Enthusiasts Blogging Our Favorite Classifieds
I don’t write about a lot of newer cars because honestly, I think outside of a few models, they are all pretty boring and soft. Today’s car, a 2011 Mercedes-Benz E550 Coupe, isn’t exactly the most exciting car in the world and it certainly isn’t all that rare. It is rather fast though with 382 horsepower that will get it to 60 mph in the high four second range. But that isn’t why I wanted to check out one of these. It isn’t necessarily what this E550 Coupe is, but rather what it isn’t.
Let’s stick with the general theme of the last couple days and continue looking at variations of blue over red. Here we have another fairly interesting version of that combination and one that is quite unique to find on the 997. This is a Dark Blue Metallic 2012 Porsche 911 Targa 4S, located in California, with a full Carrera Red leather interior, PDK, and just 18,136 miles on it. Being a 997 this is the new Targa design (or is it now the old design? Perhaps old-new?) that debuted on the 993 Targa. It showcases a large sliding glass panel rather than the removable central top with integrated roll hoop of previous Targa models. I’ve stated before that it isn’t my preferred Targa design and as most are aware Porsche themselves seem to agree since the 991 has reverted to the original removable roof. I guess we’ll find out in the coming years whether Porsche reverts to the 993 design or sticks with the original. (Or removes the Targa from the lineup entirely.) New design or old, the Targa still provides the same increased openness, but without going to a full Cabriolet, and should have appeal to those that like a bit of sunshine and wind in their hair.
Back in March I took a look at two Audi A4s, comparing an early FronTrak example to a late loaded Avant. Though it looked to be in good shape, the running condition of the ’96 was in question. More problematic, it was a front driver, and hooked to the Tiptronic 5-speed automatic. As a result, despite the low entry price point, it was really hard to get excited about it.
Today’s A4 remedies many of the ailments afflicting that particular A4. It’s still in an Audi signature color combination from the 90s; in this case, Emerald Green Mica over Ecru leatherette. But the highlight here is the drivetrain, with the much more desirable 5-speed manual driving all four wheels through the combination of a Torsen center differential and an electronic rear differential “lock”. Best of all? It’s in great condition and the auction is no reserve!
I want to turn back the clock from yesterday’s very pretty Aetna Blue over Bordeaux Carrera 4S to see a somewhat similar early example of that color combination. Admittedly, the comparison here isn’t exact since the colors are not precisely the same, but I think we still get a sense of the way these colors work on a vintage Porsche and a sense of the inspiration for that modern example. Here we have a Meissen Blue 1959 Porsche 356A 1600 Reutter Coupe, located in Houston, with a Red leatherette interior. On this 356 the shade of blue is a little lighter and the shade of red is a little brighter. Nonetheless, we end up with an equally pretty Porsche and one that surely would be a prized part of any collection.
This is not a car I normally would post. The dealer hasn’t provided us much in the way of description and it’s PDK rather than a true manual, which isn’t typically what I seek out in these cars (though more on that below). However, this color combination is so striking that I simply cannot pull myself away from it. Here we have a situation where two very attractive colors have been combined to produce a result that I think makes each of those attractive colors even better. The exterior is paint-to-sample Aetna Blue, which first originated on the Porsche 356 and is itself a wonderfully elegant and vintage color. The interior is a Bordeaux over Black combination that seems to have just the right amount of each to make the interior look very refined. Bordeaux, itself, already is a fairly refined version of a red interior. When you put these colors together the whole certainly is greater than the sum of its parts. I really like it.
