Crossover Apocalypse
It’s generally accepted that petrol heads and crossovers aren’t a match made in heaven. The once-proud sports utility vehicle has been stripped of its utility and turned into something that is neither sporty or particularly capable off-road. However, back in the 1980s, a different metamorphosis was occurring, one which saw the noble station wagon evolve into all-terrain family haulers that could get your kids to school, even if that meant traversing the Rocky Mountains.
This 1987 AMC Eagle is the perfect example of these proto-SUVs, designed to offer the luxury of a regular car with the off-road capabilities and ride height of a four-wheel drive utility vehicle. Finished in metallic burgundy with a helping of wood panelling that would make most log cabins blush, this Eagle is in outstanding condition with just one single owner from its time in America. Climb aboard, and you’ll be able to savour the fabulous matching burgundy cloth seats and wood trim across the dash. Now showing 108,804 km, this could well be summer road trip vehicle of your dreams.
Looking Fine at 99
Did you know the Bugatti Type 35 had a little sibling? Dubbed the Type 37, these 1.5-litre four-cylinder racers were designed to compete in voiturette racing — which limited engines to a maximum size of 1500cc — something they proved to be quite adept at, racing at Le Mans, the Mille Miglia, and the Targa Florio. At 99 years young, you can hardly fault this particular 1926 Bugatti Type 37’s fabulous condition.
Only the third example by number to be built, chassis 37103 spent its early life in Paris, passing between several owners. By the 1940s, it had emigrated to England, where it received this sporty Brooklands look with an external side exhaust and a pair of aero screens, and by the 1950s it found itself in the United States. It remained in the US for a number of decades, before being identified as the perfect basis for restoration, emerging in 2017 looking almost brand new thanks to the work of Dutch Bugatti expert Bart Rosman and his protégé Henny Lumens. Now you could own this incredible piece of Bugatti history as it heads to Gooding Christie’s Pebble Beach sale on August 15th.
Group Boggo
One of our absolute favourite automotive niches is that of the stripped-out rally specials, offered to the public in absolute bog-standard specifications in the knowledge that any extra amenities would swiftly be thrown in the skip in preparation for the rally stage. The Rallye versions of the Peugeot 205 and 106 are probably the best-known examples of this practice, but it turns out Subaru offered their own version in the mid 2000s: the WRX STi Spec C.
Built with a focus on weight reduction and agility, the Spec C was fitted with thinner glass, aluminium body panels, lighter front seats, and reduced sound deadening, while improved stopping power came courtesy of Brembo brakes. Under the bonnet, you’ll find a 2-litre turbocharged flat-four that sends 316 horsepower to all four wheels, while the Spec C also boasts upgraded Bilstein dampers, reinforced subframes, and thicker stabiliser bars. As for the exterior, a larger rear wing was fitted to improve high-speed stability, but the most eye-catching feature has to be the steel wheels, fitted as Subaru assumed customers of the Spec C would immediately fit a rally wheel of their choosing. Finished in Pure White, this 2006 example currently shows just 64,030 km on the odometer and is simply begging to be wrapped in your favourite rally livery. Keep an eye out on August 23rd as it crosses the auction stand at Iconic Auctioneer’s upcoming sale.
Settle for Silver
Limited to just 500 units, the BMW M3 EVO II is arguably the holy grail when it comes to early M cars. Only available in LHD, the EVO II was sold with a choice of just three colours, but we can’t remember the last time we saw one in Nogaro Silver, with the vast majority of customers seemingly opting for the menacing nearly-black hue of Macau Blue or the vibrant Misano Red. It’s a shame, because as this 1988 example perfectly illustrates, the EVO II’s box flares and deep chin spoiler look all the better in this unassuming shade, especially when paired with a cloth interior.
Number 367 of the 500 made, this EVO II has been enjoyed throughout its life, showing a commendable 182,000 km on the clock. Powered by the naturally-aspirated 2.3-litre ‘S14’ inline-four, this homologation hero produces a respectable 220 horsepower and naturally boasts all of the upgrades reserved for the EVO II, such as thinner rear and side window glass, a lighter boot lid, a deeper front splitter, a revised longer final drive gear ratio, brake cooling ducts in place of the front fog lights, a larger rear spoiler, and the removal of the air-conditioning system. If your collection of Bavarian performance heroes is in need of a crown jewel, we certainly wouldn’t feel bad settling for silver, quite the opposite!
Minty Fresh Mentalist
As Lancia’s final and most ballistic rally monster built before the cancellation of Group B, the Delta S4 needs no introduction. At the hands of Henri Toivonen and Markku Alén, these all-terrain Italian rockets made magic happen on the rally stages during the mid-1980s, but Lancia never managed to reach the 200 road going versions required, not even close, and it’s believed only around 70 examples of the S4 Stradale were ever built.
Among them, chassis number 017 must rank extremely highly for its rare combination of Nero Metallizzato over a light green Alcantara interior. Powered by a pioneering twin-charged inline four cylinder firecracker capable of almost 300 hp, this all-wheel-drive missile has been enjoyed by just four owners from new and boasts a remarkable mileage of just 5,644 km. It may be the perfect example of function over form, but as one of the rarest and most technologically advanced machines to emerge from the Group B era, it’s hard to imagine a more exciting place to sit than this road-legal rally hero.
