5 years we have been coming to this show. This has to be the premier car show in the Midwest. Where else are you going to see half a dozen Mercedes 300SLs! The Mercedes SL was one of the featured marques this year. I could have spent all day admiring these special cars. So many details - it was the exotic car of its time. But at a car show like this, with so many amazing cars on display, you have to keep moving to take it all in.
It was quite interesting to see this Fiero 2+2 prototype. The brief for a 2+2 mid engine vehicle is always going to give a designer a headache. When the engine is already taking up the space occupied by back seat passengers, the only thing you can do to squeeze seats in there is to extend the wheelbase, which makes for awkward proportions as seen here. Or, you can move the engine out back like the Porsche 911 - a primary reason the Porsche continues to be a top choice for sports car enthusiasts, and this Fiero is just a footnote.
Take a look at this 1972 Porsche 911 2.7 RS and you can see why the market has exploded on these cars. Classic small footprint. Key design details like Carrera graphics, ducktail spoiler, Fuchs wheels, and houndstooth pattern sports seats. If you could only have one Porsche, this could be a contender and a hard choice to fault.
It was great to see some JDM love at Geneva this year. This 1973 Datsun 240Z looked amazing in classic BRE racing livery. This car will always be one of my favorites. Ever since I drove my friend Sean’s 72, I have been lusting after a 240Z of my own. Passing up the opportunity to purchase his is one of those great automotive regrets for me. Thankfully, they still remain affordable, so there is still time to make good on that dream.
Wow. The Porsche 906 is an icon. Like the GT40, it was the last of the sports prototype racecars that could actually be driven on the street. Look at the front of this car, and you can see the look of the 917 beginning to take shape. I remember an episode of Miami Vice that featured a street chase with one of these cars, vs Crocket’s Ferrari Daytona. Rad!
I love these Renault Turbo 2s. The origin of the hot hatch. 1.3 liter Formula 1-derived turbo engine. Re-engineered into a mid-engine platform. Rare to see one of these out on the streets, but still a pleasure to see one at a car show. There were so many great cars at the show this year, and this one was in my top 5.
We caught a glimpse of this street-parked Cobra on the way out. A perfect way to end the day!