Year of the Dragon
Some cars are littered with air vents and ducts to increase air flow, or to simply compliment the design language across the car. In some cases, though, as many air vents and inlets as possible are needed into order to tame the ferocious beast hiding under the bonnet, and this Aston Martin Vantage V600 Le Mans is one of those examples. Limited to just 40 examples ever made, the V600 Le Mans 40th anniversary of Aston Martin’s outright victory at the 1959 Le Mans 24hr and were built as a last hurrah for the model.
The result is a true brute in a suit. Costing just shy of a quarter of a million when new, the V600 Le Mans boasted AP Racing brakes, Bilstein damped suspension, as well as unique styling that improved aerodynamics, most notably the covered front grille with twin openings, similar to that of a fire-breathing dragon. As weekend grin-givers go, this young timer is about as cool as it can get!
Catching Zs
There are names in the motoring world that stand for far more than just their current set of variants. Names that hark back to a golden era of the automobile and stood for innovation, style and charisma, names like Corvette. As last year we celebrated 70 years since Chevy’s first sports car burst onto the scene, the generations that followed are now also starting to catch the eye of the collector.
This 2009 Corvette Z06 is a prime example of a pivotal moment in modern sportscar, offering drivers unadulterated thrills with minimal computer input and high-tech driver aids, allowing for some real fun out on the open road. It’s somewhat subtle styling, neat body accents and surprisingly spacious cabin ensures this is a sports car that can howl like a wolf when needed, but purrs like a kitten just as easily.
If Classic Driver was a car
We have to admit, we’ve said this statement for a few cars in the past. A brown over cream Citroën SM here, a rough and ready Fiat Panda 4x4 there, but this 1992 Porsche 964 Carrera Coupe may have just taken the title. On the face of it, it is a regular example of arguably Stuttgart’s finest 911s, but hidden behind its Schiefer Grey Metallic paint sits a joyous interior that showcases an almost perfect match for our brand colours.
Leather finished in Sherwood Green fills the all original cabin, bringing a vibrancy to what is a very understated example, but adds a uniqueness and charm to it that we were instantly attracted to. This unique colour, combined with an electric sunroof is the perfect way to enjoy this year’s events in complete comfort and style!
G-Whizz
In 1965, a man by the name of Burt Sugarman, a former race car driver, car dealer and soon-to-be Hollywood producer from Beverly Hills, had an idea. He wanted a car that combined all-american beef under the hood, with the elegance and poise of an Italian drop-top, and knew just who to call to make it happen.
After some convincing, Ghia agreed to build a small-scale production of the Ghia 450 SS, all of which were handmade. A mere 57 examples ever left the factory, with its technical elements based on the Plymouth Barracuda, complete with the beef Sugarman was longing for – a 4.5-litre V8 engine. The result is a truly stunning blend of American muscle with European beauty, and despite costing the same as the latest Ferrari during the 1960s, it was certainly a car that would turn heads, and keep on turning them nearly 60 years later!
From Procar to icon
Folding headlights, flat kidneys, and rear window slats aplenty, there was no car on the road quite like the BMW M1 in the early 1970s. Heck, there hasn’t been another BMW quite like Giorgio Giugiaro’s creation in the decades that followed, and of all the stunning shades it was produced in, this white-on-white example has us weak at the knees.
While the M1’s high-revving in-line six engine has matured into one of the brand’s finest creations, it was the weight that inspired so many to take it racing. At just 1,300 kg, combined with the ideal weight distribution through the mid-engine concept led to impressive handling characteristics. This example brings a subtle but striking nod to BMW’s Motorsport division with some tri-coloured graphics across the exterior.
