Enthusiasts Blogging Our Favorite Classifieds
Want to get into motorsport but lacking the budget to pick up a budget-racer like the Porsche 912 I wrote up earlier? Perhaps you own that 912, and just don’t want to trash it? Well, there are plenty of fun alternatives, and not all of them are on the beaten path. Take today’s twin 90s, for example. One has all the fun stuff to go through corners, and the other gets you there more quickly. Which would you prefer? Let’s start with the carver:
For years, the Porsche 944 soldiered on as a sports coupe. It wouldn’t be until 1990 that Porsche decided to test the waters with the 944S2 Cabriolet. Sold in limited numbers, the car would offer buyers a cheaper alternative to an open roofed 911. It’s longevity in the market was short, as Porsche unveiled a 944 replacement for 1992 in the form of the 968. Porsche would yet again offer a drop top variant in the new lineup, however. Let’s look at two very nice examples of these rare convertible Porsches, the first a clean 944S2 Cabriolet for sale in Maryland.
Every time I think I’m out, another one pulls me back in. I’ve pretty well documented my love/hate/love relationship with the Audi V8 quattro, and today’s example has placed me firmly back into “Camp Love”. It’s funny, too, because I really don’t think the big-body Audis look particularly good in Tornado Red; I once joked upon seeing a red V8 Quattro “Here comes the Fire Chief!” But something about the condition of today’s example has me rethinking that stance; perhaps it’s the low miles; perhaps it’s the rare to see great and clean condition; but more likely than not, it’s just that it’s a non-Pearlesant White V8:
Earlier this year, I struck a few chords with my AMG 500SEC post. The questions of AMG authenticity were once again brought up, reminding us that pre-merger there is still some fuzzy areas regarding these AMGS. As with that SEC, the full documentation of production and maintenance records were key to the value of these boutique cars, and enthusiasts are willing to pay for the right one. Also like that SEC, this later run 1990 560 SEL is fully documented from Japan – but unlike that earlier car, this SEL has the full-fat 6.0 V8 fitted:
One of the more interesting vehicles that we didn’t get in the United States was the Volkswagen LT. Much like more recent goes by Mercedes-Benz with their Sprinter, the LT was a heavy duty vehicle available in a myriad of configurations with different weight classes and motors, ranging from a re-tuned Audi 100 2.0 4-cylinder right up through a turbocharged and intercooled 2.4 liter inline-6 diesel. The chassis were utilized for everything from army vehicles to buses, but perhaps to enthusiasts one of the more unique uses was for assisting the Audi Sport works teams in the World Rally Championship. Over the past few years, these service vehicles have gained more attention by enthusiasts, interested in period correct details and having that trump card over their fellow gearheads. Today is one such vehicle; while it’s not an original Audi Sport van, it’s been faithfully recreated to something you might have caught Walter and Hannu hanging out in between stages while mechanics thrashed on their Quattros: