Cars to Buy NOW ?

[LongRanger]

Ford Escort RS Cosworth

1995

Revenge of the $h#t-box. Audi opened the door . . . and just look at what came through!






............

[LongRanger]

A potential investment that masquerades as an actual car you can use. (Sort of.)

Mercedes-Benz R63 AMG.

2007

Because the world needed a 500HP mini-van about as badly as it needed a Cobra. Or a 275 GTB/4.

Hey, stupider things have happened. Does putting a V8 in a Sunbeam sound smart?

5100 lbs, zero-to-60 in 4.6 sec . . . available by special-order only. Allegedly, only 30 ever made. (http://www.topgearage.com/?p=260)

"Hey, don't look now but my Mom's mini-van just waxed you Dad's 'Furrari's a$$! See ya at soccer practice . . . ya pansy!"

[LongRanger]

Another car you can sorta use. Also a guilty pleasure. . . .

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution RS

2004

This is the stripper taxi-cab-from-hell version --- no wing, no 6-speed, no ABS, no rear wiper, no HID lights, no power windows, no vanity lights, no trunk liner, no grab handles, no --- well, you get the idea. Does have a helical LSD in front, so this thing'll turn in probably quicker than you can think about it. Comes stock w/276 HP . . . but simple hand-tool-type changes can put that up over 400. WAY over. (See Vishnu.)

Not known how many were sold, but virtually impossible to find stock. GenXers trashed these things as fast as their little credit card limits would let them. Fast but fragile . . . gear-boxes and center difs, mostly. Look underneath one, some time. Forged aluminum and stainless steel bits everywhere, wrapped-up in erector-set-grade sheet metal. Alloy hood.

Not exactly pretty. But effective. Whipped a contemporary Carrera 4 around Willow Springs. (And not by a little.) Farts fire.

Tell Wifey its an economy car. (Lie)
Tell her its a practical sedan, with room for the kids. (You're going to hell.)
Tell her you gave up your sports car ---- just for her. (Burn, Baby, burn!)

Then? . . . try not to run over any school kids dropping your brats off. And, if you don't center-punch any semis as you go howling down the streets, you might actually make some money when you sell it to some aging GenXer. . . in, oh, say --- 20-years, or so.

If you live that long. And the car.

[teenchy]

Another car you can sorta use. Also a guilty pleasure. . . .

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution RS

2004

. . . try not to run over any school kids dropping your brats off. And, if you don't center-punch any semis as you go howling down the streets, you might actually make some money when you sell it to some aging GenXer. . . in, oh, say --- 20-years, or so.

If you live that long. And the car.

These and Subaru WRX STis are going to be much in demand, as will to a lesser extent the standard WRX and that WRX in a box, the Forester XT.

[CurtEgerer]

Rick - you and I have very similar shopping lists But I do think the ship sailed on the Stratos and Fiat 131 Abarth a long time ago ..... no deals to be found there.

Anyway, the Subaru Sti's and Mitsu Evo's are definitely up and comers as an investment for 10 and 20 years down the road. These are the muscle cars of the late 90s and 2000's. Every kid has the poster. Every young adult has one and has driven the piss out of it and modified it heavily. Find a low mile unmolested version and tuck it away.

At the top of the heap in my book would be the 22B STi. Very rare early wide-body 2-door with only 399 sold. Legend has it they sold out in 30 minutes. The Carrera RS Lightweight of Subarus if you will.

[naparsei]

Raj,
The SuperFasts and SuperAmericas are special cars.

If you get a 330GTC, I think you'll find it is even better than you think. That's been my experience with my 365GTC - not quite as pretty, but you do notice the extra power. Fantastic touring car.

[Slugwerks]

I think early very original 930's are the way to go. They will turn into todays early 911S down the road.

[LongRanger]

. . . P.S anyone see BMW rip off the lines on the 330 GTC on their 3.0CS-down to even the C pillar circle and rear lights.

Uh . . . . . . . no.

Ferrari introduced the 330 GTC Berlinetta in March 1966, at the Geneva Motor Show.

Attached is an image of a 1965-model BMW 2000CS, a coupe developed from BMW's Neue Klasse sedans of the early '60s, which lead to the 2800CS/3.0CS/CSL coupes.

More likely, Pininfarina was influenced, as many were, by Bertone's Alfa Romeo 105/115 series coupes --- the Giulia Sprint GT/GTV --- as designed by none-other-than Giorgetto Giugiaro, around '62-63.

Rick Kreiskott

[teenchy]

Anyway, the Subaru Sti's and Mitsu Evo's are definitely up and comers as an investment for 10 and 20 years down the road. These are the muscle cars of the late 90s and 2000's. Every kid has the poster. Every young adult has one and has driven the piss out of it and modified it heavily. Find a low mile unmolested version and tuck it away.

At the top of the heap in my book would be the 22B STi. Very rare early wide-body 2-door with only 399 sold. Legend has it they sold out in 30 minutes. The Carrera RS Lightweight of Subarus if you will.

I've only seen one 22B in the US and it was in the possession of Subaru of America, stored somewhere at HQ in Cherry Hill, NJ.

There were a lot of WRX STi variants being popped out in the late '90s - early '00s: P1, RB5, Series McRae, Catalunya, WRSport. A bit like trainspotting with those.

[Todsimpson]

Here's another oddball BMW...the Bertone designed 3200 CS of '61 or '62.