Purple perfection
Back in the 1960s, very little separated the sports cars battling it out for championship glory on track from those you could buy in the dealership; usually it was only the number plates. In 2023, one of the few cars where that still holds true is the mighty Ford GT, and you’d be hard pressed to find a more poster-worthy example than this purple 2022 Carbon Series Ford GT. All that purple doesn’t come cheap though, and the paint alone on this stunning racer for the road cost an eye-watering 37,000 euros. So, if you want to add one of the most sought-after hypercars of the 2010s to your collection, look no further.
An M3 for all occasions
Often overlooked in favour of the universally-loved E30 and E46 generation M3s that came before and after it respectively, the E36 is finally beginning to get more attention from collectors. It’s no surprise, really, because the more comfort-focused but still brilliant-to-drive E36 M3 arguably boasts the best daily driver credentials of its entire lineage. This 1995 M3 Coupé simply oozes appeal, with it’s Pinky Lai-designed exterior looking practically perfect finished in Arctic Silver. Look inside, and this example continues to tick boxes, being equipped with the must-have manual as well as those all-important Vader-style seats. If your resolution for 2023 was to drive a modern classic every day, then you couldn’t hope for a better ride.
The Dino for those in the know
Part of the fun in hunting for a classic is figuring out where the sweet spot lies for a specific model. In the case of the utterly gorgeous Ferrari Dino, we’d argue that goldilocks zone is occupied by the rare “L-Series” models, such as this 1970 Ferrari 246 Dino. One of only 355 cars built between March 1969 and October 1970, this L-Series bridges the gap between the 206 and 246 GTs. As such, it features a few key elements you won’t find on later Dinos, like knock-off wheels, the more purposeful 206-style seats and dash, and lightweight alloy doors and deck lids. This example was originally finished in Giallo Fly, but we absolutely love how elegant it looks in black. As far as Dinos go, this is an absolute peach.
Rediscovering greatness
2023 is the year of the modern classic SUV, and perhaps the greatest of them all is the Series I Discovery. This 1997 Land Rover Discovery boasts the 4.0-litre V8, chiselled good looks, and more off-roading ability than 99% of the psuedo-SUVs in showrooms today. At just under 18,000 euros, this well-maintained example looks to be excellent value too, so if, like us, you’ve had your eye on one of these all-terrain legends for some time, then act quick because we have a sneaking suspicion it won’t be long before these cars become significantly more pricey.
To the moon!
Usually a six-figure odometer reading isn’t something to brag about, but when that number is 90% of a one-way trip to the moon — like on this 1987 Mercedes 190 E 2.3-16 — we can’t help but dream of completing the theoretical lunar landing. Besides, if any car was going to finish the journey without breaking a sweat, it’s the bulletproof 190 E, which managed to cover a whopping 50,000 kilometres in just over 201 hours at the Nardo test facility in Italy. If it were us, we’d probably take a little longer than just 8 days, if only to enjoy this 190 E’s lovely chassis and fizzy Cosworth-tuned engine.
