British Racing Goodness
Lately, the often-overlooked E36 has been catching our eye with increasing regularity, and this 1995 BMW M3 GT is the king of them all. Built to homologate the E36 for the FIA GT series, just 356 of these fabulous coupes were built, and they could be bought in any colour as long as you chose British Racing Green. As far as mandatory specs go, you can’t get much better than the M3 GT’s, especially with those matching green trimmed ‘Vader’ seats. This example is one of only 50 built in RHD, making it one of the rarest M cars on the road. Powered by a 295 hp straight six, this mean green racing machine can sprint to 60mph in a still-impressive 5.9 seconds, but if you’re on the hunt for one of these, that glorious paintwork is really all that matters.
Drop Top King
It’s funny to think that after all the crazy, fire-breathing special editions from AMG and Brabus, the G-Class we’re most in love with is a G300 Turbo Diesel. However, as you’ll have noticed, this isn’t just any old G-Class, it’s one of very few Cabriolet models. Finished in Elliot Newton’s favourite combo of green over tan, you’ll likely have to fight him for the keys to this fastidiously-maintained SUV. However, don’t let that deter you, because you won’t find a better holiday car anywhere in the Classic Driver Market than this 1998 Mercedes G300 Cabriolet.
Karma Chameleon
TVRs come and go, but arguably none are as eye-catching as this 2004 TVR Tuscan Swordfish, which is really saying something considering how outrageous some of their models look. Named after the long-forgotten early-2000s action flick in which it made its debut, this TVR may not have Hugh Jackman behind the wheel, but it still has plenty of Y2K flair. Finished in the incredible shade of Chameleon Blue, which flips from green to blue depending on your viewing angle, the ridiculous colour combo continues into the equally-insane cabin, and we’re here for it! This example looks to be in excellent condition with just 22,150 miles on the clock, making it the perfect choice for fans of cars from TVR’s golden era.
Saoutchik Chic
French coachbuilder Saoutchik might not be as well-known today as Pininfarina or Bertone, but that isn’t to say they didn’t produce some utterly gorgeous automotive artwork. Designed by Wilfredo Ricart—chief engineer at Pegaso—this Pegaso Tipo Z-102B is believed to be one of only five surviving LHD Saoutchik-bodied Series II Berlinettas. Boasting period competition history, this Pegaso also distinguishes itself as the show car displayed at the 1954 Paris Auto Salon. Totally restored to concours-condition in 2017, this Spanish-built sports car is your chance to enjoy some of the best coachwork the 1950s had to offer.
Trans Am Champ
As a large, heavy grand tourer, the XJS wouldn’t be our first choice as the platform for a race car, and Lord Stokes of British Leyland shared that sentiment back in the 1970s. Despite reluctance from up-top, Michael H. Dale, British Leyland’s VP of sales in the US, remained confident that the XJS could be a track star. After enlisting the help of Bob Tullius, this 1976 XJS was transformed from a bare-metal factory-supplied shell into an all-out 580bhp racer. After a patchy 1976 season, this XJS was entered into the 1977 Trans Am Championship, where it quickly started racking up wins. At the end of the 1977 season, this XJS emerged as the championship winner, proving that a square peg can indeed be made to fit in a round hole. Now fully restored mechanically and cosmetically, this XJS looks outstanding in its iconic Quaker State livery and is ready to take its next owner for a very wild ride.
