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1982 Mercedes-Benz 280SE – REVISIT

1982 Mercedes-Benz 280SE – REVISIT

Published April 20, 2016 by Carter

At the risk of appearing like we’re recycling a bit too much material lately, I’d really like to take a look at this superb and interestingly equipped W126 from last fall again. A relatively low spec European model never offered here, this 280SE features the M110 inline-6 instead of the normal V8s the American market experienced, but the smart Euro look, low miles and great color combination really caught my eye. It’s not the fastest S-Class you can buy, but it’ll still leave you feeling pretty rich. Last time around this car hammered at a seemingly unfathomably cheap $2,950, but for whatever reason it’s back up for sale from the same owner having covered only a few more miles since the fall. The reserve is still on the auction, but this should still remain a very affordable bit of classy classic Mercedes to pick up!

The below post originally appeared on our site September 7, 2015:

As with the W140 model I covered the other day, the W126 eagerly accepted by the automotive world as the new benchmark in design in the late 1970s. Mercedes-Benz pioneered new safety, aerodynamics and luxury through typical Mercedes-Benz over engineering. Replacing the outgoing W116, the W126 was thoroughly modern inside and out but at least initially carried the same motivation. Under the hood of the short wheel base 280SE was the inline-6 M110 motor, but there were small and large displacement V8 models too. Paul looked at a excellent condition W116 280SE recently, but a high asking price called into question the value of that particular example. Will this grey market import 280SE sing the same song?

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1982 Mercedes-Benz 280SE on eBay

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U.S. v. Euro Double Take: 1977 and 1978 Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9s

U.S. v. Euro Double Take: 1977 and 1978 Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9s

Published April 19, 2016 by Carter

Tuner Tuesday posts usually focus on cars that have been turned up a few notches by aftermarket companies, but for some time Mercedes-Benz did all the magic internally. Indeed, if you go back to the 1920s and 1930s, Mercedes-Benz had a habit of taking the largest motor they could reliably produce and sticking it in their luxury cars. Such was where the legend of the 500 and 540K specials came from, but while the War postponed many further developments Mercedes-Benz were back at it in the W109 300SEL 6.3. Apparently not satisfied by that factory hot rod, engineers conceived its replacement with an even larger 6.9 liter V8 – mind you, in the midst of an international fuel crisis. Churning out 286 horsepower from the now legendary M100 V8, the 450SEL 6.9 was effectively a land-bound aircraft carrier and about as powerful. Long ignored by the market, the 6.9s have heated up over the past few years as large classic Mercedes-Benz models have become increasingly sought after and the rare 450SEL with the big motor is a solid draw. Today I have two examples to consider – a desirable European version and a less powerful and not quite as attractive American-spec car. Which is the one to choose?

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1977 Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9 on eBay

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One-Off: 1987 Porsche 959 Cabriolet

One-Off: 1987 Porsche 959 Cabriolet

Published April 19, 2016 by Paul

For fear of having three Porsche features in a row today, I’m going to go ahead with this post regardless. I typically avoid featuring air-cooled Porsches. The market seems saturated with them and values appear to be leveling off for run of the mill variants. In addition, as enthusiasts discover other Porsches that are more rare, such as the 944 Turbo, 968 and 928GTS, values increase for these cars and sometimes surpass their rear-engined counterparts. Those points considered, even though it isn’t fully air-cooled, you don’t see a 959 come up for sale every day. You especially don’t see the only example of a Porsche 959 Cabriolet come up for sale every day. When I first saw this car, it was like seeing a mirage. The transformation from coupe to convertible suits the lines of this 959 fairly well but I admit I did a double take upon seeing it. I knew this wasn’t an officially sanctioned Porsche. Perhaps growing up in the 1980s and seeing 959 bodykits on convertible Porsches reduced the wow factor a bit for me. Blame it on the crystal that aftermarket tuners were smoking back in that decade.

In any case, this one-off for sale in Italy came to be via an unfortunate accident back in 1998, when owner and Porsche racing driver Jürgen Lässig owned it. According to Top Gear, a company called Auto Becker in Germany purchased the wreck and went to work. What resulted is the work you see before you and comes replete with two windscreens (a Speedster version comes with the car which can be swapped in) as well as a hardtop made from the original roof. A US based collector once paid over three million Deutschmarks for this car after setting eyes on it at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Now it is up for sale again at an equally eye-watering price.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1987 Porsche 959 Cabriolet on Classic Trader

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1987 Porsche 911 Carrera Targa

1987 Porsche 911 Carrera Targa

Published April 19, 2016 by Rob

An ’87 Carrera always provides us with a nice case study for glimpsing into the 3.2 Carrera market. As the first year Porsche fitted the 911 with the new G50 5-speed transmission it is with this model year that we most noticeably see shifts in value relative to the preceding year. The ’88s and ’89s then tend to show incremental increases over the ’87 given the few differences between the three model years. Of course, whether you are a collector or just someone on the lookout for a good driver will then play a significant role in which side of that value spectrum you might wish to fall. These days, with values having taken a small step back for all but the absolute best examples the market sits in a fairly good place for those who do prefer the G50 transmission over the 915 and the ’87s can restake their claim as the best overall value on the air-cooled 911 line. Here we have another nice looking Targa that should make for a good driver-quality value: a Guards Red 1987 Porsche 911 Carrera Targa, located in California, with Black leather interior and 103,200 miles on it.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1987 Porsche 911 Carrera Targa on eBay

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Tuner Tuesday “What Not To Wear” Porsche Faceoff – 1977 911 Turbo Cabriolet v. 1994 Strosek 911 Turbo S Widebody Speedster

Tuner Tuesday “What Not To Wear” Porsche Faceoff – 1977 911 Turbo Cabriolet v. 1994 Strosek 911 Turbo S Widebody Speedster

Published April 19, 2016 by Carter

Here’s something a little different for Tuner Tuesday! Last July and September respectively I wrote up two terribly expensive and terribly tuned 911 convertibles. The first was a Strosek 911 Turbo S Speedster back in July, and the second was a 1977 911 Targa that was converted into a 993-bodied turbo cabriolet that was simply marvelous if you believed the interior. In a not particularly surprising development, both are back up for sale having had no takers the first time around. The question I pose to our readers is which is a better (or worse?) deal? I’ve put my original posts below starting with the 1977 and I wasn’t particularly complimentary to either, but let me know in the comments which is really “what not to wear”?

The below post originally appeared on our site September 1, 2015:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1977 Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet…ish on eBay

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