The best M5, made even better
There are many reasons why connoisseurs regard the E39 M5 as the best M5 of all time. One of its greatest virtues, however, is its modest appearance: built from 1998 to 2003, the sports saloon is pleasingly restrained in its looks. Especially next to the current M5, the E39 comes across as a stylish, fast business shuttle rather than a widebody brute. US dealer Northwest European is offering a 2002 example that takes the BMW understatement of the era to the extreme with its grey paintwork and colour-matched interior. In doing so, the M5 cleverly conceals the fact that it has been sharpened up beneath the skin. This car has been fitted with a lighter aluminium flywheel from JB Racing, for example, which improves the response of the S62 V8, while a new silencer optimises the sound. A sport shifter also makes for crisper gear changes, and a KW coilover suspension adds to its cornering ability.
The Beetle-based sports car with refrigerator tuning
Rinspeed, Microlino, Sbarro, Monteverdi: compared with its neighbours, Switzerland is hardly considered a car-making nation, yet the Alpine republic has still been home to a number of smaller marques that put their own creations on the road. In the 1950s, country doctor Dr Emil Enzmann was swept up in the trend for lightweight Beetle-based sports cars. Between 80 and 100 examples of the glass-fibre-bodied Enzmann 506 Spider are said to have been built from 1958 to 1968. There was also a prototype coupé version, which goes back to one Willy Dreier and once competed in smaller Swiss races. This one-off is now being offered by the dealer SuperStratos Enterprise AG. And yes, you saw that right: the door hinges, adapted provisionally after the fact, are said to have come from a refrigerator of the period. Because the doorless Spider had to race in the closed-car category, Dreier had Enzmann fit it with two doors and a coupé roof in 1959 so that he could compete in a different class.
A camouflage cabin for the boulevard roadster
Founded in the mid-1980s, BMW Technik GmbH demonstrated the full extent of its expertise with the Z1, unveiled in 1987. Not only the retractable doors but also the roadster’s chassis were rather exotic for the time. The same goes for the interior of this 1991 example, which Broad Arrow will offer at its Zurich auction on 7 November. From the factory, it was trimmed in dark grey nubuck leather with camouflage-pattern inserts. This Z1 is believed to be one of only ten to receive AC Schnitzer’s full conversion package. That package included larger 17-inch wheels, springs lowering the car by 30 millimetres and Bilstein dampers, as well as an increase in the M20 straight-six’s displacement from 2.5 to 2.7 litres. Its 197 PS on the dyno represent a 16 per cent gain over the standard engine.
Royal luxury for a good cause
Having set the benchmark on the basketball court, NBA superstar LeBron James evidently wants to make an impression off it too, which is why he had this imposing flagship built just a few months ago: a model-year 2027 Mercedes-Maybach S 680, which Gooding Christie’s will auction at Rétromobile New York on 21 November. The cream paintwork recalls the luxury saloons of the 1950s, while the blue Nappa leather interior provides a stylish contrast. Under the bonnet, the mighty twin-turbo V12, which is no longer available in Europe and is set to disappear altogether with the next S-Class, delivers silky yet powerful performance. Inside and out, LeBron had his bespoke car adorned with his “LJ” crown logo. Proceeds will go to the LeBron James Family Foundation, which supports his hometown of Akron, and the celebrity factor alone should attract plenty of bidders.
An MC20 wearing MC12 make-up
Maserati’s current supercar may stand in the shadow of its rivals from Maranello, partly because “only” a twin-turbo V6 sits behind the seats, albeit one producing 630 PS. Visually, however, there are several parallels, particularly at the front, to the modern brand icon par excellence: the MC12 built in 2004 and 2005, a sibling of the Ferrari Enzo powered by the same V12. Its white and blue paint scheme remains iconic to this day. To honour this legend of the Trident, Maserati’s Fuoriserie personalisation department created the MC20 Icona, limited to 20 examples, of which only eight went to North America. One of them, which Broad Arrow will auction in Las Vegas on 31 October, has been given an even stronger MC12 look by its owner for around $30,000, including white wheels and 3D-printed bonnet strakes.
