Enthusiasts Blogging Our Favorite Classifieds
It’s the time of year where’s it’s fun to take to Europe and consider what might be available for import in just a few days. I found a few fun ones to consider here but would love to hear what you’re looking for. First off, this clean ’99 Audi A3 1.8 manual with only 66k miles for under 3k Euro!
Here’s a deep cut! When the IRL and CART split rocked the open-wheel racing world in the mid 1990s, CART resurrected an event to rival the Indy 500. Called the “U.S. 500″, it was run at Michigan International Raceway and brought back events that had run there from the mid 1970s through the 1980s. As Penske was one of the strongest supporters of the series, engine provider Mercedes-Benz loaned some 40 R129s to the event for use as parade cars. They were offered in three colors; red, white, and blue, and all included the SL1 Sport Package, which added AMG bodywork and 18” wheels. Also special were embroidered fender logos, floor mats, debossed “US 500”-logo headrests, and new-for-96 ESP. With only 40 of these cars produced, they are almost certainly one of the most rare modern Mercedes models:
If you haven’t yet seen this internet sensation, you probably will have no idea what the headline or name is associated with; the image likely won’t help. Sure, it’s got Gullwing doors and the rough profile of a C124, but what’s going on here? Well, in an effort to make the C124 even cooler, Hartmut Boschert threw the Mercedes-Benz parts bin and some trick components at one. This was the result; an R129-borrowed front and and seats grafted on to the 300CE, a relocated C-pillar, and…oh yeah, those doors. Not done, Boschert added two turbochargers to the motor. The result is one of the craziest – and coolest – period modded Mercedes-Benz models not sporting an AMG badge.