Profiles
-
1970 Dodge Challenger R/T Hemi Coupe
1970 was the first year for the Dodge Challenger, Dodge’s response (along with the redesigned Plymouth Barracuda which was on a 2″ shorter wheelbase) to Ford’s Mustang and Cougar and GM’s Camaro and Firebird. Challenger’s body echoed the corporate family “Coke-bottle” shape, a lithe and purposeful look, distinctive from the competition. The chassis was a…
-
1978–83 Porsche 911SC
Coupe, Targa and Cabriolet While the automotive world suffered through the 1973-1977 era of dramatically tightened emission-control laws, Porsche was busy building, piece by piece, the better mousetrap that would become the 911SC. Starting with the dramatically simplified CIS fuel injection of the ’73½ 911T, the SC included the flared body of the 1974 Carrera,…
-
1959 MGA 1600 Coupe
The A was the car which put MG back on the map. It was pretty, it was contemporary, and it was fun. Top speed was 98 mph and 0 to 60 mph took 15.6 seconds, but raw performance figures are not the reason the MGA became the world’s most popular sports car. The A was…
-
1974 Maserati Merak
The Maserati Merak, announced at the Paris Salon of 1972, was a little brother to the mid-engined V8 Bora. It used the same Ital Design steel body, but with a smaller V6, 3-liter engine—as found in the Citroën SM coupe—that liberated space for two child-sized rear seats. The all-alloy powerplant, equipped with triple Weber carburetors,…
-
1976 Ferrari 365 GT4 BB “Boxer”
When the Lamborghini Miura appeared, high-performance coupes with engines in front of the driver began to look quite old fashioned to some observers. Stung by outspoken criticism of their front-engined Daytona models, Ferrari unveiled at the 1971 Turin Motor Show the aggressive 365 BB flat-twelve, mid-engined Boxer Berlinetta. At this point it was still a…
-
1969 Plymouth Road Runner Convertible
Woodward Avenue, Detroit, Michigan, 1968—The Pontiac GTO and the Ford Mustang were about to receive a wake-up call. Adorned with the familiar cartoon decal, Plymouth’s new release took to the streets, ready to explain its creative moniker and unseen capabilities. Plymouth took the outright awesome power of the very expensive GTX, threw in some clever…
-
1965 Mustang Convertible
Wilson Pickett caught the mood of the nation when, in his blues song, Mustang Sally, he sang “I bought you a brand new Mustang ’bout nineteen sixty-five.” Sally’s was only one of the 680,000 Mustangs that were sold in 1964-65 as the car that Lee Iococca and his committee of eight designed wildly exceeded sales…
-
1956 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta “TdF”
This Ferrari is one of the diminishing number of highly original, and in many respects “unspoiled” historic cars. As such cars become increasingly rare, that very fact can surely only enhance their value. 0507, still with its original engine, and having been the last thirty-two years in a Dutch museum, is one of the most…
-
1961 Abarth Simca 1300 S1
Most people associate Abarth with Fiat, but a very successful liaison was also formed with Simca. The French company was partly owned by Fiat, and when they wanted to appeal to a younger market with a more sporting image, they turned to the Italian giant for help. Fiat in turn went to Abarth, who received…
-
1968 Aston Martin DB6 Volante
Launched in 1965, the DB6 replaced the DB5 and for the first time the title “Volante” was introduced to denote the convertible model of the Aston Martin motor cars, a tradition continuing to this day. Though recognizably related to its Touring-styled DB4 ancestor, the wheelbase was now longer than before, resulting in an extensive re-style…