Secondhand Saint: 1992-1996 Jaguar XJS
Posted: April 2, 2013 Filed under: Secondhand Saints, SHOWCASE | Tags: Convertible, Coventry, Final Generation, I6, Jaguar, Mind over motor, Nineties, Secondhand Saint, V12, XJS Leave a comment »
Jaguar has quite a storied history with regard to sporting automobiles. The E-Type is still remembered and revered as one of the most beautiful cars ever made (even Enzo Ferrari admitted to this at one point). But, this story isn’t about the E-Type, or the XJ6, or the modern Jags that people lust after. This is about what I see as a potential diamond in the rough–the last generation of the venerable Jaguar XJS, a car that I think is a bit overlooked. Read the rest of this entry »
Secondhand Saint: Jeep Wrangler TJ
Posted: March 30, 2012 Filed under: Secondhand Saints, SHOWCASE | Tags: 4x4, Boxy, Convertible, Jeep, Jeep Wrangler, Mind over motor, Off-Roading, PowerTech, reliable, Secondhand Saint, Showcase, Sport Utility, SUV, TJ, Wrangler 1 Comment »
Jeep can be considered the inventor of the SUV in America. The Wrangler, still in production today, is a reminder of where the original SUV came from. The TJ model, produced from 1997-2006, is, in my opinion, the best interpretation and the best mix of modern technology and old-style design, with time-tested engines, classic styling, and unlimited ability to go anywhere. Read the rest of this entry »
Secondhand Saint: Mercedes-Benz S55 AMG, S65 AMG, S600 (2003-2006)
Posted: November 30, 2011 Filed under: Secondhand Saints, SHOWCASE | Tags: 493, 500, 600, AMG, bargain, BiTurbo, brabus, cruiser, German, hp, Limo, Luxury, Mercedes, Mercedes-Benz, Mind, Mind over motor, motor, Over, Performance, S-Class, S55, S600, S63, S65, Saints, Saloon, secondhand, Secondhand Saint, Sedan, speed, Supercharged, turbo, Twin, V12, V8, W220 Leave a comment »
Mercedes S55 AMG
Ah, Mercedes-Benz. Just the name brings up thoughts of expensive country clubs, upper-class attitudes, and feelings of being in the 1%. Their flagship sedan, the S-Class, has always been a leader in its market since the 1970s, and despite the high entry price, still sells itself better than the competition. The previous-generation W220 was the one that brought this fantastically flashy flagship into the 21st century, and now some of the most powerful ones (namely, those with some sort of forced induction) can be had for a fraction of their original value. For reasons that shall be discussed later, we’re going to focus on the S55 and S600, as the S65 is significantly harder to find even today. Read the rest of this entry »
Secondhand Saint: 2005-2009 Subaru Legacy GT (and Spec.B)
Posted: November 3, 2011 Filed under: Secondhand Saints, SHOWCASE | Tags: AWD, EJ255, GT, Legacy, Midsize, Mind over motor, Outback XT, Secondhand Saint, Subaru, turbo Leave a comment »
Legacy GT Spec.B
Subaru’s reputation for stout, well-built AWD cars has been a cornerstone of their selling points for over twenty years now. And about a decade ago, the turbocharged Impreza WRX showed that this company could build an excellent all-around sports sedan for not a lot of cash. A few years later, they started turbocharging the Legacy and Outback, and gave a new reason for buyers to switch to a boxer engine and AWD. Read the rest of this entry »
Secondhand Saint: Toyota MR2 Spyder (2000-2005)
Posted: October 5, 2011 Filed under: Secondhand Saints, SHOWCASE | Tags: 1ZZ, 2-Seater, Car, fun, Japan, Mid-Engined, Mind over motor, MR2 Spyder, Roadster, Secondhand Saint, Sunday Drive, Toyota Leave a comment »
Back when Toyota made really fun cars, the MR2 was their answer to the Mazda Miata. Low-slung, small, and mid-engined, the MR2 Spyder represented a true sports car configuration for the price of a milquetoast Corolla sedan. While it never enjoyed the success of the MX-5, they’re a great way to get a little mini-Boxster for a fraction of the price. Read the rest of this entry »
Secondhand Saint: 2006-2009 Chevrolet TrailBlazer SS
Posted: September 21, 2011 Filed under: Secondhand Saints, SHOWCASE | Tags: Chevrolet, Corvette, GMT360, LS2, Mind over motor, Secondhand Saint, SS, SUV, Trailblazer, Truck Leave a comment »
High performance SUVs were a strange thing back in the early part of the new millenium. General Motors had just launched their newest midsize SUVs in 2002, the GMT360 lineup. The lineup included the new Chevy TrailBlazer, GMC Envoy (which would go on to win Motor Trend‘s 2002 SUV of the Year), and the Oldsmobile Bravada (notably, the last new Oldsmobile, which eventually became the Buick Rainier). But, no one quite knew about the trick that GM had up its sleeve for the TrailBlazer. Read the rest of this entry »
Secondhand Saint: Chrysler Crossfire SRT-6
Posted: August 25, 2011 Filed under: Secondhand Saints, SHOWCASE | Tags: Automatic, Chrysler, Convertible, Coupe, Crossfire, Daimler, Daimler-Benz, DaimlerChrysler, Mercedes, Mind over motor, Schrempp, Secondhand Saint, SLK, SRT, Supercharged 1 Comment »
Chrysler Crossfire SRT6 Roadster (Front)
The Crossfire was probably one of the more visible results of the DaimlerChrysler conglomerate. Born as a concept around 2002, it garnered immediate applause among the automotive faithful for being a strikingly beautiful car with the potential to break Chrysler into an entirely new market. Read the rest of this entry »
Secondhand Saint: Nissan 350Z
Posted: August 15, 2011 Filed under: Secondhand Saints | Tags: 350Z, Car, Coupe, driving, engine, GReddy, Mind over motor, NISMO, Nissan, Nissan 350Z, Secondhand Saint, V6, VQ35, VQ35DE, VQ35HD, Z-car 2 Comments »
NISMO 350Z (Front).
Back when Nissan stopped selling the original Z-car in 1996 in the USA, enthusiasts were infuriated. The Z was introduced around 1970, and immediately became the “Japanese Mustang” for its low price, well-matched engine, and balanced handling. Nissan enlarged it over the years until the 300ZX hit the streets in 1990, when it was a wide, tech-packed sports coupe, with some aspects that were a bit ahead of its time. When sales faltered, however, Nissan couldn’t afford to keep building them. But, in 2002, they performed a ritual on the grave, and the ghost came back to life. Read the rest of this entry »
Secondhand Saint: 1996-2002 BMW Z3, M
Posted: August 3, 2011 Filed under: Secondhand Saints | Tags: BMW, BMW M Roadster, BMW Z3, Car, Convertible, Coupe, E36, E36/4, Goldeneye, James Bond, M, M Coupe, M Roadster, M44, M52, M54, Mind over motor, S52, S54B32, Sales, Secondhand Saint, Z3, Z3M 1 Comment »
The Z3 from Goldeneye. Very cool car, despite not being the quickest thing in the world at the time.
Back in 1994, James Bond’s Goldeneye introduced the entire world to a brand-new way to drive a roadster. The BMW Z3 had landed, and thanks to the movie placement, it was a hit right from the start. BMW’s replacement for the offbeat little Z1 roadster hit the market in 1996, and enjoyed various improvements throughout its seven-year lifespan. Read the rest of this entry »
Secondhand Saint: 2005-2009 Ford Mustang GT
Posted: July 5, 2011 Filed under: Secondhand Saints | Tags: 2005, 2009, 4.6, America, Bullitt, burnout, Convertible, Coupe, Dearborn, Drive, Ford, July 2011, Mind over motor, Mustang, Pony Car, Secondhand Saint, Shelby, USA, V8 1 Comment »
2005 Mustang GT in Windveil Blue, ripping its tires to shreds.
Ford blew everyone away in 2005 with the newly-redesigned Mustang, on its first new chassis since 1979. The styling was completely revised, in the ‘retro-modern’ design theory, which spearheaded development of the new Camaro and Challenger. Read the rest of this entry »
