Lotus Carlton, Mercedes-Benz Unimog 404.1, Honda GB500 Tourist Trophy: Mercedes’ Marketplace Madness

Welcome back to Mercedes’ Marketplace Madness! As you know, I love picking up dirt-cheap cars and motorcycles and then telling you lovely readers about the dumb things that I do with them. Since I’m shopping all of the time, I always have an evolving list of vehicles for sale. Here’s what I’ve been obsessed with lately.

This week features a couple of dream cars, but also some rare cars that some enthusiasts could actually buy. There’s even a kei-sized Japanese imported van that you could take on the highway without getting flattened by someone in a mid-size sedan.

Here’s what I’m looking at this week!

2000 Honda Insight K20Z1 Swap – $8,300

In December 1999, Honda released the Insight, a hybrid rated at 49 mpg in city and a whopping 61 mpg on the highway. The first-generation Honda Insight held the EPA crown of “Most Efficient EPA-Certified Vehicle – Gasoline” from 2000 to 2015. It took the 2016 Toyota Prius Eco to unseat it, and it only did so with an EPA combined rating of 56 mpg vs. the Insight’s 53 combined mpg. But the Insight still bested the Prius on the highway by 8 mpg. Even today, it still beats the newest Prius at the fuel economy game.

The Insight features a lightweight aluminum structure, a compact size, and slippy aerodynamics. This is a car that weighed roughly the same as a Smart Fortwo despite the vehicle’s hybrid equipment. Of course, the original Insight focused so hard on fuel economy that it wasn’t super practical.

Those same engineering triumphs that make the Insight a great economy car also makes it an interesting choice for an engine swap. Enthusiasts seem to love dropping K engines in these things. That’s what you’re looking at here. The seller says that this car has a 2.0-liter K20Z1 four and a six-speed manual borrowed from a 2005 Acura RSX. The body has 279,000 miles while the drivetrain has 124,000 miles. It’s tuned and is said to be making 220 HP at the wheels, moving a vehicle that weighs about 2,000 pounds. That sounds like some good fun!

If you’re interested, it’s $8,300 (USD) from the seller in Orillia, Ontario, Canada. Listing courtesy of K Swap Everything.

1979 BMW 320i – $14,320

Thanks to Thomas and my recent BMW purchases, I’ve been falling in love with what was once marketed as the Ultimate Driving Machine. My BMW love spans into the classics, and check this beauty out.

Launched in 1975, the E21 3 Series had big shoes to fill. It replaced the BMW 02, which produced greats like the fabled 2002. This new car was tasked with retaining the sporty driving characteristics of the 02 while improving on comfort, safety, space, and style. The E21 features a restrained, yet gorgeous design that features a prominent kidney grille and Hofmeister kink. BMW even contoured the hood into what it calls the “power dome.” Accompanying these upgrades was an array of engines, including what BMW calls the first six-cylinder engines in its class.

This doesn’t have a six, but it does have a 2.0-liter M10 four fed by fuel injection and making 123 HP. The seller say that it has 161,520 miles, but it presents in rather good shape. It’s painted in Biscay Blue with a matching period interior with an uncracked dashboard. The engine and manual transmission were reportedly rebuilt 10,000 miles ago. It’s $14,320 from the seller in Seattle, Washington.

1974 Mercedes-Benz Unimog 404.1 – $13,500

The Mercedes-Benz Unimog has been conquering the off-road world since 1948. These trucks have portal axles, crawler gears, and are known for having a silly number of levers. You’ll find Unimogs serving as farm equipment, emergency equipment, and in military service. Its name actually means something: It’s an acronym for Universal-Motor-Gerät or Universal Motorized Machine. Fitting.

From Mercedes-Benz:

Albert Friedrich is one of the Unimog vehicle’s founding fathers. Immediately after World War II the former head of Daimler-Benz aircraft engine production recognised the enormous need that small and mid-sized companies working in Germany’s agricultural sector had for tractors. In addition to off-road capabilities, there was great demand for a vehicle that was simple to convert for a range of very different tasks.

From 1946 a dedicated team headed by the engineers Albert Friedrich, Heinrich Rößler and Hans Zabel developed and tested the first prototypes for such a commercial vehicle on the premises of Erhard & Söhne.

By the end of the development phase the team had created a vehicle with all-wheel drive, differential locks and portal axles which met all the demands regarding transport volume and tractive force but was still capable of driving 50 km/h.

Power in this Unimog comes from a 2.2 liter M180 straight-six gasoline engine making 80 HP. The seller says that everything works, save for a broken switch and the temperature gauge. Its headlights are also disconnected as the seller has not been able to find replacement bulbs. So, it’s not perfect, but it appears to be in decent physical shape.

It’s $13,500 by the seller in Barstow, California with 29,322 miles.

2011 Volvo C30 R-Design – $9,500

Here’s a modern Volvo that calls back to the 1800 ES, one of the marque’s most memorable classic designs. The Volvo C30 started life as the Volvo Safety Concept Car, which launched in the 2001 at the Detroit Motor Show. It would take Volvo until 2006 to put the car into production.

Aside from a design that calls back to the past (and an official photoshoot of a designer and his beloved taillight) this car was meant to further push Volvo’s safety forward. The C30 features a forward collision warning, a blind spot monitoring system, a lane departure warning system, and a driver alert system. These are regular car features today, but remember, we’re talking about 2006, here.

This one is an R-Design, which nets you a body kit, R-Design logos, matte silver mirror caps, and 18-inch wheels. R-Design models also have stiffer springs, quicker steering, and tuned dampers. Power comes from a turbocharged 2.5-liter inline five making 227 HP and 236 lb-ft torque. That outputs to the front wheels from a manual transmission. It’s $9,500 from the seller in Tucson, Arizona with 97,000 miles.

1990 Honda GB500 Tourist Trophy – $16,500

What you’re looking at here is a Japanese tribute to British single-cylinder racing motorcycles of the 1950s and the 1960s from marques like BSA, AJS, and Velocette. The Honda GB500 Tourist Trophy, which references the notorious Isle of Man TT was built to look like an old-school racer, but with Honda quality. Honda first tried out the concept in Japan in 1985 with a 400cc model and a 500cc unit. These motorcycles landed in America starting in 1989.

Power comes from an XL600 dirt bike-derived 498cc single making 33 HP and Honda committed to the theme, giving the motorcycle wire-spoke wheels, a steel tube frame, and steel side covers. Other parts included chrome-plated fiberglass and plastic. While the motorcycle was reportedly exhilarating to ride, it was never a strong seller. Hagerty notes that the list price was $4,195, or $300 more than a Harley-Davidson 883 Sportster. Thus, there are just somewhere around 3,500 GB500 Tourist Trophy motorcycles in America. Honda had so much trouble selling these that 1,000 unsold examples were shipped to Germany to be sold there.

This one appears to be in great shape and the chrome is said to be in “showroom” condition. It’s $16,500 from the seller in Broomfield, Colorado with 2,210 miles.

1996 Alfa Romeo Spider – $13,900

The Alfa Romeo Spider 916 is a 1990s interpretation of the classic Alfa Romeo Giulia Spider. Originally penned by Pininfarina’s Enrico Fumia and launched in 1995, the Type 916 Spider (and GTV coupe variant) has long polarized enthusiasts. I’m a fan of this funky design.

Unlike previous iterations of Alfa Romeo’s famous Spider, this newer Spider is front-wheel-drive. According to the seller, this one has gotten a new timing belt and water pump just 800 miles ago. Under the hood is a 2.0-liter Twin Spark four making 150 HP. It’s not as pretty or as powerful as the later V6 that was offered for these cars, but it does transmit the power via a manual transmission. You can find it for $13,900 from a seller in Mission Viejo, California with 73,200 miles.

1991 Lotus Carlton – $109,708

Here’s a car that became a legend for its Ferrari-slaying performance at a more affordable price. It’s also famous for being able to leave police cars in its dust. I’ll let Lotus describe the Carlton:

To suggest that the 174mph Lotus Carlton was controversial at the time of its launch would be something of an understatement. A 3.6-litre twin-turbocharged intercooled four-seater executive saloon, it was a unique motoring proposition back in 1990. Priced at a relatively affordable £48,000, it was a Ferrari Testarossa-beating machine for the masses. It sounds incredible now, but questions were raised about the car in the UK Houses of Parliament and the Daily Mail newspaper started a campaign to have it banned.

Taking the standard Vauxhall Carlton/Opel Omega off the production line at Russelsheim, Germany (West Germany until October 1990) and bringing it to Hethel, Lotus Engineering increased capacity of the 3.0-litre straight-six petrol engine to 3.6-litres. A pair of Garrett T25 turbochargers were added, developing 568Nm of torque at 4,200rpm. The front suspension and rear multi-link set-up were re-engineered to meet Lotus’ renowned ride and handling standards. The tyres were changed to Goodyear Eagles, the same as on the Esprit Turbo SE, and braking capability was significantly increased.

And the result? Arguably the most famous ‘Q car’ of all time. Given the Lotus Type number 104, the Lotus Carlton – or Lotus Omega in Europe – could sprint from 0-60mph in 5.0 seconds and 0-100mph in 11.1 seconds. Top speed was officially 174mph, though it was widely known to be capable of 180+. In 1992 Autocar magazine in their famous 0-100-0 challenge recorded a time of 17.0 seconds, placing the Lotus Carlton second behind the considerably more expensive Ferrari F40.

Jason Cammisa has an excellent video about this incredible vehicle and how it was an upheaval in England. The police, the government, and even Autocar Magazine’s editor-in-chief complained about how fast the Carlton was. As Cammisa explains in his video, nobody seemed to blink an eye about a fast Ferrari, but a fast and cheaper Lotus Carlton? That’s dangerous!

In its own retrospective, Lotus itself mentions the government’s displeasure with the Carlton’s speed. This car is fast enough that it could outrun a police car today here in America. A 3.6-liter twin-turbo straight-six punches out 377 HP through a manual transmission. This 1991 Carlton has 73,049 miles on its odometer and can be had for $109,708 from dealership Auto Union in the UK.

1970 Jaguar 420G – $20,860

According to Classic Motoring magazine, the Jaguar MkX (which would later be renamed the 420G) was aimed for the American market. It features some parts borrowed over E-Type technology like its XK engines. The MkX was also a departure from its predecessor MkIX with its unitized construction rather than the latter’s body-on-frame build. It also comes with four-wheel disc brakes and an independent suspension, both big deals in their day.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t the sales success that Jaguar expected, from Classic Motoring:

The Jag’s sheer size, style and stance was dictated by the all important American market it was squarely aimed at, although poor sales both sides of the pond saw the fat cat ‘killed’ off by 1970, although the basics of the MkX lived on in the Daimler DS420 right up to 1992 and this certainly helps in terms of spares and repairs.

This is a little bit of a rare beast with 25,211 having been produced. Power comes from a 4.2-liter XK inline six making 265 HP. Features include leather, wood trim, a padded dashboard, and more. The seller states that the engine has been overhauled and the interior restored, but the restorer used old leather from a sofa so the car retained some patina while looking fresh. I like that. It’s $20,860 from a seller in the Netherlands.

1997 Subaru Domingo GV – $12,900

Do you love the form factor of a kei car, but wished that they had just a little more bite? This Subaru Domingo might be just the ticket. The Subaru Sumo, also known as the Libero, Combi, Estratto, Subaru E10, Subaru E12, and Domingo, depending on market and generation.

As our friends at Japan Car Direct explain, this van sits in a bit of a weird place. Normally, vehicles of this size are in Japan’s famous Kei class, which limits factors like engine size and vehicle footprint. In exchange, the owner of a kei vehicle gets tax advantages. As Japan Car Direct notes, the Domingo falls into the Regular class, making it free from Kei regulations. This van uses the same body as the Subaru Sambar Dias van, but with two notable differences. The first is its obvious bumper extensions to aid the van’s safety. And second is its rear-mounted engine, which was available as a 1.0-liter three or a 1.2-liter three.

Other non-Kei class goodies come in the form of seating for seven and a cruising speed of 85 mph. This particular Domingo is making about 60 HP from its 1.2-liter three. In other words, it’s a Kei form factor, but with just enough power for some highway travel. Check out this excellent review from Zack Pradel of Shooting Cars:

This vehicle, whose listing comes to us courtesy of Shooting Cars, costs $12,900 from the seller in St. Augustine, Florida with 99,000 miles on the clock. Would you buy it?

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