The Collection

The first-generation Audi R8 is a mid-engined all-wheel-drive low-profile supercar. It was exclusively designed, developed, and manufactured by Audi’s private subsidiary Audi Sport GmbH and is based on the Lamborghini Gallardo. The car is constructed with Audi’s aluminum space frame and uses aluminum monocoque. It was the first production car to use LED headlamps. When the R8 was unveiled in 2006 it was a futuristic design complete with distinct side “blades,” an exposed engine bay, and bright LED lights.

The Turtle Garage R8 is a one-owner local car that has been meticulously maintained. With just over 10,000 careful miles, it is an investment-grade example. The car is equipped with the lighter but smaller V8 4.2 motor and has a six-speed manual gated transmission.

Photos by GT Motorcars LLC

With the exception of the legendary 507, the E30 M3 is perhaps one of the most iconic and desirable BMW’s of the post-war period. Based on the 1986 BMW 3-series, the M3 used the powerful hand built 200 hp S14 motor. In contrast to later M3’s, the E30 was successfully raced in many categories worldwide, including the DTM series. The M3 was sold to the public as to comply with homologation rules for Group A touring car racing. It competed against various models including the Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3 16. The M3 was equipped with twelve different body panels that improved aerodynamics and gave the car a wider track. The E30 M3 only shared the hood, roof panel, sunroof and door panels with its non-M brethren. The M3 also had major changes to its front suspension and the overall suspension was upgraded. The E30 M3 was produced between 1988 and 1992. Only 5200 M3’s made it to America.

The Turtle Garage M3 is an investment grade car with only 17,000 original miles. Finished in Alpine white with tan leather, it is an excellent original example of a highly desirable car.

The E46 M3 represents the end of an enviable era for BMW. The car is a pre-Chris Bangle design that captures all of the classic elements of BMW’s signature designs wrapped in a neat and compact package. The E46 is a special car because of its unique power-to-weight ratio combined with a silky smooth 322-HP six cylinder engine and a Getrag six-speed manual gearbox. The hood is bumped out and the fenders are flared just enough to give the car a menacing look. The E46 is often referred to by enthusiasts as one of the greatest driving BMW’s of all time.

This E46 M3 is a one-owner 11,000-mile original car. Sourced by Enthusiast Auto Group of Ohio, It is one of the finest E46’s left in the world. It is finished in Carbon Fiber Black Metallic on black and it is also equipped with the rare Competition Package.

Photos by EAG BMW

The 2008 CLK Black Series is a one-year-only car produced by AMG. In total, only 500 units were manufactured and about 400 of them were exported to the U.S. market. The CLK Black Series is special because of its hand-built 500hp non-turbo motor, rear seat delete, and wide carbon fiber fender flares. The car was made famous by Jeremy Clarkson of Top Gear because he owned one and declared it one of the best cars of all time. He also nicknamed it “Kin of Cain.” The CLK represents the 2nd model offered by AMG as a Black Series edition. To date, only five Mercedes models have been upgraded with the iconic Black Series designation.

The Turtle Garage CLK 63 Black Series is a one-owner U.S. car with under 3,000 original miles from new. This example represents the efforts of four years of searching to find the finest possible example to join the Turtle Garage Collection.

Photos by Dean Laumbach

The Black Series represents one of the most extraordinary cars to ever be created by Mercedes-Benz. Hand built by AMG at Affalterbach, the SL 65 Black Series was a street legal racecar. With a V12 bi-turbo motor that produced almost 700hp, the Black Series was (at the time) the most powerful Mercedes-Benz ever produced. With 0 to 60 acceleration of 3.6 seconds and a top speed of 200 MPH it is one of the fastest street legal cars on the road. With only 350 produced and only 175 in the United States, the Black Series is one of the lowest production Mercedes of all time. With outrageously wide fender flares and a liberal use of carbon fiber, the SL 65 Black Series is the ultimate SL. Other features include a retractable rear wing and a fixed carbon fiber roof. The interior is loaded with fine leather and Alcantera.

The Turtle Garage SL 65 Black Series was acquired from its original owner. It was sold new by Mercedes-Benz of Pleasanton California. The car currently has only 1800 original miles.

The 500E/E500 is a unique sedan that was a rare collaboration between Porsche and Mercedes. The car went through an eighteen-day hand-built production process and Mercedes lost money on every unit. With a powerful M119 V8 motor and larger brakes, Porsche engineers turned the mild mannered W124 sedan into a super-sedan. The car is recognizable given its wider fender flares that house the larger tires. These cars were produced over a three-year period and are slowly becoming recognized by collectors as desirable.

The Turtle Garage E500 is a one-owner car that was bought new by a friend of mine. I rode in the car the day it was delivered in August of 1994. Being a 1994 model it is the most desirable of all 500E’s. The car recently underwent an extensive and comprehensive eight-month restoration and freshening by Mercedes expert Dean Laumbach.

The R129 was a landmark car when it replaced the aging 107 SL in 1990. With dozens of innovative features, the SL 129 put “sport” back in the SL. With a revolutionary pop up roll bar and innovative seats that held 24 patents, the car was a quantum leap forward. It had an aluminum removable hardtop and a fully automatic convertible top. Produced from 1989 to 2002, the R129 SL is one of Bruno Sacco’s most beautiful designs.

The Turtle Garage SL 600 is a one-owner car with delivery miles. It is likely the lowest mileage R129 V12 example in the United States. In 2001 it was purchased new at Contemporary Motor Cars in Little Silver, New Jersey. A fanatical car collector maintained it along with a collection of dozens of cars. Turtle Garage acquired the SL 600 in 2016.

The Bruno Sacco designed W140 S-class is known as the last Mercedes to be “over-engineered,” and it represents the zenith of Mercedes quality. The car introduced innovations such as double-pane window glazing, power-assisted closing doors and trunk lid, electric windows which lowered back down upon encountering an obstruction, rear-parking markers which rose from the rear corners and a heating system which could emit warm air long after the engine was turned off. The W140 V12 S-class coupe was the first production Mercedes to have a V12 engine and side impact airbags. While in development, the W140 S-class project was the subject of product delays, overbudgeting, and massive cost overruns which resulted in the departure of Wolfgang Peter, Daimler-Benz’s chief engineer. The W140 is believed to have cost Mercedes-Benz over $1 billion to develop. For the consumer, the W140 S-class cost a considerable 25 percent more than its predecessor, the already stratospherically expensive W126 S-class. Price, size, and complexity cast a shadow over the W140 series and investment grade examples are only recently starting to become desirable. Only 8,573 V12 W140 coupes were produced over a seven-year production run. Priced at $136,775 in 1995 (approximately $220,000 in today’s dollars), the W140 S-class was one of the most expensive cars ever produced by Mercedes-Benz.

The Turtle Garage S600 W140 coupe is an 18,000-mile investment grade example with single ownership history and meticulous single dealership service documentation from new. Complete with all books, records, and the original window sticker, this is one of the finest and lowest-mile W140 coupes in existence. Finished in black with two-tone dove interior, this stately car represents a money-is-no-object approach to design and manufacturing.

The 1990 964 911 was a breakthrough car for Porsche and shared many aspects with the 959 supercar. With all-wheel drive anti-lock brakes, dual airbags, and a larger 3.6 liter motor, it was a technological tour de force in 1990. It was the most technically sophisticated 911 of all time. Almost 80% of the car was new compared to the outgoing 3.2 liter 1989 Carrera. The 964 911 was available as a coupe, convertible, or targa and it represented a new era for Porsche. The flat six-cylinder normally aspirated motor produced 247 hp and catapulted the 911 from 0 to 60 in 5.1 seconds. Top speed was 157 MPH and the drag coefficient was a low .32. The 1990 list price for the 911 Carrera 4 was a rich $69,500. The 964 911 carries much of the 959’s goodness and remains one of Porsche’s most significant cars in the post-war era.

The Turtle Garage 911 C4 Coupe is a one-owner car that has been meticulously maintained its entire life. Turtle Garage purchased it from the original owner who picked the car up at the factory in Stuttgart. The car is finished in Guards Red with Camel interior and has 23,000 original miles.

The Jeep CJ-7 has roots going all the way back to World War II. The CJ-7 is widely considered by Jeep enthusiasts to be the last of the “real Jeeps.” The CJ-7 had a longer wheelbase than the shorter CJ-5 and it enjoyed added comfort amenities and a smoother ride. The CJ-7 was replaced in 1987 by the lower and wider Wrangler.

The Turtle Garage CJ-7 was purchased in 2001 from noted CJ specialist dealer Collins Brothers. It is a one-owner CJ-7 that was sold new at Jim Allee Jeep in Dallas. All the original service records, registrations, books, manuals and tools are present. The original window sticker is still intact. The Jeep has been garaged its entire life and was never modified or heavily off-roaded. It was originally optioned in rare charcoal grey metallic and was factory equipped with a soft top. It was also optioned with the rare non-Laredo chrome package. It has a 258 six-cylinder engine mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. It also has the larger twenty gallon fuel tank..Even though the Jeep was in excellent original condition, we decided to bring it up to 100 points and perform a comprehensive cosmetic and mechanical sorting and restoration. In 2016 Dean Laumbach embarked on a meticulous restoration which took over eight months to complete. The Jeep was painstakingly repainted in its exact original livery by Mercedes-Benz certified Lee’s Garage. The CJ-7 currently has 38,000 original miles and is completely factory correct and unmodified.

Introduced in 1982, the W201 190-class was the first modern compact sedan from Mercedes-Benz. The angular but attractive car was designed by Bruno Sacco and is considered by many Mercedes aficionados to be his most striking and memorable work. The car was equipped with a complex rear suspension geometry that was eventually adopted by the larger E and S class models. The 190E also was loaded with leading-edge technologies for the era including an airbag, ABS, and seat belt pretensioners. The 190E 2.3-16 was a high-performance version of the 190E. Fewer than 2,000 of these cars were imported into the United States between 1986 and 1987. In 1986 the compact 2.3-16 had a narrow market because its sticker price was above the pricey flagship S-class. The 16-valve head was co-developed and manufactured by Cosworth in England. The car could be optioned with a 5-speed Getrag dogleg transmission. It had aerodynamic bodywork and four-place Recaro sport seats. In 1984 these cars were used for the high-profile inaugural race at the newly renovated Nurburgring race track. Dozens of the most well-known F1 drivers of the era were invited to participate in the race and each drove an identical 190E 2.3-16. Virtually unknown in 1984, Brazilian race driver Ayrton Senna surprised everyone and handily took first place. This victory put Senna himself—and the 190E 2.3-16—on the map and into the history books. In the late 1980’s the 190E 2.3-16 was aggressively raced against the infamous BMW E30 M3 in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft (DTM) race series. In point of fact, the BMW E30 M3 was created specifically to compete with the 190E 2.3-16. In a very real sense, were it not for the 190E 2.3-16 there would not have been an E30 M3.

The Turtle Garage 190E 2.3-16 is a one-owner 100-point U.S. example with less than 28,000 original miles. The flawless car was meticulously maintained by a private collector who died in 2016. Turtle Garage was fortunate to acquire the car from his estate. It is optioned with desirable blue-black metallic paint (color code 199) and a 5-speed manual Getrag transmission. Very few U.S. spec 5-speed 2.3-16’s have survived in meticulous investment-grade condition.

The 1937 R6 was BMW’s first 600cc motorcycle. Only 1,850 R6’s were built during their short nine-month production run. The R6 was basically a side valve version of the R5 and they shared many features including adjustable dampening hydraulic forks and a foot-shift four-speed transmission. The R6 was aimed at touring and sidecar users and it utilized the R5’s rolling chassis. Many components from the engine and transmission could also be found on the R5. The R6 had a bore and stroke dimension of 69.8mm x 78mm and produced a gentle 18hp but low end power was substantial.

The Turtle Garage R6 example (serial number 500528) was sold new to a BMW dealership in Danzig. The R6 was ultimately imported into the United States by New Jersey-based Vintage Imports. John Pavone purchased the R6 and embarked on a decade long meticulous concours-quality restoration. John estimates that he had put over 1200 hours into the project. During the tear down of the R6 traces of eagle symbols were found on some engine pieces. These markings indicate that the R6 might have seen military service during the war. Turtle Garage purchased the R6 from John Pavone in 2014.

The side valve BMW R71 had a 750 cc engine that was described by BMW at the time as “a logical further development of the R12”, which also had a 750cc side valve engine. Apart from the engine the big improvement was an improved telescoping front fork and rear ‘sprung frame’ suspension. The engine was a low revolution, high torque design, intended really for use with sidecars. Just over 2700 R71’s were produced between 1938 and 1941.

The Turtle Garage R71 (serial number 700323 and British registration JML 649) was sold new in England at AFN Ltd on November 26th 1938. Only ten R71’s came to AFN Ltd. from BMW. The original owner was Mr. El.G.E. Graham of Kent England and he owned the bike for two years and then sold it to Les Gilles. Les owned the bike until it was purchased at Bonham’s in 2011 by Paul Meredith of Ocala Florida. Paul embarked on a meticulous multi-year restoration of a very complete and original R71. Turtle Garage purchased the R71 from Paul in 2014. BMW R71 JML 649 is perhaps one of the most well documented complete and correct R71’s in existence.

The overhead valve BMW R5 was a groundbreaking motorcycle when it was introduced at the Berlin Motor Show in February of 1936. The R5 began a new era of innovation and it was arguably the most advanced high performance motorcycle available in 1937. The R5 was built for just two years and total production was limited to 2,652 examples.

The Turtle Garage R5 (serial number 502616) is the 8th last R5 made. The R5 was shipped new to British BMW distributor AFN Ltd. The bike was sold to Ronald Carrington of London and was serviced by famed BMW racer John Milns West, (better known as Jock West). We have complete records on the three subsequent owners. The R5 was sold at a Bonhams auction in 1985 for 1,250 pounds sterling. I acquired the bike in 2001 from Vintage German Imports (the same importer who sold the R6 I ultimately acquired from John Pavone). The R5 underwent a multi-year comprehensive restoration by Kevin Brooks at Seattle based Brooks Motor Works. Currently the R5 is having cosmetic upgrades done by Mike Dunn at Vintage German Motorcycles. The work includes updating the R5 with correct fenders and cloth clutch and brake cables. We are also replacing all bolts and hardware with factory correct originals.

The BMW R50 has a 500cc boxer engine that produces 26hp. The R50 had an innovative “Earles” front fork design that used a triangular geometry to provide a smooth and stable ride. This fork design was very popular with the sidecar crowd.

The Turtle Garage R50 was purchased by Andrew Norris in 2007 and fully restored by master BMW technician Phil Cheney. It was a true original 18,000-mile machine that had been a one-owner bike in South Carolina. Turtle Garage purchased the R50 from Andrew Norris in 2015.

The BMW R60/2 had a 600cc boxer engine that produced 30hp. The R60/2 had an innovative “Earles” front fork design that utilized a triangular geometry to provide a smooth and stable ride. This fork design was very popular with the sidecar crowd. A total of 16,870 R60/2’s were built over its 1962-1969 production run.

The Turtle Garage R60/2 (serial number 626615) was imported to the United States via Butler & Smith in New York. The bike was lovingly restored in 1995 by Bill Dauphinais and BMW master technician Phil Cheney. Painted in its original livery of rare Dover White, the bike underwent a comprehensive mechanical and cosmetic restoration over a two-year period. Turtle Garage purchased the R60/2 in April of 2000. Several minor updates have been performed over the years and the machine is now a correct and authentic example.

The similar 1961 BMW R69S (sold) pictured below; Photos and story of recently-acquired 1966 BMW R69S coming this Summer.

The BMW K1 was conceived of as a high-speed sports touring motorcycle designed to compete with the Japanese superbikes of the late 1980’s. The K1 was also charged with changing the perception of BMW as a manufacturer of stodgy flat twin air-cooled machines. The bike was a radical departure for BMW and represented a technological tour de force for the period. The K1 was equipped with anti-lock brakes, a sixteen valve four-cylinder engine, and a Paralever rear drive that was designed to stop shaft drive pitch and dive under heavy acceleration and braking. Upon its introduction the K1 was loved and hated by the market and the press. Today it remains an iconic and rare machine that represents BMW’s efforts to push the limits of style and technology.

The Turtle Garage K1 was acquired from its original owner in 2002. The bike has been driven a gentle 4,000 miles since new.

The BMW K series was introduced in the mid 1980’s to combat increasing pollution requirements as well as compete with the onslaught of nimble and powerful bikes form Japan. The need to produce a bike with more power led to the development of a four-cylinder liquid cooled motor that later became known as the “Flying Brick.” The K bike was designed with the motor turned on its side. The K-series was a revolutionary departure from the conventional boxer twins. Originally created to replace the boxer motor, the K bike eventually became an alternative product and to this day continues to be produced alongside the R-series.

The Turtle Garage K100RS was purchased in 1998 with delivery miles. It has since been maintained and ridden throughout America. It is equipped with ABS, side bags, and a Corbin seat.

The Moto-Guzzi V1100 Sport was produced at the 80-year-old Guzzi factory in Mandello del Lario on the shores of Lake Como. The motor is a 1,064cc fuel injected V-twin with two-valves-per-cylinder. With 91 horsepower it created 69 pounds-feet of torque at 6,000 RPM. With a dry weight of 483 pounds and a hydraulic dry clutch, the V1100 was a smooth, solid, and powerful machine. Suspension and brakes on the V100 Sport are the finest Italy had to offer—40mm Marzocchi male-slider forks and four piston Brembo brakes. The V1100 Sport remains a work of Italian art and it represents one of the most iconic modern Moto-Guzzi of all time.

The Turtle Garage V1100 Sport was purchased new in July of 2001 at Branchville Motors in Connecticut. It has since traveled only 400 miles.

The F4 was the motorcycle that launched the resurrection of the MV Agusta brand in 1998. Legendary motorcycle stylist Massimo Tamburini designed the F4. The F4 is known for its four-pipe undertail exhaust, single-sided swingarm, large front forks, and traditional MV Agusta red and silver livery. The F4 is also one of the few production superbikes to have a hemispherical chamber engine with four valves per cylinder. The engine was derived from a 1992 Ferrari Formula One motor. The engine produced 186 horsepower and was capable of 0 to 60 mph in 2.7 seconds with a top speed of 186 miles per hour.

The Turtle Garage F4 is an early production 2005 machine. It was purchased new at Blue Moon Cycles in Georgia. Turtle Garage purchased the F4 from its original owner in 2015. The F4 has less than 4,000 original miles.

Manufactured in Austria, the KTM XC-W represents the ultimate enduro bike. The 500 XC-W was basically a larger displacement 400/450 EXC with changes to the bore and stroke to achieve larger displacements. It had a single cylinder liquid cooled motor with a six-speed transmission.

The Turtle Garage XC-W was purchased new at MotoFIT in Connecticut.