Money for Nothing
In an age when understated luxury has given way to digital dazzle, the Maybach 62 remains an unflinching ode to automotive opulence in its purest form. Created as the flagship resurrection of the Maybach marque under Daimler-Benz, the 62 was never about compromise, it was about commanding presence, comfort and style beyond belief.
Measuring over six metres in length, the 62 needed some serious brute force under its elongated bonnet to help this barge gain some knots. Thankfully, Maybach fitted a 5.5-litre V12 Mercedes-Benz engine, providing extremely quiet travel at a great pace if needed, ideal for the rich and famous who often found themselves in the rear cabin of a Maybach and needed a quick getaway. To cement that theory, this wonderful Dark Himalaya Grey example was once owned by guitarist Peter Townsend of rock royalty The Who, The price of all this desirability, presence and future classic status? Historics Auctioneers have estimated just £33,000!
The Next Big Thing
Here at Classic Driver, we like to think we have our eyes on which cars are next in line to enjoy their time in the limelight. Back in 2021, we claimed the refrigerator-looking, minimalist interior toting Series 1 & 2 Land Rover Discovery were the cars to put your hard-earned cash into, and it seems that theory is slowly but surely paying off.
Take this stunning Ardennes Green Metallic 4x4 as an example, which has been lovingly enjoyed throughout its life since it left Land Rover’s Solihull plant in 1991 and remains in fantastic condition throughout. As an arguably more capable sibling to the Range Rover, and an effortlessly cool off-roader that isn’t as all-out explorer as the Defender, the Discovery now possesses a cult following around the world!
The British Ferrari
As Lotus pushes further on into the world of electric power, the cars that have led them to where they are now have become all the more appealing. Light, fast, agile, somewhat affordable and downright awesome to look at, just about any Lotus from the post-2000s era is a dinky car that will make a big statement out on the road.
Few have carried their styling better than the third generation of Exige S, which enter the motoring world in 2012. Featuring a wider, more muscular body than the earlier models, this Ardent Red with an Ivory White leather interior was actually retained by Lotus Cars themselves, before arriving with an enthusiast owner who enjoyed its 345bhp, supercharged V6 engine. Now deemed as a certified future classic, we think this wallet-friendly British Ferrari offers bags of character and plenty of power all for under £50,000!
Turbo Targa
It’s no secret, Porsche prices have rocketed over recent years and are showing no signs of slowing. While the holy grails come in the form of PTS-shaded, mostly coupé variants, the market has expanded and now other models are being snapped up with fervour. Take this 1989 Porsche 930 S Targa, which is set to sell close to the one-million-dollar mark as it heads to Gooding and Company’s upcoming Pebble Beach sale.
Finished in Blutorange, this example is believed to have been featured on Japanese Porsche importer Mizwa’s stand at the Tokyo Auto Show in 1989. Having spent its life in constant care, it has now covered a mere 5,000 km from new and boasts unique features such as wood trim in the interior and Schroth racing harnesses, adding a hardcore edge to this sun-hungry Targa!
Sbarring Partner
We recently fell a little head-over-heels in love with Franco Sbarro’s outrageous creations. Not too long ago we featured the Super Eight in Market Finds, and we didn’t think we could find another car quite as outrageous, but here we are.
Built to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the French TV show ‘Turbo’ on M6, Franco Sbarro and students of the Montbéliard school modified a tubular chassis sourced from a 1991 Isdera Imperator 108i, into which they fitted a mid-mounted Mercedes AMG V8 taken from the mighty E500, producing 350 horsepower and paired with a five-speed manual gearbox to create one heck of a driving experience. If one-of-one creations are your love language, it doesn’t get much better than this roaring V8-powered oddity!
