Meet the Youngtimers

By David S. Wallens
Jun 29, 2019 | Youngtimers | Posted in Features | From the May 2019 issue | Never miss an article

Youngtimers. It’s a term often heard in the European car scene, but it would work just as well here? The gist: They’re cool collector cars beloved by enthusiasts who grew up during the time of slope-nose Porsches, “Miami Vice” and body-colored Ronal wheels.

This year RM Sotheby’s is sending a 140-plus-car youngtimers collection across the block. The cars all come from one owner, and the usual suspects are included. “From nearly every iteration of the BMW Alpina to the Mercedes-Benz 500 SEC AMG 6.0 Wide-Body, Porsche 928 GTS, and the Renault R5 Turbo, the private collection we’ve added to our 2019 calendar has nearly every car youth of the ’80s and ’90s dreamed of,” Gord Duff, global head of auctions at RM Sotheby’s, said in the release. “The ’80s and ’90s ‘youngtimers’ are back and here to stay in the world of car collecting, and we’re thrilled to offer this extensive collection on behalf of its enthusiastic owner.”

RM Sotheby’s sent the first part of the collection across the block during its Paris sale this February. The rest will be sold at sales in Amelia Island, Fort Lauderdale and Essen, Germany.

1989 Mercedes-Benz 560 SEC AMG 6.0 “Wide-Body”

None

€297.500 (approx. $336,750)

Before AMG became part of Mercedes-Benz, the aftermarket tuner offered its own upgraded machines. This one received giant fender flares plus 6.0 liters of power. Only 50 or so are believed to have been produced.

1992 Porsche 928 GTS

None

€138.000 (approx. $156,200)

This was a low-mileage example of the final iteration of the 928 line. Interesting color combo, too: Polar Silver over purple leather. Usual prices top out around $125,000.

1994 BMW Alpina B12 5.7 Coupé

None

€207.000 (approx. $234,000)

Alpina’s answer to demands for a high-output 8 Series coupe, this car had its V12 engine bumped to 5.7 liters and 416 horsepower. Just 57 copies were built.

1989 Aston Martin Lagonda S4

None

€120.750 (approx. $136,675)

Before the Lagonda’s retirement, it received fixed headlights. Just 105 copies of these Series 4 sedans were built. Says Hagerty about the model line: “In their day, Lagondas were the darlings of the nouveau riche, pop stars and Arab sheiks, who were inclined to colors like candy apple red with a lime green vinyl top, white puffy leather inside, and gold-plated mag wheels. At least the sheiks could cope with 8 mpg.”

1991 Mercedes-Benz 500 SL AMG 6.0

None

€44.850 (approx. $50,775)

AMG bumped displacement from 5.0 to 6.0 liters, giving this convertible 380 horsepower. Just 50 are believed to have been built.

1994 BMW 850 CSi

None

€120.750 (approx. $136,675)

Call it the ultimate version of the original 8 Series coupe–and one of just 225 fitted with a manual transmission. Prices have been on the rise.

1985 BMW Alpina B7 Turbo Coupé

None

€97.750 (approx. $110,650)

Alpina added turbo power along with a variable boost controller, allowing output to range from 250 to 300 horsepower. Only 183 were built.

1994 Mercedes-Benz E 500 Limited

None

€86.250 (approx. $97,625)

Interest in these high-output, mid-sized, V8-powered sedans has been growing, with prices getting closer to that $100,000 mark.

1983 Aston Martin Tickford Lagonda

None

€80.500 (approx. $91,125)

This isn’t just any Lagonda, but one of a mere 11 modified by Tickford: BBS wheels, aero kit and Rolls-Royce Ice Green paint.

1985 Audi quattro

None

€77.625 (approx. $87,875)

Not one of the short-wheelbase cars, but nevertheless still an icon.

1983 BMW Alpina B9 3.5

None

€60.375 (approx. $68,350)

Before BMW debuted the M5 back in 1985, Alpina used that same chassis for its own hotrodded sedan. Horsepower was bumped from 218 to 245, and just 577 examples were built.