The Gare du Mans has a cool, funky parking lot. Who knew? It looks like the perfect place to park (and photograph) this equally funky French car, a favorite of this blog.
Such a gorgeous pic
•March 9, 2011 • 2 CommentsLooks like a quiet moment of reverie. But such is the deceptive nature of photography, given that a Porsche 956 in the forest would be anything but (unless it DNF).
Derek Bell-Stefan Bellof Porsche 956 at the 1983 Nurburgring 1000Kms
What we have on the noggin now
•March 9, 2011 • 4 CommentsAn old favorite: boss wagons— specifically, W123 boss wagons. We have suddenly and unexpectedly become gripped with ’80s AMG fever, which isn’t the first time it’s happened, nor likely to be the last.
So what did our Interweb scavenging yield? As it turns out, hotness. Lots and lots of hotness.
Vis-à-vis your standard oil burner of the same period, the difference is striking. Guess which look we prefer?
Found some tasty non-wagons, too:
Is the styling on some of these a bit much? Of course. But as with Alpinas from the same period, these cars are old enough now where we are able to take a step back and view them through slightly rosier glasses— we are a little less unforgiving of the gaudy pinstriping, gold wheels, and elaborate body kits. In fact, you might even say they’re only now starting to come together, some thirty or so years later.
W123s and W124s (to Mercedes what the E28 and E34 are to BMW, in our view) really were the high water mark of the E-Class, and we absolutely love ’em. Viewing these pictures, we’re increasingly beginning to see one (a Touring, specifically) in our future, even more than a 5-door E34 or E39 (which we also like, especially the E34). Maybe the Bimmers are the better drivers— maybe. But on balance, these strike us as being several ticks cooler. Very badly want.
(All images via)
This one’s for Jim
•March 8, 2011 • Comments Off on This one’s for JimKinda looking like his garage right now— P-car on one side, Z on the other. Nice to be able to come home to/in this.
In loving detail
•March 8, 2011 • 9 CommentsGet ready for a mouthful— the Lancia Delta HF Integrale 16v Evoluzione II:
F****** incredible! What a view.
Get ready for take-off.
Make the jump for the full set, plus the author’s write-up of his experience meeting one of his heroes:
Jealous as hell of California
•March 7, 2011 • 4 CommentsForget all the Cars n’ Coffees. Forget the Concours d’Elegances. Forget, even, the abundance of desirable (and rust-free) vintage iron that can be had for a song, whatever your flavor (German? Italian? Japanese?). This is why we’re jealous as hell of California, because of the casual wealth of opportunities like this one— stretching up and down the entire state, as well as from the Sierras to the coast.
Y’all out there don’t realize how good you have it. Please don’t take it for granted!
This is what’s called “showing off.”
Assorted grab bag of stuff we like
•March 7, 2011 • 4 Comments
“Best Driving Feel”
•March 4, 2011 • 6 CommentsHere’s a clip from Best Motoring to get you in the mood for summer— and it’s a funny episode, too (in a very Japanese way), probably the hammiest we’ve ever seen of this show. Watch as Tsuchiya puts a handful of roadsters through their paces on BM’s touge course— looks like boatloads of fun.
(The first 13.5 minutes or so are the most interesting.)
Elise
•March 4, 2011 • 6 CommentsDon’t think for a minute that we’ve fallen asleep on the Lotus Elise in favor of older machinery— we still want one, bad. Even if it were as base an example as money could buy – with the Toyota Corolla engine that hasn’t been breathed on – we’d still be happier than pigs in slop.
One looking like this should do just nicely.
Motoring Con Brio 