Author: Marit Anne Peterson

1958 Chevrolet Impala Convertible

This extravagant one-year-only styling has come to represent the risk-taking, change-making zeitgeist of the late ’50s and early ’60s {vsig}2006-8_1948{/vsig} The Chevrolet Impala was introduced in 1958 as a sporty trim package for Bel Air coupes and convertibles. Unique to the model were its six taillights, a classic styling cue […]

1973 Volkswagen Type 181 Thing

By any standards save for originality, this Thing had indeed been dramatically improved since it rolled off a Mexican assembly line 32 years ago {vsig}2005-6_1847{/vsig} This ultimate Thing was a ground-up restoration completed in May 2002. Over $40,000 has been invested, with everything replaced with new parts or rebuilt to […]

1959 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible

Its massive fins reflect the height of American optimism, a sculptural representation of the opulence of the era {vsig}2005-5_1836{/vsig} This 1959 Cadillac convertible was previously owned by Princess Gloria von Thurn und Taxis of German Royalty. The onetime waitress who used to be known as the “Punk Princess” because of […]

1967-1973 Mercury Cougar

The fiercest Cougar was an Eliminator fitted with blacked-out grille, side stripes, a spoiler and Ford’s 428 Cobra Jet Ram Air It was Motor Trend’s Car of the Year in 1967, and Car Life called it a “Mustang with class.” Yet the Mercury Cougar has been mostly overlooked by collectors, […]

1954-1963 Mercedes-Benz 190SL

The 190SL’s designers had a challenge on their hands-to echo the 300SL’s styling, but not copy it Close your eyes and picture your local main drag on a Saturday afternoon. Parked outside the neighborhood coffee shop, what do you see? Likely one or two Mercedes SLs, 280s. 560s. 450s. 380s. […]

1964 Buick Riviera

GM design chief Bill Mitchell’s “personal luxury” land yacht set sail as a sophisticated merger of Ferrari GT car style with Rolls-Royce luxury {vsig}2004-12_1536{/vsig} Although Buick was primarily a luxury line, in 1963 it issued a sports model, a beautiful coupe called the Riviera. It was America’s answer to the […]

1967 Plymouth Satellite Hemi Convertible

Values of original Hemi cars with solid bodies and accurate restorations have been steadily moving into the stratosphere, with $200,000 no longer unheard of for the right cars   Chrysler Corporation swears that it never produced any Plymouth Satellite Hemi convertibles in 1967, despite the fact that two have surfaced […]

1996-98 BMW Z3 1.9-liter

The Z3 is a Teutonic E-type: long in front, short in back, with muscular curves and a low stance The Z3 was introduced to the public in Goldeneye, the popular 1995 James Bond film that began Pierce Brosnan’s run as 007. As BMW’s first pure sports car in almost forty […]

1991-96 Acura NSX Coupe

If you can’t afford a jet, the NSX might be the next best thing The Acura NSX, unveiled by Honda in 1991, was an attempt to fuse user-friendly ergonomics with supercar performance. The seven years of development that went into the car resulted in an exotic that was as easy […]