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Is the Ferrari ‘Daytona’ the best car ever to wear the Prancing Horse? A lot of people think so and original versions can fetch large sums in the right condition. Looking at the car today it is hard to imagine the reaction in 1968 when Ferrari launched the officially titled 365 GTB/4 (B being the Berlinetta or coupe) and the GTS (Spider) following soon after. The design still blows your socks off forty years later.
Several companies in the US and Europe have produced replica versions of the famous Daytona over the years but here in the UK at least the best known was the version produced by Southern Roadcraft. Sadly it appears that today the company no longer exists although there is a website dedicated to their cars – click here to take a look
We are selling on behalf of the owner a beautiful Jet Black SR-bodied Daytona which has been fitted with a 5 litre V12 from a 1982 Ferrari 400i. The car has been constructed with authenticity in mind and many people would be easily convinced that they were looking at an original plexi-glass Daytona from the early seventies.
To view this stunning Daytona replica on our website click here or for a slideshow of over twenty images please click here. Alternatively give us a call on ++44(0)1474 854490 for a friendly chat.
Alpina have been working their magic on BMW’s for 45 years now and Herr Burkard Bovensiepen, the founder, is still the main man at their Buchloe HQ in Germany.
Car buffs will know that Alpina buys the basic bodywork and ancilliaries from BMW and then go about producing their own interpretation which is then recognised and registered by the German authorities as an ‘Alpina’ – not a BMW. RUF do the same thing with Porsches as did AMG before becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mercedes.
So what do you get from Alpina that sets their cars apart from the standard fare from BMW? Well for starters much of the interior features bespoke Alpina items and many of the materials used tend to be of an even higher quality than those from the original factory.
Oh and don’t forget Alpina’s alloy wheels which any car anorak will spot a mile away. Their distinctive design has been around since the beginning of time and still look fresh on their cars today.
More importantly however is what they put under the bonnet. Engines will either be seriously re-worked versions of the orginal Beemer units or indeed something they have designed from scratch themselves. Their B5 which is an Alpina’d M5 (E60 model) sports a V8 rather than the Munich V10. Alpina have biased their car towards a beefier torque curve although power-wise there is little to choose between them.
As so on to the B3 which looks pretty much like an M3 until you see that Alpina have opted to install their Bi-turbo 3 litre straight-six instead of a V8. Their pitch is that once again the focus has been of delivering bags of torque just when required without sacrificing top-end power and performance while keeping fuel economy in mind.
And so now could you be tempted and dare to be a little different? If so we know of three brand-new Alpina B3 convertibles, two of which come in ‘Edition’ specs which mean that the bodywork, grilles, badges and wheels are all colour-matched. All cars will feature the 6-speed Sports Auto gearbox with Alpina Switch-Tronic.
There is a Black Sapphire ‘Edition’ with Red Dakota Leather Interior including Alpina roundels, Lavalina bi-colour package (steering wheel and stitching), 19″ Alpina Alloy wheels in black, red stitching to black gaiters, Alpina lettering embossed on all four headrests, Hi-Fi speaker system, USB/Audio interface, black painted ‘Kidney’ and lower grilles plus black model designation badging. Total on the road cost 57025 GBP
The Alpine white ‘Edition’ with Black Dakota leather comes with an almost identical spec for 57650 GBP and then there is a non-Edition model available in Black Sapphire with Black Dakota Leather for 55090 GBP.
For further details of these rare and fascinating BMW Alpinas please call us on 0845 6432047 or email sales@thecarspy.net
As cars go the Triumph Stag is a bit of an enigma. By rights it should have been consigned to the dustbin at British Leyland labelled ‘Failed Projects’ by the time the first engine blew up. But here we are 40 years later talking about a car that seems to get more desirable as the decades roll by. The problematical early days are well-documented but no longer seem to matter. It is believed that up to 9000 examples out of the original 25k made are still on the road today and after MG the Stag has one of the most active owner’s clubs around.
So how could such a problem-child turn into a classic icon?
Just park one up in the street, stand back and watch. Wager a bet with your mate that nobody will be able to pass the car without even a slight sideways glance. Giovanni Michelotti created a masterpiece. He was a bosom pal of Triumph’s boss, Harry Webster, and he was responsible for most of the company’s designs during their heyday. The Stag was his best effort and today it looks stunning.
Although the engine is the bit that most negative commentators tend to focus their attention on it is also one of the best bits. It is true of course that BL should have taken more care in its development but that doesn’t mean it is anything like an old nail. Just check the coolant regularly and change the oil every 3000 miles. There are plenty of original V8’s that have never been rebuilt so don’t believe all of the scare stories. We should know – we ran one for two years without any issues. RMK 922R where are you now?
So why is it also one of the best bits? Well, stroll back to your parked-up Stag and fire it up. The kids will drop their bikes and run up to the car begging you to give it some throttle. The noise gives you goosebumps. The tight bass-line ‘woofle’ of the V8 sounds like it was built yesterday. If you were wearing a blindfold you would never guess the car you were listening to was built in the 1970’s and the aural sensory pleasure it gives will make you want to drive the car all day with the roof down while looking for tunnels.
If BL had not skimped on important design and build issues then this V8 could have been an all-time great and it is without a doubt a perfect compliment to the super-smooth looking Stag. Forget all of the Rover V8, Ford V6 and 2.5 six-cylinder conversions – they are naff. The engines are all fine of course but the Stag’s chassis, suspension and brakes are set-up for its own V8 so weight distribution is perfectly balanced. Converted Stags are cheap for good reason so buyer beware.
The basic design was so good that the car needs very few modifications to make it a perfectly useable every day car. How about this for a specification? Front disc brakes, fully independent suspension with MacPherson struts up front, power assisted brakes, power steering, electric windows, front headrests, optional aircon, a choice of Borg-Warner automatic or 4-speed manual gearbox with overdrive and alloy wheels came as standard on the Mk2.
Over the years most owners have opted to switch to electronic ignition, polyurethane bushes and larger capacity radiators with electric fans to aid cooling. Many have installed new hoods, leather interiors and walnut veneer dashboards which only add to the car’s appeal. Don’t be tempted to fit low profile tyres though because the ride will suffer and gearing will be affected adversely.
A properly cared-for Stag should be an absolute joy to drive. Although a sprited set of performance figures are on offer – 145bhp, 0-60mph in less than 9 seconds and a top speed close to 120 – the Stag is a comfortable cruiser and a four-seater convertible to boot! The hood folds away neatly and completely under a hide-away cover and the clever ‘T-bar’ support ensures that the car remains tight with little noticeable scuttle shake. As with any classic you tend to get what you pay for and well-sorted examples fetch the best prices.
Stag’s seem to have a bit of a reputation in the film industry too because ever since the car was launched it has been a firm favourite with film producers to this very day. Diamonds Are Forever, Straw Dogs, Randall and Hopkirk, Murphy’s Law, Hazell, Second Sight, Dracula AD 1972, Carry on Emmannuelle, New Tricks and more recently on Ladytron’s ‘Ghosts’ video. Not all timeless classics granted but it just goes to show the effect of the Stag’s ‘cool car’ status.
OK, so now you want to buy one we know of a stunning, restored, two owner Pimento Red example showing only 23,000 recorded miles which even comes with the original dealer pack and ‘Passport’ to Service’ book. Click here for a Slideshow of images. Give us a call on 0845 643 2047 to find out more.
It’s impossible to dislike the M3. In fact, we would go as far to say that it is probably the best car ever made. Well, if you don’t need a carry-all for the kids or a 4×4 to climb mountains (or Chelsea pavements) then this ‘wunderauto’ is an act that is hard to beat. From its intial inception as the E30 the M3 has raised the bar consistently when it comes to road-going high-performance cars that Joe Public can use without the need for special tuition on a track. The E30 is a rare old bird now and collectors will pay silly money for a nice original example (if they can find one!). The E36 came along next in 1992 with a nice sharp suit and performance figures that truly embarassed the likes of Ferrari and Porsche. The straight six-cylinder on steroids eventually pumped out 320 BHP and saw the introduction of the revolutionary SMG gearbox. This car really did put the cat in the birdcage. It could even be said the ‘horsepower wars’ started when this car came along. Suddenly the M3 was the benchmark that had to be beaten and 300-plus BHP was soon to be de-rigeur for any sports car to be taken seriously. It wasn’t all about the horses though. The M3 was a great driver’s car – in other words, it handled superbly. At the turn of the new millennium the E46 M3 was born. More space, more comfort, more power and even easier to drive with the optional second-generation SMG gearbox. The E46 is a real looker, too. Even though the E90 has now replaced this version we have a feeling that the E46 will have its own fan club of admirers for many years to come. It looks muscular yet restrained and there isn’t a bad angle on the car to be caught on camera. What great value these E46’s are these days too! We have just put a gorgeous Carbon Black example of an SMG convertible on our books for a customer and this one comes with all of the toys too – for less than £20k!! Click here for a full details or click here for a Pistonheads review of the E46 M3.
These cars are just the cutest! The Mini’s perfect proportions make you want to pick one up and put it in your pocket. Considering how cuddly the original version was back in 1959 it has been no mean feat that today’s designers have kept the essence and soul of Issigonis’s (crikey that’s hard to spell!) first generation Mini. Let’s hope that BMW don’t adopt the ‘change for change’s sake’ attitude with the Mini and leave the formula to mature nicely with only minor tweaking. Please don’t do what VW did to the original Golf! Right, so since everyone agrees that the Mini is a highly desirable piece of kit then why not plump for one with a detachable roof? We’re marketing one in Dark Silver for the owner who has since upgraded to a newer model. It’s an ‘S’ with the punchy Supercharged engine and 6-speed gearbox. With Cooper Works Alloys, Side Skirts, Chili Pack, TLC and Aircon it’s a very nicely specified example. Oh and this one has only done 9800 miles. Want more details? Then just click here and get ready to fall in love!
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