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Tag: Roadster

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Feature Listing: 2008 YES! Roadster Turbo

Many enthusiasts – this author and, in general, all of the writers at GCFSB included – complain that cars have gotten too complex, too heavy, too isolating. An increasing reliance on computer controls to save poor driving skills and reign in huge horsepower certainly produces impressive numbers on the track. But, somehow the charts of ‘Ring lap times, superbike-embarassing 0-60 times and dyno numbers has taken an important aspect out of driving – the driver. However, at the same time that there has been an explosion of horsepower numbers and proliferation of computer controls, there has been a backlash of simple, enjoyable cars to drive. Models like the Elise proved you didn’t need a 10 cam, quad turbocharged V20 to go fast. Utilizing a relatively cheap and reliable inline-4 and adding lightness, the Elise takes the electronics out and relies on you paying attention to everything that is going on in the car to go fast – yet, fast it goes. Similar cars like the Ariel Atom, Opel Speedster/VX220, BAC Mono and, yes, even the Mazda Miata have followed the same recipe. But we’ve got one today I’m betting you probably have never heard of in the YES! Roadster Turbo. As the engineers from Lotus did, the team of Funke and Will from YES! took some proven parts from the Volkswagen and Audi catalogue and dropped them into the middle of an aluminum frame, added some spice and styling that channeled the Audi TT, Opel Speedster, Lotus Elise, the Spyker C8 and a little Lamborghini inspiration and produced one cool little package:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2008 YES! Roadster Turbo on Auction 123

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1995 Mercedes-Benz SL500 Mille Miglia

These days, Mercedes hasn’t released too many limited edition models outside of their in house tuning arm, AMG. Before the days of AMG proliferation, Mercedes would release a special edition model from time to time, such as this 1995 SL500 Mille Miglia. Built to commemorate Stirling Moss’s win of the historic 1955 Mille Miglia road race. This R129, available as an SL320 or SL500, was available only in Brilliant Silver Metallic, equipped with Evo II six-spoke polished alloys and a red and black leather interior complemented by carbon-fibre trim. The side fender grills were also given a rather unique checquered flag treatment that, upon close inspection, is a clever collection of chrome squares. This right-hand drive example for sale in the UK has covered less than 70,000 miles and is a great modern day tribute to a legendary period in Mercedes-Benz racing history.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1995 Mercedes-Benz SL500 Mille Miglia at Fast Classics

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1989 Mercedes-Benz 560SL

If it was sheer class you were after in the 1980s, there were few better options than the Mercedes-Benz R107 SL. This car lasted in production over an amazing 19 year span and aged rather gracefully, save for perhaps the requisite crash bumpers that appeared in the early 1970s on US models. The close of the 1980s would be the curtain call for this timeless roadster, with the final example, a Signal Red 500SL roadster, rolling off the line in early August of 1989. This 1989 560SL is painted in one of my favorite hues, Bordeaux Red over Parchment leather. With less than 20,000 miles from new, this is a strong candidate for the collector.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1989 Mercedes-Benz 560SL on eBay

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Twelve Cylinder Time Warp: 2001 Mercedes-Benz SL600 with 172 miles

Anyone looking for a brand new 15 year old car? Here’s your chance to buy what must be the lowest mileage R129 generation SL600 in the country. With 172 original miles, this car is probably as close to new as you can find. The R129 began production in 1989 as a 1990 model, and lasted until 2002; a pretty typical production life for an SL. To celebrate the final year of production, and to pay homage to the brand’s racing heritage, Mercedes released the Silver Arrow spec SL. Available as an SL500 and an SL600, 1,500 cars were produced in total, only 100 of which were 600’s.

While this car isn’t a Silver Arrow, it is a second-to-last model year R129, and is fitted in a very desirable color combo of black on light grey. I spoke with a salesman at Mercedes of Cherry Hill who informed me that the car was purchased new there, and the owner stored the car with the hopes of it climbing in value and turning a profit down the road. Needless to say, that dude bought the wrong car. He probably paid in the vicinity of $140,000 for it, and I don’t even want to know what he sold it back to the dealer for. The good news is that we have the opportunity to buy the car, in virtually new condition, for around $90K off the original price.

Click for details: 2001 Mercedes-Benz SL600 at Cherry Hill Mercedes-Benz

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2012 Mercedes-Benz SL550

The R231 Mercedes SL has been with us for about three years, and I have to say that it hasn’t grown on me at all. Neither the exterior nor interior aesthetics do anything for me. Having said that, I think the previous generation SL, the R230, is one of the best looking cars Mercedes has ever made.

Released in the U.S. market in 2003, the R230 spanned a relatively short production life for a Mercedes SL. Its predecessor, the R129, was produced for twelve years, and the R107 lasted for eighteen years. The R230 received a debatably successful facelift in 2009, which gave the previously rounded front fascia a more rigid appearance, and tweaked a few stylistic details both on the interior and exterior to give the car a more aggressive appearance. The facelift divided many Mercedes enthusiasts, but the general consensus was that the R230 was still a beautiful car.

Today I’d like to go over some of the details on this very attractive 2012 SL550. 2012 was the last year of production for the R230 SL, which was offered in three derivations for the U.S. market; the SL550, and the AMG-tuned SL63 and SL65 models. Not many AMG SL’s were sold in 2012, but there doesn’t appear to be a shortage of final year SL550’s. This particular one is finished in my favorite color combo of black on tan, and appears to be in great shape. With only 17,000 miles, this is about as close as you can get to picking up a brand new R230 generation SL.

Click for details: 2012 Mercedes-Benz SL550 on eBay

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