History, we are told, is cyclical. Everything old will at some point be new again. This year, one of those things — to our great amusement — appears to be the classic roadster.
From restorations to revamps, spankin’ new two-seaters with super-vintage lines are popping up all over the place.
Why now? It’s difficult to build heritage vehicles that adhere to contemporary mechanical and safety standards, for starters. And then there’s the small matter of designers having to negotiate state-by-state “replica registration laws” (a matter that has been eased thanks to the passage of the FAST Act, which is also bringing DeLoreans back into our lives).
With all of the new models coming to market, the question is: Which one would you most like to have in your garage?
For the Enthusiast Who Values Authenticity Above All
Thanks to the FAST Act, the standard Morgan Roadster should be returning to U.S. soil by the end of 2016. The British automaker recently announced plans to relaunch some of its older models, like the classic Roadster, the 4/4 and the Plus 4. “We’ve got to sort out the compliance, but as we’re using the Mustang 3.7 and the 2.0-liter direct-injection engine, that should be doable,” says a company rep.
For the Enthusiast Who Values Authenticity, But Also Horsepower
The 2017 Duesenberg Torpedo Phaeton is a retooled version of a convertible the recently resurrected automaker produced in the 1930s. The updated Phaeton will likely keep many of the features — oversize headlights, running boards, flashy grill work – that made the original models so appealing, but will now come with a 6.2-liter V8 LS3 Corvette engine with 424 foot-pounds of torque.
For the Enthusiast Who Values Authenticity, But Also the Ozone
Another offering from Morgan that debuted at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show, the zero-emission EV3 is “bespoke made, handcrafted and exhilarating to drive.” At a hair over 1,000 pounds, the three-wheel EV3 has a restyled body and interior designed in order to give it a range of 150 miles per charge and a top speed of more than 90 MPH.
For the Enthusiast Who Values Authenticity, But Also the ‘60s
On the heels of the Jaguar-inspired Eagle E-Type, Eagle Speedster and Eagle Low Drag GT comes the Eagle Spyder GT. The all-aluminium model was dubbed “the most beautiful car I have ever seen” by departed Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson and each one of the $928k models that are built by hand this summer will be customized to fit the buyer’s specifications.
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