My time spent at the Larz Anderson Museum has been quite fruitful so far this Summer. First, with the classic delights of British Car Day, and then with the thoroughly modern experience of getting behind the wheel of the all-new Porsche Boxster Spyder, its safe to say I’ve had my share of thrills.
That paled in comparison to what was to greet me Sunday June 20th (last Sunday). German Car Day was in full swing, and it was enormous. On the drive up to the museum, Porsche 356 roadsters could be seen darting up back roads in packs. Entering the grounds, I was greeted with the largest collection of cars ever to turn out for the German Car event (the largest single show was one of the past iterations of the Tutto Italiano, taking place August first this year). (more…)
Last week, members of the New England motor press, including yours truly, were treated to automotive wares old and new, as historic automobiles set the stage for some face time with the latest Boxster from Porsche. The setting was the Larz Anderson Auto Museum, the stone and mortar structure is a masterpiece made for a spectacular location. Any automaker choosing this site for a press event surely must keep their product in high regard.
The vehicle in question on this evening was the 2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder. What another version of the Boxster? Oh, but its so much more. The Spyder is a holistic approach to lightening the vehicle in the name of a more pure driving experience. Most notably, the convertible top has been completely gutted, and replaced with a makeshift canvas bikini top. It is held down by tension hooks on the corners of what is one of the prettiest rear cowls I’ve ever seen. That lack of a power top resulits in a 46-lb weight savings, and that’s just the beginning. (more…)
Spending time around classic British roadsters is good. Seeing them on the lawn of a historic auto museum styled after a French Chateau is even better. That was the setting for British Car Day 2010, part of a series of meets for various automotive genre put on by the Larz Anderson Auto Museum in Brookline, MA. As the oldest Automotive Museum in the country, this non-profit is home to vehicles such as a true “horseless carriage” built by Winston in 1899, but the story on this day was outside, on the Museum lawn.
I was immensely pleased to see a full helping of Jaguar E-Type roadsters(above), their long hoods and elegant lines captivating young driver’s imaginations long before Lamborghini’s were status quo for automotive pinup. It was fascinating to see those classic E-Types placed along side their successors, XJ-Coupe(below left), which was produced for only three years (’75-’78), and the XJS (below right), which was produced up until 1996. The black one seen here is an aggressive-looking XJS V12, “post-facelift” model, as they are called after 1991. (more…)
