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Tag: Mercedes Benz

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1985 Mercedes-Benz 280GE

The search for the perfect Providence commuter continues, and I’m constantly drawn back to these 1980s Geländewagens. Part of that is the inherent appeal of the G-wagen, with chunky good looks, rugged utilitarianism and honed-from-granite build quality. Sure, it’s about as fluid a design as what my 2-year old would draw and didn’t take much imagination; Draw one rectangle with two circles underneath, and on top place a slightly smaller rectangle. Job done! But the proportions are just right and with the right tires and alloys, the stance is perfect. Another reason that the G is on the list of cars that are acceptable in this household? My wife likes them and thinks they’re cool – rare for Mercedes-Benz products in her mind:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1985 Mercedes-Benz 280GE on eBay

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1986 Mercedes-Benz 240GD “Wolf”

For all the glitz and glamour of the current models, the Mercedes-Benz G class was originally intended for military consumption. However, much like the Hummer H1, the jet set took a liking to this vehicle and ran with it. Now we have AMG models of a rough and ready off-roader, answers to a question it seemed no one asked in the first place. If you want an honest, back to basics G-wagen, dial back to the 1980s, as there are a few bouncing around on these shores courtesy of the importer at the time, Santa Fe Motors in New Mexico. In addition, now that we’re at the point that most 1980s machinery is eligible for legal importation, interesting variants like this 1986 “Wolf,” built for defense operations in mind, have started to make their way across the pond. This one for sale in New Jersey is perfect for someone who wants to take the road less travelled off-road. Literally.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1986 Mercedes-Benz 240GD “Wolf” on eBay

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Wednesday Wheels Roundup

Another week of wheels, this time some more rarities. I love the polished look of narrow Fuchs wheels on early 911s. MOMO 5-spoke wheels were some of the best in the early 1980s, and these would be a nice alternative to the normal ATS/Ronal “Penta” wheels that often adorn early 80s Benz models. How about those great Hartge wheels, seeing that we’ve had two Hartge cars this week? Rather have something a bit more stock? How about the Audi Coupe-spec 15″ Speedline wheels complete with track rubber? Or if you’re into Volkswagens, we have a nice set of the early Corrado “Sebring” wheels too – what’s your favorite?

CLICK FOR DETAILS: Porsche Fuchs 15×5.5 5×130 Wheels on eBay

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10K Friday Performance Edition: M3 v. 944 Turbo v. CLK500 v. S4 v. GTi

Well, I hope this will stir some interest, as I think this is a bit of an interesting comparison. What level of performance can you buy for $10,000 (give or take) these days? Surprisingly, there are a lot of options – and those options vary pretty seriously in their execution and packages; there’s a wagon and a sports car, two sedan-based coupes and a hatchback. Engines range from a 2 liter turbo to a V8, with a bit of everything in between. Yet, what appears to be a very strange comparison linked only by price is revealed to be much closer when you look at performance figures:

E36 M3: 240 hp, 0-60 6.0 seconds, 3,200 lbs
944 Turbo: 220 hp, 0-60 5.9 seconds, 2,900 lbs
CLK500: 302 hp, 0-60 5.7 seconds, 3,800 lbs
S4 Avant: 250 hp, 0-60 5.6 seconds, 3,700 lbs
GTi: 200 hp, 0-60 6.6 seconds, 3,200 lbs

The range is much closer than you’d expect – especially when you consider that these figures could easily be equaled in margin of error, driver skill and reaction time. In the twisties, the lower powered cars like the GTi catch up to the higher power CLK and S4. All are, in one way or another, practical choices. Some are destined (or already) classics, while others will likely fade away. So what would be your choice? Let’s start with an M3 we’ve already seen:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1999 BMW M3 on eBay

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