The LT45 is Volkswagen’s Sprinter-like, light-duty van/truck that was sadly never officially sold here. Like the seller says, however, it serves as a great “Goldilocks” between the Syncro T3s and Unimogs we love to feature here – not too big, not too small, but just right and with all of the capability. Featuring two locking diffs, diesel power, seating for 6 AND a multi-use truck bed; sounds ready for whatever kind of adventuring you can throw at it. Exterior framing and a snorkel look tough but mean heading into the jungle is possible too. The canvas-covered truck bed means its only achilles heel may be winter camping, but I do love that it looks like there’s some suspended-bed contraption back there currently. A little easier to park than a Mog and certainly more space than a T3 van or DoKa, this Goldilocks means business.
Month: March 2015
Anyone who reads GCFSB knows that your managing editor isn’t too keen on SUVs. After being driven around in a Range Rover Sport yesterday morning, I was impressed. Not impressed as something to drive but rather to be driven in. Occasionally, an SUV will come along that forces me to take a second look, like the Porsche Macan. Based on the Audi Q5, this is Porsche’s smallest SUV. The top model is the one you see here, the Macan Turbo, with a 3.6 liter, turbocharged V6 pumping out 395 horsepower. Mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic, this SUV can launch to 60 mph in well under 5 seconds. One curious side note about the Macan is that it is the first Porsche to be offered with a four cylinder engine since the 968, as a base Macan has been released for the UK and Japanese markets with a 2.0 liter turbocharged inline-4.
Beyond the performance, the looks are rather handsome. The rear three-quarter view is especially attractive to me, with tail lights that could almost be described as an update of those which adorned the 928S4, GT and GTS. For me, this is a much more attractive looking machine than the oft-maligned four-door in the lineup, the Panamera.
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2015 Porsche Macan Turbo on eBay
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I remarked in an earlier post on the 993TT that the 930, especially the early 3.0 liter examples, remains my favorite of the 911 Turbos. As pretty as the 993 design might be, there is a way in which that beauty goes against the audacity of the 911 Turbo itself. It lacks some of the aggression of the original and for that the original will always remain my favorite. To be fair, there is likely a large degree of nostalgia at work here as the 930 was the Turbo of my childhood and as such will always have a stronger hold on my psyche than other models. So when I came across this one, a Meteor Metallic 1986 Porsche 930 Coupe, located in New Jersey, I figured I had to feature it. 1986 was the first year the 930 returned to the US market and for that we can all be thankful. This particular example shows very reasonable mileage at 50,489 and has a fantastic Burgundy leather interior.
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1986 Porsche 930 Coupe on eBay
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One of our readers not so subtly pointed out to me that I mention a certain box-flared car from a certain manufacturer perhaps a bit too often when reviewing Audis, and perhaps he’s right. Isn’t the Quattro enough of a legend to stand on it’s own? The answer is that until quite recently, no – it wasn’t. In part that’s due to the experience of the diluted American market version and Audi’s near denial that it built any cars before the A4. 160 horsepower with the best part of 3,000 pounds to haul around isn’t even enough for most Subarus these days, so it should be no surprise that the Quattro’s performance suffered in U.S. spec. What also suffered was buyer’s pockets; at $40,000 in the early 1980s, this car was the equivalent of nearly $100,000 today. Though the driving dynamics were more than the sum of their parts, ultimately Quattro was dropped after a short run in the U.S. market with 664 sold. Despite the relative sales flop in the U.S., the Quattro had a greater impact in Europe, where its fresher and lighter face was paired with 40 more horsepower and steadily improving performance and technology coupled with its major rally successes. Indeed, the last of the RR Quattros continued on alongside the replacement S2 until the end of 1991. It was so stellar, there was a whole segment of forced induction, flared WRC candidates that copied its blueprint. Remember the Celica All-Trac Turbo? Sierra Cosworth? How about the 323GTX? Golf Rallye? Lancia Delta Integrale? Subaru Impreza 22B? All of them are legendary cars born from the Quattro. As there is more appreciation for Audi’s 80s halo car in Europe, we’ve seen a steady stream of nice examples head back to the homeland from U.S. shores. Perhaps it’s time to turn the tide?
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1986 Audi Quattro on eBay
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I can’t shake dreams of the E38 as a great way to get mega luxury and sportiness for bargain prices. Today’s final-year example comes with the Sport package, forgoing the best suspension tweaks bringing the outstanding visuals of Shadowline trim and M-Parallel wheels. Your 6-foot-plus friends will appreciate the rear legroom while you can enjoy crisp handling, smooth V8 power, and a sumptuous leather interior with decent, pre-iDrive technology. Especially handsome in this Steel Blue metallic and practically new with less than 60k miles, you can get that CEO look for mailboy money here.