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1981 Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet

1981 Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet

Published June 5, 2016 by Carter

For a decade the Mercedes-Benz R107 SL held a monopoly on topless motoring in Germany. Granted, the Beetle Convertible ran alongside the R107, but honestly they were no where near the same product and certainly didn’t appeal to the same clientele. The company narrowed the gap in 1980 though; Beetle Convertible production ended and a new topless VW came onto the market in the Golf Cabriolet. Modern engines and driving dynamics made the Cabriolet a much more appealing affordable option to those who wished to have some fun in the sun, and though Porsche and BMW would join the topless crew a few years later it still seems that the R107 and the Cabriolet personified the ends of the market and both were extremely popular in their own right. While the Mercedes-Benz has been gaining traction as a collector-status car, the Cabriolet has been slower to be appreciated by enthusiasts but a mint condition original model in European trim is certain to raise some eyebrows as it drops its top:

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1982 Mercedes-Benz 280SE – REVISIT

1982 Mercedes-Benz 280SE – REVISIT

Published April 20, 2016 by Carter

At the risk of appearing like we’re recycling a bit too much material lately, I’d really like to take a look at this superb and interestingly equipped W126 from last fall again. A relatively low spec European model never offered here, this 280SE features the M110 inline-6 instead of the normal V8s the American market experienced, but the smart Euro look, low miles and great color combination really caught my eye. It’s not the fastest S-Class you can buy, but it’ll still leave you feeling pretty rich. Last time around this car hammered at a seemingly unfathomably cheap $2,950, but for whatever reason it’s back up for sale from the same owner having covered only a few more miles since the fall. The reserve is still on the auction, but this should still remain a very affordable bit of classy classic Mercedes to pick up!

The below post originally appeared on our site September 7, 2015:

As with the W140 model I covered the other day, the W126 eagerly accepted by the automotive world as the new benchmark in design in the late 1970s. Mercedes-Benz pioneered new safety, aerodynamics and luxury through typical Mercedes-Benz over engineering. Replacing the outgoing W116, the W126 was thoroughly modern inside and out but at least initially carried the same motivation. Under the hood of the short wheel base 280SE was the inline-6 M110 motor, but there were small and large displacement V8 models too. Paul looked at a excellent condition W116 280SE recently, but a high asking price called into question the value of that particular example. Will this grey market import 280SE sing the same song?

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U.S. v. Euro Double Take: 1977 and 1978 Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9s

U.S. v. Euro Double Take: 1977 and 1978 Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9s

Published April 19, 2016 by Carter

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?

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1988 BMW 320i

Published March 30, 2016 by Nate

$_4
Here’s a great example of the late-80s, pre-recession business-sedan side of the E30. We spend so much time looking at rare examples, 325ix tourings, tuned 325is, that the populist-yuppy nature of the breed can be forgotten. This Euro-spec 320i commuter model – 4 doors, 4-speeds selected for you – helped you fly through the HOV lane listening to the Scorpions with brisk confidence and understated good looks. BMW nailed the E30 so hard that even the plastic steelie wheel covers end up looking like the E34 M5 turbines done smaller and better.

This recently-imported German example has less than 18k miles – 28,000 kilometers on the GDM odometer. It may not be the best athlete of the family, but this perfect 320i is the attractive accountant.

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Tuner Tuesday – Hammertime: 1992 Mercedes-Benz 300CE AMG 6.0 Widebody

Tuner Tuesday – Hammertime: 1992 Mercedes-Benz 300CE AMG 6.0 Widebody

Published March 29, 2016 by Carter

There are the pretenders, and then there’s the Daddy. Or, in this case, there’s the Hammer. No other widened car in the 1980s was able to capture the imagination and hearts of so many enthusiasts as the W124 Coupes, and there were plenty to choose from. From DP’s shovel-nosed 911s to the straked Koenig creations, most of them were cool in an outrageous way but never pretty. AMG broke with that tradition, creating elegant lines that accentuated the design rather than underscoring the tacked-on nature of period modifications. The integration of the slick widened panels, perfectly matching wheels and upgraded interiors was met under the hood by another buck in 1980s tradition. As tuners like Dinan, Ruf, Alpina, Callaway, Abt and others all experimented with increasing power through turbocharging, AMG went old school with a monster motor. Rated at somewhere around 380 horsepower, the M117/9 four cam V8 provided the motivation to match the looks of the bespoiled W124. On top of all of this, you got Mercedes-Benz legendary bomb-proof build quality. The result was one of the best all around packages any modified car has ever come to market with:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1992 Mercedes-Benz 300CE AMG 6.0 Widebody on Autoleitner

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