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The Mk.3 Volkswagen offered an amazing assortment of special models. I’ve previously covered the Golf Ryder, the Harlequin, the Trek, and the 20th Anniversary GTI. I owned a Golf K2, and there was also the Wolfsburg Edition and the Driver’s Edition GTi here, among a few others. But that was just the tip of the iceberg compared to what was offered abroad. There were nearly 30 different specials offered there, and today’s example was one that was built to celebrate the European tours of various rock band – in this case, Bon Jovi. A strange pairing? Yep. What you got was similar to the 4-cylinder US GTi: dual-chamber headlights, tinted tail lights, sport seats, and Orlando 14″ alloy wheels as well as a few neat interior trim items. That doesn’t sound too special, but today’s car also has just 10,500 miles. Wow!
VW’s radical redesign on the B3 resulted in a unique, angular look at still stands apart from the crowd today. And because the internals were based on VW’s A2 chassis like the Corrado, when the 2.8 VR6 debuted in the sporty coupe for ’92 it was only a matter of time until its four-door friend got it too. That happened in ’93 with the release of the GLX VR6. Slow sales resulted in Volkswagen’s refresh of the B4 Passat into the more traditional looking B4 for 1995; which saw new BBS wheels and body styling but the same dynamic performance. Today this clean and period-correct Emerald Green Pearl Metallic ’95 also reminds us of a time when most of the top-tier sedan offerings in the US could be ordered as a five-door wagon:
There is certainly something about the early pre-merger Mercedes-Benz AMG cars, even if they were converted after the final assembly and they left the factory. Today’s car, a very rare 1993 600SEL, was done by AMG Japan with an increase in displacement to 7.0 liters, some special bodywork, 18″ O.Z. wheels, and the signature wood trim as many places they could find. Even better, this car was optioned with the individual reclining rear seats that of course are heated too. How much? Well, they aren’t getting any cheaper.
Of all the cars to spend the extra money on for a BMW Individual color, this was not one I would have guessed. This is a 1999 BMW 316i, better know as the ti to us Americans. It was the compact hatchback body of the E36 and generally known as the “cheap” version. For the rest of the world, not so much, as little hatchback versions of luxury brands are the norm and not looked down on in any way. They just exist. That probably explains how this car ended up finished in the very cool Fiji Green and how it seems so inexpensive today. Too bad this one needs another two years before it is welcomed to the US because it has some great equipment on it.
When it comes to iconic Audis, few surpass this car – the fire-breathing, mountain-jumping, growling and popping full-throttle launching Quattro S1 E2 that saw out the conclusion of Group B. The irony is that this car was ultimately not very successful, though. It was, in fact, the long-wheelbase original, A1, and A2 variants that were very successful – winning the 1982 and 1984 manufacturer’s titles along with the 1983 and 1984 Driver’s title. The bulk of the Quattro’s 23 WRC victories were achieved in the older variants of the car; 1985 saw just one win for Audi at Rallye Sanremo, and there were no wins in 1986. Still, these cars have proven to be the most recognizable variants of the chassis – and there are plenty of copies out there. This one is based on a European-market 1985 Coupe Quattro, and while it’s not original – it sure looks the part. Though, to be honest it’s not a cheap toy…
