Author: Jeff Zurschmeide

Jeff is a lifelong automobile enthusiast with a penchant for sports and racing cars. He has raced SCCA, local circle track, and stage rally as a co-driver. He makes his living as a freelance automotive journalist and is the author of six books on automotive topics. As a rule, he practices catch-and-release fishing when it comes to collectible automobiles, trying to leave each one in better condition than he found it. Enduring passions include his MGA and Austin Mini, and his 1969 Corvette. He recently purchased a 1920 Ford Model T Touring because “you just have to have one of these once in your life.”

Depreciation, Italian Style

When Maserati returned to America in 2002, the company ended an 11-year absence from our market. A lot happened in those years, most notably an ownership transfer from Fiat to Ferrari. That change has been crucial to Maserati ever since. For one thing, it gave Maserati a ready-made dealership and […]

2012 Aston Martin One-77

This 2012 Aston Martin One-77 is the 25th of just 77 examples ever made. It was delivered to Switzerland in 2012. According to the accompanying Certificate of Authenticity, it was ordered in the subtly luxurious colors of Bronze Pearl over Bitter Chocolate leather with Cream Truffle trim, with brushed-metal exterior […]

2002 Lamborghini Murciélago

As the Lamborghini story goes, the “Murciélago,” or “bat” in Spanish, was named after a famous bull that survived its matador in 1879 in the Cordoba arena. When it was launched in 2002, this was one of the fastest supercars of its day, capable of over 330 km/h thanks to […]

Status Symbol

So this Bentley owner is getting out of his car and he gets sideswiped, ripping the door clean off its hinges. The police show up and he starts yelling about the damage, and the cop says, “Sir, your left arm is torn off!” The Bentley owner looks down and says, […]

2001 BMW Z8

The BMW Z8 debuted in the James Bond film “The World Is Not Enough.” The Z8s were built for the American market and the styling carries the DNA of BMW’s famed 507. This Z8 features heated leather seats, cruise control, power windows, door locks and seats, multi-disc CD player and […]

Ten Years On, This Spyder Has Legs

There are certain words in a Porsche model name that give you a hint that something special is going on. “Speedster” is one, but also “Spyder.” The latter moniker harks back to the mythic mid-engined 550 Spyder, which James Dean made famous after dying in one on a California backroad […]

1994 Lancia Hyena Zagato

Utilizing Lancia’s beloved Delta HF Integrale Evoluzione as a basis, the Hyena was a collaboration between Lancia and Zagato and the brainchild of a meeting between Andrea Zagato and Paul Koot, the official Lancia importer in the Netherlands and the proprietor of Lusso Service Holland. Underneath its handcrafted aluminum bodywork, […]

1987 Audi Quattro

Audi’s Quattro is a legend that rewrote the book in international rallying, as well as causing rival manufacturers to rethink their offerings. It was, quite literally, a trailblazer. The story began with Audi chassis engineer Jörg Bensinger, who spent a Finnish winter testing the Volkswagen Iltis — a 4-wheel-drive West […]

Type Righter

The motoring press went wild when Jaguar brought out the F-type in 2013. Normally sober critics such as Car and Driver described it as “the car you want to be seen in.” Even my own spouse went a little starry-eyed over the F-type the first time I brought one home. […]