As we get familiar with a new C-class this year, let’s take one more look at the car which started the Baby Benz craze, the 190E. We featured this particular W201 back in March and it’s back up on offer at the same price.
Tag: 1990
I have always been drawn to the 911 Targa for its balance of open-top motoring with a fixed rear window and as such I’ve written up a wide variety from the air-cooled market. Yet, rarely do I come across and write about the 964 Targa. I’m not sure whether that’s a function of their relative rarity or simply a matter of happenstance, but without going back through the archives I think I’ve only written about one once, if at all. On the 964, the Targa formula remained unchanged from the design we had become familiar with since Porsche originally introduced the hard-window Targa in the late ’60s. This formula would change dramatically on the 993 before having a more intermittent presence within the 911 model range, with the original design finally returning on the 991 – though in a much more technological package. The 964 took the traditional Targa staples of a removable panel with a fixed roll-hoop and large rear window and integrated them into the newly designed body. The rest was pure 964 Carrera: a rear-mounted 3.6 liter flat-six mated to a 5-speed manual transmission delivering power either to the rear wheels or to all four wheels in the newly released Carrera 4. The example here comes from near the beginning of the 964’s run: a Guards Red 1990 Porsche 911 Carrera 2 Targa, located in Brooklyn, with 112,901 miles on it.
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1990 Porsche 911 Carrera 2 Targa on eBay
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While it took a backseat to the Carrera 4 during the initial release of the all-new 964, the more traditional layout of the Carrera 2 remains a favorite of many in the 911 world. On the current market it also falls into a very nice place for those hoping to find some value in the 911 market. With its modern underpinnings relative to the 3.2 Carrera that preceded it, the 964 provides the improved refinement and performance desired by many enthusiasts packaged in a design that still bears a strong resemblance to the classic 911 upon whose shoulders it stood. Better still, prices remain quite reasonable, especially when factoring in those technological advancements. Collectors have not yet begun to take a strong liking to these basic Carreras and as such it is a great time to jump into one as they can make an excellent choice for those looking for their first 911 without having to get caught up in the air-cooled collector craze. Here we have one of the early examples: an Indischrot 1990 Porsche 911 Carrera 2 Coupe, located in New York, with Black leather interior and 86,756 miles on it.
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1990 Porsche 911 Carrera 2 Coupe on eBay
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Hartge has never really enjoyed the popularity of Alpina, just as the E34 doesn’t enjoy the popularity of the bookends to its production run – the E28 and E39. There are a myriad of reasons for both occurrences, but the result is that for the discerning individual who would like a potential future classic on an affordable budget, the E34 is a great chassis to consider. Solid build quality, good looks and plenty of luxury combined for a genuinely lovely experience. Even in the small motored 525i, the E34 was an entertaining drive when coupled with a manual transmission – I spent many hours at the wheel of the 1995 example my family owned for several years, and while a few times I wished it was an M5, I never was really left disappointed. Move to the bigger brother 535i and you’ve got more go under your right foot – and if you introduce a host of Hartge bits coupled with a Japanese build from famed tuner Tommykaira, you’ve got one interesting and future collectable driver’s car:
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1990 Hartge H5SP on eBay
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As we round out Wagon Week, let’s take a trip to Deutschland to look at one of the cleanest, most compact longroofs around. The E30 Touring is just now importable to the US but is still quite a rarity on these shores. In Europe you can find them in all varieties and in all sorts of condition, but today’s little 318i is quite a gem. Having covered less than 50k miles in its quarter century, it looks stunning inside and out, especially with the always-excellent Shadowline trim option. The grey cloth looks clean as new and I much prefer it in these cars to the ubiquitous leather we get in Bimmers here; it’s a nice reminder that, while very cool, this is also a utilitarian, base-model little wagon. These days we Americans are starting to have access to some great E30 Tourings including the beefy 325ix, but it’s hard to beat this red 318i for good-looking simplicity and value.