You’ve seen this one before. Everyone knows Bond, James Bond, first drove the Aston Martin DB5 in ‘Goldfinger’, right? What a beauty. A Silver Birch finish lined in red interior, designed by classy Italian coachbuilder Carrozzeria Touring, the DB5 was a head-turner. But you might not know what powers this pretty thing.
Under the fine lines that adorn the hood, a 4.0-liter DOHC straight-6 coupled with a ZF 5-speed transmission comprised the powertrain which delivered 282 horsepower and up to 288 lb. ft. of torque. The DB5 is a rare machine, indeed. Only 1,021 were built. The grand tourer could be acquired in a 2-door convertible or coupe.
1969 Ford Mustang 428 Cobra Jet
The 1969 Ford Mustang 428 Cobra Jet rumbles with a 335-horsepower 428 CID Cobra Jet V-8 big-block. Nicknamed “Mach 1,” the base model came without A/C, power steering, and power brakes, but it could certainly make some noise on the drag strip! The newly-minted “Drag Pack” option was available.
For $147.60, a buyer could update his drag racer with a high ratio axle, engine oil cooler, cap screw connecting rods, a modified crankshaft, a flywheel and damper. And all 1969 Mustangs looked the part. A flatter windshield made a sleek entry into the fastback body style. Aggressive lines and front and rear sculpting gave it a fearsome look, and it was the only Mustang model with two sets of headlamps.
1964 Pontiac GTO
The 1964 Pontiac GTO blazed the way for the American muscle car, in spite of General Motors' reluctance. Elderly and conservative clientele frowned upon these new-fangled "super" cars. They bristled at its rowdy cultural significance and winced at superfluous displays of raw power. But the folks over at Pontiac made it happen anyway. Working on a car that Americans would love, John DeLorean conspired with Pontiac’s VP of Advertising, Jim Wangers.
The promotion went so well that 5,000 cars were on the order sheets before even one car was built. The Pontiac GTO was nothing short of badass. Car and Driver magazine legendarily compared it to the Ferrari GTO. Of course, it was named “Car of the Year.” In 1965, sales numbers doubled, and the muscle car race was well on its way. Ford, Chevy, and Mopar began beefing up a new line of performance cars.
1963 Buick Electra 225
The 1963 Buick Electra 225 was General Motors’ full-size luxury vehicle fully loaded with premium features. The Electra 225 was GM’s largest, poshest, and most pricey model, and it came renovated for a 1963 release with sleek and austere vertical-edged tails and distinctive wheel housing. The red-filled Electra 225 badge on its tail fenders boasted of its impressive 225-inch berth.
Packed with a Wildcat 6.6-liter nail head V-8, it possessed all the vigor necessary to scream to a haul. Inside, power seats, A/C, heater, power brakes, power steering pampered the driver. This car was meant to cruise the boulevard in style. The Electra enjoyed its denomination for over thirty years until 1991 when GM renamed it the Buick Park Avenue.
1966 Alfa Romeo Spider Duetto
This glamorous co-star of 'The Graduate' was the design work of Pinin Farina, maestro of Carrozzeria Pininfarina, and it was Farina’s last personally designed auto. His avant-garde sleek lines debuted at the Geneva Motor Show in March of 1966. A long and sloping hood parallels a tapering rear end, identifying the Alfa Romeo look. Inside, leather seats, a smooth-as-silk shifter, and an elaborate panel of instrumentation pampered the driver.
The rear-wheel-drive two-seater, known as the Duetto, yet never officially named so, is an icon of classic cars. Motored by an Alfa Romeo all-aluminum, double overhead cam, 108 horsepower was the product of its inline-4 1570 cc., 95.8 cu. in. powertrain. Top speeds hit 115 mph, and it zipped 0-60 in 11 seconds. The Spider was in production until 1993.