Classic Rides

In 1960 the English sports car marque Aston Martin engaged the services of the Italian bodywork craftsmen at Zagato to give the DB4 GT a unique look. An overall weight of 1,250 kilograms and six-cylinder engine with an output of 314hp give this DB4 a power-to-weight ratio comparable with today's Porsche Turbo. With only 23 units built, the DB4 is even more exclusive than any Ferrari GTO.

Spotting the Ferrari 365 California Spyder in real life is practically impossible, because only 14 of them were ever made. In 1967 one example was delivered to Rapallo on the Italian Riviera, where it was used as the summer car of an industrial family from Milan. Responsible for the impressively elegant lines of the Ferrari 365 California Spyder is Sergio Pininfarina.

More than 100 of the luxurious sports from Maserati have arrived in Italy to celebrate a special occasion: the 90th anniversary of the famous Italian brand with the trident logo. However, Maserati started life purely as a racing car manufacturer. It wasn't until 1957 that production of road vehicles began. Classic Ride takes a look back at the history of Maserati.

The Dodge Charger is one of the fiercest muscle cars of the 1960s and a typical child of an era, when sporty American cars had to have one thing above all: a hefty V8 with a large capacity and even more horsepower. Classic Ride takes a look at the Dodge Carger. Plus: Classic Ride show the history of the BMW 02 series, which still brings a smile to the face of most car fans.

Once a year Russian vintage fans meet at a spots stadium in Moscow Sports for the Retro Style, a vintage rally through Moscow. Classic Ride takes advantage of the opportunity to celebrate the passion for old cars with Russan drivers. Once ahead of its time, the Citroen SM is now a rare collector's item. Classic Rides takes a look at the French diva with an Italian heart.

In its original form the Karmann Ghia promised solid Volkswagen mass produced technology paired with an elegant Italian silhouette. But on this episode a Karmann is put to the test that is very different. Its engine comes from a 10-year-old Porsche. Plus: Classic Ride visits the Mexican Bettle scene which appreciates the Volkswagen Beetle as an collector's item and a means of transport.

A sleek two-seater fastback, with dependable mass-produced technology under the long bonnet and an unbeatable low price: That was the recipe for success for the Datsun 240 Z, which premiered in 1969 and is one of the most successful sports cars of all time. Plus: Classic Ride puts the legendary Ford Mustang Boss, which won the 1970 Trans-Am racing series, to the test on the racing track.

Alpina and AMG are two of the first tuners. They made their names in motorsports in the 1960s and have been the best in the business ever since. Reason enough for Classic Ride to compare an SLC AMG and an Alpina CS with each other. Plus: The Lancia Delta Integrale won six World Rally Championship titles in a row, but is disparaged for its unreliability. So is the Lancia a cult car or just junk?

The Roadrunner's Paradise near Berlin is one of several meeting points for fans of Hot Rods in Germany. Here the rebels come together and celebrate the good old times. Since it is a tradition for real outlaws, every Hot Rod needs to do the eighth of a mile track during the meeting. Plus: A BMW 2800 which was turned into a racing car and then ended up in a junkyard is put to the test.

Who wouldn't want to throw their car into the curves, and experience that feeling of being pressed back in their seat on the 90-degree bank? At the Boxberg Classic, which is organised by German company Robert Bosch, employees and good friends of the company have the opportunity to experience that feeling. Classic Ride takes part in the event with an AMG-Mercedes 500 SLC.

Ferrari and Lamborghini are known for uncompromising sporty two-seaters. But they have also thought of matured customers who have a family and need another seat for the kids. They developed the Ferrari 365 GT and Lamborghini Espada for them, which are still powered by a familiar 12-cylinder engine, but have room for another seat. Plus: Classic Ride checks out the classic VW Beetle 1303.

In 1954 the famous automobile manufacturer Borgward from Bremen in Germany introduced its most successful model, the Isabella. Initially, the owner of the company just wanted to transform a sedan into a sleek coupe for his wife. But the sensation was so great, that from 1957 the Borgward Isabella coupé was made available to all fans of the brand, for just less than 11,000 Marks.

The first series of the Porsche 365 is most easily recognisable by the bend in the front windscreen. Among experts, these early Porsche cars are known as Pre-A models. The first models had an engine, with 40 horsepower, but the output was increased, until it reached 70 horsepower in the 1500 Super. Classic Ride takes a look back at the history of the Porsche 365 Pre-A models.

Exclusive, expensive, fast and closely linked with many successes in racing: Hardly any other car represents the splendid lifestyle of the day's film and music stars better than an open-topped Mercedes 540 K, which premiered at the Paris Car Show in 1936. The K stands for Kompressor, which is German for supercharger. Classic Ride tells the story of this cult icon.

The Ford Capri was born in 1969 in Brussels and modelled on the extremely successful Mustang coupe from the US. Almost 1.1 million units of its series were sold. However, nobody can say for sure anymore, how many of these cars were tuned with the May turbo charger. Today the fast coupe with the May turbo kit is an absolute rarity. Classic Ride meets the owner of a Ford Capri with turbo kit.

Only real aficionados can recognise the Mercedes 130 as a member of the Mercedes family. While its brothers feature the company's typical radiator grille, the 130 comes with a closed bonnet, no air inlets and a rear engine. After just two years of Production, Mercedes departed from the concept and turned their attention to standard front-engine constructions. Classic Ride drives the Type 130.

Launched at the 1955 Paris Motor Show, the Citroen DS caused a furore. Within the first day of the exhibition, 12,000 sales agreements were signed. Classic reveals the strengths and weaknesses of the French goddess. Plus: Classic Ride travels to Bad Gastein in Austria and meets fans of the Porsche 924 and 944. Both models enjoyed success in motorsports, but couldn't keep up with the Porsche 911.

Reliant was the UK's third oldest car factory, but was also largely unknown outside British borders. Even some car experts can't remember the brand, despite the fact they had long designed and built a large number of typical British vehicles. One of their cult cars is the Scimitar. Even the British royal family used this car for many years. Classic Ride introduces you to the Reliant Scimitar.

In 1968 the Italian bodywork company Siata launched its last car ever: the Siata Spring. It is based on the Fiat 850, but comes with a retro-style shell. Even at the time of production, the Siata Spring looked like a shrunken 1930s classic. In 1970 production of the Siata Spring was discontinued. Plus: Classic Ride meets Ralf Hornung who hunts down Horch models for the Audi Museum.

Peter Falk alias Inspector Columbo used to drive a Peugeot 403 Cabriolet while he was on the trail of devious criminals. However, the famous inspector let his lovely French automobile fall victim to neglect. Today, no owner of a 403 convertible would allow such a thing, seeing that it's truly a rarity. Only 2000 examples were ever built. Plus: Classic Ride meets fans of the Vespa in Austria.

Cars with a jump seat are no longer manufactured, but the 1947 Triumph 1800 Roadster is a very special example for these kind of cars. Classic Cars fan Peter Ille points out the automobile's unique characteristics. Plus: Classic Ride reporters have been testing a 24-year-old Mercedes 280 SE for a year. How well will the S Class sedan with six cylinders and an output of 185 hp do over time?

When the Hudson Hornet was launched in 1951, race driver Marshall Teague entered his almost standard model in NASCAR races. He enjoyed immediate success with what was called the "Fabulous Hudson Hornet". Its dynamic and stretched out form impresses even today. Plus: Classic Ride meets Jutta Kleinschmidt, the only woman to win the Rally Dakar, at the Silvretta Classic.

The Amphicar 770 is a rare classic. Its special attraction is that you drive motorboat on the road. It may not be the fastest car on the street, but it's ready to be used on the water as well. Thus careful maintenance and continuous checks are a must. If something leaks, the Amphicar will sink like a stone. Classic Ride meets Richard Orthuber who owns an Amphicar 770.

The MG TC is a sporty, but also extremely spartan car with technology from the late 1940s. Thus the car might be somewhat susceptible to technical problems, but it's very easy to maintain. Lebrecht Tiede owns an MG TC, but it needs to overcome one hurdle. Before the car can be used on the streets, it needs to pass the TЬV, the German technical certification test.