Of the three dozen or so driver’s who will take part in the first Drive Toward a Cure California Adventure, Dick Cupp might be especially enthusiastic. He’s entered his 1960 Porsche 356 Super 90 in the inaugural April 28-30 event.
The Vesuvio Gray Giulia TI Sport I was driving quickly cast a spell over me as had not been the case with so many other contemporary cars. It was clear that it was both capable and characterful, but not with the kind of ‘quirky’ character that Italian cars can sometimes possess. That and the fact that it attracted an amazing amount of attention wherever I went sealed the deal.
The Grifo was a rarity, with 402 built from 1964-1974 in several versions. The car was actually the first of that series and the show car for that year’s Turin Auto Show. And to think, it all began with a little bubble car.
Car designers may loathe the term “retro,” but when done right, retro can raise pulses. The BMW Z8 certainly raised pulses when introduced for model year 2000 – and it still does today.
“Glamorous” is not a word you hear to describe modern Italian sports and GT cars. It’s a bit of a bygone word in an era when car designers and marketers much prefer terms like “aggressive.” Indeed, the modern versions often seem styled with angry-looking visages, perhaps to frighten other motorists or small children. The Maserati Mistral, built from 1963-1970, wears a happy look up front. Times are different.
Last month in Scottsdale, Arizona, a restored 1958 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider Veloce sold for $176,000 at the Bonhams auction in Scottsdale (including premium). Think about that: $176k can still buy a 40-year-newer Ferrari 550 Maranello, or a brand new Porsche 911 Turbo with a smattering of options.
Ferrari has introduced the new 812 Superfast; a front-engine, 12-cylinder salute to the company’s 70th year of making automobiles.
The new 911 GTS line bridges the gap between the Carrera S and Turbo models. (Leave it to Porsche to leave no gap in the 911 line unfilled.)
It won Motor Trend’s Car of The Year Award in 1972. It wowed all who test-drove it. It made passersby look twice, three times — even four times. “What the heck is that?” ~ The singular Citroën SM.
