From Prototype to Production
You’re probably aware of Mercedes' series of C111 concept cars, but you might not know they eventually spawned a production car, albeit in ultra-limited numbers and under a different name. This gullwinged spaceship is a 1991 Isdera Imperator 108i, and it’s easily one of the coolest supercars of the 1990s. Based on Mercedes’ CW311 prototype, don’t let the Imperator’s tiny production run of 30 examples scare you away, because behind the driver sits a bulletproof 5.0-litre Merc V8.
Featuring a lightweight fibreglass body paired to a tubular steel space frame, this Imperator is no slouch with a 0-60 time of just 5 seconds and a top speed of 176 mph — still fairly rapid by today’s standards. Naturally, with just 2,134 miles on the clock, we don’t expect the next owner to rigorously test those performance numbers, but we would absolutely love to see this bright red UFO on the road.
Alfaholics Anonymous
We already have self-control issues when it comes to Alfa Romeos at Classic Driver, but when we see the word ‘Alfaholics’, all reason goes out the window. The UK-based mechanical maestros have blessed this 1968 Alfa Romeo GT Junior with their engineering genius, and the result is a near-perfect racer that’s practically begging to be thrashed around the nearest possible circuit.
Finished in a fantastic combination of Giallo Oro with with vibrant green accents, Alfaholics have breathed on almost every aspect of this Stepnose. That includes the brakes, transmission and engine, which now puts out around 200 horsepower; more than sufficient for such a lightweight car. The interior has been stripped down to the bare essentials, it’s riding on the wonderful Alfaholics GTA Veloce wheels and has had 36,000 pounds worth of upgrades thrown at it. What more could you want?
It’s Bath Time!
What has three wheels, seats two and makes literally everyone who catches sight of it smile with joy? You guessed it, we’re talking about the Morgan Super 3, specifically this 2023 example finished in Opie Orange 3 stage metallic paint. It may only have 118 horsepower, but that’s more than enough thrust to have a tonne of fun in this 635 kilo upturned orange bathtub.
Aside from the vibrant paint job, this near-new example was ordered with a long list of upgrades, making it one of the most well-equipped Super 3s we’ve seen. There’s still plenty of time left this summer to enjoy this raucous little Morgan, and inarguably there’s no car which would be more of a hoot on a good British B road.
Bimmer’s Best
If you’re not one to try shaving off the milliseconds from your morning commute and don’t fancy an M3, then perhaps no car from BMW’s E30 generation of 3 Series would be more of a joy to own than this 1988 BMW 325i Convertible. Finished in Diamond Black Metallic with an eye-catching cardinal red interior, this drop-top pairs a silky-smooth straight-six, a lovely five-speed manual and some of the best styling BMW ever produced.
This low mileage example shows 47,846 miles on the clock and is one of the best examples we’ve seen. Prices on these E30 cabriolets have already started climbing, especially in the case of the six-cylinder models, so act quick if you want to savour this 1980s icon yourself.
Striped Delight
Where do we start with this 1997 Porsche 911 Turbo S? Porsche’s final air-cooled Turbo was already the stuff of dreams, and the S takes it even further with the addition of larger twin turbochargers, endowing this 911 with a frankly scary output of 424 horsepower. These cars are naturally highly collectible—just 183 examples were produced for North America in 1997—but even its rarity isn’t the most impressive aspect of this Turbo S.
Obviously this car’s party piece is its outstanding paint job. Ordered by famed collector Otis Chandler as an homage to his Sunoco-liveried Porsche 917 and 935, this Turbo S features a PTS non-metallic Cobalt Blue exterior, while the red and yellow stripes were added shortly after delivery. The Midnight Blue leather interior is also a work of art, with Porsche Exclusive Speed Yellow seatbelts and contrast stitching tying the whole aesthetic together. The cherry on top of this incomparable Porsche has to be Aerokit Turbo II package; we’ll be dreaming of that twin-blade fixed rear wing for a long time to come.
