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If the M6 I just wrote up was full of non-original details, it’s hard to find anything that came from the factory on this Audi Coupe GT. Much of that I can appreciate, as I myself have fully modified a Coupe GT from stock form. It’s a chassis often overlooked because of the layout; on paper, just like a 911 the Coupe GT shouldn’t work. It’s front drive with an open differential and a very forward weight bias; unlike nearly all the Volkswagens, the engine in the GT in longitudinally laid out. That’s because it effectively was a front drive Quattro platform; many of the details of the front drive GTs are shared with their Quattro cousins. The configuration leaves a giant inline-5 cylinder motor hanging fully in front of the axle line, and the motor which promised the power of a 6 with the economy of a 4 was really the opposite. Yet, as with the 911, something magical was born from this recipe; not only did enthusiasts love the GT, but indeed even automotive experts said the 2-door Audi was more than the sum of its parts. GTs dance through corners with a poise that isn’t shared with the Volkswagen GTis, for example. They’re stunningly composed over long trips too, both spacious and at home cruising on the highway. And, importantly, they looked different than just any 2-door sedan; the angular delight of the Giugiaro design translated well into the narrow body. But just like the GTi and the E30, the platform had room for improvement; stiffen up the suspension and add power and it punches well above its weight class:
You know what the problem with modifying a car from stock is? More than anything, it’s that you’re modifying the car to your taste, and tastes vary just like ice cream flavors. If you’re intending on keeping said car forever, perhaps that’s not a problem – turning a road car into a track car, for example. It’s also not a problem if you’re ridiculously rich and just don’t care who’s downstream of your tastes; the Koenig 560SEC comes to mind. But if your hope is long term collectability, altering the car can have disastrous effects and and seriously change both the desirability of the car and the value in the market. Yesterday’s E28 M5 is a great example; a seller posturing the car as a collector status car when it had many unoriginal details that turned it really from a collector into a good driver candidate. But, at least many of those details were easily reversible – how about today’s similar E24 M6?
The Cassis Red over Burgundy 1987 Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe we featured in late June has come around for another reserve auction so we’ll see if this very attractive color scheme can find itself a new owner. The previous auction received quite a bit of attention, but bidding ended short of the reserve at $36,402. With this auction currently sitting at $32,099 we may be in store for another missed sale.
The below post originally appeared on our site June 29, 2015:
The current 911 Turbo is a pretty luxurious car. Fast as just about anything, but still quite luxurious and refined. The same goes for pretty much any 911 and most modern cars in general now come with a standard of luxury that far outstrips their classic counterparts. In that regard, it is unsurprising that many classic performance cars are so prized today. They aren’t prized so much for their performance since nearly any modern machine easily will outperform them, but rather for their feel and connectedness between driver and machine. In many ways it’s a nostalgic longing for simplicity, but there is a fair bit of truth to the disconnection created by the technological sophistication found in any modern car. Nostalgia can make a classic car VERY expensive. For our perusal here is just such a car: a 1975 Porsche 930. MY 1975 marked the debut of the turbocharged 911 and even though they stood as the top-of-the-line 911 of their day, relative to today’s machines they remain an austere and simple performance machine. Only 260 hp, but also only around 2600 lbs to move around. For those looking for the purest and most original expression of the iconic 911 Turbo these are the place to start.
Many credit the W201 190 range to be the first of the smaller, attainable cars from Mercedes-Benz, adopting the nickname “Baby Benz” shortly after its introduction. Look back towards the beginnings of the company pre World War II, you’ll find another kind of “baby” Benz, the W15 170. The worldwide economic downturn of the 1920s drove Mercedes to create a new model for lesser classes, and in 1931, they debuted this six-cylinder sedan to much acclaim. With 32 horsepower, you aren’t going to get anywhere quickly, but it did approach a 60 mph top speed which was decent for the time. This example is for sale in North Carolina and was sourced from an overseas collection.
