Classic Car Performance website update !!

The sound of pens scratching at checkbooks could be heard during the introduction of the Ferrari F50 on this day in 1995 at the Geneva Motor Show. Perhaps that isn’t entirely true, given only 349 left the assembly line between 1995 and 1997, but it certainly left many mouths agape. Powered by a 512 horsepower 4.7 liter, 60 valve V12 engine connected to a six speed gated transmission, the car reached a top speed of 202 miles per hour, one more than its predecessor, the Ferrari F40. The now iconic supercar originally sported a sticker price of about $450,000. Today,...

Cameron Argetsinger, born on this day in 1921, put Watkins Glen, New York on the racing map. Cameron developed a need for speed at a young age, following the purchase of a MG TC in 1947. That car became his membership ticket into the Sports Car Club of America. Cameron, who grew up spending his summers in Schuyler County, NY, dreamed of hosting a sports car race in Watkins Glen. In 1948 he organized the first Watkins Glen Sports Car Grand Prix, though held on a circuit made up of public roads, not a race track. The event became widely...

Here’s an interesting piece of automotive trivia, from us to you. Many of us still remember the national speed limit being regulated to 55. In the modern era, many people seem to think it was because cars simply didn’t go very fast, or handle high speeds very well, back in the day. While their assessment of automotive performance is more or less true, there’s actually a different reason the speed limit was mandated. Prior to 1974, Speed limits were set by individual states. 75 MPH zones were not uncommon, and in Kansas, the speed limit was 80 for years. In...

In 1952 Mercedes-Benz built a brand new car for the sports car racing season, dubbed the W194. Designed by Friedrich Geiger, the 3 liter straight-6 powered coupe was vicious on the track, placing first at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Bern-Bremgarten, Carrera Panamericana and other high profile races. Though only ten W194s made it to the track, Daimler-Benz’s official US importer Max Hoffman saw the potential of a road going version. He made the case to Mercedes that a production version would be successful and they listened. The resulting Mercedes-Benz 300SL went on sale on this day in 1954. The...

Introducing the Morgan Plus Four LM62. That name won’t need any explaining, but some of the car’s features might, because this isn’t any Plus Four. Available in Morgan Jet Green or Morgan Tertre Rouge, and fitted with a Heritage White hardtop, the colour palette pays tribute to the Le Mans-winning car. Unique details include a bespoke graphics pack – which comprises roundels with TOK 258’s number ‘29’ – an LM62 rear badge, silver-painted wire wheels, Le Mans-style fuel filler cap, domed rear panel and active sports exhaust with black tailpipes, along with options including two-eared wheel spinners and a Moto-Lita...