Enthusiasts Blogging Our Favorite Classifieds
Even when you consider their historical involvement in motorsports, there are some Mercedes-Benz vehicles which, on the surface, seem ill-suited to racing. Such is the case with this rally prepared 1967 230 for sale in California. The Mercedes tradition in my family began with a 1962 190C, so I have a soft spot for these W110s. The late 1960s would spell the end for the Heckflosse, or Fintail, but today, they are one of the most accessible Mercedes-Benz classics to be had.
I hear the same line all the time from enthusiasts; “Volkswagen/Audi, bring (enter European specification model) to the U.S. – we’ll buy it!” Well, the truth is that there are many reasons why the company doesn’t bring your long-sought after model to these shores. First, they’re not stupid, in general. They’ve done their homework and though there are inevitably many people who claim they’d rush down to their dealer to buy the car, the number of people who would actually show up with cash is quite a different story. Mostly, it seems those enthusiasts saying they so eagerly await a model really would wait until it had floated down the used-market stream a bit. Then, there are the costs associated with bringing a new model into the market; the safety tests, campaigns to launch a new model, stocking and educating dealers, parts, and training mechanics to repair them. And, when that isn’t enough, there will inevitably be some small problem and they need to recall them all. Look, I’m not saying car companies aren’t making money – but it’s money that they’re in it for, not the love of making cars (sorry, Porsche – but it’s true). On top of that, the companies – believe it or else – have sales data. And that sales data reflects period when they did import the cars that supposedly enthusiasts wanted. And while some enthusiasts did buy them, more “non-enthusiasts” bought their other models more. A great example of this is the disappearance of the wagons from North America, but more poignant to this post is the relative lack of diesels. Considering all of the major German manufacturers (even, begrudgingly, those purists at Porsche who only love to make cars, not money) offer highly efficient diesels in their model ranges, it’s a bit strange that they haven’t offered them until quite recently over here, right? Well, again, history tells us that they did in fact offer diesels in the 1980s – but loud, noisy and slow, few people bought them. They do still survive though, so it’s always nice to see one pop up like this 1985 Golf. Modified to look like a GTi, it’s a spiritual nod to the upcoming and long anticipated Golf GTD TDi that, if I’m to believe my Facebook feed, every single Volkswagen enthusiasts is going to run out and buy (right after they also run out and buy the maybe-coming Golf TDi 4Motion Sportwagon, that is):
Estate cars like the BMW 540i Touring we featured yesterday take a decidedly utilitarian theme and add a performance boost to appeal to those who like the path less traveled. For those who want pure utility but with a bit of luxury thrown in, there’s nothing better than a classic Mercedes-Benz estate. The W124 E-class perhaps epitomizes the breed, bringing the original W123 theme a decade forward in technology while still retaining the durability and restrained styling that buyers had come to love. Unlike many new cars, these cars can go on and on for decades, given proper maintenance. They truly are vehicles for a lifetime. Closing in on 136,000 miles, this 1995 E320 Estate for sale in Philadelphia is just getting into its stride.
I am going to turn my attention now to a personal favorite: the 997 GT3 RS. These are the models that followed in the footsteps of the hallowed Carrera RS and they’ve continued a tradition since the 964 of keeping the RS moniker alive with each new 911 model. It also appears that the 997 will be the last GT3 RS to come equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission rather than PDK. There were a few different variants produced for the 997 with ever-increasing displacements that culminated with the 500 hp 4.0 liter flat-six of the RS 4.0. The examples we will look at come from the first generation, featuring a 415 hp 3.6 liter flat-six delivering power to the rear wheels through a 6-speed manual transmission. The GT3 RS has become the ultimate expression of track-focused aggression within the 911 portfolio and as such they can be equipped with a wide-variety of performance options from the Porsche parts bin, including a roll cage where a standard 911 would have its rear seats. Neither of the two we’re going to look at here has been pushed to that end of the spectrum, but even in standard form any RS is an extremely capable machine that will run with most of the best cars produced today. The focus here is Orange, but rather than go with the full-orange GT3 RS we are going to look at two different versions making use of Orange as the accent color for the wheels and other trim. Track cars, whether they are used as such or not, by their nature are meant to stand out and show wonderfully in bright accent colors. We will start with this Black over Orange example, located in South Carolina, with just under 10K miles on the clock:
As a fan of older Audis and Volkswagens, I’m envious of the BMW market – but not for the reason that probably many BMW enthusiasts believe other people are envious of them. I’m envious simply because, like with the Porsche 911 market, any day of the week you can select the model you like – right through the 1970s – and you’ll have multiple excellent or very good examples to choose from. That’s something that simply doesn’t occur in the VAG market; indeed, even finding really excellent examples of 10-15 year old Audis is now a feat. But if you’re a fan of the M3, you can be assured that you won’t have to wait long for a really great example to pop up. Recent posts about the E36 have brought up that the North American model wasn’t really up to M snuff in many ways, and to solve that problem BMW upped the ante with the E46 M3; a snarling, 330 horsepower naturally aspirated inline-6 in its ultimate S54 form lay under the hood and, while track addicts rejoiced in the quick-shifting SMG transmission, today most people in the market are looking for the 6-speed manual that offers a closer connection to the driving experience and arguably lower repair bills. And while, as a New England resident, I’m on the hunt for a coupe, were I in a warmer climate I can certainly see the appeal of a convertible:
