Author: Chuck Banks

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Another V12 Tempts Me And Again I Fold – 2017 Mercedes S600

No secret here, I’m a big fan of big Mercedes with big motors. Every time Jared tells me how much fun he’s having with the 2010 Mercedes S600 he bought from me in September it feels like he’s dating my ex-girlfriend. I miss that car. And once again I’ve gotten close to the altar with another Mercedes V12 unicorn and again I’m getting cold feet. It’s not you, Mercedes, it’s me. It really is. More on that later.

This 2017 Mercedes S600 showed up in Brandywine, Maryland and I immediately requested transfer to my Dulles, Virginia CarMax, where it still sits. Today I took it a short 20 minute date….well it went long, so long the salesman called to ask when I was coming back. I just couldn’t stop playing with the seats.

This S600 is really about the quite special rear passenger compartment, starting with the rear single seats above (Code 224) and the chauffeur package (Code P07 and Code 452) below. Yes, it took a full minute holding the switch down to move the front seat forward, fold its headrest so it could move forward even more, then unfold the ottoman and foot rest for me. Crude. Unlike the 2015 S65 I drove a few weeks ago, with my legs slightly splayed I was actually comfortable.

But wait, there’s more! Not only do the rear passengers get their own DVD screens and Bluetooth headphones (Codes 864 and P46), they also get tray tables for laptops or boxes of KFC chicken (Code 449)! I don’t want to drive this car, I want to live in the back seat.

I also saw on the data card I downloaded something called “Seat With Bunk Function” (Code 453). Couldn’t find anything about it on the web and even asked some Mercedes experts on a forum. There were hunches but they all turned out to be the chauffeur settings. I sat in the parking lot after my drive and searched the onboard manual (that’s when the sales guy called to harass me) and actually found the feature below…..nothing more than fully reclining the front passenger seat. I was SO disappointed. I expected something more magical from Mercedes. Sigh.

Enough about the back seats. How did it drive? Even more silky smooth than my 2010 S600, and far more refined than the 2015 S65 I drove. It was morgue-quiet cruising and also with the pedal mashed. The most racket I could produce was Queen on the Burmester audio system. The car has pretty much every feature available in 2017 – adaptive cruise control (Distronic Plus Cross Assist), and lots of activist stuff – active blind spot assist, active park assist, active lane keeping assist, and even “active belt buckle in rear” (Code 305) – the seat belt buckle actually rises from the seat crease for you! I so wish I had gotten a video of that.

In addition to the luxurious interior, the other reason to buy the car is the 6.0 liter M277 turbocharged V12 motor, good for 523 horsepower and 612 lb-ft or torque. With all this power and all this technology, MaxCare is absolutely mandatory. Surprisingly, it’s only $4,500 for five years and up to 125,000 miles. This car has 29,600 miles on it at the moment. Hardly broken in. Imagine the road trips you could take!

There were a few subtle disappointments, though. The Driving Assistance Package Plus and the Active Lane Keeping Assist were I’m sure state of the art for 2017, and yet the “hands free” driving experience was not as good as the 2018 Cadillac CT6 I briefly owned, or the 2019 Mercedes E53 or 2019 BMW X5 I test drove. No active lane change assist, some unexpected drifting, and too many urgent reminders to grip the wheel with both hands. If I’m going to break the bank and go tens of thousands over my old unicorn budget I want it all. Also, and this may sound petty as hell, the seat massagers only work the back – no butt. The reason I returned the Cadillac was because it gave me blood clots on my very first road trip with it, and I want (need!) seat massagers. It’s possible there are additional settings buried in the manual, but again the sales rep was pestering me to return.

This is an absolutely gorgeous car, and someone spent over $200,000 on it just five years ago. And the main reason I’m going to sadly, and reluctantly walk away is because so much of the outrageous luxury is there for back seat passengers I’ll rarely have. Yeah, it would be a hoot at Cars and Coffee to show off those tray tables, but even I’m not that vain to spend this much money for the occasional show. The front seat area is not all that different from a 2017 S550 for $15,000 less, although that V12 engine is so, so much sweeter! Unless I lose my mind, this two-owner car should be back on the market here at the Dulles, Virginia dealership for $73,998. Enjoy.

Stock # 23628298 VIN # WDDUG7GBXHA294158

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Quick Hit – Another Jaguar XKR – $38,998

The Jaguar XKR may be the one car I’ve blogged about the most, and for sure is the car I’ve had transferred in to my Dulles dealership the most only to weasel out at the last moment. Last February I came very close to buying a 2012 model at a reasonable price but the 24 hour test drive discouraged me. Here’s another one, a 2014 Jaguar XKR for a decent price and low miles.

The Jaguar XKR remains one of the most svelte, beautiful designs to me. A poor man’s Aston Martin. Or a unicorn hunter’s prize. The XK was imported from 1997-2014, so this is a last of the model run car. The cockpit below is identical to the XF and should be quite familiar. Heated and air conditioned seats, heated steering wheel, rear view camera, Bluetooth, and a Bowers & Wilkins audio system. Nothing fancy but not inadequate for the look and the price.

The reason to buy the car though, lies under the hood….er, the bonnet? It’s an aluminum 5.0 liter supercharged V-8 making 510 horsepower. The car I drove this past February was as exhilarating as the first I drove in 2016 when I was looking for Guether II, and I suspect this XKR is also. The snap shifts and the V-8 rumble and roar made me smile every time. The main reason I passed on the 2012 XKR in February was I felt cramped inside, only to learn when I returned the car the sales rep had jammed the key box behind the driver’s seat – costing me four inches of leg room. On paper this car has 43 inches of front leg room – more than a Mercedes S-class! (CarMax also had several chances to repair some damaged trim and didn’t, and that became agitating.

For not this 2014 Jaguar XKR is available here in Memphis, Tennessee. It’s a four-owner, accident free car that spent much of it’s time in Florida not being driven – really only 4,500 miles a year. It’s still eligible for another 91,000 miles and 60 month of MaxCare – take it. Then rev the hell out of this Jaguar without worry.

Stock # 23003548  VIN # SAJWA4DC4EMB53455

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Quick Hit – 1 of 600 Toyota Supra A91-CF Edition

What we have here is a “rare” 2022 Toyota Supra A91-CF Edition – rare in that only 600 were made, and all were allocated to North America. A bit of a unicorn. The CF stands for Carbon Fiber, and yes, much of the upgrade over a regular Supra A91 is really lots and lots of carbon fiber stuff – front splitter, rear spoiler, rocker panels, and side and rear canards. (Learned what “canards” were just for this car!) And black matte 19″ wheels with silver “Supra” calipers.

Toyota will tell you in their press release that all that carbon ain’t just window dressing, and that the splitter and duckbill spoiler and other carbon doodads actually increase downforce. Haven’t been able to find any reviews that support that, but Toyota wouldn’t make that up, would they?

The CF Edition also gets you a red and black Alcantara leather interior with “unique stitching details”, according to Toyota. And more carbon fiber trim. It’s as handsome of an interior as you’d find in any BMW Z car! This one has adaptive cruise control, Apple CarPlay, heated seats, and the upgraded JBL audio system.

The Carbon Fiber edition may or may not make the car go faster, and yet the 2022 Supra AF-91 is really, really fast. Like 3.8 seconds to 60 mph and a governed top end of 160. The Supra is powered by a 382 horsepower, 3.0 liter turbocharged inline six cylinder motor coupled with an eight-speed automatic, and is rear wheel drive. Yes, it’s (not so) secretly a BMW Z4 and was even built in Germany. With lots of carbon fiber.

The 2022 Toyota Supra A91-CF Edition was the most expensive Supra available at perhaps $68-70,000 MSRP last year, and significantly more than the four banger. Then again, there were only 600 made and that gives you some bragging rights. (The only other Supra I covered was this 1 of 1,500 2020 Supra Launch Editions, and that one was only $52,000.) At this time there are about a dozen A91-CF’s for sale on cars.com at about the same price point as this one. This one-owner, California coupe is selling for $65,998 here in Oxnard, California. It’s still under manufacturer warranty, and while I wouldn’t recommend MaxCare for too many Toyotas, keep in mind this is a BMW underneath and repairs will not be cheap in a few years. Enjoy.

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781 Mile 2013 Corvette 427 Convertible Z06 (Not)

Yes I miss my bright yellow 1971 Fiat 124 Spider convertible and every night I surf CarMax for yellow cars that might soothe my soul. Of the 55,000 cars in the inventory today, 100 are yellow making it the least popular color – even fewer than purple – and of those 100, six are Corvettes. And the most fascinating of the Corvettes is this 2013 427 with only 781 miles. It’s pretty much a brand new 10 year old Corvette! A unicorn perhaps.

Here’s your proof. It’s a two-owner Oklahoma car that’s never been wrecked, and has pretty much no history in the “detailed vehicle history” section on the web….because there is no history. The car sold new for maybe $77,000 back in 2013 and is selling for almost $70,000 now. Same old conundrum – high price for low miles that will lose value once you drive it, but let’s not forget it’s a pretty good car. CarMax lists it as having the 60th anniversary package, but I’m not seeing that.

Not a Corvette expert by any means, so I got my intel from this Car and Driver review from 2013. Was surprised to find the gouge on this edition is that it’s pretty much a Z06 except for the steel frame – the Z06 coupe has an aluminum frame. Otherwise, Car and Driver notes, “beneath its carbon-fiber Z06 hood and between what look like the Z06’s carbon-fiber fenders sits the Z06’s dry-sump 7.0-liter V-8 spinning the Z06’s six-speed manual—the only transmission available, just as in the Z06—and directing power to the Z06’s rear axle, which is equipped with the Z06’s available magnetorheological shock absorbers. Chevy refuses to call the 427 droptop a Z06 for a much simpler reason: Supporting its carbon-fiber and balsa-wood sandwich floor panels—same as the Z06’s—is the hydroformed steel frame from the base Corvette rather than the aluminum structural core of the Z06“. To a knucklehead like me, it’s a Z06. (But if you really, really want a true yellow Corvette convertible Z06 here’s a link to a 2017 model with only 27,000 miles – for only $68,000!)

The 505 horsepower 7-liter V-8 and manual transmission pushes this car to 60 mph in less than four seconds, and tops out at 182 mph. It’s got leather heated seats, heads up display, a Bose audio with CD (and an aux jack!) and not a lot else in the way of modern doodads. Chevrolet, though, called it “the fastest and most-capable convertible in Corvette’s history” when it was released.

It’s a very nice, pristine damned near new Corvette, and I’m sure someone who loves Corvettes will buy this eventually. MaxCare is available for another 150,000 miles and five years, although I suspect the next owner will have no intention of driving this Corvette that much. Take me back to Tulsa, where you can find this Corvette here!

Stock 23016911 · VIN 1G1YY3DE2D5700297

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Ghost Cars – If You Didn’t Save Them, You Won’t See Them

I was corresponding with a blog reader buddy about the 2015 Mercedes S65 I had on hold and he was surprised it was out there – didn’t see it on the CarMax web page when searching for V-12’s. It reminded me of the peculiarities of searching and tracking unicorns on CarMax.com and the app. They operate differently but on both one can save cars to your profile as favorites. Once there, you still have visibility on the car regardless of status. On the phone app, a car might say “Currently Unavailable” after being saved with no further information. On my laptop, though, more information is provided on saved cars that are not “currently available“. The listing will share if the car is “reserved” or “shipping“, and if being transferred will indicate where it’s going. On the laptop web page it will also indicate whether a car is “sold” – but it doesn’t delete them.

For very special cars I’ll leave them in my saved section even after being sold and get pleasantly surprised when they sometimes show up again after being returned. On both the app and the web page you can see the latest price for the vehicle even if it’s unavailable, but only on the menu showing all the cars you’ve saved. Once you click on the car the price is “N/A”. Because of all this rigamarole I’ve been including the stock number and VIN when I blog. You can always search by the stock number and find cars that are “currently unavailable” and don’t show up when searching by brand, type, cylinders, etc. With that, here are a couple of “ghost” cars that remain in my saved file but haven’t been offered for sale in a while. They may or may not show up again as available.

Here’s a rare one, a 2017 Alpina B7 that was on the net briefly then went underground while being transferred to Raleigh, North Carolina. Not a lot of B7’s in the USA (a few hundred imported yearly?) and while it has the same horsepower as the V-12 M760i, Car and Driver described the B7 as “the quickest dealership-sold BMW we’ve ever tested, with 60 mph arriving in 3.4 seconds.” Say’s it’ll do 193 mph. FWIW here’s the link to the Car and Driver review, and it has a nice recap of how Alpina came to be.

Picture above could be the interior of the M760i or even the 750 – only real giveaway is the logo on the steering wheel and the cool Alpina graphic embedded in the speedo. This B7 is loaded with Apple CarPlay, adaptive cruise control, the Driver Assistance Package, Executive Package, and Luxury Package.

The Alpina B7 leverages the 4.4 liter twin turbo from the 750 but adds boost, special pistons, Alpina intake, exhaust, and intercoolers to get the 600 hp. It’s mated to an eight speed ZF automatic transmission.

Only 400 2017 Alpina B7’s were imported to the USA, and they were priced at $137,000. As noted, the ad says N/A for a price, but in my saved file it shows it’s selling for $59,998. That’s a helluva deal. Track this 2017 Alpina B7 here in Raleigh – currently reserved for some lucky buyer. Or maybe not?

Stock # 23467006  VIN # WBA7F2C39HG543846

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Barriers to Blogging – Three Possible S600 Successors and an F1 Race?

Here we go again. Me whining why I haven’t blogged as much as I’d like. And for the most part, it’s because I’ve been obsessed and paralyzed by my own search for the successor to my beloved 2010 Mercedes S600 I sold in September. If you’ve been on this journey with me before, you’ll know that it’s not just about the next car, but also how it complements my daily driver (2013 BMW M3 and my wife’s car (2022 Kia Sportage). If she hates my cars, we always have to take her car on road trips. Her car’s not bad, but it’s not a unicorn. My pursuit is also complicated by my best friends recently buying a BMW X3 M40i, a BMW X5 45e, and a BMW X5 M50i – great SUV’s and now they are all off the table as options for me. And in addition to the search for a unicorn, I split for Austin in October to take in the US Grand Prix. Throwing that in at the bottom here just because. Let’s get started.

Surprise! I am absolutely intrigued with this 2017 Mercedes GLA45 AMG. I love these little buzz bombs and this one is cheap and well appointed with both adaptive cruise control and Apple CarPlay. I could easily see myself leaving home everyday in this to run errands, stop by the office, and throw music gear in the back for my gigs. Unpretentious sleeper.

While traveling I-95 between Baltimore and Washington I stopped by the Laurel, Maryland CarMax to test drive the GLA45. While waiting for the sales rep I sat in the car. Squeezed in and hit the seat adjustment button. Seat went back…and back…and back. The GLA45 has more front leg room than an S-class. Fact. I looked it up and for sure – 1/2 inch more leg room! Unfortunately, the sales rep never showed up and after a half hour of wandering the lot trying on cars I had to leave.

Before this stop I couldn’t explain why I like these cars. It’s not because it is allegedly a crossover “ute” of some sort – it’s not. The car has a really, really low ride height. Like lower than most sedans, not just crossovers. One critic complained that Mercedes took a CLA and raised it to create the GLA platform, then lowered it again to make the GLA AMG. Nonsensical. On the drive home I saw a Volkswagen GTI on the interstate and it finally hit me why I like the GLA45 so much.

The Mercedes GLA45 AMG is nothing more than a hot hatchback, and ever since I owned a pair of 70’s era Ford Fiestas (West German cars with the 1.6 liter Kent engines used in Formula 3) I’ve loved screaming around the back roads in unusual econoboxes. How much more fun in a modern one with 4WD and Apple CarPlay?!

The 2017 Mercedes GLA45 AMG is powered by a 375 hp 2.0 liter turbocharged four cylinder. It’s the most horsepower you can get in a gas-only four banger in the USA. The car sprints to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds. It would be quicker than my old S55, S600, 911, and the M3 I’m driving now, although not as refined at high speeds I suspect. It would damned sure get better mileage. Why am I not buying it? If I could have the M3 as my convertible/sports car combo and a big luxury vehicle for long drives, this GLA45 would be perfect as a daily driver. That said, I (foolishly) agreed with the wife to be a two car guy again vice three cars, and I’m at a point in my life where I have a shot at splurging on that second car that I may not have next time around. This isn’t it. This GLA45 sold for over $50,000 five years ago and it’s not cheap at $36,998, but it sure is fun. Find it here in Laurel, Maryland.

Stock # 23516917  VIN # WDDTG5CB7HJ333732

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Quick Hit – Jaguar Triplets?

The Jaguar XKR above is not one of the triplets. It’s the last Jaguar XK I wrote about in February 2022 here. One of several over the years I’ve driven and thought about buying. And every single time I cover an XK I mention how much I love the svelte look of the hardtop and not really a big fan of the drop top – disrupts the flow from the B-pillar back to the deck. But I’ve also tried to learn over the years to not say a car isn’t pretty – it’s just not for me. I would offer that with the top down the body has a totally different vibe and is quite nice. If you’ve always wanted one of the X150 Jaguar XK convertibles imported from 1996 to 2015 here’s three nearly identical triplet unicorns for you.

2015 Jaguar XK
2014 Jaguar XK
2012 Jaguar XK

The 2015 at the top is my favorite. First, Jaguar sold only 492 of the final year 2015 models (the web says three 2016 models were sold!). Second, it’s in unicorn pricing territory at $39,998 (update – it just dropped to $37,998!). Third, it’s low mileage at 32,000. Last, it’s the lovely tan interior below I equate with luxury. My wife equates it to visible coffee stains when my commute goes bad. We’re both right.

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Reader Bags an Extraordinary 2013 Mercedes SL63 Unicorn

Makes my day when a reader finds and buys a unicorn that makes them happy. Even better when they let me know – never sure if I’m hitting the mark with this blog. (As of today have 177 people signed up for email updates and yet getting almost a thousand visitors a month here.)

Got this email and well-one video from Isaiah that really surprised me. He found a really low mileage, low price 2013 Mercedes SL63 AMG and with his permission have uploaded his video here. Isaiah is a far better story teller than I am and I highly recommend watching – he is a savvy buyer, navigated some CarMx hiccups, and did a great job buying this car with surprisingly affordable MaxCare. Thank you, Isaiah for sharing (especially the Mexico vignette!). You did two things for me; reminded me why I write this blog, and inspired me to resume my search for a unicorn to replace my 2010 Mercedes S600. I want to “drive rich” like you!

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Quick Hit – A Pair of One Year Only BMW 135is Convertibles – Only 230 in US!

Was surprised to find a pair of these on CarMax lots as the 2013 BMW 135is was a one year only model, a US-Canada only model, and according to the BMW forums only 230 convertibles (and 586 coupes) were imported to North America. Makes this little drop top a bit of a unicorn? Review after review refers to the 135is as excellent example of the ultimate driving machine, a driver’s car, and a wonderful follow on to the E90 3-series – albeit almost six inches shorter. Alas, it is not a 1M – I’ve only seen one of those by CarMax.

The 2013 135is was pretty much the 135i with the M Sport Package and a not insignificant additional 20 more horsepower – 320 total, from the twin-turbo 3.0 liter inline six (N55). Mated to the dual-clutch transmission the 135is will do a mid-four second 0-60 mph run and top out at a governed 150 mph. The interior (above) is almost identical to the one in my 2013 M3 in layout, except for the goofy M6-style cupholder, guaranteed to dump your Big Gulp into the passenger footwell. Unlike my M3, there’s no “M” button on the wheel – this car is in sport mode all the time.

This blue 135is is an accident-free, two owner car from Florida and Massachusetts. Snowbirds? The 2013 BMW 135is sold for $45,000-$50,000 depending on options. Ten years later this drop top is on the lot at the CarMax here in Wayne, New Jersey for $27,998. It only has 40,000 miles. MaxCare is available until 125,000 miles and a full 60 months – a lotta motoring left to do. Thinking put the top down, thrash through some windy roads to a winery and slow down to watch the fall foliage. Any takers?

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