Profiles
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1988 Porsche 959
Before the Ferrari F40, before the McLaren F1, almost before the term “supercar” was invented, there was the Porsche 959, an expression of extensive development, technical competence, and competitiveness that brought a new excitement to road-going automotive pursuits. The Porsche 959 odyssey started in 1983 and involved many pioneering techniques, most notably molded composite bodywork.…
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1999 Hummer H1 Wagon
Inside a 1990s-vintage Hummer, fit and finish and quality of materials rival only those vehicles built under Eastern European Communist regimes; think gargantuan all-wheel-drive Trabant {vsig}2004-9_1210{/vsig} Not just another 4×4, the Hummer is an all-terrain vehicle in a class of its own, as capable off the road as it is imposing on it. The Hummer…
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2000 F1/2000 Race Car
Of course, there is no experience like driving an F1 car: The sound, the incredible horsepower, the ridiculous braking ability, and the sheer competence of the chassis combine into sensory overload of the best sort {vsig}2004-9_1211{/vsig} When Jody Scheckter won the Formula 1 drivers’ championship in 1979, few enthusiasts, and even fewer among the management…
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1968-1975 BMW 2800/3.0 CS
Even when compared to cars of today, 3.0 CS coupes are capable enough in both performance and handling, and drive like a BMW should, with good steering feel and solid roadhandling In 1968, $8,178 would buy you a finely engineered German luxury coupe, the new six-cylinder BMW 2800 CS. Or, you could save yourself $300…
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1998 McLaren F1
The McLaren F1 is a wreck just waiting to happen – while names can’t be named, over a dozen cars were crashed by their over-exuberant owners soon after delivery {vsig}2004-8_1213{/vsig} The idea of creating the ultimate and most exciting road car was conceived as early as 1988. Following a meeting of minds led by designer…
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1967 Maserati Ghibli 4.7 Coupe
Why, with all its aesthetic beauty, adequate performance, and driveability, does the Ghibli continue to sell for just a quarter the price of a Ferrari Daytona? {vsig}2004-8_1214{/vsig} Giorgio Giugiaro penned the striking lines for Maserati’s Ghibli, which debuted at the Turin Auto Show in 1966. Sporting a quad-cam V8 making 335 hp, the car was…
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1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 Alloy Berlinetta
The 308 was what customers told Ferrari they wanted, the Daytona was what Ferrari thought the customers wanted, but the 275 Berlinettas were what he, the man, wanted {vsig}2004-8_1215{/vsig} The 275 GTB has stood the test of time as well as any design in Ferrari history. In any of its many variations, its combination of…
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1968 Mercedes-Benz 300SE Cabriolet
The 300SE has always been a cult car, and it’s a great choice for a true open four-seater for classic events {vsig}2004-8_1216{/vsig} The Mercedes-Benz’s S-class cabriolet of the late-1960s wore the same timelessly elegant coachwork that debuted in 1959 on the 220SE, and as befitted a top-of-the-range luxury model, came equipped with automatic transmission, air…
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1949 Cadillac Series 62 Coupe de Ville
The new V8 was a landmark achievement, as it was quieter, more powerful and lighter than even the new Oldsmobile engine that was introduced at the same time It is abundantly clear that The Motor found much to commend in the Series 62 Cadillac when testing Briggs Cunningham’s personal car early in 1950: “The Cadillac…
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1957 Kurtis-Offenhauser KK 500 G2 Indy Roadster
Front-engined Indy cars are the equivalent of those big, muscular farm boys from the ’50s with butch cuts, trucker’s tans, and aggressive smiles that sort of dare you to take them on {vsig}2004-8_1218{/vsig} After World War II, Frank Kurtis saw an opportunity and began to mass-produce midget racing cars of his own efficient and beautiful…