Classics : Car News And Reviews

In the past few years, it seems like automakers are competing to create the smartest cars on the road. From lane assistance and intelligent cruise control to parking assistance and – before we know it – wholly autonomous vehicles.

The North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit is the most iconic OEM motor vehicle meet in the United States, every year drawing hundreds of thousands of car shoppers and members of the media alike through its doors at the Cobo Center.

When it comes to Jaguars, perhaps the most iconic of any racing car it has ever built was the Jaguar D-Type Works track car. The vehicle you see here is absolutely pristine and has the sort of provenance that makes it insanely expensive.

One of the rarest Jaguars ever made has to be the XJ220. Only a handful of these powerful supercars were made back in the early 1990s, and they seldom come up for sale. Just 283 of the cars were made between 1992 and 1994, and they sold for £470,000, or a little over $700,000 US dollars at the then current exchange rate.

The original Shelby Cobra Roadster is one of the most desirable cars out there. But one thing that stands in the way of some folks from enjoying classic cars is the fact that many of them only came with manual transmissions.

There are a handful of sports cars which have been staples of the American gearheads’ diet for decades. The big ones being the Ford Mustang, the Dodge Challenger, the Chevrolet Corvette, and the Chevrolet Camaro. Each of these cars has followed a unique path of evolution throughout its history, sometimes paying tribute to their heritage, while other times trying to reinvent its looks and capabilities for a new generation.

If I had a million dollars to spare, I’d strongly consider picking up a Porsche 911 GT2 RS, and then pay off my mortgage with the rest. But if I had $1.3 million to spare, I think I might have to go for this awesome specimen – a beautiful orange and black 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS, packing a 2.7-liter competition engine.

Our friends over at Petrolicious get to spend time with some truly exotic and spectacular cars, from beauties like the Jaguar E-Type lightweight to the Ferrari F40. But sometimes a car is less about showing off its looks, and more about what its can do on the road.

It’s been quite some time since the Land Rover Defender was sold here in the US. In fact, it was sold only from 1993 to 1997 due to ever-changing safety regulations. I’m hopeful that the Defender will be relaunched in the next couple of years, but there’s nothing quite like the rugged, boxy shape of a classic Defender.

With just 1,200 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 “Daytona” cars built between 1969 and 1973, they’re some of the most desirable collectors cars on the market, typically selling for upwards of $700,000 when fully restored. But why would a dusty old barn find Daytona be going for more than twice that much?

While today’s C7 Chevy Corvettes are the best ‘Vettes ever in terms of performance and handling, I always loved the look of the C3 Corvette. I think it’s because the ’70s and early ’80s models were the Vettes of my boyhood car fantasies.

The Lancia Stratos is one of those classic cars that many gearheads would love to have in their collection. But it’s not exactly the easiest or cheapest car to come by, never mind the fact that ’70s and ’80s Italian sportscars aren’t exactly known for their reliability.

While some people are sticklers for using all original parts when restoring classic cars, I rather enjoy well-done restomods as well, in which the spirit of the original car is preserved, but its updated with modern performance parts, a typically made more bold and aggressive in styling.

Got $3 million burning a hole in your pocket? Then have I got something for you! This especially rare 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB should look great alongside all those other cars in your massive collection. I just love the look of Ferrari’s berlinetta style cars, and the bodywork by Scaglietti here is impeccable.

Of all of the Alfa Romeos ever made, I have to say I think the original GTV was the best looking. It might not have had the performance chops of Alfa’s best cars, but it sure was pretty.