When many think of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL, they perhaps think first of the coupe that absolutely stunned the automotive world when Mercedes introduced it at the New York Auto Show in 1954. Its gull-wing doors that opened upward into the roof gave it the iconic nickname that has been inseparable ever since.
We’ve assembled our “12 Classics Cars of Christmas” with cars that inspire lust but won’t end up gathering dust in the garage. A few, admittedly, may also bring back Santa’s own memories searching in every store only to find all have been sold. We even included a few stocking stuffers for family enjoyment.
Despite the Porsche 911’s immense and ongoing success, the 356 series has always maintained a loyal fan base. The 356 was, however, a notorious ruster, which claimed many of the 76,000 built from 1948-1965. The rarest, including the first 50 or so coupes hand-built in Gmund, Austria between 1948 and 1950, plus some later models, can fetch $1.5 million.
To do something completely different, after a dozen years rallying around Western Virginia and West Virginia, we moved Mountain Mille 300 miles South. The rally took place just a week after Hurricane Matthew, but the storm affected coastal North Carolina and not the western mountains. Even better, the weather for the rally was perfect.
The Atlanta Concours d’ Elegance was held at the beautiful Chateau Elan Winery and Resort which is owned by Dr. Donald Panoz. Dr. Panoz started manufacturing hand-crafted sports cars bearing his name in the 1990’s and several Panoz street cars and race cars were part of the Concours display.
The Goodwood Revival is a three-day festival that hearkens back to this romantic era of the sporting gentleman, holding races for vintage automobiles that could have raced there during the track’s heyday.
The Concours of Elegance is an international car show and competition that celebrates the best of automotive art and engineering. But it’s more than just a concours; it’s a two day motoring experience that features a vintage rally, car show, and awards ceremony.
The coachbuilt Silver Cloud models have long been prized by collectors, yet the standard sedans, discussed here, have snuck past the $100,000 mark and make excellent drivable collectibles.
Following Monterey Car Week is a tall order, but the Milwaukee Concours d’Elegance meets the task admirably with an eclectic mix of vintage and classic automobiles. Since 2005, the Concours has provided thousands of spectators with the best of automotive art, history, and engineering.
