Happy offspring - well-fashioned Z3, SLK, Boxster and Co
05/21/2017
If you want to buy a classic-looking car with a driving pleasure guarantee today, you are actually in a good position. Of course, you could go for a gnarled British car, such as a Triumph TR4 or an MG B, but you would then need a five-figure sum for a good vehicle.
German sports cars, which came onto the market in the mid-1990s and combined classic convertible virtues with mass-produced technology, are a more affordable option. They were called BMW Z3 (1995 to 2002), Mercedes-Benz SLK( R170, 1996 to 2004) and Porsche Boxster( 1996 to 2004) and are available today in reasonable condition for four-figure sums.
What's more, you can get them with a manual gearbox and an interior that is still reminiscent of the great days of sports cars thanks to classic round instruments. You can even drive these cars in winter, the SLK anyway thanks to its folding roof, but the competitors from BMW and Porsche are just as good, and you might even buy a hardtop.
The Z3 Coupé( from 1998), popularly known as the "sneaker", is considered an insider tip. Like its successor, the Z4 Coupé( 2006 to 2008), it has remained rare and is an enormous pleasure to drive. However, BMW Z coupés are usually considerably more expensive than their convertible counterparts.
Incidentally, all three open-top sports cars mentioned were already available with six-cylinder engines at the time and even with this luxurious engine, they still fit into our four-digit price range today. And you can even find the SLK with a manual transmission as a V6, the Boxster anyway and the Z3, of course, with the legendary straight-six engine. These are the perfect (almost) youngtimer additions to a racing bike and car-sharing subscription, aren't they, boys and girls?
