Enthusiasts Blogging Our Favorite Classifieds
No matter how much I read about Porsche 911s, there’s always some little historical tidbits that I come across of which I wasn’t aware. Case in point this 1968 Targa with an optional 100 liter fuel tank. It seems the option lists from the folks in Stuttgart know no bounds, as this one has a few other interesting features, such as the Webasto heater and Recaro sport seats.
Small car and big engine: the classic formula to putting a huge grin on the motorists face. BMW nailed this formula when they decided to unleash the boffins at BMW M GmbH on the Z3 roadster back in 1998. The M Roadster as it came to be known gave this small convertible a real masculine tone, offering a big horsepower jump and upgraded suspension and brakes to match. If there ever was a car born to do donuts, it is this pint-sized, rear-drive machine.
Back when I had my Mk3 GTI 2.0, I longed for the day I could afford a VR6. Even though the added horsepower coupled with front-wheel drive generally goes against my motoring tendencies, I think it is safe to say this narrow angle V6 was one of the best powerplants of the last couple decades, ranking up there with BMW’s inline-6 and Audi’s 4.2 liter V8. The VR6 ended up in a lot of different VAG products and still does duty in some models in various forms to this day. One of the lesser seen VR6 engined VWs you see these days is the Mk3 Jetta GLX VR6. Offering similar thrills to the GTI but with added practicality, this was a formidable competitor in its class. Like the Mk3 Golfs and GTIs, it’s near impossible to find good examples of the Mk3 Jetta, no matter what engine it’s packing. This GLX VR6 for sale in Philadelphia is a little rough around the edges but has the all-important 5-speed manual gearbox and is generally nicer than any others I’ve seen on the market as of late.
This 500E for sale in New York looks particularly handsome in black over black leather with the Euro market headlamps, just itching to be let loose to eat up some serious highway miles at a rapid pace.
Plenty has been said on this page and others about the now legendary status of the original Quattro, so if you’re looking for a history lesson it won’t be here. However, what the quattro does represent is great collector value in comparison to contemporary 911s and slightly later E30 M3s; a unique car with plenty of character that took the automotive world on a different path. Quattro values have been steadily increasing over the past several years, and while they are hard to find on these shores in good condition for sale they do come up from time to time. The last 1983 Quattro we featured had lost some of its originality in favor of driveability; today’s car retains some of that originality and shows well in Tornado Red: