This week brings some amazing cars to the AutoHunter auction site, including a number of outstanding modern collector cars that should be of great interest to younger collectors.
The models featured range from entry-level to top-tier, and I would be pleased to have every one of them in my own garage if I only had the room.
Here are the five cars on AutoHunter I’d be bidding on this weekend:
1986 Audi Coupe GT
The Coupe GT is effectively the little brother to the UR Quattro, both in performance and in price. What it captures is the wonderful styling of the Quattro, though instead of all-wheel drive it makes do with front wheel drive. The Coupe GT is also naturally aspirated so it does not offer the all-out performance of its bigger brother.
What it does offer is classic 1980s’ Audi styling in a sporting chassis in a car that is fun to drive, even with the automatic transmission like this one has.
This specific car on AutoHunter is fully loaded with leather and the fun video game-like digital dash that works as it should. It looks to be a stock example in nice driver condition that has somehow avoided the aftermarket mods that most Coupe GTs seem to attract like an electromagnet.
PS: This is a perfect car to bring to the 2021 Future Collector Car Show.
1973 Porsche 914
I have personally owned three Porsche 914s, a pair of 1.7-liter cars and one 914/6. None of my 914s was anything approaching the condition of this spectacular car. It is finished in one of my favorite 914 colors, Zambezi Green, and is wearing correct Fuchs alloy wheels, and looks to need nothing. The only thing I don’t care for on this car are the color changed gauges, but this is a simple and inexpensive fix.
This is a Porsche 914 that would shine at Porsche Parade and would be the perfect air-cooled Porsche for the first time classic Porsche owner.
1997 Dodge Viper GTS
Now here we have a car that I honestly feel is destined for greatness, the Viper GTS. These are true weapons-grade supercars built by hand in Detroit, something we are never likely to see from any volume US manufacturer. They are to me the modern incarnation of the Cobra Daytona coupe and also offer niceties as air conditioning and comfortable seats, something lacking in the Shelby.
This is the Viper body style that won Le Mans and, to me, these GTS Vipers are possibly the most special American cars built since 1970.
The fact that it is finished in my very favorite paint color of Blue Pearl with White racing stripes just adds to this cars appeal. You can buy one now or wait a year and pay more then. With only 4,500 miles on the clock this is an investment grade Viper GTS.
2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser Trail Teams Special Edition
The Toyota FJ Cruiser on AutoHunter is one of those products that surprised me from Toyota. It is a perfect retro futurism take on the classic FJ with all the technological lessons learned over the past 25 years. These cars are getting more and more hot on the collector market and this specific Trail Teams example is one of only a total 3,200 built. It is filled with TRD performance and off-road enhancements and even with more than 120,000 miles represents a special collectible FJ and one that you can drive without hurting its future value.
Like the Viper above you can bid on it and win it here, or pay more the next time one comes to market.
1996 BMW 318Ti California edition
The 318is is a car you usually see that has been literally run into the ground. These models were only shipped to the US for four years and few were sold. But they are a very interesting car and are loved by those who own them. They are a sports coupe that is also amazingly practical.
They are sort of like a BMW take on the Saab 900, but with rear-wheel drive and better build quality. Examples of the 318Ti California edition (with soft canvas roof) in as good a condition as this one appears to be are extremely rare and I would not hesitate to hit the bid-now button on this one and continue to do so until the end of the auction.
To see the entire AutoHunter docket, visit the website.
When I worked at an imported car repair shop in the late 1970’s we had a cool customers 914 In there once. It had a problem with the headlights- the Opening relays had a glitch: both headlights would be on and they would open but one side would close once then reopen and stay open. It gave a perfect “wink”!
914 is a great, but underappreciated blast from the ’70’s, tho’ I prefer the Saturn yellow. Love that gen Viper, mainly because it isn’t saddled with the dorkish and agricultural sounding side exhaust. Wonder how much it would cost to cut that Audi down into an Ur-Quattro replica? Had a friend in the Kingdom, back in the ’80’s, had a white one. Rippin’ great car; sadly too valuable to flog now. Sigh.