The Paris-Dakar Rally, now known as the Dakar Rally, was created in 1978 when Frenchman Thierry Sabine lost his way in the Libyan desert on his motorcycle. From what he experienced, he decided to create motorsports’ ultimate endurance race, which would stretch 6,000 miles from the Eiffel Tower in Paris to Dakar, Senegal. Sabine, the founder, coined the motto: “A challenge for those who go. A dream for those who stay behind.

There it was, parked under a tree. Three years of rain, snow, leaves, and dirt shrouded what was once a beautiful example of a 1973 Mercedes Benz 450SE, but instead, it sat with 3 inches of standing water inside of it, along with an abundance of mold and resident spiders, living lavishly by most measures. “All it needs is a fuel pump,” Jose Torres was told by his brother in law, the second owner of the car, feeding a line familiar to Craigslist conquistadors like you and I.

Imola Red. Named for the famed racing circuit that plays home to the Italian Grand Prix, it represents one factor: speed, and it has become a cult favorite of BMW fans since its first appearance on the E36 M3 GT. It is, by most measures, a rare color, no matter the chassis it is offered upon, old or new. Both the color’s aesthetic and history are fitting, though, for the F10 M5, introduced in 2011 as the fifth-generation of the iconic sports sedan.

There’s something rather difficult to express about the pillarless coupe as a whole. There have been a few examples brought to market, most of which seemingly get remembered as staples in their lineup: unique bits of design that stand out from the crowd. From BMW’s E9 and E31 8-series to a slew of Muscle Cars from the ’60s  and ’70s, such as the 1965 Impala Coupe… all heralded for their superior design over their counterparts.

Photography by Jacopo Rattazzi –  It’s hard to deny: the Volkswagen Type 181 — officially known as the VW Thing in the United States, is one of the greatest oddities ever put into mass production. As part “jeep,” part Beetle, and part… appliance, it proves hard to label, providing ample justification for its unimaginative, if not hilarious name.