Columns

Highway Star

1977 Toyota Carina S/N TA31012280. 4,200 miles. “1.6-liter inline-4, 4-speed manual transmission, yellow, white and blue paint, black vinyl with cloth inserts, widened 13-inch steel wheels with Advan rain tires, AE86 coil-over suspension, Celica Works over fenders, Vitaloni Sebring mirrors, Celica front spoiler, ‘Slit Spoiler’ rear diffuser, Momo steering wheel, […]

Big Benz Bang for the Buck

There aren’t many high-end sports cars that become truly affordable, both in purchase price and in real cost of ownership. The 2002–08 Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG, however, is one such unicorn. Typical market prices are less than the cost of a new Toyota Camry, and you get a sweet supercharged V8 […]

Big Damage, Limited Recovery

It sure seemed like a great idea. “Pete” was flying all the way across the country for Monterey Car Week, and there was a Ferrari he wanted for sale in Monterey. He planned to check out the car, buy it if it was a good one, and ship it back […]

Auf Wiedersehen

We filled the tank of our 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG for the first time on July 1, 2020. The odometer read 45,389 miles. We had purchased it from a collector in the Los Angeles area for $22,500. SCM Contributor Philip Richter had urged — no, commanded — me to buy […]

1965 Dodge Coronet A990 Lightweight

Chrysler allowed the development of its Hemi engine for one real purpose: to win races. However, NASCAR in 1964 decided that Chrysler’s engine was not acceptable on its racetracks. Plan B was to build a factory car that would dominate the stock classes in NHRA-sanctioned drag racing. Thus was born […]

1961 Jaguar E-Type 3.8 Convertible

Sir William Lyons’ leadership allowed Jaguar to flourish. He had appointed the gifted engineer, pilot and racing technical wizard Frank RW “Lofty” England to lead the company’s racing department. Applying his experience working with Tim Birkin’s team and the Blower Bentley cars, as well as Prince Bira’s White Mouse Stable, […]

1961 Maserati 5000 GT Indianapolis Coupe by Allemano

This 1961 Maserati 5000 GT is one of 34 examples built between 1959 and 1966 and is the first among 22 coupes constructed with Carrozzeria Allemano bodywork penned by Giovanni Michelotti. Named the Indianapolis as a nod to Maserati’s Indy 500 legacy, chassis 103014 was completed in September 1961 before […]

1970 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona

This 1970 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 is one of approximately 410 examples built with fixed headlights behind a plexiglass nose panel before a pop-up headlight configuration was adopted in 1971. Chassis 13231 was completed on March 6, 1970, before being delivered new in Bologna, Italy. It was imported later that decade […]

1959 Porsche 356 Convertible D

Porsche’s 356A is truly the most swoon-worthy production automobile the Stuttgart firm ever created. The D was only produced in 1959 before the model was transformed into the 356B in 1960; at a mere 1,331 manufactured, it is one of the rarest production automobiles to ever don the Porsche badge. […]

2021 Ford GT Carbon Series

Russell Sims, an emerging Ford design-team engineer, was selected for a top-secret project code-named “Phoenix.” Operating out of the “Batcave,” the basement of the Ford design studio, to keep things as quiet as possible, Russell and team began designing the components for the 2016 Ford GT that would take on […]