A curious mixture of romantic visionary and practical businessman, André Citroën knew a promising invention when he saw one. French-born Adolphe Kégresse had developed an idea at the behest of his erstwhile employer, Czar Nicholas II, who had wanted a means of adapting his cars to drive across deep snow. […]
Archives: Profiles
1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa
These cars brought Maranello four World Constructors Championships and four victories at Le Mans. Few, if any, cars have a more impressive resume In 1957, the Commission Sportive Internationale contemplated new rules to make sports car racing safer after the 1955 disaster at Le Mans. Anticipating a reduction in capacity […]
1980 BMW M1 Coupe
This was an extraordinary result, greater than the next highest street M1 sale on record by nearly 50% A proposed Group 5 “Silhouette Formula” for production-based cars triggered the M1 program in the mid-1970s, a mid-engined concept car designed in-house at BMW by Paul Bracq providing the basis. Ex-racing driver […]
1990 Ferrari 641/2 F1
The buzz at the auction was that this car was unusual and desirable in being completely ready to run with the F1 Clienti. The buyer bought it for that purpose Ferrari entered 1990 with a dream driver lineup. Nigel Mansell was in his second season with the Scuderia and Alain […]
Ferrari 400: Sensible Italian Shoes?
Buy a Ferrari 400 with needs and you may as well start thinking about ways to improve on Bernie Madoff’s Ponzi scheme The mid 1970s were cruel to the entire auto industry, and the Italian exotics were particularly hard hit. Punitive taxes, fuel shortages, and a general reluctance to consume […]
1934 Auburn 1250 Salon Cabriolet
Even at $253,000, this car is still less than half the price of some Packard V12 Cabriolets {vsig}2009-7_2340{/vsig} This 1934 Auburn 1250 Salon Cabriolet was driven by James Cagney in the 1930s film “The Mayor of Hell.” It was restored over 20 years ago, and it’s been certified by the […]
1961 Austin-Healey 3000 Mk II Ex-Donald Healey
Graham Robson remembers the car in BMC’s U.K. press fleet, but there’s no mention of Donald Healey having a Mk II as “a personal car” Introduced in 1961, the Mk II version of Austin-Healey’s highly successful 3000 model was visually distinguished by its vertical radiator grille bars and revised front […]
1905 Gardner-Serpollet 18hp Type L Steamer
A growing audience is succumbing to the lure of early steamers, resulting in some remarkable transactions {vsig}2009-7_2342{/vsig} When eccentric collector George Milligen died in 2004, his family kept one of his cars when the others were sold. Five years later, they have decided to sell George’s 1905 Gardner-Serpollet Type L […]
1999 Ferrari 355 F1 Spider
A 3.5-liter V8 with titanium rods, five-valve cylinder heads, and a 180-degree crankshaft gave 380 hp at 8,500 rpm In the 1970s, Ferrari changed the Berlinetta formula from two-passenger front-engine V12s to a mid-engine V8, with the introduction of the 308 GT. This basic formula evolved over the years as […]
1964 Volkswagen Type 2 Microbus Deluxe
VW won the hearts of collectors. The best first-generation Ford Econoline would be hard pressed to bring $10k, even with $5k in pennies in the back The Type 2, as its name suggests, was the second variant of the VW Beetle (Type 1), using the same running gear, and was […]