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Tuner Tuesday: 1989 Ruf BTR3 Cabriolet

I have to admit, I really don’t get fast convertibles. You could argue that the top down lets you hear the roar of the exhaust, I suppose. Or you could suggest that the faster the acceleration and higher the top speed, the more alive you feel as the wind rushes through your hair. It’s not that I don’t think certain fast convertibles aren’t attractive, mind you, or appealing in their own way. And some modern convertibles are downright amazing in their ability to channel the blowing atmosphere away from you. But in all honesty, once you’re above highway speeds, the expensive radio and million plus horsepower are lost upon me, obscured in a veil of churning oxygen, nitrogen, and other trace elements. Perhaps I’m in the minority and it could have to do with the not-always awesome New England weather, but I’d prefer a sunroof coupe in most applications – with some notable vintage exceptions like pre-War cars and Pagoda SLs. Of course, I suppose if you argued that you weren’t going to break the speed limit (okay, but not by much…) or head to the track, then the convertible arrangement offers you plenty of speed in for your driving pleasure and the thrill of the open-air experience. Want to know what it felt like to be the Red Baron, for example? This Ruf BTR3 Cabriolet could sure help:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1989 Ruf BTR3 Cabriolet on Hemmings

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1979 Mercedes-Benz 450SLC

Even despite it’s somewhat awkward proportions, I was always a fan of the Mercedes-Benz C107 SLC. This car lasted barely for a decade before it was pulled in favor of the S-class SEC coupe that debuted in the early 1980s. Somehow, the SLC is relegated to a rather curious position in Mercedes-Benz history as the only four-place coupe to be based off the SL roadster. This 450SLC for sale in California is about as good as they come these days, in a very eye-catching combination of Astral Silver over red leather. If you want the style and grace of an R107 but perhaps don’t want the convertible or the higher entry cost of the 560SL, you should spend some time looking at a car like this.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1979 Mercedes-Benz 450SLC on eBay

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1987 Porsche 930 Slantnose Coupe

Porsche’s 935-derived Slantnose option, made available throughout most of the ’80s, remains a polarizing design among 911 enthusiasts. Because it alters the iconic profile of the 911, through the removal of its forward-pointing head lamps, some have always felt it was a detraction rather than enhancement. Yet, because it replaced that shape with the equally iconic front of the 935 racer the Slantnose does lend an added dose of aggression and purpose to what was already a notable design. It pushes the limits of what we consider over-the-top and epitomizes the excesses we saw in ’80s design. I happen to be a big fan of the design – at least on the Coupe. It is audacious, there is no doubt about that, but if there was ever a car to benefit from an audacious design the 930 fits that mold as well as any other. The second-hand market has found them extremely attractive as well as they tend to garner premiums over a similar condition non-Slatnose 930. The example here is a very striking Grand Prix White 1987 Porsche 930 Slantnose Coupe, located in California, with Bordeaux interior and only 24K miles on it.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1987 Porsche 930 Slantnose Coupe on eBay

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1997 Mercedes-Benz SL600

The Mercedes-Benz R129 SL is on the cusp of collector status. Fellow GCFSB contributor Andy McCulley was in Washington, DC this week for a conference and we hung out a bit during the weekend, with much car talk on the agenda. After passing an SL500 Silver Arrow parked on the street, he opined that that is one R129 that will be worth money in the near future. I don’t doubt it. Few of them were built, with only 100 SL600s receiving the Silver Arrow trim. This SL600 for sale in Massachusetts might not be a Silver Arrow, but the V12 models are certainly more exclusive than their V8 siblings, with this car’s Designo trim adding on an extra serving of exclusivity.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1997 Mercedes-Benz SL600 on eBay

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Motorsports Monday: 1995 BMW M3 Group N

Not all M3 racers are the same, though as the saying goes it’s tough to judge a book by its cover. Looking at today’s 1995 M3 one could suggest right off the bat that it looks well built but not appreciably different than most other track-ready E36 M3s that come to the market. But it’s what is underneath that really separates this M3 – one that bucks the suggestion that beauty is only skin deep. That’s because this example is one of the reported 197 M3s produced by BMW Motorsport GmbH specifically for racing when new. They were sold to the likes of dealers and well-to-dos for Group N competition – effectively, a “Showroom Stock” level of racing. But these M3s were anything but stock as they were delivered in component form to dealerships to be built by the racer in the specification that they required. Number 136 has an interesting career, having originally been raced by Frick Motorsport in the Austrian Touring Car Championship by notable BMW factory driver Dieter Quester. BMW even went so far as to have models made of the car, liveried in Red Bull colors and wearing number 3. Since then it was turned into a privateer racer where it has consistently been, rather unsurprisingly, a front runner:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1995 BMW M3 Group N on eBay

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