Latest news with #BringaTrailer
Miami Herald
25-05-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Your Chance to Drop Seven Figures on a Mercedes-Benz 300SL Has Arrived
The Mercedes-Benz 300SL holds a prominent place in the temple of automotive gods. Its design, racing provenance, and sheer performance made it an icon of its time, with a presence that has persisted through the years. Of course, given this backstory, you would expect 300SLs to hold an equally worthy price tag; you would be right. Bring a Trailer is now offering you the chance to own one of these unicorns, if your wallet can afford it. This 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SL, chassis 5500733, is one of 1,400 Gullwing coupe examples built during the model's three years of production. It was reportedly built in September 1955 for delivery in the US through the Port of New York. In 1978, the car was sold by its Arizona owner to a California collector, where it remained for over four decades. During the collector's ownership, the 300SL was painted silver, and its 3.0-liter M198 inline-six, replacement four-speed manual transmission, and brake system were overhauled by Marx Mercedes Service in Costa Mesa, California, in 2007. The car was bought by its current owner about a year ago and underwent yet another refresh, a body seal replacement, and a 2024 repaint in its original shade of white (color code DB050). The interior carries one of the most tremendous color schemes I have ever seen on a car: red leather with Ulster Tartan plaid cloth over the seat cushions and matching carpeting. Not only is it a perfect contrast to the white exterior, but come on, it's plaid! The odometer also shows a mere 39,000 miles, approximately 23 of which were added by the current owner. It's unfortunate that this example's story from 1955 to 1978 seems to have been lost to time. It would have been incredible to know who its original owner was and what led them to decide on a 300SL. According to a period article from Sports Car Illustrated, now Car & Driver, the $8,000. That converts to around $94,058 in today's money, which is no small sum. The low mileage and overall sorted nature of this example should allow its future owner to enjoy all of the 215 horses under the hood while looking distinctively dapper at any car show they attend. With six days left in the auction and a current bid of $1,215,000, buying this German steed will do some serious damage to anyone's bank account. Boy, is it worth it, though. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
The Drive
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Drive
This LS-Powered Kit Supercar For Sale Looks Straight Out of GTA 6
The latest car news, reviews, and features. One of my favorite parts about playing Grand Theft Auto is checking out the 'fictional' cars and trying to figure out what they're supposed to be. The stately Admiral is clearly inspired by the Mercedes-Benz W123, for example. Sometimes, it's the other way around: There's a little-known sports car called the Superlite SL-C that looks like something you'd unlock for beating a GTA mission, and one is currently for sale. Superlite describes the SL-C as 'the perfect supercar,' and it sounds like its engineers poured a lot of passion into the project. It's a kit car compatible with numerous engines, so you can pretty much dial in the amount of power that you want, and it was designed to be relatively easy to build at home. It features an aluminum chassis, a fiberglass body, aluminum suspension components, and a mid-engined design that unlocks a 46% front/54% rear weight distribution, though that figure varies depending on the engine that you stuff in the back. But the styling? It's fairly generic, which explains why it looks like it was beamed from the Rockstar Games design studio. It's almost like if a Maserati MC12 had a kid with a 24 Hours of Le Mans prototype. The example listed on Bring a Trailer wears a copper-colored wrap that makes it even more GTA -like. The background is perfect: It makes the listing's main image look like a screenshot from the game. I can picture myself driving the SL-C to that parking lot and stepping into the old RV behind it to grab a hidden package before going to the safehouse. Bring a Trailer I'll cut Superlite some slack. It's a small operation with limited resources, so it undoubtedly placed a bigger focus on handling than styling. And, there aren't 100 different ways to shape an aerodynamic supercar with a mid-mounted engine—that's why a lot of race cars look alike. At least the odds of finding two identical SL-Cs are low. It's a kit car, so it's ultimately what you make it. Power for the one on Bring a Trailer comes from a 6.0-liter LS V8 linked to a 996-generation 911 GT3's six-speed manual transmission, which has to be one hell of a combination. Bring a Trailer says the drivetrain used to be 100% Porsche: This SL-C was powered by the same 911's 3.6-liter flat-six until a few years ago. The V8 has been modified, and Superlite quotes a 2,400-pound weight, so I bet there's a lot of fun to be had behind the wheel. Bidding currently stands at $17,000 with about five days left in the auction. For context, this exact same car sold for $68,000 in September 2017, when it was still Porsche-powered. More recently, Bring a Trailer sold another SL-C powered by a 7.0-liter LS7 V8 engine for $63,000. Bring a Trailer Got tips? Send 'em to tips@
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Historic First V-8 Corvette Prototype Hits the Auction Block
Read the full story on Modern Car Collector A foundational piece of American automotive history is now up for grabs. Chassis EX87, the first Chevrolet Corvette ever fitted with a V-8 engine, has been listed on Bring a Trailer in a rare public offering that traces back to the model's turning point in the mid-1950s. When the Corvette debuted in 1953, it may have looked the part of a sleek sports car, but its performance was underwhelming. Powered by a modest inline-six engine, early models struggled to live up to their visual promise. That changed when Corvette visionary Zora Arkus-Duntov and fellow GM engineer—and three-time Indy 500 winner—Mauri Rose began experimenting with V-8 conversions. Their testbed? A 1954 Corvette that became known internally as chassis EX87. Equipped with a 307-cubic-inch V-8, the car was pushed to a staggering 163 mph at GM's Arizona Desert Proving Grounds, proving once and for all that the Corvette could deliver serious speed. The results convinced GM leadership to begin factory V-8 production by late 1955—a move that transformed the Corvette's destiny. Although its original engine and bodywork have long since been replaced, EX87 still retains immense historical significance. Over the years, it was updated to 1955 specifications, fitted with a body from another test car, and later received a 265-cubic-inch V-8 and a two-speed automatic transmission. The car served as a demonstrator vehicle before eventually being sold to a GM engineer and, in 1968, to its current long-term family owner. Today, EX87 features a 327-cubic-inch V-8 and wears a red paint finish. While not in factory-original condition, its legacy as the Corvette's V-8 pioneer remains firmly intact. With bidding currently exceeding $50,000 ahead of its May 19 closing, EX87 offers enthusiasts a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own a genuine piece of Corvette—and American performance—history. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Historic First V-8 Corvette Prototype Hits the Auction Block
Read the full story on Modern Car Collector A foundational piece of American automotive history is now up for grabs. Chassis EX87, the first Chevrolet Corvette ever fitted with a V-8 engine, has been listed on Bring a Trailer in a rare public offering that traces back to the model's turning point in the mid-1950s. When the Corvette debuted in 1953, it may have looked the part of a sleek sports car, but its performance was underwhelming. Powered by a modest inline-six engine, early models struggled to live up to their visual promise. That changed when Corvette visionary Zora Arkus-Duntov and fellow GM engineer—and three-time Indy 500 winner—Mauri Rose began experimenting with V-8 conversions. Their testbed? A 1954 Corvette that became known internally as chassis EX87. Equipped with a 307-cubic-inch V-8, the car was pushed to a staggering 163 mph at GM's Arizona Desert Proving Grounds, proving once and for all that the Corvette could deliver serious speed. The results convinced GM leadership to begin factory V-8 production by late 1955—a move that transformed the Corvette's destiny. Although its original engine and bodywork have long since been replaced, EX87 still retains immense historical significance. Over the years, it was updated to 1955 specifications, fitted with a body from another test car, and later received a 265-cubic-inch V-8 and a two-speed automatic transmission. The car served as a demonstrator vehicle before eventually being sold to a GM engineer and, in 1968, to its current long-term family owner. Today, EX87 features a 327-cubic-inch V-8 and wears a red paint finish. While not in factory-original condition, its legacy as the Corvette's V-8 pioneer remains firmly intact. With bidding currently exceeding $50,000 ahead of its May 19 closing, EX87 offers enthusiasts a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own a genuine piece of Corvette—and American performance—history. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter
Auto Blog
13-05-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
Duntov's C1 Corvette that Brought a V8 to the Model is Up for Auction
The legendary test mule that paved the way for the V8 Corvette is up for auction on Bring a Trailer. Automotive test mules are not a new concept. Often used by automakers to test some new technology or powertrain, these test cars are either destroyed or kept in a private collection after their work is done. Seldom do they make their way into the hands of the general public, but when they do, you can bet they make headlines. Such is the case with the EX87 Chevrolet Corvette C1 Test Car on Bring a Trailer. 0:08 / 0:09 Nissan's revolutionary self-driving tech hits Japan's streets Watch More 1955 Chevrolet Corvette EX87 — Source: Fantasy Junction/Bring a Trailer A story of technical innovation The story of the chassis EX87 Corvette test car is long and convoluted, so let me try to break it down. When it was first released, the Chevrolet Corvette C1 was not as big a sales hit as Chevrolet wanted it to be. In an effort to boost those sales, legendary engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov proposed that the automaker build a Corvette that could break the 150 mph speed record then held by the Chrysler 300. With the help of Chevrolet engineer and former Indianapolis 500 race winner, Mauri Rose, they took an unsold 1954 Chevrolet Corvette and began modifying it for the high-speed run. The pair bored and stroked a 307ci V8, paired it with a special high-lift camshaft, now known as the 'Duntov Cam,' and installed it into the test Corvette, marking the first instance of a V8-powered Corvette before the introduction of the 265 cu in (4.3 L) small-block in 1955. Body modifications included a low-cut windscreen, a passenger-side tonneau cover, a head fairing, a unique belly pan, and a three-speed manual transmission. Chassis #EX87 and Body #5951 became the Corvette EX87/5951, and was driven by Smokey Yunick to 163 mph at the GM Arizona Proving Grounds. GM planned to build a 1956 Corvette for official high-speed runs at Daytona Beach, so the car was separated into the chassis, EX87, and the body, 5951. 1955 Chevrolet Corvette EX87 — Source: Fantasy Junction/Bring a Trailer Where are they now? The modified 5951 body now sits on a normal 1955 Corvette frame in the Lingenfelter Collection and was reunited with the speed record Yunick engine back in 2003 after 50 years apart. The EX87 chassis had a 1955 Corvette body from car #6903 mounted on it, along with a 265ci V8 engine and a two-speed automatic transmission. It spent the next few years as a 1956 demo car before it was later sold to a GM engineer. The current owner's husband purchased it from that engineer in 1968 and went on to enjoy it as a regular show Corvette before several judges and aficionados at those shows tipped him off to the car's history, and its whereabouts were thus documented. Autoblog Newsletter Autoblog brings you car news; expert reviews and exciting pictures and video. Research and compare vehicles, too. Sign up or sign in with Google Facebook Microsoft Apple By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. After the 265ci engine failed, it was replaced by a 327ci V8, and the car was repainted red with a beige convertible top in the 1970s. The odometer currently shows 21,000 miles, although its true mileage is unknown. 1955 Chevrolet Corvette EX87 — Source: Fantasy Junction/Bring a Trailer Final thoughts Any test mule has an incredible story within its sheet metal, but one for a car as important as the Corvette has a special allure that few can replicate. This chassis gave birth to the V8-powered Corvette we know and love to this day. To call it an automotive icon is still an understatement. After 57 years of ownership, chassis EX87 is now up for grabs with no reserve. Upon purchase, the new owner will receive historic correspondence from GM, literature, service records, spare parts, and a clean California title that lists the car as a 1955 Chevrolet. At the time of writing, the auction ends in just under eight days, with a current bid of $52,500. To put a price on something with this much historical importance is a nearly impossible task, but by the end of this auction, we'll at least have an idea of its worth to someone.
