Contrast is often what makes all the difference, and that’s something perfectly reflected in my first spotlight from the past weekend’s Art of Speed show in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Sitting in the main show hall was this Volvo 123GT, or Amazon depending on where you live.
It was clean, slick and dropped with as much aggression as you would want on a car of this vintage and origin.
The BRG (British Racing Green) exterior was the first contrast; a color one would usually expect to see on a Lotus or Jaguar, not an old coupé from Sweden.
Then there’s the GT Wheel slot-type mags; a popular design more often associated with Mustangs and other muscle cars, which strangely seemed like a spot-on choice here.
While there was some tight wheel-arch-to-tyre-sidewall fitment going on at the rear, the front maintained that old school inset with the wheels sitting flush and being swallowed up by the vast fenders.
It all came together to bring out the sheer beauty of a well-proportioned classic coupé design and the third and final contrasting factor of all: the fact that we were seeing a vintage Swedish ride in a tropical country located just above the Equator.
Dino Dalle Carbonare
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