Summer officially starts late in the evening of Friday, June 20, 2025. If you haven’t already, you now have an excuse to grill, hit the pool, or finally get yourself a convertible such as our Pick of the Day, a 2004 Lexus SC 430 hardtop convertible posted on ClassicCars.com by a dealership in Chicago.

If you’re a diehard Lexus fan, your choice of which drop-top to pick can be easy because the automaker has only made three: LC 500, IS 250C/350C, and SC 430. Your circumstances and preferences will dictate which one is right for you. Do you prefer the look and solidity of a power-folding hardtop? Scratch the expensive LC convertible off your list. What about the IS? It has the retractable hardtop and is affordable, but a V8 would be cool. That means this two-owner, 42,883-mile 2004 SC 430 is your best way to go open-air cruising.

In a way, wherever you decide to go in this White Gold Crystal SC, you’ll be in the south of France. Why? Because the hotels, villas, and chateaus of the Côte d’Azur were the visual inspiration for the SC 430’s designers. And you and your favorite shotgun passenger will get there in the comfort of power-adjustable Ecru leather front seats surrounded by a generous amount of luxuries: Bird’s-Eye Maple wood trim, power everything, power tilt and telescoping steering column, cruise control, built-in DVD navigation, and nine-speaker, 240-watt Mark Levinson audio system with an in-dash six-disc CD changer. The aluminum alloy hardtop will keep out the elements and unwanted sounds in a way a fabric top can’t. When the weather is nice, lowering the top to let in the sunshine will only take 25 seconds.

Want to get to your summer getaway sooner rather than later? Thanks to its 300-horsepower, 325-lb-ft 4.3-liter V8 and five-speed automatic, the SC 430 can speed up to 60 mph in 5.9 seconds. If you keep your right foot down, you can cover a quarter mile in 14.4 seconds. After that, it’s just a matter of how fast you want to go (of course, until you reach the limited top speed of 156 mph). But if you want to take your time enjoying the SC’s interior and ride quality, your company, and the sights along the way to your destination, that’s alright. Driving a convertible in the summertime should be pleasant and relaxed—you can stress about getting to the office or an appointment by a certain time in any other car.

If this two-owner, low-mileage 2004 Lexus SC 430 is the right convertible for kicking off the start of summer, you can make it yours for $30,595.

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

There is something special about classic Aston Martins. They transcend the usual classics, even those from Ferrari, Maserati, and Porsche. Part of that appeal comes from the history of the manufacturer, which has had significant racing success. Another part is the craftsmanship, with Astons being some of the most well-built cars of their respective eras. Finally, Astons have been featured in a lot of films and TV shows, from 007 movies to “The Persuaders” – and they continue to be. Today’s AutoHunter Spotlight is a car whose basic shape you will recognize from three James Bond films, including the most recent one, “No Time To Die”: a 1977 Aston Martin V8 coupe.

The Aston V8 coupe is directly linked to the last car designed in the David Brown era of Aston Martin. It is basically a revision of the DBS, the car that came after the DB6. Over the years, it was modified and improved.

The 1977 Aston Martin V8 coupe featured here is powered by a 5.3-liter V8 mated to a three-speed TorqueFlite automatic transmission. Finished in burgundy over a tan leather interior, this British classic is now offered by the seller with an original owner’s manual, service records, and a clear title.

The burgundy paint is said to be in good condition although the seller notes a minuscule paint chip on the driver-side front fender and a side mirror that is misaligned. The body features a factory hood scoop and the iconic Aston fender vents.

The interior is finished in its correct tan leather upholstery and looks to be stock with correct gauges, a center console-mounted automatic shifter, power windows, and air conditioning. The only flaw noted is a slight tear in the driver seat, which I am guessing can be repaired by a good upholstery shop.

Under the hood is the Tadek Marek-designed four-cam 5.3-liter V8, which is fed by four two-barrel Weber carbs. The seller states that it has 380 horsepower, but my books on this car state that horsepower for the 1977 model is actually 330, as the ’77 cars came with what Aston called “stage one tuning.” The engine compartment looks tidy overall and has no glaring issues.

These Aston V8 coupes are the end of the classic Aston Martin era. I have owned a pair of these cars and I loved every minute I spent behind the wheel of them. I also loved taking one last look back at the car after I parked it in the garage – which is something I did every time I parked.

One thing I would do is get this car inspected by someone who knows these kinds of Aston Martins. They are pretty simple cars to deal with, but parts are expensive and service costs can add up. Overall, this looks like a great driver-level classic Aston Martin that – at the right price – will give its new owner years of enjoyment.

If you want to be that new owner, I suggest you act fast because the auction for this 1977 Aston Martin V8 coupe ends Wednesday, June 18 at 11:30 a.m (PDT).

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and a photo gallery

Here we have several cars listed for sale on AutoHunter or ClassicCars.com. They all share a connection, but we recommend you put your thinking cap on before you tell us what they have in common.

Post your answer in the Comments section below. To impress us even more, tell us the year, make, and model of each vehicle. The winner will receive online glory so he or she can flex with flair!

Click on a photo to reveal each car

The ClassicCars.com Journal features an automotive game for your enjoyment every Tuesday. Once you’re done with this one, you can also play games of puzzles past!

Even though Jay Leno owns a massive collection of vehicles, he can’t own—or house—every car out there. Luckily, he doesn’t have to because he has industry contacts and friends who are more than willing to bring their cars into his garage and show them off for all of us to see. One of his pals, David Lee, is a renowned Ferrari collector who recently dropped by with his 2025 Daytona SP3.

The second car in Ferrari’s Icona series of vehicles, which reinterpret icons from the brand’s past for the modern age, the Daytona SP3 honors Ferrari’s 330 P3/4, 330 P4, and 412 P race cars that took the top three spots at the 1967 24 Hours of Daytona. The influence of those champions is easy to spot in the SP3’s curvy front fenders, cockpit-like passenger compartment, and muscular haunches.

Under the engine cover, Ferrari opted for the 812 Competizione’s naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12 instead of a turbo V6 or hybrid setup. With ratings of 828 horsepower and 514 lb-ft of torque, the “F140HC is the most powerful internal combustion engine ever built by Ferrari,” according to the automaker. A seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transfers the big V12’s output to the rear wheels. Flat out, the SP3 can race to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 2.85 seconds and reach a top speed in excess of 211 mph.

Lee has several Prancing Horses in red and yellow, but Ferrari offered him (and about 29 other SP3 buyers) the choice of configuring his build with exposed carbon fiber; Lee accepted, then chose to have it tinted a dark shade of green—the relish to all his other ketchup- and mustard-colored cars. There’s a little mustard inside the SP3, where Lee had Ferrari’s Tailor Made service cover the fixed seats in deep yellow upholstery.

Despite the SP3’s inspiration, Lee and Leno view it as two different cars. Leno enjoys the SP3’s brutality and the fact that its rear-wheel-drive, likening it to the legendary F40; Lee sees it as more of an evolution of the Enzo. Watch the video below to decide which Ferrari of yesteryear it brings to mind., but be sure to listen too because the SP3 lets out of an unforgettable wail. As Leno says, there’s “a nice set of lungs on this thing.”