[ad_1]
Old-school styling, speed, and comfort are tough choices for any gearhead. But why sacrifice one over another when classics can be fast and comfortable?
It’s a common misconception that speed and comfort are the antitheses of one another. In reality, high-performance GT cars can be just as luxurious as premium sedans. Take Ferrari. The F40 set the world ablaze with a record 201 mph top speed at the expense of much of its trim. But wind the clock back to the 1960s, and the Daytona was king of the GT cars. Luxury GTs are more plentiful than you might think. And it’s the classics that fill the speed and comfort role best of all.
While exotics with a little thought can be comfortable rides, the market for fast coupes and sedans is an easier proposition. Sidestepping the BMW M and Mercedes-AMG, both carmakers dish up some big performance in comfort. Further afield, it’s the same story for Jaguar. While the UK carmaker struggles to shift as many cars, there is no denying the brand’s grace, space, and pace motto is an ideal fit. The XJ is one of the best riding sports sedans money can buy.
Still not convinced cars can be fast without sacrificing comfort? Read on, as these 10 classic cars are the best double acts on four wheels.
10 Porsche 928 GTS – Almost A 911 Successor
Think Porsche is all about speed and nothing else? For the most part, that’s true, but it hasn’t always been the case. During the 1970s, Porsche toyed with replacing the 911 with a bigger, front-engined car. Thankfully, that didn’t happen. But it did create one of the fastest long-distance GTs the world has ever seen.
First produced in 1977, the misplaced Porsche 928 combined sports car performance with comfort. Not what you would expect from Stuttgart. Nearly a four-seater providing rear passengers short of stature, the 928 topped out at 171 mph. The 928 also differed in its choice of engine, swapping out the famous flat-six for a 5.4-liter V8 cranking out 350 hp.
9 Jaguar Series III XJ12 – Coventry’s Best Executive Express
Nothing shouts luxury quite like a classic Jaguar. Top among the list of fan favorites comes the XJ12 Series III, made famous for its peerless magic carpet-like ride and effortless performance. By no means is the big cat perfect, from suspect electrics to a titanic thirst, owning one can be challenging.
But if it’s style you want, wafting along at 140 mph in near silence, it’s a tantalizing prospect. The key to moving such a big, heavy car lies under the hood. Jaguar’s long-standing V12 engine pushing out 291 hp from 5.3 liters is one of the smoothest engines ever. Want proof? Check out this video of a V12 running with a coin balancing on top.
8 Aston Martin DBS/V8 – British Muscle Car GT
Fast GT or sports car? The Aston Martin DBS is a mixture of both, mixing leather, wood and a huge V8 engine under the hood. In 1969, the DBS represented the finest machinery Aston Martin had on offer. Although, if you look carefully, you can spot clues from other icons. Take a closer look at the rear quarters, and it’s clear the Mustang influenced Aston’s designers.
Tipping the scales at 4,010 lbs, the DBS belies its bulk, posting a 0-60 mph time of 7 seconds and a top speed of 150 mph. Aston offered the DBS in two spec levels, kicking off with a six-cylinder motor. Yet, it is the DBS V8 that demands the most attention, displacing 5.4 liters and punching out 315 hp.
7 Ferrari 365 GTB Daytona – Driving The Dream
It’s a dream most gearheads aspire to, and one that few of us will ever realize. Ferrari might be a dream of performance and drama, but that doesn’t mean every model is all about speed. The 365 GTB Daytona is the perfect example of what Ferrari can achieve by turning things down a notch or two. Forgoing the faster car route, the Daytona is better for being a GT car.
Despite the softer approach, the Daytona was still very quick with a top speed of 174 mph. Not bad for an old front-engine layout. Naturally, Ferrari stuck by its choice of engine, cramming a 4.4 liter Colombo V12 engine under the hood. With a 346 hp on-tap weight or not, the Daytona could hit sixty in 5.4 seconds.
6 Facel Vega HK500 – French Chic, American Muscle
Following hot in the tire tracks of the British, Germans, and Italians comes the French. That’s right, France has a motor history full of interesting cars, and not just hot hatches. Enter Facel, a little-known ’50s maker of GT cars, responsible for the gorgeous Vega HK500. Debuting in 1954, the Vega spanned three models and six years.
By far the more interesting is the HK500. A two-door coupe with a distinctly svelte body fitted out with a Chrysler 6.3 liter HEMI V8. With as much as 390 hp on tap, its makers claimed a top speed of 147 mph. American muscle car engine or not, the Facel was a comfortable-refined cruiser.
5 ISO Rivolta IR 340 – Rare And Underrated
Another Italian classic, worthy of any gearheads’ attention, is the ISO Rivolta – a much-overlooked classic thanks to a brief run of 800 cars. Boasting Italian styling with a beating heart of pure American muscle, the IR 340 is as fast as you could hope for.
Rare it might be, but thanks to a 335 hp Chevrolet 327 V8, the Rivolta 340 blasts to a 142 mph top speed. But it’s under the skin where the car’s legendary ride comes from. Upfront, double wishbones keep the front wheels in check, while a DeDion rear axle handles the power. Naturally, only the finest leather trim adorns the cockpit.
4 Mercedes-Benz 600 SEC – Fewer Doors, More Thrills
Legendary for re-writing the book on build quality, the Mercedes S-Class has been the ride of choice for business executives. But what if you crave all the trimmings and tech with a more driver-focused car? Ditching two doors and a few inches from its chassis, the coupe 600 SEC presents the best of both worlds.
On the inside, leather, wood, and enough switches to keep any nerd happy have become standard kit. But, beneath a more eye-pleasing coupe body lays one of Mercedes-Benz’s finest engines. Opting for the range-topping model means a 6-liter V12 pumping out 402 hp, capable of sixty mph in 6 seconds.
3 Studebaker Avanti – Faster Than You Expect
The Studebaker might not be an obvious choice for speed and comfort-craving gearheads. Externally, it might be an oddball wearing a peculiar front end, but don’t be too hasty in writing it off. Behind that nose lays a supercharged 4.7 liter V8 putting down 240 hp which Studebaker claimed would do 170 mph. Somehow the numbers don’t seem to add up.
In truth, the svelte coupe had a few tricks up its sleeve. Most notably, a glass-fiber body helped to save valuable weight. Would it achieve Studebaker’s ambitious performance claims? Testing figures varied wildly depending on sources. Yet, there is something satisfying about a two-door four-seater with a blower under the hood.
2 Bentley Turbo R – More Than Badge Engineered Rolls-Royce
No car tipping the scales at, 5,400 lbs will ever drive like a sports car. Which makes the Bentley Turbo R an enigma. On the inside, you get leather, wood, and a few splashes of milled aluminum accenting its sporty nature. Yet, settle down into the driver’s seat and mash the throttle into the carpets, and you’re in for a surprise.
Up front, Rolls-Royce does lend a hand by supplying a tweaked 6.75 liter V8 engine. Tweaked is very misleading. To motivate the Turbo R to sixty in 7 seconds, Bentley bolted on a turbocharger bigger than most car engines. As a result, the Turbo R boasts 335 hp. More than adequate for the task at hand.
1 BMW 850 CSI – A Technological Game Changer
Lastly, BMW’s E31 changed the way cars transitioned from design to manufacture. From the ground up, BMW adopted modern computer-aided designs stuffed with technology. The first V12 engine six-speed manual transmission combo and drive-by-wire throttle debuted here.
But, the focus wasn’t on speed. The E31 launched as a grand tourer, representing the peak of BMW design and engineering. While that front-mounted V12 punched out 375 hp with a top speed of over 180 mph, its occupants barely felt a thing. Underpinning the E31, BMWs new multi-link rear suspension kept everything under control.
Sources: BMW Guide, Mercedes-Benz, Hagerty, Jaguar Heritage
[ad_2]
Source link