As the automotive industry’s stimulus program known as “cash for clunkers” gained popularity this summer, enthusiasts worried that some much-loved cars would get caught in the net. Some fans of the Porsche 911 and Chevrolet Corvette feared that the program, encompassing cars built from 1984 to 2008, could mean the purging of their favorites.
This week, a report in The Detroit Free Press uncovered some of the actual losses, and they’re far more bizarre than even the nuttiest car nut had predicted. For one, according to data from the federal government, a 1997 Bentley Continental R that sold new for around $250,000 was destroyed for the $3,500 or $4,500 credit.
You read that right.
The report doesn’t list details on the car’s condition or where it was turned in, a catastrophic hurdle for anyone looking for an explanation. That lack of information has led to the puzzlement of at least one member of the Bentley owners’ community. (Bentley used to be connected to Rolls).
Howard Krimko, a past chairman of the Atlantic region Rolls Royce owners’ club, said that he could not imagine a scenario in which a ‘97 Bentley R “would be worth only $4,500. Even if it’s a total disaster, it has to be worth significantly more than $4,500. The seats for the car would be worth more than that.
“A greater number of these cars survive than almost any other marque,” Mr. Krimko, a retired dentist and longtime Bentley owner, said. “As a lover of these cars, it’s always sad to see a car lost.”
Other astounding vehicles on the list include a 1997 Aston Martin DB7 Volante, a luxurious roadster that sold new for $135,000, and a 1987 Buick GNX, a darling of American muscle-car fans and one of just 547 built, worth at least $50,000 in good condition. Then there’s the mystery of two 2006 Ford F-150 pickups, both with an aftermarket package by the Ford tuner Roush that included a 450-horsepower V-8 engine and paint job designed by the car customizer and TV personality Chip Foose.
Questions abound. For one, with the collector-car market still strong, why wouldn’t dealers simply exercise their the option to buy the car outright from a customer who rolls up in a Bentley? With no details available on the transactions, we may never know, and that means more puzzled looks and furrowed brows from car lovers.
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