Thanos told us that “reality is often disappointing,” and among the BMW community the American E36 M3 is seen as a disappointment compared to its international alteration. However, the reality of the American E36 M3 is that within its own right, it is a sublime chassis paired to a sinuously smooth straight-six motor hidden beneath…
Those in the Porsche-know, already appreciate that the late first generation 911s (the G-Series) are prime purchases. For those uninitiated, though, here is the short and sweet. The G-Series fulfills the final years of the 1980s and offers more power, added refinement, pure analog performance, and a vintage aesthetic all in one. Particularly desirable are…
With the closure of the eighties, Enzo Ferrari had already signed his name and approved a replacement project for their entry-level 328. The 348, was a continuation of a mid-engine, V8 sports car lineage that dates back to 1973. The chassis was revised, the suspension revisited, the engine overhauled in displacement and technology, and the…
If you are enamored with the outdoors and cannot keep away from the campgrounds, then you already know that the best way to see them all is in a conversion van. While many nascent ‘vanners’ have decided to perform uncouth conversions on ill-suited vehicles, most stick to the practical reality of purchasing one that has…
There may not be any car ever made which is more iconic and well-known than Volkswagen’s Beetle. With well over twenty-one million made, they can be found crawling out of every corner of the earth. Part of their charm is undoubtedly their rugged, simplistic mechanical underpinnings, and the other is their gradual evolutionary design. Coming…
Some decades after their depressing departure from the US market, the figureheads at Alfa Romeo finally decided to once again indulge us Americans with their beautiful Italian sports cars. In 2014, the diminutive and rakish 4C was introduced to our shores amidst great revelry. The 4C was lithe (<2,500 lbs), low (roofline beneath the Lotus…
Hailing from Ferrari’s second year of 308 GT4 productions, this example coming to auction has quite a fascinating story behind it – but more on that later. The 308 GT4 itself uniquely stands among other Ferrari’s as the first to venture into the application of a V8 mounted mid-engine and its radical styling coming from…
Indoctrinated early amongst the highest echelons of the world’s aristocracy, Mercedes’ 600, by the discontinuation of its production in 1981, was renown for its distinguished service to business magnates, influential superstars, and ruthless dictators. What would become the final successor to Mercedes line of ultra-luxury sedans, the 600 is the spiritual predecessor to the modern…
Accompanying a brief period of change in not only exterior styling but who created it, Ferrari’s 308 GT4 arrived in 1973 with a host of unseen developments for the company. Chiefly, the 308 GT4’s radical new wedged-box styling was drawn up by Marcello Gandini during his tenure at Bertone. A brief jilt to Pininfarina who…
In just a few days we will be auctioning a fine example from the first generation of 911s. Purchased new in 1969 off of a California dealership lot, this three owner Targa has all of the trappings anyone eager to get into an air-cooled 911 would desire. Plus, the open-top Targa happily bridges the gap…
During the closing years of the 1980s, Porsche had been preparing a changing of the guard for their famous 911 line up. The introduction of the new 964 model heralded many advancements that drastically updated the 911 for the upcoming nineties. When finally launched in 1989, the 964 was sleeker, more powerful, and better equipped…
As a brilliant performing street-car and race car, Aston Martin’s Vantage is viewed by enthusiasts as a soon-to-be classic. For 2009, Aston Martin told us that the Vantage was coming to the United States and – most importantly – would be receiving the powerplant from their range-topping sporty grand tourer, the DBS. The V12 Vantage…
The defining characteristics of the M3 are its daily practicality and sports car like performance. When the fourth generation first arrived on the show floor of Geneva in 2007 on a larger platform, and with a new virulent V8, it was another obvious success from BMW. The E92, like its predecessors, looked the part of…
We all know that the baby Bentley, the Continental GT, is no slouch. Luxurious and with a sleeper-like performance the Continental GT has continually proved itself competent at juggling many tasks. In 2014, the Continental GT underwent a second generation mid-cycle refresh. As of now, we will have an example of the Continental GT’s wicked…
On the cusp of the nineties, Mercedes introduced the newest heir to their SL sports car ancestry – the R129. Brimming with enhanced performance, safety, and style the brand-new SL was a worthy successor to the lineage, but in 1995, it was time for a refreshment. The bodywork was smoothed over, the interior updated, and…
The United States was left out of the opportunity to purchase the first generation GT3 that debuted in 1999, but in 2004 we received our invitation to the party only to find out it had really started to kick off. Although there would eventually be a GT3 RS, the GT3 itself was the torchbearer to…
It is not atypical for a new Ferrari production model to be a world-record setter in several categories of performance. The company’s prestigious name has been erected upon a foundation of achieving pinnacle vehicle development with the liberal use of only the best materials and innovative technology available. However, when the Ferrari FF premiered to…
Two years before the replacement of the original 911 platform, Porsche introduced a select amount of changes to finish off its current iteration of 911 called the Carrera. The swan-song Carrera itself launched in 1984 and was more powerful, smoother, and better equipped for performance driving than almost all 911s before. 217 horsepower, larger brakes,…
The second generation of BMW 5-series was the era in which it firmly established itself as an executive car with class and cutting-edge technological performance. Ultimately over 700,000 would be sold during its seven-year period in the 1980s – double the sales of the first generation. BMW utilized computer design software to improve not only…
During the 1960s, Ford was out for blood on the racing circuits. Their Total Performance campaign sought to secure racing victories in almost any motorsport venue available. As these things happen, word came around to Lotus, and a partnership flourished. The idea was that Ford would supply the Cortina body and engine then Lotus would…
In the automotive days of yore, exclusive, high-end automobiles typically came together in sections. A company delivered a chassis with a motor and then those sections were taken to a particular coachbuilder where the body was designed and installed to the client’s preference. So while a Rolls Royce would drive and operate in generally the…
Alpina and BMW have an illustrious manufacturing history together. What began in the 1960s with modifications to better racing BMWs later transformed itself into fitting road-going BMWs with higher-performance and more luxurious accommodations. Alpina’s success at both missions has worked to interweave their name into BMW’s history and firmly established themselves as one of the…
Stuttgart, 1964, the first Porsche 911s begin rolling off the assembly line and on to dealerships; unbeknownst at the time was how influential they were to become. Fast-forward to 1984, some twenty-one years after that launch and the original 911, to some degrees, was still in production and available for purchase new. Known as the…
Before M and before BMW Individual if you wanted a performance bespoke Bimmer, you bought an Alpina. Nestled inside of the standard BMW E21 model’s engine compartment was a 2.0 to 2.3-liter straight six for the higher end models. But when Alpina took those E21 for their work over, they felt like this…
