Enthusiasts Blogging Our Favorite Classifieds
Time for another Honorable Mention Roundup of the cars we just didn’t have a chance to get to this week. We’ve got quite a few reader submissions in this edition, and by chance it ends up focusing on some super sedans which are all quite affordable in their own ways. Which is the one we should have spent more time on?
When it comes to cars of the 1980s, some may drool over the side strakes of the Ferrari Testatossa or the scissor doors of the Lamborghini Countach, but one of my favorite styling themes to emerge from this decade was the widebody look. Popularized on cars such as the Porsche 911 Turbo, other vehicles adapted this design cue to mixed reviews. One of my favorites though was the widebody Mercedes-Benz C126 AMG coupe. This 1990 560SEC AMG Widebody for sale in San Diego is the stuff dreams are made of for me, looking mean as ever on those color matched AMG Monoblock alloy wheels. The wheels aren’t the only thing that is mean, though, as the asking price is sure to scare off the casual punter.
There are few offerings from Mercedes-Benz in the past decade or so, that interest me as much as the E63 AMG Estate. The SLS, C63 AMG, and because I have a soft spot for ridiculous things, the G55 AMG, are the only vehicles to wear the three pointed star that I’d actually want to own. The S550 is a modern marvel, but at the end of the day, I’m an A8 W12 guy. I’ll pass on the S-Class.
Mercedes’ powerful long roof is another story though. Where as Audi abandoned selling any sort of fast wagon back in 2008, Mercedes has hung in there, never leaving us without the option of a grocery getter that will leave sports cars in its dust. While I do prefer the look of the current E-Class, there’s something special about the slatted grille on this 2012. It adds an extra bit of prestige to the car, which further adds to its sleepiness, and covert craziness is what this car is all about. As far as performance daily drivers go, there isn’t anything that comes close to the E63 Estate. It doesn’t have any direct competition in the United States, not in its class anyway. Super SUVs like the Grand Cherokee SRT8, or cars like the S7, and Porsche Panamera GTS, are the kind of vehicles one might cross shop when looking at one of these, but none of them are as dynamic as the E63. One minute you’re dropping the kids off at private school, the next you’re getting a latte, and maybe after that you head to the drag strip to rattle off 12.2 quarter miles times. Blame all that caffeine for making you want to run the car at full tilt, but you know deep down that you just want to play with your toy, and who wouldn’t?!
Even after all these years which I’ve been involved with GCFSB, a car will come across sometimes which I had no idea existed. Such is the case with this 1986 300SL with an AMG tuned 3.2 liter inline-6. First off, the 300SL is rare on US shores, as we only got the 560SL in our market from 1986 through 1989. Secondly, someone went to the trouble of optioning an R107 with an AMG engine and not much more to denote its bump in horsepower. The ultimate sleeper, then? You decide…
When discussing rare cars of the recent past, something I often find myself doing with friends, one has to mention the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG Estate. Quicker, more dynamic, and slightly sharper looking than the E55 that it replaced, the 2007 E63 is on many an automotive enthusiast’s bucket list, including my own. To have such great power on tap, in a relatively non-imposing package that is also very practical for day to day life, well it’s a drivers dream come true. The only problem is that Mercedes only saw fit to bestow 67 of them upon us in 2007, a fact that this seller, and many others surely relish. Since there is no direct competition for the car in the United States, and it was sold here in very limited quantities, Mercedes essentially guaranteed buyers of the E63 that their car would retain a decent amount of value. It’s not BMW 1M or Boxster Spyder levels of value retention, but for a big Merc wagon I’d say that the drop off hasn’t been nearly as bad as other W211 models. Only time will tell if it can hold on its current collector status once the glorious day arrives when we can import the C6 RS6 Avant, and E61 M5 Touring. Until 2032, we’re stuck with just the E63, and I don’t think anyone has any complaints about that. It’s a car that is laughably quick, and in spite of itself, a complete sleeper. Until you stomp on the gas and leave everyone around you wondering what just happened, the E63 AMG Estate is just another wagon roaming the streets looking for a Pinkberry.
