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Twelve cylinders
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An engine with 12 cylinders is probably the best compromise between power and luxury. But it's expensive and so only few cars profit from it ...
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Unfinished symphony - Lamborghini Jarama 400 GT in (historic) test
The Lamborghini Jarama is a front-engined GT in the tradition of the 350 GT. Blessed with an impressive V12 engine, the car suffers from some annoying shortcomings in the test. In the testers' judgment, it takes a certain amount of empathy to appreciate the true value of this exclusive GT. After all, you can't have everything, not even at the price of a Jarama.
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Bugatti EB112 - slowed down too early?
The modern Bugatti has the engine in front of the rear axle. This has been the case since the early nineties and applies to series production vehicles. But as early as 1993, a four-door saloon with a front mid-engine was shown at the Geneva Motor Show, which almost went into production. But it was not to be. The successors, of which there were several, were also unsuccessful. This report tells the story of the Bugatti EB 112.
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Jaguar XJ Spider Pininfarina (1978) - The alternative offer
The name is deceptive; it was not the XJ but the XJ-S grand tourer based on it that served the Turin-based company as the basis for a roadster designed for safety at the time. As an alternative to the underperforming XJ-S, the car might have had a chance, but Jaguar lacked the will - and the money.
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JaguarSport XJR-15 (1991) - The forgotten super sports car
A Le Mans racing car as a road car? In the early 1990s, Tom Walkinshaw Racing TWR and its joint venture with Jaguar, Jaguar Sports, built 53 examples of one of the craziest cars ever to hit the road with the jumping cat - the Jaguar Sport XJR-15.
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Limousine luxury from Japan - Toyota Crown 2.8 Super Saloon and Toyota Century V12
Lexus was neither the beginning of Toyota's premium ambitions, nor is the classy subsidiary brand the pinnacle of them. Before that was the Crown, and the Century still hovers above it today. Together, they represent the Alpha and Omega of the Japanese luxury class. This article tells the story of the two luxury gliders and shows two examples in comparison.
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Ferrari 250 GT Pininfarina - midwife
The Ferrari 250 Granturismo Coupé Pininfarina was the first mass-produced sports car from Maranello for the rich and successful of the late sixties. Among them was a certain Ferruccio Lamborghini. His dissatisfaction ultimately led to the sports cars from Sant'Agata.
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Bugatti EB110 - Ettore would have been delighted
The Bugatti EB110 experienced a brief moment of blossoming, plunged into the dark abyss and, once again in the limelight, has undergone a brilliant rehabilitation. One person who has been devoted to the EB110 for a long time and who has remained loyal to it for many miles is former Swiss Lotus and Caterham importer Fredy Kumschick.
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Ferrari 365 GT 2+2 - Mamma mia!
If you didn't look or listen properly once, disaster took its course. Because of a stupid misunderstanding, a magnificent car was insulted for decades as an awkward battleship. Our driving report therefore clears up some prejudices and explains why the Ferrari 365 GT 2+2 should not be called the "Queen Mary".
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Ferrari 250 Gran Turismo Ellena - the first production sports car from Maranello
Nowadays, Ferrari builds more cars in half a week than it did per year in the late 1950s. The sports cars from Maranello were very exclusive back then and at the same time closer to racing cars than they are today. The 250 Gran Turismo was built between 1956 and 1958, coachbuilt by Boano and Ellena, among others. This vehicle report is dedicated to the latter coupé, of which only around 15 are said to still exist in their original condition.
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Mercedes-Benz 600 SEC - Nobel Prize for the feasible
Some simply considered the Mercedes-Benz 600 SEC to be the best car in the world, while others thought it was too big, too ostentatious, too clumsy or altogether superfluous. To this day, this controversy has not come to an end - a good reason to take a closer look at the coupé, which is now over 30 years old. This driving report tells the story of the S-Class coupé of the 1990s and shows it in current and historical pictures.
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Ferrari Studio Cr 25 Pininfarina - aerodynamic and quite different
In 1974, aerodynamic drag and low fuel consumption were a major issue due to the energy crisis. It is doubtful whether Pininfarina's proposal for a sports car with a low drag coefficient and compact silhouette, but with a Ferrari twelve-cylinder engine under the hood, hit the mark. But the car was certainly interesting, even though few people remember it today. This report takes a look at the history of the streamlined four-seater Ferrari prototype and shows it in pictures, some of which have never been published before.
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Ferrari 575 M Maranello - modified endurance sports car for all days
The elegant Maranellos are still available for a third of their original price. This applies to the 550 as well as to the improved 575 M Maranello variant, which is the subject of this report. The aim was to achieve both everyday and long-distance suitability. With just over 2000 units produced, the comparatively compact coupé remained rare. This vehicle report tells the brief history of the second Maranello edition and shows a coupé from 2003 in many pictures.
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Lamborghini Murciélago - Respect
The Lamborghini Murciélago celebrated its premiere 20 years ago as the successor to the Diablo and for many owners it is regarded as the last true heir to the Miura, Countach and Diablo. The influence of Audi was reflected in the better quality and greater suitability for everyday use, but the Murciélago remained a leisure car for most owners. We wanted to find out more about this and set out to test it ourselves. This driving report is about an early Murciélago from 2003 and shows the mid-engined sports car in current and historical photographs. Don't miss the sound recording.
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BMW 750i versus 730i - more or less BMW
Dreams are usually big - especially for classic car enthusiasts. But does it always have to be the fully equipped car, the horsepower car or the big-size convertible? These are questions that passionate classic car enthusiasts may ask themselves when the online search they do every evening throws up dream cars by the dozen. So it's a question that never ceases to excite us: would a glass of seltzer do instead of sparkling champagne? The BMW 730i vs. 750i comparison gets to the bottom of this question, with astonishing results.
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Lamborghini Miura P400 - A dream in blue
There are few cars that can compete with the iconic status of the Lamborghini Miura. This first super sports car leaves hardly anyone cold. The story of its creation is more than adventurous. But is it true that the Miura is difficult to drive, highly uncomfortable and a real beast? This driving report goes in search of clues, tells the story of the Miura and shows it in historical and current pictures. And, of course, the particularly important sound sample is not missing!
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Walter - the Czech car brand with the twelve-cylinder engine
In their heyday, cars from the Czech company Walter enjoyed an extremely good reputation on the road, but also in racing. The name Walter stood for quality and enabled many racing successes. Nevertheless, the company did not survive; only five examples of the legendary 12-cylinder Walter Royal with a displacement of six liters were built. This article looks back at the history of a vanished brand and is illustrated with historical images.
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Lamborghini LM002 - an off-road vehicle could hardly be more exclusive
The LM002 with its V12 engine from the Countach is probably the most extraordinary car that Lamborghini has ever built. The off-road vehicle had outstanding off-road characteristics and was luxuriously equipped inside. However, its weight and high performance made it a thirsty companion.
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Aston Martin DB7 V12 Vantage - twelve-wheeler with style
The Aston Martin DB7 was the surprise of the 1993 Geneva Motor Show, but perhaps even more surprising was its long career up to 2004, which made it the most successful Aston Martin of all time. The V12 engine developed with Ford and Cosworth played a significant part in this. This vehicle report focuses on the Aston Martin V12 Vantage Coupé, but also tells the story of its development and the previous six-cylinder models.
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Ferrari 550 Maranello - distinguished Granturismo
In 1996, the Ferrari 550 Maranello was presented as a coupé that was completely different from its predecessor. Not only was the engine now at the front instead of in the middle, but comfort and everyday practicality were also given much greater priority during development. The result was well received, as evidenced by the enthusiastic press and the long delivery times. The 550 was built for almost six years as a coupé and later also as a Barchetta. This driving report is about an early Ferrari 550 Maranello and it shows the car in many pictures, but the sound sample is not missing either.
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Ferrari 400i Automatic - automotive bel canto for four people
Not all Ferrari drivers wanted to stand out or speed around racetracks. For those who wanted to use their Ferrari in everyday life, the Maestro offered a 2+2-seater version with a simple, elegant body and high utility value from 1972. It was initially called the 365 GT 4 2+2, later the 400, 400i and finally the 412. The car was built almost unchanged in terms of bodywork for 18 years, and Pininfarina could not have been paid a greater compliment. This report tells the story of the 12-cylinder 2+2 coupé and shows it in historical and current photographs.
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