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Convertible Week: 2011 Porsche 911 Speedster

Convertible Week: 2011 Porsche 911 Speedster

Published April 26, 2015 by Paul

As a brand new Porsche 911 passed me by the other day, I thought to myself “my this car got fat.” Sure, the new 911 is a perfectly capable and desirable sports car which is (thankfully) still offered with a manual gearbox. Years before the 911, Porsche introduced the Speedster moniker on the 356, a lower cost, simpler option for those seeking drop top thrills. The Speedster name would carry on through several iterations of the 911, up to the latest example we see here, the 997-based 911 Speedster. While many of the 997 Speedsters you see are painted in Pure Blue, this 911 Speedster for sale in Connecticut wears the more classic Carrera White.

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Convertible Week: 2002 BMW Z8

Convertible Week: 2002 BMW Z8

Published April 25, 2015 by Paul

Debuting at the end of the 1990s, the BMW Z8 arrived during a time when carmakers were exploring the retro styling theme, such as Volkswagen with their New Beetle and Ford with their revived Thunderbird. The Z8 was meant to harken back to the 1950s during the heyday of the 507, a limited production V8 roadster that made an impact with its dramatic styling. Fast forward to 1999 and the Z8 arrived with a V8, this time shared with the E39 M5. The engine was placed aft of the front axle for optimum weight distribution. One innovation the car employed was neon lighting for its tail lamps and turn signals. This was perhaps an answer to what modern day LED lighting can offer. Most Z8s you come across are silver, but this Topaz Blue over red leather example is a real eye-catching combination.

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Convertible Week: 1986 Mercedes-Benz 300SL

Convertible Week: 1986 Mercedes-Benz 300SL

Published April 24, 2015 by Paul

Perhaps it was reasonable planning that Mercedes-Benz would only offer the R107 SL in the US market with a V8. After all, production of this vehicle spanned a period where horsepower was down due to increasing emissions regulations. Thus, for almost 20 years, customers stateside were deprived of a six-cylinder SL. However, for 1986, a storied moniker reappeared: 300SL. This version of the R107 had the M103 single overhead cam inline-6 that we saw in numerous E and S-class models in the US. Weighing less than the 5.6 liter V8 had its advantages and proved to be a great pairing for this roadster. We’ve seen a good amount of 300SLs make their way stateside now that all of them produced are over 25 years old. This example for sale in California has lived much of its life here, being imported at a time when entry of gray market vehicles wasn’t as stringently regulated.

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Convertible Week: 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder Weissach Edition

Convertible Week: 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder Weissach Edition

Published April 24, 2015 by Paul

When most people think about hybrid vehicles, images of haphazardly placed Greenpeace bumper stickers on oddly shaped compact sedans come to mind. Today its a different story, with hybrid emblems gracing small Toyotas right on up to the flagship of the Porsche range, this 918 Spyder. The 918 Spyder took over as the cost-no-object sports car in the lineup, but it was so much more than the Carrera GT. Unlike the Carrera GT, however, the 918 Spyder was a leap forward in terms of technology. With a 4.6 liter V8 and twin electric motors front and rear, this car puts down a total of 887 horsepower to the pavement. For those well heeled enthusiasts who missed out on procuring one new, this 2015 918 Spyder Weissach Edition for sale in New York City offers up a second chance at this state of the art supercar.

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Convertible Week: 2000 Mercedes-Benz SLK230 5-speed manual

Convertible Week: 2000 Mercedes-Benz SLK230 5-speed manual

Published April 23, 2015 by Paul

It was around my second year in college that the chance arose for me to finally get behind the wheel of the (then) newly introduced Mercedes SLK230. My first impression is that for such a small car, it drove just like a regular Mercedes. Except it was smaller. Up until around 15 years ago, I maintained that you could blindfold me and I could tell you if I was riding in a Mercedes or not. The SLK was no different. Steering with a bit of heft to it, a firm but compliant ride and a smooth automatic gearbox were the order of the day. Some complained about the agricultural nature of the supercharged inline-4, but it offered plenty of power to scoot you around in a hurry.

Mercedes upped the enthusiast ante shortly after the SLK debuted and offered a 5-speed manual gearbox. Not since the 190E had US customers been able to spec a Mercedes with three pedals. To this day, you can still order a new SLK250 with a 6-speed manual, but who knows how long that will last. I tend to think someone at Mercedes-Benz USA forgot this was on the menu. If you don’t want to plunk down the coin for a new SLK, this SLK230 for sale in Pennsylvania gives you the chance to enjoy a lot of fresh air and the freedom to row your own.

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