So PH is in Palm Springs to drive some Aston Martins (what was that about expensive product launches
breaking the bank
- ahem) and upon arrival did what any responsible petrolhead would do. Which is to find a local car dealership and do some tyre kicking.
$3,800 for this rust-free Californian RX-7 - nice!
And, boy, have we struck gold. McCormick's on Indian Canyon Drive is nothing if not diverse in its selection, there being muscle cars like a Mach 1 Mustang, Corvettes of various vintages, a Bronco equipped for some serious off-roading in the desert, a rather lovely first-gen RX-7 (just $3,800 - can I fit it in my hand baggage?) and ... this beauty.
Now, before going to Palm Springs I was tipped off that it has a bit of a reputation as a place where wealthy Californian retirees settle before, well, moving on to the next stage and leaving behind their worldly goods. Meaning the thrift shops are full of, to quote my source, 'rad ****'. Looks like the same applies to the car dealerships.
This creation is a Rinspeed R69, the Porsche conversion for the man who wished he'd bought a Testarossa, and thought, sod it, I'll just add some strakes to my flatnose and be done with it. And then some. One of reputedly 10 in the US - according to the McCormick's blurb at least - it appears to have gone through the hideousness barrier, skipped right past kitsch appeal and finished up parked in what can only be described as WTF Avenue.
$12,000 for a proper penis extension 'vette
Certainly it would have taken some brass ones to buy a car like this, even at the height of 80s excess. The more so to opt for a muddy beige over the more vibrant flouro pink of a similar car
Autoblog
wrote about
And we've saved the best until last. How much for this ultimate slice of 80s extravagance? A burly $50,000. A joke with a surprisingly expensive punchline...
RINSPEED R69
Price: $50,000
Why you should: You won't see another like it
Why you shouldn't: You probably wouldn't want to either
See the McCormick's stocklist here (scroll down for the Rinspeed, June 24).
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