Enthusiasts Blogging Our Favorite Classifieds
Okay, if the Brabus-off from earlier was a bit…well, odd, I have another pairing that’s a bit unusual too; though, to be fair, only 50% of this duo is really unusual. I’m guessing it won’t take much much imagination to guess which of these cars is the odd man out. Today we have a Hartge modified 323icamino, and to compare in the unusual tuner world, a Japan-only model of the E30 built by Alpina – the B6 2.7. Let’s start with the RanchE30o:
Is there such a thing as a “normal” Brabus? Perhaps not, but when Mercedes-Benz launched their Smart city car, I laughed out loud when I first saw the model with Brabus embossed wheels. The thing was, it was sort of cool, in that odd, semi-uncomfortable way. I was in Europe when these cars were first launched, and the site was stunning – a bit like rolling phone booths, they scampered about the streets of Stuttgart and seemed to genuinely be different than anything else available. But since the Brabus-kitted models launched, I’ve wanted to write one up as a bit of a joke, so when an extreme modified one popped up it seemed like the perfect opportunity. On the other end of the spectrum, the GL series is the largest Benz available, and of course in order to satisfy the Kardashians and other non-nonsensical families floating around imaginary-land they’ve made a Brabus edition. What better comparison than the smallest and largest Brabus you can buy?
I really like the concept of the Cayman. Mid-engined, manual gearbox, rear drive and a lighter chassis are a return to the roots of Porsche – the Auto Union Grand Prix cars first designed by Ferdinand Porsche in the 1930s. Dynamically, it’s hard to fault the Cayman, too – on track, they’re simply magnificent, dispatching corners and straightaways with ease, rippling pavement in braking zones. I was lucky enough to spend some time on track in a then-new ’09 fully loaded S; it immediately put you at ease, the capabilities of the chassis left plenty in reserve even when you entered corners at seemingly inappropriate or inadvisable speeds. Fit and finish-wise, they’re a Porsche through and through; beautiful paint, striking wheels, and luxurious interiors. The soundtrack is pretty great, too. One area that I’m not convinced? The looks; some look great, while others look slightly out of proportion to me. One great upgrade that you can do that really makes the Cayman look more purposeful, though, it to equip the front end with big-brother 911 GT3 items. The result is much more aggressive, and paired with some racing graphics, a huge rear spoiler and the right bits inside, you’ve got yourself a budget Cup car:
We cover a lot of low mileage collectibles here on GCFSB, a point that rings especially true with a car like the 911, and we especially enjoy when those low-mileage beauties come in a unique color or represent a unique variant of that model. That said, high mileage cars can at times be equally as interesting. Sure, you have to take extra care when assessing the car’s condition, but a high-mileage car that has been well cared for can actually be in better mechanical shape than a low-mileage car whose owner neglected it. A lack of use isn’t terribly good for anything. Then there is history. Cars with higher mileage have stories (the good kind) and memories attached to them and while those memories will always remain with the owner who experienced them, there is an extra joy that comes with coming across a car that has already brought its previous owners a great deal of joy. That is, after all, what being a car enthusiast is about. All of this is somewhat of an aside, because I do not know whether this particular Carrera comes with any interesting history as the ad does not go into such detail. But it’s a 911 with some miles on it and from what we see here it looks good. The rest will require discussion with the seller. The one point that this car should possess similar to pretty much every high-mileage car is value. As miles go up, prices comes down – no surprise there. If you’re looking for a driver-quality classic 911 then perhaps this Granite Green Metallic 1988 Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe, located in California, with 161,000 miles on it will suit your needs.
When I think of homologation specials, there are all sorts of models that instantly pop into my head. Of course, being an Audi fan, the Sport Quattro is a great example, but plenty more images pass through my mind, too. Of course, Group C spawned a whole series of special cars, from the RS200 and Lancia 037 to the Porsche 959. There’s the special 924 Carrera GTS, for example – a car few remember outside of Porsche circles, and one that’s often forgotten even by them. Then there’s the great period of DTM specials – the “Evolutions” of the M3, 190E and V8 quattro that proved Darwin was right. Of course, you can go back even further and look at one of the most special cars ever created – the original Ferrari GTO – to see a very special homologation of a race car. But outside of the big headlines, there are plenty of small production run cars that were created to jump through loopholes, and returning to my original Group B example, we can see one neat car that was created in order to run in World Rally. It’s not a car you’d expect though – it’s the quite heavy and long Mercedes-Benz C107. Mercedes took steps to make it rally worthy, including lightweight aluminum panels in front and back, and of course upped the power with a new all aluminum 5.0 V8:
