgring cars ever built. It has been on display in the Balise Lexus showroom since July 2012.… Read more
1984 Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 – This Peugeot remains in thoroughly original condition and now shows 48,000 km (29,825 miles) on the odometer. It wears its original gray metallic paint and its original two-tone gray leather and Alcantara interior, both of which remain in superb condition with only the most minor signs of use. With red-edged charcoal carpet, red accents throughout,… Read more
1959 Kellison J-4R Coupe – This particular Kellison was purchased new by SCCA Executive Director Don Rodimer. In 2001 the car passed to its current owner. As he wished to use the car in driver events, the car was made fully street legal. Lights, turn signals and a windshield wiper were all installed to meet compliance. It has since been… Read more
Care to Place a Bet on the Fiat 500? – Fiat just can’t seem to catch a break in America. The company made headlines back in 2010 heralding a splashy return to our market with the diminutive 500 hatchback. Coming about 10 years (plus or minus) after the successful return of the VW New Beetle and the reimagined MINI Cooper, the new 500 was designed… Read more
2008 Tesla Roadster – Three-phase, four-pole AC induction electric motor 3.0 80-kWh battery 288 bhp and 295 ft-lb of torque BorgWarner single-speed transmission Four-wheel independent suspension Four-wheel disc brakes Just 414 miles on the odometer at the time of cataloging The 272nd of the first Tesla Roadster run of just 500 cars Recently upgraded by Tesla with new, improved… Read more
1984 GMC K10 Custom pickup – This 1984 GMC 4×4 “Fall Guy” re-creation pickup is powered by a rebuilt 350-ci 4-barrel engine with dual exhaust and a rebuilt TH400 automatic transmission with a rebuilt NP208 transfer case. Both axles have been rebuilt: a 10.5-inch, 14-bolt rear axle and a 10-bolt front axle with 4.10 gears and open differential with custom truss.… Read more
2014 Cadillac CTS-V Wagon – 6.2-liter “LSA” V8 supercharged engine with 556 horsepower 6-speed automatic transmission Read more
2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 – 5.0-L DOHC 32-valve V8 6-speed manual transmission 945 miles from new There was no mistaking the Boss 302 for other run-of-the-mill Mustangs. Like the original, its unique exterior décor set these cars apart, as if the running gear didn’t do that. Produced for just two years, a total of 3,249 Boss 302 Mustangs were built… Read more
Swingin’ Gullwing – If you were to think of a sports car that epitomized the mid-1970s, the Bricklin SV-1 would be the perfect choice. The car was the brainchild of Malcolm Bricklin, a somewhat eccentric auto-industry executive whose resumé includes bringing Subaru to North America. His idea was to build a much safer V8-powered sports car to compete… Read more
2011 BMW 1M Coupe – Developed by BMW Motorsport and announced in December 2010, the 1M coupe used a tuned version of the N54 twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter straight-six engine producing 335 hp, which was delivered to the road via a 6-speed manual gearbox and electronic limited-slip differential. With its front-engine/rear-drive layout, traditional sports-car handling and colossal amounts of low-down torque, the… Read more
1963 Studebaker Avanti R2 – Very rare factory 4-speed supercharged Avanti R2 Sold new in Berkeley, CA, later a resident of Tucson, AZ, where it was acquired by Colin Comer Copy of the original build sheet Matching engine, chassis and body numbers Original 289/290-horsepower V8 engine Original Paxton centrifugal supercharger Original Borg-Warner T10 4-speed manual transmission Original 3.73:1 Twin-Traction rear… Read more
A Cheap, Fast, Fun Alfa Romeo – Picture a sunny summer afternoon on the Pacific Coast Highway north of Santa Cruz, CA. It’s the late 1980s, and two new sport sedans are cruising to the spot where a passing lane opens up. The challenge is to be ahead of the other car by the end of that passing lane. The contestants are… Read more
1993 Lancia Delta Integrale Evo II – First seen at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1979, the Lancia Delta Integrale is best known for its domination of the World Rally Championship in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The first Evoluzione cars were built at the end of 1991 and carried on through 1992. Arriving in June 1993, a further development of… Read more
1966 Volkswagen Type 2 21-Window Samba Bus – Presented here is a 1966 Volkswagen Type 2 21-Window Samba fitted with the M164 sliding-door option from new. Only available on the 21-window Deluxe Samba model during production years 1966–67, the M164 sliding-door addition represented an expensive option and consequently, not many non-commercial customers ticked this box, meaning this model represents one of the rarest… Read more
1959 Cadillac Coupe DeVille – 390-ci V8 engine Automatic transmission Complete body-off restoration Power antenna, seats, windows, steering and brakes Two-tone black-and-white interior Clock and radio Factory air conditioning Fender skirts Wide whitewall tires with factory wheel covers Read more
Better — and Uglier — Than the Original – Pity the second-generation Mazda RX-7. The FC, as it’s known to rotary cognoscenti, has always trailed its older brothers in desirability — if not in performance. And while that’s not strictly fair, it has kept prices attractively low on a car that has a lot of enjoyment potential. Mazda brought out the first RX-7 in… Read more
1969 AMC AMX – 390-ci V8 engine 4-speed manual transmission with Hurst shifter Carter AFB Competition Series 4-bbl carburetor MSD ignition Power steering Power brakes Factory wheels with beauty rings Pioneer AM/FM/cassette AMX# 13555 Air-conditioning delete Read more
One Fun Econo-Box – When Honda brought the first Civic subcompact to America in the middle of 1972, the car was not very well received. Honda’s previous cars had been far too small and idiosyncratic for the American buyer, and early Civics had a tendency to rust so badly that the U.S. government forced Honda to recall and repair… Read more
1963 Dodge 330 Max Wedge – Offered from a private collection The third of nine factory 330 Lightweights built Built with the Aluminum Package option and 426 Max Wedge V8 Beautifully presented full restoration Read more
Spend a Little More — Get a Lot More – If you want to put an all-wheel-drive sports car into your collection, but you don’t want to pay the ticket price for an exotic and you don’t want the boy-racer styling of a sport compact, there aren’t a lot of options. Fortunately, the obvious choice is also a good one. The Audi TT is a… Read more
2002 BMW Z3 M Coupe – Chassis number: 5UMCN93462LK61096 S54, 3.2-liter, 315-hp 6-cylinder engine 5-speed manual gearbox One of 678 with this engine One of two with factory sunroof deleted 21,000 miles on the odometer Imola Red paintwork Comes from a climate-controlled private collection The BMW M coupe was built to be a German masterpiece — to perform and handle better… Read more
1962 King Midget Model 3 – This fully restored King Midget Model 3 features a non-standard Briggs & Stratton V-twin engine with an automatic transmission. From the Tammy Allen Collection. Read moreWhy You Buy an Underlig – “Underlig” is a Swedish word that means curious, odd, peculiar or strange. Any of those terms could fairly be applied to the venerable Saab 96 and its kindred. No matter how you look at it, these little cars are funky. They’re not as odd as the Messerschmitts and Isettas of the world, but they’re strange… Read more
2005 Acura NSX – Dealer-installed/factory-authorized CompTech supercharger 6-speed manual transmission Offered in “exceptional like-new showroom condition” 4,600 original miles Service records and original books Air conditioning Power steering and brakes Radio Clean CARFAX Two extra sets of keys Read more
1963 Chevrolet Corvette 327/340 coupe – Iconic Split-Window design Ideally preserved, unrestored example with 60,000 documented miles NCRS Top Flight and Muscle Car & Corvette Nationals Heritage Award Winner Desirably optioned and impressively documented Offered with window sticker, owner’s manual, Protect-O-Plate and 1963 brochure Read more
2014 McLaren P1 – 3,799-cc DOHC twin-turbocharged V8 engine AC Permanent-Magnet Synchronous electric motor 903 bhp at 8,250 rpm 7-speed SSG transaxle with manual shifting mode Four-wheel Independent Proactive Adjustable Suspension Four-wheel carbon ceramic disc brakes One of very few P1s finished in striking McLaren Orange Extreme cutting-edge automotive engineering and design In practically new condition, with less than… Read more
Go Find Another (Good) One – The imported mini-truck surged in popularity in the wake of the first 1970s fuel crisis and rising gas prices. The 4-cylinder engines in the import trucks were more economical than the V8 and straight-6 engines that powered the bigger domestic models. The little trucks from Toyota, Datsun/Nissan, and Mazda offered more responsive handling than their… Read more
Hot or Not? – Going to a collector car auction is a lot like visiting an online dating site. You get to check out the prospects — and you have one quick chance to decide if you want to get involved. If you’re interested, you present your best offer and hope the competition doesn’t make a better one. It’s… Read more
1969 Plymouth Road Runner A12 Replica – A12 replica Rotisserie restoration Less than 500 miles since restoration 440-ci V8 engine 6-bbl setup 3.91 gear ratio Hurst 4-speed transmission Magnum 500 wheels Fiberglass lift-off hood with display posts Yellow with black vinyl top Read more
A Car for the Younger Collector – On any given Saturday morning you can find a Cars & Coffee event in most American cities. The phenomenon is less than 10 years old, and it’s delightful in its simplicity. There’s no entry fee, no class structure, no judges, and no trophy to take home. It’s just about driving your car and enjoying what… Read more
2007 Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder – Introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in 2003, the Gallardo was intended to complement the 12-cylinder Murciélago in Lamborghini’s model line. Far from entry level, however, the Gallardo was a 10-cylinder, fire-breathing supercar that not only offers world-class performance, but all the refinement and technology that Audi ownership has afforded the sports car manufacturer from… Read more
1965 Lotus Elan S2 Convertible – Introduced at the Earls Court Motor Show in October 1962, the Elan roadster followed the Colin Chapman principle of lightweight aerodynamic coachwork coupled with the suspension, brakes and transmission of a race car, and a remarkable new Lotus-Ford twin-cam engine to provide the power. To put this into perspective, this was a time when disc… Read more
1909 Stanley Model E2 Runabout – This Stanley Model E2, one of six models of the Stanley steam car available in the 1909 catalog, is powered by a 10-horsepower twin-piston engine — a marvel of simplicity that employed only 13 moving parts. Once the big front-mounted boiler had been filled with water, fired, and tended by the owner’s careful hands, the… Read more
A Sexy Beast Without an Entry Ticket – The Honda S Series was Honda’s first real foray into automobile production. Japanese Keiretsu politics threatened to limit Honda to motorcycle production only, so the company started the S600 as part of a broad development effort — one that led to greatness with the Honda Civic a few years later. But in the early 1960s,… Read more
Choose Wisely — or Not at All – From the beginning, the Fiat 850 Spider has been overshadowed by its big sister, the 124 Spider. The 124 was prettier, more powerful and arranged as a proper sports car with the engine in front and the drive wheels in back. In contrast, the 850 Spider had its engine in the back. Although the little… Read more
1968 Ford Mustang GT 390 S-Code fastback – Here is the real deal: a factory S-code 390 4-barrel big block and an original factory 4-speed. One of only 65 built in this paint and trim code: factory Acapulco Blue with black interior and the black-out hood treatment. This GT Mustang is verified with a Deluxe Marti Report and the original Buck Tag. It… Read more
The Virtue of Patience – Of all the variations made of VW’s venerable Type 2 van from the first model in 1950 through the end of the air-cooled engine in 1984, the Westfalia camper is probably the most recognizable and the most popular among American buyers. Further, if there was a vehicle that could capture the hippie spirit of the… Read more
Volkswagen’s Hot Hatch Turns Collectible – By 1970, Volkswagen’s “People’s Car,” the venerable Type 1 Beetle, was long in the tooth. The company knew it was time for a successor — something cleaner than the stinky old air-cooled model, with a modern body design. The company got to work on a new project called the Type 17. The new car used… Read more
2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat – Supercharged 707-hp 6.2-liter Hemi V8 6-speed manual transmission Optional Satin Black aluminum hood with functional vents Sublime Green pearl coat exterior paint SRT-tuned Bilstein three-mode active suspension Harman Kardon Green Edge amplifier 18-speaker premium audio system with subwoofer 8.4-inch touchscreen display GPS navigation HD radio, SiriusXM satellite radio, MediaHub (USB, SD, Aux), Uconnect 8.4A AM/FM/SXM/BT… Read more
1998 Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR Roadster – A legend in its own — relatively short — lifetime, the car offered here is the first example built of the fabulous Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR roadster, an even more-exclusive, limited-edition, open-topped variant of the already super-exclusive CLK GTR coupe with which Mercedes-Benz had re-entered international sports car racing in 1997. At the time of its… Read more
2012 Lexus LFA – Number 487 of 500 built One of last imported into the United States and one of two remaining White Pearl (code 77) new cars in country This is an MSO car with no prior registration, with less than 140 miles. The car is fully exportable The car has Starfire Pearl paint with black leather interior/red… Read more
1978 Checker Cab – Last working Checker cab in New York City Preserved in “as-retired” condition Over $12,000 in recent service Six-cylinder engine Three-speed automatic transmission Coil-spring front and leaf-spring rear suspension Read more
1993 Toyota Supra “The Fast and the Furious” Stunt Car – The Fast and the Furious” movie franchise took movie car chase scenes to new levels of intensity, with an array of automotive stunts that helped make it an over-the-top success. One of the star cars of “The Fast and the Furious” is the Toyota Supra driven by the late actor Paul Walker, who portrayed undercover… Read more
VW’s First Sports Car is Still Winning Hearts – Almost every classic car enthusiast has owned an air-cooled Volkswagen somewhere along the line — generally very early along the line. But even though most of us soon moved on to more rarefied marques, the old rattletrap VWs with stinky exhaust heat, iffy brakes and glacial acceleration still hold a special place in our hearts… Read more
1981 Renault 5 Turbo – The Renault 5 Turbo is a hatchback with a high-performance engine. This French car debuted at the Brussels Motor Show in January of 1980. At this time, rally cars were climbing in popularity. The design of this car was tailored towards the rally car market, but a street version also was sold. During its four-year… Read more
1970 Nissan Fairlady Z 432 – In the late 1960s, Nissan began development of a closed sports car to replace their popular Datsun 1600 and 2000 roadsters. Under the direction of Yutaka Katayama, the president of the Nissan Motor Corporation in the U.S. (known as “Mr. K” and the “Father of the Z-car”), renowned German designer Albrecht von Goertz was hired… Read more
Toyota’s Fast and Furious Turbo – 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 Nissan/Datsun Z-cars, the Supra was… Read more
2008 Shelby GT500 convertible – • One-owner car • 1,025 miles • 500-hp SVT engine • 6-speed transmission • Brembo brakes • Dual exhaust • Red with white GT stripes • Black and red interior • AM/FM CD stereo • Navigation • SVT wheels • Owner’s manual Read more
1984 Audi Quattro Sport SWB Coupe – 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 the almost immediately notorious and… Read more
Porsche’s Red-Headed Stepchild – Stop for a moment and consider the plight of the Porsche 924. If ever there was a car that was born on the wrong side of the blanket, the 924 is it. Coming onto the scene as a 1977 model, the 924 was Porsche’s first attempt at a conventional, water-cooled, inline 4-cylinder car. The 924… Read more
1970 Datsun 240Z Series 1 Coupe – The first Series I cars produced between late 1969 and early 1970 are identified by the fresh-air exhaust vents located on the rear hatch. Datsun quickly realized that they had hit the mark with the modern lines and overhead-cam 6-cylinder that redlined at 7,000 rpm. Restored to like-new condition, this 240Z is one of the… Read more
The Best Kadett of All – Ask any American to name an Opel product, and they’re overwhelmingly likely to name the GT — often known as the “Baby Corvette” that arrived in America in 1969. But few could tell you that General Motors bought most of Opel in 1929 — and took complete ownership in 1931. By the end of the… Read more
Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda – Here at SCM, we take some space in every issue to look at affordable classics — great cars that you can get into without emptying your wallet. Affordable classics are great because they’re far more engaging than the average new grocery-getter, and you can drive them without worrying yourself to death about miles, damage and… Read more
Is the X1/9 Emerging from the Shadows? – The Fiat X1/9 has been all but forgotten in the 40 years since it was introduced to North American markets. Most collectors just ignore the little mid-engine, two-seater convertible. Many see the car as Fiat’s underpowered and somewhat half-hearted effort to hold onto the American market — and really, who wouldn’t rather have a Fiat… Read more
1974 BMW 2002 Turbo Coupe – The 2002 Turbo upped the game again. Engine designer Alex von Falkenhausen eschewed the option of a larger engine shoehorned into the lightweight 2002 and instead developed the successful Group Five turbocharging idea for a fast road car. By using a KKK turbo coupled to the tii Kugelfischer fuel injection, he created a 170-hp engine… Read more
The Long-Lived, Never-Loved Porsche – The 928 occupies a peculiar place in Porsche history. Conceived as a replacement for the venerable 911, the factory soon discovered that their customers would never prize a front-engined, water-cooled alternative — even if it did make more power than the company’s bread-and-butter sports car. Maybe the 928, with its upward-staring headlights, was too strange-looking… Read more
2001 BMW Z8 Roadster – The Z8 is BMW’s spiritual successor to the 1950s 507 roadster. Both have a long hood with short deck design, which creates a powerful and sporty appearance. This limited-production roadster with optional hard top is equipped with a 4.9-liter DOHC V8 as used in the M5, mated to a proper 6-speed manual gearbox and producing… Read more
1968 Datsun 1600 Roadster – The Datsun roadster, lovingly dubbed “the Fairlady” in its Japanese home market, was built from 1963 to 1970. Although legend has it that it was designed as a copy of the MGB, in actual fact the Datsun model was launched several months prior to the MGB and therefore, any design resemblance is happenstance. Nevertheless, the… Read more
1980 Renault 5 Turbo Group 4 – In 1979, the modest Renault Sport division, responsible for the R5 Turbo rally program led by engineers François Bernard and Michel Têtu, only had the Group 5 prototype that had appeared on the Tour of Italy, the famous “Black” R5, assembled from specific Renault and Alpine parts. Gérard Larrousse and his team had to wait… Read more
Go for Z-Perfection or Nothing at All – It’s almost an axiom of the automotive world that an unloved make or model can gain respectability over time. The reasons for this phenomenon are many —changing tastes and fashions can transform a formerly ugly duckling, or advancing technology and engineering may reveal that a particular car was ahead of its time. But mostly, when… Read more
1985 Audi Quattro Sport SWB Coupe – One of the most influential designs of recent decades, the Audi Quattro brought four-wheel drive into the motoring mainstream. Introduced in 1980, the Quattro was based on the outwardly similar coupe’s body shell but used a different floor pan to accommodate its four-wheel-drive transmission and independent rear suspension. Phenomenally fast and sure-footed on the road,… Read more