The Long Hammer
It’s no secret that the market for pre and post-merger AMG as exploded over the last year or two, and it seems many more are still being discovered. As proof of this, Broad Arrow Auctions’ upcoming Amelia Island sale is loaded with gems, from coupes to long bodied saloons such as this bruiser from 1990. The Hammer may be this super saloon’s sportier sibling, but this Midnight Blue W126-generation S-Class allows you and a bunch of passengers to be rocketed along in complete comfort, for a much more reasonable price tag, too.
First registered in 1989 and originally bound for Japan, this example boasts the AMG-fettled 6.0-litre M117 V8, as well as a complete exhaust system to really make it sing. In concert with the engine upgrade, additional upgrades from AMG include a tuned suspension setup, white-faced instruments with a 300 kph speedometer, a highly desirable boot lid spoiler and 16-inch Aero I wheels. Passengers in the rear will enjoy being propelled in pure comfort, with rear picnic tables and leather as far as the eye can see!
Cross-Eyed Racer
We’ve seen some unusual race-ready vehicles listed on the Classic Driver Market over our 26-year history, but there are few as instantly recognisable as this British bruiser. Run and built by French team AutoGT Racing to contest the 2009 FIA European GT3 Championship, securing a race win on its debut appearance at Silverstone in the hands of Johan-Boris Scheier and Dimitri Enjalbert, this is one of only two Morgan Aero Super Sport GT3’s built.
Powered by BMW’s S50LA V8 that produces almost 600 horsepower, mated to a Holinger six-speed sequential gearbox, this unusual racer was a formidable machine, beating offerings from Aston Martin, Ferrari and Audi in European GT3. Now, this rare beast can be raced once more at many youngtimer race events all over the world, and even the newly launched GT3 Legends tour which started in 2024.
One Car Solution
Love them or loathe them, electric vehicles are now part and parcel of our roads. Some are bursting with tech, others steal the names of their ancestors, and a very, very small number nail the brief better than any combustion car ever could. Rolls-Royce’s entire legacy has been built on the waft-ability of their machines. Speed is secondary, luxury is in pole position, and their newly-launched Spectre celebrates this arguably better than any other model in their range.
With a quoted range of over 300 miles, this all-electric behemoth silently glides along the road, just as a Rolls-Royce should. Combining the sleek looks of the marque’s latest design language with the innovation and refinement you’d expect from a Roller, the Spectre truly is the full package. This example has been treated to some dinner-plate style wheels from Vossen, just to turn even more heads!
Pocket Rocket
While many world-famous racers cut their teeth behind the wheel of a Mini Cooper S, over in Italy, it was cars like the Autobianchi A112 that became the hot hatch of choice for many. While Issigonis’ creation quickly became a true collector’s item, these A112s were somewhat forgotten as time went by, making finding excellent examples such as this truly a difficult task.
Offered here from a collection of racing Abarths, this A112 has been set up in group N configuration and retains the first CSAI racing homologation from 1982 with all the documentation certifying its suitability for sporting use in Italy. Boasting a sturdy roll cage, OMP seats and belts, FIA-approved safety equipment, as well as an upgraded 5-speed gearbox, this Autobianchi is the ideal companion for hillclimb races.
Maserati’s Masterpiece
The only feeling better than collecting your new car is if your close friend and once co-driver is also there to collector the sister car. This is the stuff of dreams for many, and for French drivers Jean Simone and Armand Roboly it became a reality when they took delivery of a pair of the newly-launched Maserati A6 GCS rolling off the delivery truck.
Following its delivery to France, Armand Roboly’s example, the one you seen before you, was treated to its first outing in April of 1954 at the Marrakech Grand Prix in Morocco. His friend Jean Simone raced the sister car in the same event. Roboly finished that race in 3rd place, whilst unfortunately Simone was injured in a crash. This well-raced example would spend its early life country-hopping to some of the world’s finest racetracks and events, including Goodwood, Reims, the Mille Miglia and even venturing over to Sweden. Racing hard up until 1957, the car would then go into hiding for decades, believed to be back with Maserati, before being restored in 2001 and beginning its new life in the ever-growing world of historic racing. Now, this incredibly rare piece of Maserati history is awaiting its new custodian, and is available to be acquired through RM Auctions’ Private Treaty Sales.
