While there are some great tuners from the 1980s whose designs seems classic and timeless, there seem to be many more whose designs are massively polarizing. For every spectacular Ruf, AMG and Alpina that’s out there, there seem to be an equal or greater amount of Gemballas, Stroseks, DPs, Koenigs and Tresers. The modifications they undertook were expensive and generally outrageous. It also seems that often they were discarded by their deep pocketed builders once they were no longer in fashion – if they ever were. But even if they weren’t the most attractive, they’re still cool timepieces to look back on a decade that defined excess through conspicuous consumption. I can’t help but wonder what the trends of today are that we’ll look back upon with the same attitude as we judge the 1980s. One of the tuners that seems to skirt between garish and great is Lorinser – not so wild as the Testarossa vented Koenigs, but generally I’d say not as good looking as the AMGs, either:
Category: Mercedes Benz
2014 was an important year for Mercedes-Benz as it saw them return to 1950s form as World Driver’s and Constructor’s Champion with Lewis Hamilton and the incredible W105. The utter dominance of the new Silver Arrows mimicked the victories of the cars for which it was a namesake; notably, the 1934-1939 W25-W139 Grand Prix cars. The team that developed out of the change in the rules in 1932-33 redefined motorsport and indeed what it meant to race. If you’re a fan of modern Formula One, the blueprint was established here. Developed around brilliant designer Rudolf Uhlenhaut and team principal/public relations man Alfred Neubauer, the original Silver Arrows were only matched by their countrymen from Auto Union briefly and were overall much more successful than the other German firm. After the war, the dominance displayed by the German team returned with nearly the same lineup, and as today Mercedes-Benz sought to dominate not only the new Formula One series but also sports car racing. The car that was developed – the W196 – did just that, winning the driver’s championship with Fangio in both 1954 and 1955. While the 1955 season would ultimately see the withdrawal of Mercedes-Benz for many generations, Uhlenhaut utilized the W196 platform to also win at sports car racing. The famed 300SLR was developed and while it looked much like a stylized road going W198 300SL, the truth was that underneath it was really a Formula One car with headlights and two seats instead of just one. Famously, Sir Stirling Moss won the Mille Miglia in W196S 300SLR “722” – his starting time in the race, but a number that still holds weight in today’s world and lent its name to several iterations of the new McLaren SLR. The influence of these cars is undeniable; the modern day McLaren SLR and Mercedes-Benz AMG SLS are Only a handful of original W196Ss were made, and all are effectively priceless – a prime territory, then, for replicas:
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300SLR Replica on eBay
Comments closedThe low-mileage 1995 Mercedes-Benz C220 Feature listing from last December is back up on offer, with a few days before auction end. Surely there is someone out there who would like to put a big red bow on this for someone for the holiday season?
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1995 Mercedes-Benz C220 on eBay
The below post originally appeared on our site December 11, 2013:
9 CommentsThe clean looking 1983 Mercedes-Benz 380SEC from back in November has reappeared on eBay, this time with a “Buy It Now” of $6,450. As last time it was a reserve auction, we at least now know what the seller is hoping to get out of this big coupe. To me, while the 560SEC may be more fun and the 500SEC Euro cars slightly more attractive, overall this is a nice period package for a reasonable sum and looks like a good way to get into a classic and pretty reliable Mercedes-Benz!
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1983 Mercedes-Benz 380SEC on eBay
The below post originally appeared on our site November 11, 2014:
Comments closedAh the W123 Mercedes-Benz. Always a favorite here at GCFSB and a favorite, no doubt, of many of our readers. With about a decade of production and a number of engines and model variants to choose from, there’s almost one W123 for everyone. However, certain models, especially late model estates, have been gaining serious traction in the marketplace. I believe it’s a combination of fuel economy and nostalgia for the rock solid build quality of Mercedes-Benzes of yore that is driving this craze. However, in between, there are some often overlooked models that can still be had for enthusiasts on a budget. This 1981 300D for sale in California is one such example and it’s a nice one, having covered under 60,000 miles during its life and on offer for around the price of what a new Nissan Versa will run you.





