While a JDM might not be on everybody’s collector car shopping list, there is a growing contingent of enthusiasts (mostly younger) who are enthralled by Japanese domestic market vehicles, the quirkier the better.
The Pick of the Day would be a rare find for any JDM fan, a 1995 Nissan Rasheen, of which most folk in the US probably have never encountered. The pint-size SUV is both stylish and apparently off-road capable, equipped with 4-wheel drive. Although, it’s more-likely usability is that of a head-turning urban cruiser.
“While the US had large vehicles like the Ford Explorer and Jeep Grand Cherokee, the Japanese market took that as inspiration for the compact segment,” according to the Orlando, Florida, dealer advertising the Rasheen on ClassicCars.com. “With a short wheelbase and compact dimensions, the Rasheen offered the vibe of a big off roader with the convenience of being city capable as well.”
Nissan defines Rasheen with this slogan emblazed in fractured English on the spare-tire cover: “4WD with the feeling of nature and the sense of urban, having a wide range of activities as daily space.”
Being a JDM, the Rasheen has its steering wheel on the right-hand side, which is something that the Japanese car crowd considers a point of pride. The engine is a 1.5-liter inline-4 linked with a 5-speed manual transmission, and the SUV is fully equipped with such features as power windows, power sunroof, power brakes, power steering, air conditioning and AM/FM Bluetooth audio.
“Take a look at the interior and you’ll appreciate the playful plaid upholstery and also be comforted by the upgraded and modernized head unit and sound system,” the seller says.
Playful is an appropriate word to describe the vibe of the Rasheen, because this little craft has fun times written all over it. The ‘90s styling is attractively rendered, and the addition of the driving lights and roof rack make it look even more interesting. And it would indeed be a star attraction at any gathering of Japanese vehicles.
“Sitting on XXR 15-inch wheels and featuring an overland-inspired roof rack, this Rasheen has a style all its own,” the seller adds. “If you’re looking for a JDM car that will attract crowds or simply get you around town in unique style, this is the one you want to own!”
The Rasheen looks to be in very good condition, and to get an idea of its size, consider those custom wheels that look oversized are just 15 inchers, though with major offset.
The asking price is $33,000, obviously geared toward the dedicated JDM enthusiast who appreciates the unique style and rarity of a Rasheen.
To view this vehicle on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.
“This 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air two-door hardtop resto-mod rides on an adjustable coilover suspension and 17-inch front and 18-inch rear American Racing wheels,” AutoHunter notes in the Bel Air’s listing. “Offering upgrades including a Wilwood braking system, a B&M shifter, and a replacement 383ci stroker V8 paired with a 700R4 4-speed automatic transmission.”
The Bel Air’s two-tone mother-of-pearl yellow with white paint is replete with chrome front and rear bumpers, grille, badging and rocker trim moldings.
The car rides on 5-spoke American Racing wheels, 17 inches in the front and 18 inches out back, with Vogue tires. The upgraded suspension features CPP upper and lower control arms, Heidts 2-inch drop spindles, and a Ridetech 4-link rear suspension with Ridetech coilovers.
To slow the Bel Air, 4-wheel Wilwood 12-inch cross-drilled and slotted disc brakes with a Talon brake booster was installed. The interior features late-model tan cloth buckets seats up front, and a custom center console with a B&M shift lever and cup holders. Creature comforts for the driver and passengers include a Vintage Air HVAC system and a retro-style Wonderbar AM/FM/XM/Bluetooth stereo.
This Bel Air is offered with a clear Nevada title in the seller’s name and the auction ends on December 21, 2021 at 12:00 p.m. MST.
A rare 1970 Aston Martin DB6 Mk2Vantage, one of only 46 fuel-injected examples, led the top sales at Bonhams MPH December Sale at Bicester Heritage, UK, selling above its top estimate for £213,750 ($282,727).
The final 2021 auction for Bonhams Motoring, the sale achieved an 81 percent sales rate and a total of more than £2.486 million ($3.288 million) with 107 collector vehicles offered. Sales results include buyer fees.
The 1964 Rolls is styled in the fashion of the Bentley Continental
With mainly luxury cars on tap, the second-highest sale for Bonhams was for a 1964 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III saloon (sedan in US parlance) with a rare coachbuilt Bentley Continental-style body, which sailed past top estimate to sell for £129,375 ($171,124).
In the third and fourth top-sale position were two 1967 Aston Martin DB6 M1 sports saloons, each of which sold for an identical £95,625 ($126,483).
The Plymouth Superbird was an outlier at the British sale
In fifth place at Bonhams was something completely different. From the US, a 1970 Plymouth Roadrunner Superbird with its aerodynamic nose and towering wing developed for NASCAR racing, and believed to be one of just four in the UK, sold for £91,000 ($120,370).
An antique with Indian royalty connections, a 1927 Rolls-Royce 20hp open tourer formerly owned by the Maharajah of Burdwan, was sixth, selling for £81,000 ($107,140).
The other four cars comprising the top 10 sales at Bonhams were:
• A 1934 Lagonda LM445 ST34 “Silent Travel” pillarless saloon, sold for £75,375 ($99,798)
• A 1954 Lagonda 3.0-liter three-position drophead coupe, for £67,500 ($89,282).
• A 1972 Aston Martin V8 Series 3 sports saloon, for £56,250 ($74,402)
(All results include auction fees)
“This was a fantastic finish to the year for Bonhams MPH, as we achieved our highest total at Bicester Heritage, with four out of every five cars selling,” Rob Hubbard, head of Bonhams MPH, said a news release. “Despite the cold, the saleroom was busy with bidders, who were kept on their toes by competition from absentee and online bidders.”
Bonhams Motoring’s next auction takes place in Scottsdale, Arizona, on January 27, 2022, during Arizona Auction Week.
Organizers of the inaugural Motorcar Cavalcade, scheduled for January 28-30, 2022, at the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry, promised a new twist on the concours d’elegance — and they are delivering.
Instead of the usual concours classes, such as pre-war American classics or post-war European sports, the classes will be:
The ’63 Corvette wasn’t the only split-window coupe. Remember the ’52 Volkswagen?
Finish: Bare Aluminum, Stainless Steel, Exposed Carbon Fiber, Wood
Power: Gasoline, Diesel, Steam, Hybrid, Electric
Engine: 3 cylinder through 16
Mirrors: Flying, Racing, Fender, Wing
As part of the vehicle submission process, car owners are asked to declare in which category they are entering their vehicle.
Not only does the lineup of classes challenge car owners, but so too, judges likely will have to adjust the scope of their evaluations. For example, does the glass award go to that huge rear window on the mid-‘60s Plymouth Barracuda or the split rear backlight on the ’63 Corvette coupe?
Classics in the sculpture garden
Marion Montgomery, Sam Lehrman and 1933 Rolls- Royce Phantom II Henley Roadster | Carrie Bradburn / Capehart photo
Collector cars are featured sometimes in the most unusual of places. Consider, for example, the Las Vegas Concours d’Elegance taking place in a baseball stadium. Or the recent and fifth annual “Sculpture in Motion” event at the Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens in West Palm Beach, Florida.
The event features pre- and post-war classics, as well as grand marshal Donald Osborne, and honored Palm Beach County Gold Star families and veterans.
The event concluded with a Grand Tour Parade of Cars on the island of Palm Beach in the mid-afternoon.
“Throughout history, cars have reflected innovation… kinetic art, industrial design, and skillful engineering inspired decades of rolling sculpture that enabled early transportation, elegant travel, and racing history,” the gardens notes on its website.
“Automotive design is in fact a reflection of our imagination and what the future may hold. Design is everywhere, but a car is personal. The rich history that accompanies the commission of some of the most extraordinary vintage vehicles in our history is an inspiring message. Innovation is a theme throughout this exhibition, confirming that art, science, and technology go hand in hand.”
Awards went to a 1935 Auburn Boattail Speedster (Most Artistic), a 1933 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Henley roadster (Most Elegant), a 1996 Ferrari 512M (Young Connoisseur), and to a 1954 Maserati A6G/54SC and a 1956 Chrysler Boano coupe (tied for People’s Choice).
Copperstate 1000 rally entries open
Entries are being accepted for the 32nd annual Copperstate 1000 vintage sports car rally, scheduled for April 6-10, 2022, starting and ending in Phoenix, Arizona. The 1,000-mile rally is open to vehicles produced before 1974. The rally is staged by the Men’s Arts Council and supports the Phoenix Art Museum.
Half Moon Bay sets 2022 date
Organizers of the Pacific Coast Dream Machines show say they will stage their 30th annual event April 24, 2022 at the Half Moon Bay Airport on the California coast 20 miles south of San Francisco. The event will include not only collector cars, but also aircraft and a dragster cacklefest.
The event bills itself as “a whimsical, fascinating, amusing, curious and absolutely unique show and tell spectacle featuring some 2,000 magnificent driving, flying and working machines from the 20th and 21st centuries.”
Group C reunion at Goodwood
Goodwood photo
Forty years after the category debuted, a gathering of Group C sport-prototype racing cars will take place at the 79th Goodwood Members’ Meeting, scheduled for April 9-10 at the British racing circuit.
“The Group C era remains perhaps the high watermark for both the Le Mans 24 Hours and worldwide sportscar racing in general,” Goodwood said in its announcement. “At its height in the late 1980s manufacturers including Porsche, BMW, Lancia, Jaguar, Aston Martin, Ford, Toyota, Mazda and more had entered cars into the class, racing against countless independent teams and manufacturers.”
Noting that Porsche achieved “near total dominance,” Goodwood said 15-20 Porsche 956 and 962 race cars will take part in the Members’ Meeting reunion.
FIVA adds 7 nations
Gentleman’s Drive event in Pakistan | Photos by Efran Shah and Anum Mujtaba
Speaking of car shows in places you might not expect, the Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens has added classic car clubs from seven nations to its global roster of members, which now numbers 80 countries where groups are “pleading to protect, preserve and promote historic vehicles, and the culture that surrounds them, worldwide.”
“In the past year,” noted FIVA vice president for membership John Alcantara, “seven new members have joined the fold, including federations from countries with enormous potential for communicating the importance of automotive heritage, such as Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.
“Remarkably,” he added, “our member in Ukraine helped to attract a strong new partner in Russia, showing the uniting force of our passion.
“Iran re-joined as soon as the internal situation in the country allowed, while Montenegro completed the full membership of the territories that constituted the former Yugoslavia. Last, the smallest in size but not in ambition was the admission of Macau as a FIVA member.”
In addition to Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Quatar, the new members include Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines.
Porsches featured at Supercar Sunday
Supercar Sunday on December 19 will feature Porsches from 7 a.m. until 10 a.m. at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, California. While all cars are welcome, Porsches will be parked in a special corral area.
Zoute ‘Generations Rally’ set for March 26
Organizers of the Zoute Grand Prix vintage rally have added a “Generations Rally” event scheduled for March 26, 2022. The event is designed for parents or grandparents to pass along a passion for vintage vehicles to subsequent generations.
The event will be in Belgium and is open to vehicles produced between January 1, 1920, and December 31, 1975.
What’s your dream car? Is it a 1963 Chevy Corvette Sting Ray Fuelie? Is it a convertible that allows you to let the top down and breathe in the world while you’re behind the wheel of an exhilarating ride? If that sounds awesome to you, this 1963 Corvette Sting Ray Fuelie is the car of your dreams. However, you probably know that the price of buying one of these examples in 2021 is astronomical and not something most people have the cash for, which is why winning one would be so sweet. For as little as a $25 donation, you get 25% more chances to win this 1963 Corvette as a CCJ reader, and with this opportunity to win ending on 12/21, there’s no time to wait, literally.
If there ever was a car you’d want to let the top down for people to see you in, it’s this Sting Ray. This numbers matching 1963 Corvette Sting Ray Fuelie Convertible is covered in its original Riverside Red paint over black leather interior. Powering the breath-taking Corvette is a 360-horsepower, 327 cubic-inch Ram Jet fuel-injected Chevy Small Block V8 engine. Backing the engine is a 4-speed manual transmission, so this is the ultimate driver’s car.
The independent front and rear suspension make the Sting Ray feel like a car with handling technology long before its time. It gets stopping power from hydraulic braking and has a 308R positraction rear end. There’s everything to like about this Sting Ray, and if you want a chance to put it in your garage, now is the time to act. As a thank you to JCC readers, you will get 25% more entries, and we hope to see a picture of this car in your garage soon!
The new and electrified Ford Mustang Mach-E isn’t the first Mustang E model. The Pick of the Day is a restored 1969 Ford Mustang E being advertised for sale by its private seller in Springfield, Illinois.
Not familiar with the Mustang E? No surprise. Reportedly only 96 examples of the E as in Economy model were produced. As the seller explains, this was a special edition produced for the Mustang to compete in the final Mobilgas Economy Run.
Not familiar with the Mobilgas Economy Run? As Dave Hermanson notes in his book, The Mobilgas Economy Run, A History of the Long Distance Fuel Efficiency Competition, 1936-1968, the event, a cross-country rally, was staged for decades “to provide the general public with an impartial and practical road test to determine the mileage potential of American passenger cars under driving conditions experienced in a year’s time by the average motorist.”
Note the word “impartial,” because, as Hermanson chronicles, automakers did all sorts of things to enhance the fuel economy of the cars they entered in the event.
To qualify the Mustang for the compact 6-cylinder class, Ford produced the Mustang E. The car featured the aerodynamic sport roof fastback body, a 250cid (rather than the standard 200cid) inline-6, a C-4 automatic transmission with high-stall torque converter and a 2.33 rear gear. The only visible difference between these and other 6-cylinder Mustangs was an E badge on the rear quarter panel.
The cars were so rare that neither the E model nor the 250cid 6 are mentioned in the 1969 Mustang section of The Standard Catalog of American Cars. However, the Catalog does note that the 250 was a Mustang option for 1970.
The car’s seller notes that car companies employed professional drivers “such as Mickey Thompson” to drive their cars in the fuel-economy rally.
“Being the ’60s and most were hungry for drag racing, this edition was not very popular,” the seller reports. “Only 50 sold.”
Nonetheless, the seller notes, the car was featured in a Ford Performance video among the “top 23 vehicles since Ford has started building cars.”
The Pick of the Day Mustang E had been “sitting for over 20 years,” but has been restored, disassembled and rebuilt “with NOS or OEM parts where needed and could find.”
The seller reports the restoration was done to Mustang Club of America concours standards, and in the text of the advertisement notes a few “minor flaws,” including a small crack in the paint, a few stretched seams in the seat covering, heater/defroster not working because a proper resistor is not available.
The rare pony — the seller says Mustang Times reported that this may be the last E surviving — is being offered for $250,000.
To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.
“As part of its restoration, the body was equipped with new rocker panels and repainted in opalescent gunmetal gray,” AutoHunter notes on the Jaguar’s listing.
“New or re-plated chrome can be found on the bumpers, vertically ribbed grille, leaping cat hood ornament, front fender mirrors, badging, and taillight housings.”
Under the hood is a 3.8-liter inline-6 engine with a new alloy radiator with electric cooling fans, new electronic ignition, wiring loom, and a high-output starter. The engine is paired with a General Motors’ automatic transmission featuring overdrive from John’s Cars.
The new tan interior from Aldridge Trimming features front bucket seats and a rear bench.
X-MAT sound deadening insulation was installed and refurbished wood trims the dashboard and the fold-down trays on the back of the front seats. Further upgrades include RetroAir air conditioning, a Bluetooth AM/FM/CD stereo, and a backup camera.
It comes with a clean title in the seller’s name and the sale includes numerous records from the previous and the current owner.
This Jaguar’s auction ends on December 20, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. PST.
Mecum staged a barnburner in the heartland with its recent Kansas City collector car auction, which achieved an all-time sales record of $19.2 million, far exceeding the previous Kansas City high of $13 million. The recent sale also featured an 85 percent sales sell-through rate.
The Kansas City sale, which offered 709 vehicles, was the final auction of Mecum’s busy 2021, during which several other total-auction-result records were beaten.
1969 Camaro Z28
Leading the KC auction was a three-way tie between a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z28, a 1967 Chevrolet Corvette 427 convertible and 2021 Ford F150 Shelby pickup, each of which sold for $148,500. All results include auction fees.
Next highest auction star was a 1968 Ford Mustang fastback that replicates the one driven by Steve McQueen in the detective film Bullitt.
The 1968 Mustang was modified into a ‘Bullitt’ replica, complete with 390 cid engine
Besides the Shelby F150, two other Ford trucks made it into the top-selling vehicles, a 1949 Ford F6 COE (cab over engine) that sold for $115,500 and a 1963 Ford F100 pickup, which went for $106,700.
And two other Shelbys are represented among the auction’s highest sellers, a vintage 1968 GT500 fastback for $121,000 and a modern 2020 GT500 at $105,600.
The top-10 highest-selling collector vehicle sales at the Kansas City auction were:
1. 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 at $148,500
2. 1967 Chevrolet Corvette 427 convertible at $148,500
3. 2021 Ford F150 Shelby pickup at $148,500
4. 1968 Ford Mustang ‘Bullitt’ fastback at $137,500
5. 1959 Chevrolet Impala custom at $132,000
6. 1968 Shelby GT500 fastback at $121,000
7. 1949 Ford F6 COE at $115,500
8. 1956 Chevrolet Corvette convertible at $110,000
9. 1963 Ford F100 pickup at $106,700
10. 2020 Ford Shelby GT500 at $105,600
(All results include auction fees.)
Mecum starts 2022 with its Kissimmee, Florida, auction that the company claims is the largest in the world with more than 3,500 vehicles to be offered. The sale is scheduled for January 6-16 at the Osceola Heritage Park grounds.
I got my first ride in an S Class Mercedes-Benz in the mid-1980s, when Arnold Krauss, president of the stock brokerage where my father worked, game me a ride to school one day in his 560SEL.
To me, that car defined just how well a car could be built. Everything about the car seemed perfect. It had a bank-vault feeling unlike any other car I had been in.
Since then, Mercedes S Class has been the measuring stick to me for high-end luxury cars. Except for the offerings from Rolls-Royce, the S Class simply has no equal.
That was confirmed recently when I drove a 2021 Mercedes-Benz S580 to the Greenwich Concours d’Elegance. The car is just about perfect in every way. The materials used are the best available and the overall feel of the car was like a modernization of that impressive 560SEL.
After the car was delivered, I took it out to become familiar with the switchgear for comfort, lighting, and performance settings. Though there are many options, this was not a complicated procedure. I set my preferences in a personal profile and went for a 30-mile drive.
While the S580 is a luxury car, that does not mean that it is a weak performer. With its twin-turbocharged V8 producing 496 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, this S Class car definitely move at a rapid pace. Test data suggests that the car can reach 60 mph in 3.9 seconds, simply extraordinary for a car that weighs 4,992 pounds. The way that speed comes on is one of the most interesting parts as the S580; it seems to get to speed with the driver not realizing just how it all happened. It is that well isolated from the outside world.
Happily, the engine does make itself known and sounds great when you give the car a bit of boot; you can hear that tone despite the hundreds of pounds of sound-deadening material, which include double-pane glass.
The interior of the S580 is nothing short of perfect. Every control feels as if it was crafted from the best materials available. My only — and slight — gripe about the cockpit was I wish Mercedes made Alcantara the standard material for its headliner, but it’s not just Mercedes. I feel the same about the headliners in BMW and Lexus. This feature should be standard on cars at this level.
During the weekend at Greenwich I had the opportunity to drive a number of people, including former GM global design head Ed Welburn, as well as Diane Parker and Jonathan Klinger from the Hagerty Drivers Foundation, and others, all of whom were extremely impressed.
One of the fun things I showed them was a feature Mercedes calls Energizing Comfort. The feature has different modes, designed to create a mood for the car’s occupants through sound, lights, seat massage, and even scents. The most fun one was what Mercedes called Vitality, which I renamed Rave due to the amazing pink, purple and blue light show combined with a deep house music soundtrack.
While Welburn was riding in the car after a Friday night diner, he renamed it the Dubai mode, which actually might be more appropriate. That being said, all were impressed with this feature and thought it was quite fun and an interesting interactive feature that can be enjoyed regardless if you are a driver or a passenger.
During the Greenwich weekend I also ran into fellow motoring journalist Larry Printz, who was driving the Maybach version of the S580. We compared notes and came to the conclusion that not only did we both favor the styling of the standard non-Maybach version, especially the grille treatment, but neither of us was convinced that the Maybach was really worth the extra $60K or so differential.
Side-by-side with the Maybach version (right)
Back home after the concours weekend, I needed to take my mom to the hospital for a surgical procedure and her home-health aide suggested she ride in our 2018 BMW X5 because it would be easier for her to get in and out. I asked mom her preference and she chose the S Class.
On the ride over she said how how much she liked the car, commenting on the leather, how she loved the massage function, and especially how much she liked the scented air option. She told me I should seriously consider buying such a car. I pointed out that the car cost $138,530.
Sadly, this was the last car ride she was able to take before her passing, but I am so happy that she enjoyed the car so much.
Yes, you can get a Genesis G90 or a Lexus LS for quite a bit less money, and both of those cars are likely to have much less expensive service costs, but if what you are after in a luxury car is the very best available and cannot afford a Rolls-Royce Ghost, the S580 simply has no equal in my book.
2021 Mercedes-Benz S580
Vehicle type: 4-passenger sedan, all-wheel drive
Base price: $117,350 Price as tested: $139,545
Engine: Twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8, 496 horsepower @ 6000 rpm and 516 pound-feet of torque @ 1800 rpm Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Rather than adding leftover materials to be disposed, designers at Bentley decided to create a dozen holiday decorations to display on their Christmas tree.
The ornament-making enterprise was a covert operation, led by head of design collaboration Brett Boydell, but when discovered, it not only gained approval but Bentley has announced that the ornaments will be offered up for bidding, with all proceeds going to British charities.
The decorations have been dubbed the “sustainabaubles” and the project has produced a video in which design department apprentices play the role of Santa’s elves when the whereabouts of the decorations is thrown into doubt.
“With help from Brett and master craftspeople in the factory, they covertly rescue offcuts and spare parts, transforming them into beautiful pieces of festive art,” Bentley reports. “Bentley’s Board members start to realize that something is up, but know that the extraordinary is always possible in Crewe.”
“No time of year better encapsulates Bentley’s magical fusion of craftsmanship, innovation and sustainability than the run up to Christmas and we wanted to capture the excitement — and pressure — that we all feel at this time of year,” Boydell is quoted.
“Our apprentices and craftspeople truly rose to the challenge – and have designed and created a beautiful collection of decorations to celebrate Christmas here in Crewe. We hope they will also become treasured mementos for a small number of our lucky customers. And we promise to try not to lose them again next year.”
Bentley has yet to announce when the bidding will begin.
