mod@tech

Aston Martin is one of the most storied brands in the history of European sporting cars. It is built on racing history at Le Mans, as well as in cinema with its association with the 007 films. Now before you all say, “Hey, James Bond drove a DB5 in the movie Goldfinger!” (which is correct), the 1959 book that preceded the movie had James Bond driving a “whisper grey” Aston Martin DB Mark III. This is because, in 1959, the DB Mark III was the latest Aston and the DB5 had yet to exist.

I have some time behind the wheel of quite a few DB Mark III cars and, for me, these are the one that I like best. The reason for this is twofold: first, it is the classic Aston Martin DB model that fits my six-foot-four personage the best and, second, it is the car the merges the first David Brown Astons with the cars that came later. It is also the first production Aston to have the iconic grille shape (a design created by body designer Bert Thickpenny, which continues to be used today) combined with the mechanical bits that made the 1950s Aston Martins as strong on the racetrack as they were. An additional plus is that the DB Mark III is one of the more affordable classic Aston Martin cars you can buy.

The Pick of the Day is one of these cars, a 1959 Aston Martin DB Mark III located at a dealer in Astoria, Queens, New York.

The seller describes this Aston Martin as a late-production, factory left-hand drive, matching-numbers 1959 DB Mark III. The car is finished in red with tan leather interior. It is important to note that when new this DB Mark III was originally built, it was done in the desirable color combination of Elusive Blue with off-white leather. If I were to buy this car, I would use it as-is for a few years and then return it to its original colors, show it at places like Pebble, and then drive it again on tours and rallies.

The seller adds that this car is offered with its build sheet and a large number of receipts from renowned Aston Martin Specialist “Steel Wings” that includes documentation of an engine rebuild and interior work. The seller goes on to state that this Aston runs strong and drives great, with factory overdrive that’s fully functional—overall, a presentable car and excellent driver.

The interior is in lovely condition but the paint is showing its age and will require some attention (see my idea about that above). The seller adds that it has a very straight body and solid undercarriage. This is a rare car, being one of only 551 produced between 1957-59; being a factory left-hand drive example makes it even more desirable, especially here in the U.S.

The conclusion of the ad calls this 1959 Aston Martin DB Mark III a true gentleman’s sports car offering performance, exclusivity, and style, and I completely concur with that statement. This DB Mark III is perfect for an owner looking for a sports car eligible for countless driving numerous events. The additional fact that it is a matching-numbers example with build sheet and service history only adds to the value of this car.

It has an asking price of $189,500, which puts it in the middle in the market price-wise. If you were to repaint the car at some point then, yes, it would cost a fair amount of money, but bringing the colors of this car back to original would also increase the value of this vehicle. For me, this is a classic Aston Martin to start and enjoy as-is.

Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com

During my long commute to The ClassicCars.com Journal office, I often fantasize about the vehicles I’d have in my money-is-no-object collection. Recently, the first car I daydreamed about having when I was a teenager flashed across my mind, then I began to wonder: does anyone still want his or her first dream car?

When I was a little kid, the Lamborghini Countach was still in production. I remember wanting the white Hot Wheels version of it that my older brother received for his birthday. I also enjoyed the red Mazda MX-5 Miata toy car my mom gave me. And I loved staring at the 1:18-scale Maisto Ferrari 550 Maranello model I received as a gift from my dad. But I never envisioned owning the 1:1 version of any of those cars. That changed when I found a purple Hot Wheels approximation of a “New Edge” Ford Mustang sometime in the late 1990s or early 2000s. Perhaps it was because I was old enough to drive that I imagined possessing and enjoying the real thing. Whichever the case, the fantasy didn’t last long. These days, a “Terminator” Cobra or an ’04 Mach 1 would be cool, but neither one is a dream car to me.

There are several factors that can knock your first-ever dream car off its pedestal. One of them is actually buying it. When we’re young, most of us don’t have the funds to go out and pay for a new Corvette or Ferrari, but that can change. After reaching a certain level of success with your business or career, you might have bought the car you always wanted ever since you were a kid. The 2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt wasn’t my first dream car, but I had wanted one for a while and finally turned it into my real car in 2022 (and learned a lot from doing that). Or maybe you took your dream car for a test drive and realized it wasn’t as wonderful as you thought it would be. “Never meet your heroes” applies to cars, too.

Then there’s the fact that the older we get, the more vehicles we see and experience. Before I joined the Collector Car Network, I had a limited knowledge—and a resulting lack of appreciation—of older vehicles. Now my ideal garage includes a 1971 Mercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5 Cabriolet, 1972 Chevrolet C10 Stepside, 1949 Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon, and supercharged 1937 Cord 812.

Another thing I recently learned is that there’s a difference between what’s attractive and what’s me. There are several cars out there with head-turning designs, but I know they don’t fit my style or personality the way an SJ Jeep Grand Wagoneer does. That chrome-wrapped McLaren you lusted after in college may still look cool to you, but there’s a good chance you’re not a flashy-exotic-car kind of person these days.

So, do you still want your original dream car? If so, I hope you buy it one day. If you already own it, I congratulate you. If your dream car is now something completely different, tell me in the Comments section below.

It’s one thing to build a car. It’s another thing to sell a car. A manufacturer can send a car to a dealership and leave it in the showroom, but that alone may not lead to a sale. What do manufacturers do to move product? That’s where marketing comes into play.

Marketing departments in Detroit have created many obscure editions of vehicles that generally won’t appear in your average brochure. Here is one courtesy of Ford friend Adrian Clements—he found it in the Flickr account of literature collector Alden Jewell.

This 1969 Oldsmobile Toronado is a promotional model called Toronado Jade. I’ve dug into newspaper sites and could not find anything on it other than what you can see here, a Toronado painted in Metallic Jade Green (a color not normally available for the Toronado at the time). The late, lamented website Automotive Mileposts said it was a spring promotion introduced in April 1969. “You’d expect to pay more for the special color alone,” says this neat item. “Instead, you get the most distinctive Toronado ever built at special savings.” Another special feature appears to be “GT striping” on the hood, something not normally available on regular Toronados. In fact, it resembles the standard striping for the 4-4-2.

Clearly, automakers did anything to move iron. Have you ever seen one of these?

Right now on AutoHunter, you can find this 1960 Cadillac Series 62 convertible, which is powered by a 390ci OHV V8 paired with a Hydra-Matic four-speed automatic transmission. Finished in Olympic White and equipped with a power-operated Ivory soft top over a Blue Metallic leather interior, this classic convertible is offered by the selling dealer in Minnesota with a tonneau cover, car cover, and clear title.

The long Olympic White body features chrome bumpers, bright trim, a driver-side mirror, rear wheel skirts, tail fins, a center-mounted fuel door, and dual exhaust outlets. The Ivory power soft top has a plastic rear window and features a newer pump. When lowered, it fits under a blue tonneau cover.

This big Caddy floats down the road on a set of 15-inch wheels with Cadillac covers and 235/75 Cientra Classic whitewall tires.

All that Olympic White surrounds a cabin furnished with Blue Metallic leather seating, matching door panels, and dark blue carpeting. Amenities include power windows, cruise control, power steering, clock, factory AM radio, and Kenwood AM/FM/cassette stereo with Infinity speakers.

Instrumentation consists of a 120-mph speedometer, plus temperature and fuel gauges. The odometer shows 66,397 miles, which the selling dealer states is an accurate figure.

Under the hood is a 390ci OHV V8, which is connected to a Carter four-barrel carburetor and Hydra-Matic four-speed automatic transmission. Power drum brakes with new shoes and hoses act as an anchor for this land yacht.

If you’re ready to sail away in this 1960 Cadillac Series 62 convertible, bid on it now. The auction ends on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, at 11:45 a.m. (PDT).

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and a photo gallery

Scandinavian design is known the world over, and it’s not because of IKEA. Alhough the “less is more” ethos is something that could have only come from Sweden and the surrounding Nordic countries, the famous department store is merely a reflection of that culture. Our Pick of the Day is one of Sweden’s most famous cars, but it happens to come from another culture of design. This 1961 Volvo P1800 coupe is listed on ClassicCars.com by a dealership in the Netherlands.

Let’s start with the early 1950s: a wealthy Swiss enthusiast commissioned Virgilio Conrero to design an Alfa Romeo 1900 coupe for the 1953 Mille Miglia. The body of this car, christened “Supersonic,” was built by Ghia, but the car was destroyed in a racing accident. Nonetheless, the impact of the design was great, so Ghia built a handful of vehicles using the chassis of the Fiat 8V. Approximately 8-15 were built, plus three on the Jaguar XK120 and Aston Martin DB2/4 Mark II chassis.

Volvo began a sports car project in 1957 after the fiberglass P1900 failed to attract enthusiasts. Helmer Petterson, an engineering consultant responsible for the postwar PV444, led the project, to be overseen by the design house Frua. Ironically, the design came from the pen of Petterson’s son Pelle, who was a Frua acolyte. As such, an Italian design ended up influencing a Swedish design supervised by an Italian and drafted by a Swede.

Volvo needed a contractor to build the new sports car. British company Jensen Motors was contracted to built 10,000 cars, which commenced in September 1960. However, due to quality issues that did not meet Volvo’s standards, production moved to a Gothenberg-based Volvo plant in 1963 after 6,000 units had been built.

Powering the P1800 was the “B18” 1.8-liter inline-four with dual SU carburetors producing 100 horsepower. It was backed by a four-speed manual, a unit produced by Koping Engineering for Volvo.

When production moved to Sweden, those cars became known as 1800S. For 1969, the engine was upgraded to 2.0 liters, with fuel injection added in 1970 to create the 1800E. A shooting brake variant (1800ES) was developed for 1972-73 before the series was discontinued due to increased safety and emissions standards being implemented in the U.S., a major market for the Swede.

This restored 1961 Volvo P1800 coupe is production number 3,273 of the 6,000 built by Jensen. It features its original 1,778cc four-cylinder engine backed by a four-speed manual with overdrive. “The exterior of this Volvo P1800 is finished in its original colour Red,” says the seller. “The interior exudes pure classic atmosphere with the black leather interior, a beautiful Jensen rear seat, and the original dashboard with aluminum finish and classic meters.”

Best of all, the seller has convenient shipping to Linden, New Jersey for interested parties—all you have to do is add $1,800 to the $67,950 asking price. However, don’t bother stopping by the nearby IKEA in Elizabeth because we can guarantee the POÄNG armchair won’t fit.

Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com

We’ve discussed American Motors, Chrysler Corporation, and Ford Motor Company, so now it is General Motors’ turn. Since we’ve been working in an alphabetical direction, let’s start with Consumer Guide’s overview of Buick.

While General Motors is famous for its decentralized organizational structure, the 1970s brought more integration and cost savings (including badge-engineering) to the fold. As such, GM’s brands began to lose some of the independent luster they once had by the end of the decade. Nonetheless, there was enough unique within GM—especially Buick, with its V6 and turbocharging—that I am curious if the differences among shared platforms were distinct or not. As Buick is the first of the crop of GM brands, we won’t know until we finish with Pontiac.

Here’s a look at the upmarket brand from Flint that expanded its breadth of models in the 1970s, from compact to full-size cars and even a Vega-based subcompact coupe. Please note the CG rating scale of 5 being Excellent and 1 being Poor.

Buick
“Another interesting aspect of GM’s recent changes is that in later model vehicles there is little … significant difference between the standards, intermediates, compacts and subcompacts from one GM division to the next.”

• Apollo/Skylark: “… shares Nova’s higher-than-expected incidence of repairs [but] unlike Nova, no recalls on record … A reasonably good used-car buy.” CG rating: 2-3
• Century/Regal/Special: “Somewhat higher incidence of repairs than Cutlass … Sum up: not outstanding, but a safe choice in an older intermediate.” CG rating: 3-2
• Century (1978-80): “Overall, a fine buy—nicely trimmed, quite refined, reasonably frugal. Stick with the normal 231 V6.” CG rating: 3-4
• Electra (1971-76): “Roominess, silky ride, low noise levels, and driving ease are its strong points, Reliability also above average for all years, except 1974 when it slipped a bit.” CG rating: 2-3
• Electra (1977-80): “Fine repair record for ’78 and ’79 with average to above-average ratings in all areas.” CG rating: 5
• LeSabre/Centurion (1971-76): “Repair incidence average to above-average … look for ’76 models with standard V6 engine for economy reasons.” CG rating: 2-3
• LeSabre (1977-80): “Repair incidence to date is admirably low in all categories.” CG rating: 5
• Buick Riviera (1971-76): “Electrical and cooling problems mar an average repair record.” CG rating: 1-3
• Riviera (1977-78): “Repair history gives it a nod over Ford Thunderbird and Chrysler Cordoba/Dodge Magnum …” CG rating: 4
• Riviera (1979-80): “Initial repair data indicates average reliability rating for ’79 models … Not cheap, but a standout among newer personal-luxury models.” CG rating: N/A
• Skyhawk: “In our estimation, one of GM’s losers, and far from a good value among small cars.” CG rating: 2-3
• Skylark: “Dirt cheap, and good basic transportation providing car has been properly maintained.” CG rating: 3
• Skylark (1980): “No repair data as yet, some early teething troubles.” CG rating: N/A

“It looked good on paper” is a phrase you hear when the reality of an idea doesn’t live up to its potential. This past August, Toyota announced that it would offer its Texas-themed 1794 Edition trim for the Sequoia, which was great news because it adds bright exterior accents, real wood trim, and several comfort and convenience features. It also was exciting to learn The ClassicCars.com Journal would have the opportunity to test an $85,630 2025 Sequoia 1794 Edition with the TRD Off-Road Package, a seemingly natural pairing of Lone Star State luxe with rugged hardware. So how was it? It looked good on paper; in the real world, the Sequoia 1794 hybrid did a lot of things right, but it was also disappointing in several other ways.

IDENTITY CRISIS

The 1794 Edition trim level first appeared on the second-generation Tundra full-size pickup and referred to the founding year of a particular ranch, the land for which went on to become the site of the Toyota Motor Manufacturing Texas plant. That history brings to mind pastures full of horses and longhorns, barbed wire between fence posts, blue jeans, and dirty boots—and the colors associated with them. But our Sequoia 1794 test vehicle arrived in a greenish-gray color Toyota calls Lunar Rock (perhaps the folks at Toyota are big fans of the 2011 movie “Cowboys & Aliens”). On paper, the TRD Off-Road Package was a very Texas thing to add. In addition to Multi-Terrain Select, Multi-Terrain Monitor, Crawl Control, and Downhill Assist Control, it includes skid plates, off-road suspension with Bilstein shocks, 20-inch wheels with all-terrain rubber, and locking rear differential—the kinds of things you’ll find on many trucks and SUVs traveling down Texas highways and trails. The reality is that the Lunar Rock paint, 1794 Edition trim, and TRD Off-Road Package have distinct visual identities, none of which go together. Forced to coexist, they’re an optically awkward bunch. The 1794 bright grille and trim fit a “Cowboy Cadillac,” but the black TRD wheels seem better suited to a performance off-roader. The proximity of the front air dam and running boards to the ground below make the Sequoia more vulnerable to challenging terrain, which is what the TRD Off-Road Package is meant to conquer.

INTERNAL STRUGGLE

Toyota made another attempt to mix the design equivalents of oil and water inside our press loaner. All 1794 Edition Sequoias come standard with Saddle Tan leather and genuine American walnut wood trim. That yee-hawesome combination of colors and textures only made the TRD Off-Road Package’s sporty red stripes on the steering wheel and shifter, aluminum pedals, and red engine start button that much more glaringly out of place. There was no harmony between those two wildly different visual personalities and there was nothing strangely likeable about the contrast between them.

THE GODFATHER TRILOGY

In terms of features, there was plenty to like about the Sequoia’s cabin. It was thoroughly modern, thanks to the 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, 10-inch head-up display, digital rearview mirror camera, and 14-inch infotainment display. Next to and below the 14-speaker JBL audio system’s chunky volume knob were easily accessible controls for the heated and ventilated front seats (the massage function was in a menu on the touchscreen), tri-zone climate control system, and off-road features.

The spacious second row was just as pleasant with heated and ventilated captain’s chairs, its own automatic climate zone, manual side sunshades, and a variety of charging options, as well as power controls for raising and lowering the third row. Just like the final installment in the Godfather trilogy, that last third of the Sequoia left something to be desired. There was enough legroom for me to sit comfortably behind one of the second-row seats adjusted to my five-foot-ten height, but my knees were raised. The biggest drawback was that no matter how much I slid and tilted the third row, I couldn’t sit without the top of my head being too close to the headliner or the crown of my head brushing its rear hump.

Dimensions were also an issue in the rear cargo area. The Sequoia’s 1.87-kWh nickel-metal hydride battery pack is under the third row, raising the height of the split bench seat; when lowered, the seatbacks prevent the entire load floor from being completely flat. To make the best of that less-than-ideal situation, Toyota equips the Sequoia with a removable shelf that can be set at multiple levels, including one which helps the shelf extend the flat surface formed when the third row is folded down. The problem is that whatever you put on that platform is still elevated—and that much closer to the side windows and the heads of the people riding in the second row, which made for a worrisome drive home from Costco with two cartfuls of large, heavy items.

TEXAS-SIZED POWER . . .

The switch from the previous-generation Sequoia’s 5.7-liter V8 and six-speed automatic to the current model’s twin-turbo 3.4-liter V6, 36-kw electric motor, and 10-speed auto brought a substantial increase in output. Horsepower shot up by 56 to 437; torque rose by 182 lb-ft to 583. Boy, can you feel it! The Sequoia’s size and roughly three-ton curb weight were more than matched by its grunt. Every deep push of the gas pedal showed just how hard the Sequoia pulled.

. . . AND THIRST

According to Toyota, a four-wheel-drive 2022 Sequoia with the old V8 is capable of achieving 13 mpg in the city, 17 on the highway, and 14 combined. Our 2025 Sequoia hybrid was rated at 19, 22, and 20, respectively. We only managed to average 16.6 mpg across 456 miles of mixed driving, some of which included filming the video review below. Watch it to learn more about how the 2025 Toyota Sequoia 1794 Edition performed in the real world.

Click above and watch our full video review on YouTube!

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