Enthusiasts Blogging Our Favorite Classifieds
It’s no secret that the Mercedes-Benz R107 SL is riding a popularity wave at the present time. With an almost 20 year production run, there’s a version for pretty much everyone. But which to choose? Today we’ll look at four very different R107s, from a mid-seventies example right up to the final 560SL that appeared on these shores. We’ll start with this low mileage 560SL for sale in Florida.
For some time, there has been an ongoing conflict in my head. All of me agrees that the Porsche 944 is a pretty awesome car; great looks, handling and performance in a bargain package with classic Porsche reliability and build quality. But I fight with myself over just which of the Porsche 944s I prefer. Some days, the forced induction Turbo captures my imagination; there’s been a 1989 Turbo in my family now for two decades and it’s a wonderful car. But I have to admit that it’s not been without its problems, and while it’s a cool package it seems almost too predictable as the “go to” “cheap” Porsche. Should it be criticized for being a spectacular performance bargain? That may not be fair, but just like the BMW E30 represents a good balance of performance and practicality, it’s sometimes just too popular for me. What’s the alternative? Well, the 944 has its own answer: the 944S2. Visually, the two are nearly indistinguishable to most non-enthusiasts. But the driving experience is quite different; the M44/51 turbo motor is legendary as a tuning platform and offers typical ’80s lag-prone explosive launches, while the M44/41 big 3.0 16V motor has seemingly effortless torque at your disposal but loves to run up the tach as well. Stand on it in a drag race, and the Turbo will win – nearly a second faster to 60 miles per an hour and 5 m.p.h. faster on the top end. But if you’re a clever S2 driver and catch the Turbo slightly off-guard, you’ll be right with them – and the S2 isn’t about drag racing, it’s about making a better all-around driver. So the S2 is the better choice? Well, perhaps – but then there’s the mystique of the Turbo model. Who doesn’t want to say they own a Porsche Turbo, really? Today I have an example of each – which will be the winner?
We’ve seen an array of E28 flavors recently. We’ve examined how nice a 524td has to be to make for its lack of pace to how much work a 535is is worth when it still looks badass. Well, today was have a nice example of the bread-and-butter E28. It’s like the E28 version of E60’s 550i – a restrained but powerful 5er. Remarkable cleanness inside and out belie 178k miles. The M30 should have little problem going quite a ways more, and the lack of real history is less of a concern than something like an S38.
I think I have said this before, though perhaps not, but one of the best aspects of the surge in air-cooled 911 values has been the sheer number of unique, interesting, or just downright beautiful examples we have begun to come across through auctions. We all have our personal favorites amongst the very rare and, sometimes, very fast 911s that have been produced during the marque’s existence, but it is the variety of standard Carreras that is most compelling and keeps many of us coming back day after day to see what we will chance upon next. This all brings us to the car we see here: a Marine Blue Metallic over Linen interior 1987 Porsche 911 Carrera Targa, located in New York, with 53,000 miles on it. As I mentioned previously, the Targa tends to be the least valuable of the 3.2 Carrera models and for those who enjoy the design it offers a great chance of appreciating and owning one of these fantastic machines for a little less of an outlay than a comparable Coupe or Cabriolet.
The 535is was the first E28 that really caught my eye and led to my pursuit of the M5. Back then, the allure was just a very sharp 80s sedan with some subtle aggressive tweaks – exactly how I like it. There are at least two gorgeous red examples in my area, and the rare times I see them out are always a treat. Today’s example comes well-used, with a lot of miles and some general cosmetic love needed. The Borbet wheels will probably be polarizing, but I’ve seen worse choices. The biggest draw here is the no-reserve auction, and this could be a great entry point to the E28 life.