1985 Maserati Quattroporte Euro

The Quattroporte was Maserati's attempt to steal the ultimate luxury car crown from Mercedes-Benz in the eighties. It almost worked. The body was designed by none other than the legendary Giugiaro and the engine was an large and powerful V8. The car looked more modern and edgy than anything Mercedes was putting out, too, but was just as luxuriously appointed on the inside.

There were actually two previous generations of Quattroporte before this one debuted in 1979 and continued until 1990, resulting in a mere 2,155 units being produced, making this a rarity. It was conceived after the company's takeover by Alejandro de Tomaso (of the De Tomaso Pantera), and while not a success with that low volume number, did leave an impression in the minds of many, especially after it appeared in movies and on tv shows as the bad guy's ride.

Giugiaro's body is classic, and fits into his impressive portfolio of clean straight lines and hard edges. The thick and sloping c-pillar was no doubt influential and is especially seen on today's cars as they get more and more windswept back and over.

Underneath the hood was either a 4,136 cc V8 producing 238-255 horsepower, or a larger 4,930 unit that produced 280 hp, very healthy for the time and still respectable today.

Adding to this example's rare factor is that it's a Euro-spec version, with shorter and lighter bumpers, headlight washers and other small but good changes.

The seller says the bought it 4 years ago when it had only 32k miles and are now reporting it has 42k. They say it needs some time to warm up but always starts and the Chrysler transmission shifts well. The do mention the blower doesn't fully work, it needs new trunk shocks, and the a/c doesn't work any longer.

Cosmetically, they said it was repainted in the original color but needs weather striping on all the doors.

For the appreciative eye, this is a rare example of a rare car and seems to be overall well kept and enjoyed. With some tlc it could be ready to hit the Italian exotics circuit in no time.

Available here on ebay in Henrico, Virginia with no reserve bidding at $4,173.

In the US: 1988 BMW 325ix Wagon

Oh winter! How you punish me with your freezing temperatures, relentless snow and overly sanded and salted roads. But how you give me reason to buy cars that would make the winter so much more bearble - at least when driving.

The E30 station wagon was never officially offered in North America, and only a handful have made their way here since through private importation. While Mercedes-Benz wagons are legendary, BMW variants are less so. They were never offered in diesels, and weren't introduced until the late 80s, so they never developed a cult following. But that doesn't mean they aren't as cool.

The E30 wagon is particularly neat because the E30 chassis is arguably one of the best BMW cars of all time. It's about the size of a Honda Civic, but with superior design and engineering.

This particular example is the first year they starting making the wagon body style, and it's utterly brilliant. The roof is extended and the rear slopes perfectly into the same taillights as sedan, coupe and convertible had. It also has a rear wiper.

As a cherry on top, this one is also equipped with BMW's first all-wheel drive system, simply denoted by the "x" in 325ix. BMW did not advertise this system as much as Audi did with Quattro and Mercedes with 4Matic, so it disappeared after the E30 and did not return until nearly a decade later with the E46 "xi" (of which I am a very happy owner). As an additional bonus, this one has a stick shift for those rally enthusiasts.

The U.S. government prohibits the private importation of vehicles newer than 25 years old for road use, but this puppy just turned 25 this year, so it should be here legally. The seller says it is exempt from DOT and EPA exempt, and can be registered as a classic vehicle.

Cosmetically, it seems to be wearing ugly aftermarket rims, but otherwise looks fine. The front black plastic spoiler is missing, a common flaw on these as they are usually taken out by road debris or parking blocks, and should be easy to replace.

Mechanically, the seller says it's a 1-owner vehicle with full maintenance, everything working, and no needs.

If this thing checks out with no rust and a clear title, you've got one really cool car for a bargain price.

Available here on ebay in New York for $6,999.

1974 Mercedes-Benz 240D Manual

I spotted this vintage Benz yesterday at dusk and went back again today to 'check it out' in more detail. While I was taking some photos, the seller emerged from their house and kindly answered some questions about it for me. Basically, it's a U.S.-spec W115 '74 240 Diesel with a 5-speed manual transmission and over 250,000 miles on the clock. The seller is not the original owner, and didn't elaborate on how and when they acquired it, but said it runs fine.

The W114/W115 was produced from 1968-1976, resulting in over 1.9 million constructed. The W114 chassis signified the 6-cylinder models, while the W115 represented the four-cylinder models, including this 240D.

The body is credited to legendary auto designer Paul Bracq, and is a classic three-box shape, taught, conservative, squared-off and perfectly proportioned. Unfortunately, this being a 1974 U.S. model, it sports the heavy and unsightly 5-mph bumpers and lousy sealed beam headlights. Fortunately, it looks utterly charming in pale flat moss green, a relic of the 70s but still fresh looking today.

The '240D' signifies the 2.4-liter OM616 diesel-powered 4-cylinder engine that powered the rear wheels. These are not fast cars. I've actually read they are downright slow, even dangerously so, in modern traffic. Fortunately, this one is mated to a 5-speed manual transmission to bring both some liveliness to the engine and engagement to the driving experience. And what it lacks in overall performance it more than makes up in reliability. Mercedes-Benz diesels from the 60s, 70s, and 80s are some of the most durable engines ever released to consumers.

Cosmetically, the car is far from perfect, with obvious rusting and faded paint among other defects in the body. I didn't go inside, but the dark green interior sported what has to be that indestructible MB-Tex vinyl leatherette, as the seats looked really good.

The seller is asking just $2,500. This could easily be a great first car for someone, a temporary set of wheels for a college student until the end of the semester, or really just about anybody's beater car. It's good looking, diesel-powered, and has a stick-shift. What do my readers think? Thumbs up or down?