Welcome back to Mercedes’ Marketplace Madness! As you know, I love picking up dirt-cheap cars, motorcycles, and campers, then telling you lovely readers about the dumb things that I do with them. I’m always looking for the next deal, but most of the time, I’m left empty-handed. At the same time, I love building a list of cars, trucks, and motorcycles that I would buy if I had the money.
Mercedes’ Marketplace Madness turns the long lists of vehicles I’d love to buy into something for you all to enjoy. Some of them are cheap and some of them are not. Some of the vehicles I find are purely window shopping for everyone other than a collector like Beau or Myron.
This week, I’ve chosen a theme of cars to dream about. A number of these will be expensive, but I like staring at them and thinking “what if?” I mean, who wouldn’t want to drive around in a van with a Martini livery or cruise down Woodward in a clean Chevelle SS?
Here’s what I’m looking at this week!
1996 Alfa Romeo GTV – $11,000
The 1990s Alfa Romeo GTV is technically a spiritual successor of the classic Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV. Penned by Pininfarina’s Enrico Fumia and launched for the 1995 model year, the GTV coupe and Type 916 Spider have long-polarized enthusiasts. I remain a fan of this bold design.
Unlike Alfetta of old, the newer GTV is front-wheel-drive. According to the seller, this one was recently imported from the UK, bringing along a logbook full of service and MOT history. The car even still wears its original plates. Power comes from a 2.0-liter Twin Spark four making 150 HP, directed through a manual transmission. It’s $11,000 from the seller in Orlando, Florida with 102,000 miles. New parts include a timing belt, water pump, idle control valve, and more.
2005 Mercedes-Benz E320 CDI – $2,999
Usually, selecting a diesel engine option means getting a vehicle that’s slower than its gas equivalent. The W211 Mercedes-Benz E-Class is one of those weird times where the diesel is a faster, better option.
In 2002, Car and Driver reported that Mercedes had spent $1,750,000,000 to replace the outgoing W210 E-Class. Part of the mission of the vehicle’s designers was to create something new, but not so out there that then-current W210 owners would feel unfamiliar with the vehicle. On top of this, of course, the engineers were working with a vehicle with an impressive breadth of variants, from the inexpensive taxi to the Autobahn stormer.
At 3,665 pounds, the W210 Mercedes-Benz E430 weighs less than a comparable BMW 540i by 150 to 400 pounds. To ensure the W211 stayed in the lead, engineers stamped the hood, fenders, decklid, parcel shelf, and front bumper out of aluminum. Yet, because Mercedes focuses so much on safety, the body still weighed more than the outgoing W210. The E320 CDI weighs in at 4,002 pounds.
In 2004, the 2005 Mercedes-Benz E320 CDI joined a surprising list of diesels sold in America. Volkswagen had the Beetle, Jetta, Passat, and Touareg all in diesel flavor and Jeep was preparing to launch its own diesels. As Car and Driver notes, Mercedes dropped out of the diesel game in America and in 2004 it was making a comeback.
Under the hood is a 3.2-liter turbodiesel six. It’s making 201 HP and 369 lb-ft torque. That’s fewer ponies than the equivalent gas V6, but a ton more torque. As a result, the diesel boogies to 60 mph in 7.1 seconds, 0.3 seconds faster than the gas version. The diesel’s lead continues as it can go from 30 mph to 50 mph in 3.5 seconds (the gas engine does it in 3.8 seconds) and it’ll go from 50 mph to 70 mph in 4.8 seconds (5.4 for the gasser). Oh, and the diesel will do it all while scoring 37 mpg on the highway, compared to the 27 mpg highway found with the gas V6. Car and Driver even found the diesel to be quieter than the gas version.
For a wild twist, this car is only 45 state legal due to the lack of urea injection. It does not meet emissions requirements for California, New York, Maine, Massachusetts, and Vermont. If you live outside of those areas, this 2005 example is $2,999 from a seller in Columbus, Ohio with 279,000 miles.
1938 Chrysler Royal Business Coupe – $26,000
Chrysler’s Royal nameplate dates back to the early 1930s, when the name denoted a top sedan trim level. It became its own eight-cylinder engine-powered model in 1933 before getting replaced in 1934 by the revolutionary Airflow. Royal would return in 1937, but this time it would be a six-cylinder car replacing the Chrysler Six. The Royal boasted a shorter chassis and modern design for the era. Royal features included integrated windscreen defroster vents, padding on the back of the front seat, a rubber-insulated body, and a rubber-insulated steering wheel. In 1938, Chrysler sold the Royal for $1,010, or $21,742 today.
This 1938 Chrysler Royal Business Coupe has spent most of its life in Oregon and one of its previous owners kept the car from 1973 until 2016. The seller reports that the vehicle was restored back in the 2000s. The restoration appears to be holding up, save for some paint bubbling. Power comes from a 228.1 cubic inch Gold Seal engine rated at 95 HP backed by a three-speed manual. It’s $26,000 from the seller in Salem, Oregon with 66,000 miles.
1997 Grinnall Scorpion-III – $16,800
Have you ever wanted a car-like trike but find the Polaris Slingshot too garish and the retro style of a Vanderhall isn’t for you? Check out this little guy. Grinnall isn’t a known name here in America, but it is over in the UK. I’ll let the company explain:
In 1991, in search of a radical but affordable high-performance vehicle, Mark Grinnall combined his passion for motorcycling and his skills as an engineer to produce an innovative three-wheeler, which unlike any of its illustrious ancestors, would be high-tech, mid-engined and rear wheel driven. This was to be the first in a family of unique, niche-market sporting vehicles. The Scorpion-III made its debut in 1992 when it was featured prominently in CAR magazine. Interest in the S-III exploded in the mid 90’s, with the breathtaking featherweight being featured in dozens of magazines worldwide.
The S-III is still in production over 25 years after its launch. This is testimony of the design aesthetic and quality build. Evolved and refined over the years, the latest S-III features the state-of-the-art BMW 1300cc 4-cylinder motor from the K1300S motorbike. With 185bhp, wider track, billet uprights, stiffened rear suspension and many other new features, this machine is lots of fun and very rapid. With 460bhp per tonne this little cycle car is guaranteed to surprise Ferrari drivers, and can still return over 50 miles per gallon.
Yep, as it says on the tin, this is a trike with mid-engine BMW power and power routed through the rear wheel. The body is glass reinforced plastic and it’s bonded to a space frame. Power comes from a 1,093cc four borrowed from a BMW K 1100 and outputting 100 HP. This is good for a 60 mph sprint in about 6 seconds and a top speed of 125 mph.
This example is the only one for sale in the whole country and it’s said to be in good mechanical condition, but has clearly visible paint problems. The windscreen also has a crack. It’s $16,800 from the seller in Corona, California with 80,000 miles.
1984 Fiat 242 – $27,368
This van drew my attention because of its Martini livery. Is there any practical reason to own this in America? Probably not, especially at the asking price. But I do enjoy looking at it. Martini Racing used vans like these as rally support vehicles and fans have created clones of those vans. Sadly, the seller does not say anything about this van’s history.
The Fiat 242 was created in a joint venture of sorts. In 1968, the controlling shareholder of Citroën, Michelin, sold a 49 percent stake in the company to Fiat. During this joint ownership, the Fiat 242 was developed alongside the Citroën C35 van. Production on the 242 started in 1974 and the van was successful due to its reliability and low load floor. That low floor was achieved thanks to its front-wheel-drive layout. Power comes from a 2.5-liter diesel four making 71 HP and is routed through a five-speed manual.
It’s $27,368 from Ruote Da Sogno in Italy with 178,725 miles.
1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 396 – $57,995
Back in 2011, Chevrolet held a contest to nominate its best vehicle of all time. The 1969 Camaro won the contest with 25,058 of the 124,368 votes cast, barely beating out the 1970 Chevelle SS. The Chevelle launched in the 1964 model year as an intermediate model between the compact Nova and the larger Impala. Today, one variant of the Chevelle is a poster-worthy dream car for many. Why is this model so beloved? I’ll let GM explain:
The muscle car era peaked in 1970, and leading the way to the summit was the SS 454 Chevelle. Chevrolet’s 454-cid big-block, the largest displacement production Chevy V-8 ever, was new for 1970. That same year, GM first permitted engines larger than 400-cid in its intermediate-sized cars. One result was perhaps the most legendary of all Chevy Super Sports, the SS 454 Chevelle. The available 450-hp LS-6 big-block could launch the SS 454 to 100 mph in about 13 seconds. Original, unmodified LS-6 SS 454s are rare, investment-grade, collectibles today.
The Chevrolet Chevelle SS 396 before us today is not the mighty 454 and as Chevrolet notes, those ones are often purchased as investments. Power comes from an L34 396 cubic inch V8 rated for 350 HP. This example is said to be numbers-matching, including the original 12-bolt rear end. The selling dealership, Streetside Classics of Concord, North Carolina, says the vehicle was restored to stock condition. That means you’re getting this muscle car more or less as GM made it, and you can either enjoy it as it is or turn it into whatever your dream is.
The dealership notes that the six layers of what was show-quality paint is still holding up well and that either the interior is original, or at the very least wasn’t completely transformed. The engine shoves its power through a TH400 3-speed automatic. It’s $57,995 with 12,246 miles on the odometer. True mileage is unknown.
1968 Mazda Cosmo Sport – $64,112
This car is the genesis of Mazda’s obsession with Wankel engines and honestly, it’s arguably still the best-looking out of every Mazda rotary since. I’ll let Mazda explain why its flagship was so awesome:
The Mazda Cosmo Sport (sold overseas as the 110S) – the world’s first volume production sports car powered by a two-rotor rotary engine – was unveiled to the public at the Tokyo Motor Show in October 1963. When the president of Mazda, Tsuneji Matsuda, drove the prototype into show venue it was a surprise to everyone. The Mazda Cosmo Sport featured beautiful, futuristic proportions and exceptional driving performance. It was a vehicle that clearly deserved the comment, “More like flying than driving.”
The Mazda Cosmo Sport was formally announced at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1964. Thereafter, Mazda engineers continued to work on quality and durability improvements to produce more refined performance. After completion of the Miyoshi Proving Ground in June 1965, Mazda carried out continuous high-speed endurance tests, covering a total test-drive distance of 700,000 kilometers from the time development began. The Mazda Cosmo Sport was eventually launched on May 30, 1967.
Power in this Series II model comes from a 982cc twin-rotor making 128 hp and 103 lb-ft torque. That’s paired with a five-speed manual transmission and it’s good for a top speed of about 120 mph.
This example is said to have a condition grade of 3.5 with 48,466 miles, which should mean it shouldn’t have major faults, but it always pays to get an independent inspection. It’s $61,377 before shipping from Japan from the exporter at Car From Japan.
1970 BSA Thunderbolt – $3,750
As you could probably tell, I’m still on a vintage motorcycle kick, and I especially adore the designs churned out by British firms decades ago. Well, I adore them maybe a little less than a certain teal BMW. Still, this Thunderbolt looks like a great ride. Here’s some history from the National Motorcycle Museum:
Birmingham Small Arms was founded in 1862, started making bicycles in the 1880’s and true motorcycles around 1910. Though gone from the scene at the end of the 1972 manufacturing year, BSA had a glorious history and successes even after “the Japanese invasion” of the mid-1960’s. Few realize that BSA was the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world in the 1950’s, even bought Triumph in 1951! In 1954 BSA swept the top five places in the Daytona 200 on the old beach course. Jeff Smith rode Gold Stars to scrambles and MX championships, Dick Mann won on BSAs as well, even winning the Daytona 200 as late as 1971 on a Rocket III. Much like Triumph they designed machines for basic transportation like the diminutive Bantam, and for high performance in the desert and on dirt tracks, the Hornet.
Some say the 1970 Thunderbolt is the best of that nine year model run. It incorporates dual horns, a one year only detail. The cylinder base studs were strengthened, enlarged to 3/8” diameter. Also, the clutch actuator design was borrowed from Triumph and was a great improvement. Driven by American transportation laws, the brake and clutch lever perches were designed with holes for mirror mounting. Most important, and already mentioned, in 1971 the oil-in-frame design came on completely altering the seating height, and appearance changes were many. Per laws, turn signals were added and most fans felt the classic BSA had met its demise.
This BSA is said to run and ride great, but it has a problem with draining its battery when it’s not running. It also has an oil leak. A quick band-aid fix for the battery is a disconnect, but you’ll probably want to find the parasitic drain eventually. It’s $3,750 from the seller in Marshall, Michigan with 20,000 miles.
2009 Pontiac Solstice GXP Coupe – $37,989
Let me get this out of the way immediately: Yes, this car is very expensive! Remember, I paid just $8,500 for this car’s convertible sibling, the Saturn Sky Red Line. With that said, I found this car fascinating because with just 9,308 miles on its odometer, it’s basically a time capsule into Pontiac’s great roadster. The targa coupe version of the Solstice went on sale in 2009, selling just 1,266 units.
The Solstice is an awesome roadster to come from the brain of legendary auto exec Bob Lutz. One of Lutz’s dreams was to create an affordable, rear-wheel-drive American roadster. When Lutz took the helm at GM, he finally realized that dream. The General’s engineers created the Kappa platform, and riding on it is a handful of low-slung roadsters. It launched with the Pontiac Solstice, a curvaceous drop-top roadster that was America’s answer to the Miata. It robbed GM’s part bins with engines from the Chevy Cobalt, reverse lights from the GMC Envoy, a transmission from the Chevy Colorado, and more. But the end result is something that looks gorgeous even today.
Toward the end of Solstice production, Pontiac decided that the Solstice needed a hardtop, and created a fastback out of its roadster. This one is also the best spec. There’s a 2.0-liter Ecotec LNF turbo under the clamshell hood. That gives you 260 hp and 260 lb-ft torque to the rear wheels through a manual transmission.
Again, it’s expensive, but nice to look at. This Solstice GXP Coupe is $37,989 from Whitaker Buick GMC in Forest Lake, Minnesota. Last year, this exact car sold on Bring a Trailer for $31,500.
That’s it for this week! Thank you for reading.
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That Solstice is cheap compared to this 1,900 mile coupe offered for $65K in Ohio. I think both are ambitiously priced.
https://www.carfax.com/vehicle/1G2MG25X99Y000497
Oh, I love that Cosmo.
Im actually quite surprised that a Cosmo (a bit rough) would go for only that. I just figured it was a 6 figure car. Very cool ride if you can get it fixed up.
The 68 Camaro is a better car than the 69.
That Fiat would be a great pickup for cars and coffee meets.
I saw one sold in 2019 for around 100k Canadian that was really rough- they are tiny too
Chevelle SS 396 is one of my dream cars. Yes the 454 has more power. Yes there are “better” cars. For the record the GTO (it’s cousin) is also one of the dream cars lol. That car is sooooooooooooooo pretty. Now to find about 12 kidneys to sell…anyone got ice?
I already donated a kidney so Im of no help there but I like the 396 over the 454 as well. Seems like a better period motor and you can still get it as fast as your cash reserves allow.
Also shout out to the 327. I’ve always wanted something with a 327.
327 – most unloved SBC engine that doesn’t deserve the hate. Sure you can make better power with other engines but that sound!
I’d like to know the story behind that Alfa GTV.
In the UK you have to get an inspection done every year called an MOT. You can check any car’s MOT history on the government MOT site. You get to see when it passed, the mileage and also when it failed and why.
The last car I bought had a pass every year for 13 year and only one fail, which was for a single worn tyre. That’s the sort of history you want.
That GTV passed February 15th 2023 at 101950 miles. Fine. But 5 days earlier it failed on brakes, leaky exhaust, wipers, tyre damage and “offside front road wheel has more than one fixing missing”. That last one I’ve never seen before, it’s both easy to fix and deeply worrying that it was presented for testing like that.
It’s last annual test before that was in 2014 with 101752 miles (so nine years and 200 miles earlier) when it passed, but not before failing on a list of things including “driver’s door cannot be opened from inside the vehicle” and “passenger door cannot be opened from inside the vehicle”. This is the sort of thing you should notice without a test.
It’s last annual test before that was 2006, 97637 miles, and it failed on a load of shit then too.
So many red flags.
I am irrationally consumed by desire for that Grinnall. It looks like Spaceman Spiff’s spaceship.
Even with the attention seeking graphics, I would probably love the FIAT Van. Something very different, but then again I have heard stories about the FIATS for 6 decades. Few were good ones. But it does look like fun, for a while?
The Cosmo? To me that’s the ultimate collector MAZDA. The original ASSMAN car from Japan.
A Mazda Cosmo Sport 110S is probably number 3 on my list of prettiest sports cars I would love to own, just behind the Lamborghini Miura and the Toyota 2000GT. While a Cosmo might be closer to affordable for me, I know I’m never going to own one. I have seen one in person, and they are as gorgeous as in pictures. I also love rotaries, having briefly owned an RX-3, and love the aircraft-style dashboard layout the Cosmo and it successor the R100 both had.
You said this better than I could have. I seem to recall seeing one or two of these before.
Were they very low cars? That seems to be stuck in the brain somewhere?
I just looked up the dimensions, and they are 45.9″ high, so barely 6″ taller than a GT40. Later Mazda rotaries like the RX-2, and most other passenger cars of the era were more like 55″ high.
Thanks for this! I wish could recall where may have seen one before, but was certain they were very low.
Mercedes, you have impeccable taste.
I still want to drive an Alfa GTV, having passed on a test drive in a Spyder in ’97. …when I realized that it would be my first experience of RHD, and driving in London, starting in South Kensington, in someone else’s Alfa. It would just have been a bad move.
I want the Grinnall. No logical reason, just do.
If the Merc were, say west of South Bend I would be all over that.
Fortunately, or not, I am old enough to have experienced a time when a much less nice version of the 396 could be had for 5% of the asking price on that one. (Or a GSX for 3k, or a Superbird for 10k, etc…) It’s kind of rotten that they have become so much of an investment. Also, I hate the colors. Awful.
Someday, I will see a Cosmo, in person. Absolutely beautiful!
Another eclectic yet glorious garage treasure. Reminded me of my dads Chevelle SS. He wasnt a car guy but looking back he owned some great iron. His SS spent to much time Norte of le border. Even after moving to FLA rust killed the frame. We were working on it, has the front end jacked up went in for a snack, came out the front end was no longer air born. I wonder if that 454 got reporposed or sitting in a junkyard aroubd WPB?
The Grinnal will surprise its new owner. The performance figures do not get anywhere near how fast these feel. Do not take your slightly nervous neighbour out for a drive in one however nicely they ask.
The interior of the Merc. Has a coal miner been driving it home from work?
The Chevelle won my heart.
My family had an E Class diesel of this generation for years. My dad bought it cheap off his environmentally obsessed friend who’d been running it on biodiesel back in 2012. I got to drive it a ton and for a shithead college student/eventual young professional it was a TREAT.
The interior fit and finish were excellent, the seats were super comfortable, the AC had a button that simply said “max cool” that turned the car into an ice box…which is an amazing feature here in the swamps of DC. The powertrain is really unique as well.
Don’t let the torque fool you-these are not quick off the line. But once you get into the meat of the power band they’re MISSILES. These aren’t about 0-60 so much as they’re about 30-70, 55-80, etc. They are a gut punch in those applications, which makes them excellent luxobarges. If you need to pass someone just mash the throttle and you’ll be flying in no time. Ours also lived in the 30s as far as the fuel economy it averaged.
What happened to it? Well, unfortunately my first accident happened to it. I was coming home late on a Friday night after doing some work in the field and rear ended someone that was trying to turn into an alley. It was definitely my fault-but I will say that that was an extremely bizarre location for someone to be stopped. The airbags didn’t go off but unfortunately the insurance company totaled it out and that was that.
It’s a shame too, there’s a good chance that I’d still be driving it today if that hadn’t happened because they’re bomb proof. It’s a shame luxury diesels aren’t really a thing that exists anymore. It may seem counterintuitive to some, but I think big comfy sedans are the perfect application for them.
Oh and I love the GTV/Spider. IMHO they’re some of the last affordable exotics out there. I’m sure they’re a huge pain in the ass but you can find them in the teens all day. Good luck finding anything else for that cheap that looks that interesting, and apparently the twin spark turbos are decent engines. I’ve come across a few of them that I’ve thought long and hard about and I have a feeling they’re not going to be cheap for long.
I’m sure they don’t drive nearly as exotically as they look but who cares? They’re a dirt cheap way to win cars and coffee.
Are those factory alloys on the Cosmo? They look similar to what you could get on 1970’s Apline models.
My Nana drove a ‘68 SS396 well before I was born. It was yellow with a black vinyl top and black stripes. My dad did tuneups on it, and of course took it for a test drive afterwards, like ya do. One time there was a slight drizzle falling, and as dad was sitting at a stop sign, foot on the brake, the rear wheels started slowly spinning. Huge power, even at idle. He’ll tell you that story if you ask for it or not.
Younger me is drooling all over that Cosmo like an 80’s cartoon wolf!
Older me would love to take my wife to the farmers market in that Business Coupe this weekend.
I love Mercedes’ Marketplace Madness.
Especially when the article drops late Friday after all the car news and crazy articles.
It’s a good automotive news palate cleanser before the weekend.
I was cruising marketplace today and discovered that that Mercedes E-class diesel could be had, in North America, with a manual. I’ve not been able to stand since
I don’t think that’s correct for the W211 in the USDM…could be a swap, but the 320D only came with a 5 or 7-speed automatic.
I had never heard of that Mazda before, it’s awesome.
I’d love to have a Delta Integrale or Montecarlo, in Martini livery of course, to go with that Fiat 242.
That Chrysler is damn near Autopian Blue. Maybe Beau can get it if the Pebble Beach auction doesn’t go his way.
The Mazda Cosmo has always been a personal favorite. I was mildly amused to read Mazda’s description of the Cosmo’s appearance as “beautiful, futuristic proportions,” not because this was inaccurate, but because 32 years later when Ford debuted the new Thunderbird design with eerily similar lines, it was hailed as retro. My how time flies. Arguably, the older Cosmo design holds up better to the eye than the aughts T-bird.
I have always loved the Cosmo. I grew up watching The Jetsons, and whenever I saw a picture of the Cosmo in a magazine (pre-internet, of course, it always made me think “It’s a non-flying version of The Jetsons car in real life!”
All are pretty interesting, but that Mazda Cosmo Sport, that’s just gorgeous.
Oh that Beezer is way too pretty, and I don’t know if I could learn the wrong-footed rear brake and shifter setup before I ruin its pretty chrome.
$3k doesn’t seem like too too much to pay for a lesson in the fleeting joys of cheap German luxury cars.