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Tuner Tuesday posts usually focus on cars that have been turned up a few notches by aftermarket companies, but for some time Mercedes-Benz did all the magic internally. Indeed, if you go back to the 1920s and 1930s, Mercedes-Benz had a habit of taking the largest motor they could reliably produce and sticking it in their luxury cars. Such was where the legend of the 500 and 540K specials came from, but while the War postponed many further developments Mercedes-Benz were back at it in the W109 300SEL 6.3. Apparently not satisfied by that factory hot rod, engineers conceived its replacement with an even larger 6.9 liter V8 – mind you, in the midst of an international fuel crisis. Churning out 286 horsepower from the now legendary M100 V8, the 450SEL 6.9 was effectively a land-bound aircraft carrier and about as powerful. Long ignored by the market, the 6.9s have heated up over the past few years as large classic Mercedes-Benz models have become increasingly sought after and the rare 450SEL with the big motor is a solid draw. Today I have two examples to consider – a desirable European version and a less powerful and not quite as attractive American-spec car. Which is the one to choose?
A little under a year and a half ago I took a look at one of the last vestiges of affordable classic Porsches – the “Poor Man’s” 924. This Bahama Blue Metallic example had covered a scant 39,000 miles under one claimed owner in its lifetime, but also showed a fair bit of age and had some non-original, incorrect paint work. At $6,500 in October 2014, it was too rich by my measure and it appears that I was right, as the car has re-emerged with a slightly lowered $6,000 asking price. Although the market has warmed slightly to the transaxle cars over that time, I still think this is a hard sell but it is a pretty cool alternative to similarly priced Volkswagen Rabbit or early Scirocco models.
The below post originally appeared on our site October 27, 2014:
Continuing on my theme of watercooled transaxle Porsches in famous livery, in 1976 Porsche won the World Sportscar Championship primarily with its 935 and 936 models in Martini Racing livery. To commemorate this achievement, in 1977 if you walked into your Porsche dealer and selected option M426 (Code E19) on a new Porsche 924, you’d be handed the keys to a uniquely colored coupe. The outside of each was Grand Prix White, and along the side were triangularly shaped stripes in the now famous Martini Racing livery. The “Tarantula” alloys were color-matched white as well. Underneath, the Martini cars were equipped with front and rear sway bars – the only real performance option. Inside was what really set the car apart, though, with scarlet carpet and seat centers, contrasting piping, a leather steering wheel and of course a commemorative plaque to let you know you were in the house of a World Champion!
Pairing some racing graphics with the highest performing variant available seems like a winning combination, right? Well, that’s more or less what we see here with this Silver 1977 Porsche 930 Turbo Carrera that has been complemented by a set of Martini graphics. In the world of available Martini decals this is actually one of the more subdued options Porsche made available in the late-70s and early-80s. They provide a nice talking point, but without making it appear as if you’re trying to pass your car off as a racer. There are few more recognizable graphics in racing than Martini and Porsche’s long history of running their livery has made them a popular choice for those who desire to help their Porsche stand apart just that little bit more. Oh, and it also has a Lobster Red interior. For those who are fans of these red interiors, and I count myself in that group, it’s a fantastic color.
Looking at what the Volkswagen Golf has become today, it’s rather remarkable when you look back at the Giugiaro-penned two box design of which it originated from. This 1977 Rabbit represents the earlier years of the Mk1. It’s a very simple car, with few options or adornments. However, you can find beauty in its simplicity, from the pressed steel wheels to the slimmer Euro bumpers. For sale in Georgia, this original VW was purchased new in Pennsylvania and is up to date on its servicing. For the vintage VW collector, they rarely come nicer than this.
