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For the second of my value-911 posts I will move on to the model that followed upon the success of the 911SC. There is little that separates the 3.2 Carrera aesthetically from its predecessor, so for those in love with the design of the G-Series 911 in general either model makes for an excellent option. As the model name implies, the fundamental distinguishing characteristic of these 911s is their 3.2 liter flat-six as an upgrade over the 3.0 liter engine of the SC. Both engines are fantastically reliable when maintained properly and though their overall character may show small differences these two models stand shoulder to shoulder on nearly every 911 enthusiast’s list of cars to own. With the 3.2 Carrera available from 1984-1989, I have purposely chosen an example from the years prior to 1987 as the change to the G50 5-speed transmission for that model year has garnered the later models quite a bit more attention and as such prices can rise dramatically relative to their earlier peers. The particular example we see here, a Guards Red 1985 Porsche 911 Carrera Targa located in California with 42K miles on it, will come at a premium due to its low mileage, but it seemed too nice to pass up and ultimately, even with the higher initial cost, it should stand an excellent chance of maintaining, or even gaining, in value over the course of its ownership.
“Hey, Saab is Swedish, not German.”
Yes, yes, we’ve heard this line many times before, but we here at GCFSB appreciate the machinery from our Nordic neighbors, especially when it comes to a vintage icon like the Saab 900 Turbo. The 900 Turbo was the car that put Saab square in the crosshairs of many a yuppie in the 1980s. For those who thought a Mercedes-Benz or BMW was just a bit too mainstream, the 900 Turbo was unique enough to satisfy the anorak of car enthusiasts. It was also one of the first mainstream production cars to feature a turbocharged engine, years before other manufacturers discovered this technology as a way to maximize economy without sacrificing performance.
This 900 Turbo for sale in Kentucky is a low mileage example that sat for a number of years before being rescued by Saab enthusiast.
The Mercedes-Benz R107 SL is one of those cars that will always capture my imagination. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve lusted after one of these roadsters. Some friends of mine never liked these SLs but others loved them. Whatever your thoughts might be, these cars certainly made their fair share of appearances in television and movies over the past several decades, amplifying their star power. They also had one of the longest production runs in Mercedes-Benz history, giving prospective buyers lots of choice when it comes to specific years and models. This 380SL for sale in Portland, Oregon represents the end of the 380SL run, right before the introduction of the 560SL, the final version we would see in the US market.
We have featured a decent number of M491-equipped 911s and as the air-cooled market has continued its upward trend we have seen more and more of them pop up for sale. The M491 option package was conceived as a way to provide 911 customers in the US market a performance option that resembled the 930, but retained the standard Carrera’s naturally-aspirated 3.2 liter flat-six. That option package, in appropriate fashion, was dubbed the “Turbo Look” package. It was first made available in 1984 during the 930’s six-year hiatus from the US market and continued to be available, though was selected in far fewer numbers, even once the Turbo returned in 1986. The package included the Turbo’s front and rear spoilers along with its wider rear, complete with 930 suspension, braking, and wheels. Even without the extra power of the Turbo the M491 package was popular among enthusiasts for its superior handling and braking and many of these 911s saw a good deal of track time. It is only in recent years that their collectability has been recognized, but due to their performance focus even fewer of these already rare examples remain in excellent condition. For any prospective 911 owner desiring the appearance, handling, and braking of the Turbo, but without the highly-strung and maintenance intensive turbocharged engine the Turbo-Look Carrera makes for an attractive option. The example we see here comes from the second year of the package’s availability: a Nugget Brown Metallic 1985 Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe, located in Los Angeles, with Champagne leather interior and 92,863 miles on it.
If you drew an imaginary line between the family trees of the C107 Mercedes-Benz SLC and the E31 BMW 8 Series, therein would lie the somewhat odd but quite interesting Bitter SC. Open the door, and it’s obvious that the Bitter was also the envy of the 1980s Maserati interiors which resulted in the perhaps even more ill-conceived TC by Maserati. But the level of luxury found in the Bitter speaks to a period when personal luxury coupes were all the rage, and most of them were equipped like the SC – full of wood trim, luxurious leather and electronic features, motivated just enough to pass the plebeian Golfs and Mercedes diesels that litter the Autobahn. Of course, in such a luxurious coupe you wouldn’t want to do anything as pedestrian as change your own gear – you’d have people who would do that for you, and Bitter was happy to oblige with it’s Opel (nee GM) derived drivetrain. History has treated these personal luxury coupes fairly poorly; the L6, the SLC and the Bitter SC all have languished in value while their higher-performance or topless cousins have accelerated away into the auction blocks. Perhaps that’s an unfitting tribute for what was a top-flight luxury coupe from the 1980s, one man’s attempt to match the mystique of legendary brands like Ferrari and Mercedes-Benz. It was a noble attempt, but as they say, it’s often lonely at the top:
