Hi, I’m John Matras
What’s This About?
Remember Road is a collection of articles about cars and automotive topics written over my 35-year career. I compiled this website for car enthusiasts to be able to enjoy reading these articles in one place. This site contains “reprints” of articles about classic and collector cars from Auto Week, Automobile Quarterly, Automobile, Road & Track Specials, Motor Trend special editions, European Car, Collectible Automobile, Sport Compact Car, and others.
What’s New?
If you’ve read Auto Week, Road & Track Specials, Motor Trend Special Editions, or other leading automotive magazines, you may have already come across my work. My articles only existed there, until now. I will be releasing these stories periodically, and below you’ll find the latest ones.
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2001 Audi TT: Controversial, quick and unique
Surely one of the most idiosyncratic automobiles to burst onto the automotive scene since, say, the cooling of the earth is the Audi TT. Shaped something like a snap beetle with wheels, it’s immediately disliked by some. If that’s you,…
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’57 Fuelie: Instant Racer, Just Add High Test (1957 Corvette RPO 684/RPO 579E)
No ifs, ands or buts, it was easy in 1957 to build yourself an over-the-counter racer. Visit your local Chevrolet dealer, put checkmarks next to the boxes for RPO 684 and RPO 579E, and get a checkered flag down at…
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Cadillac Allante and Buick Reatta: Pick a Pair of Luxury Two-Seaters from General Motors
There’s only one problem with two seaters: there are only two seats. After all, when you have a two-seater, you want to take people out for a ride to show off your new toy. With a two-seater, you can take…
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2008 Porsche Boxster RS60 Spyder: Special
When a carmaker has a model that has been around for a while, it starts making special models, such as Porsche has done with the 2008 Boxster RS60 Spyder. But then, aren’t all Porsches special? Still, with a mid-cycle update…
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Bentley 3-litre: A true driver’s car for both street and race circuit
The organization for this marque is known as the Bentley Driver’s Club. Not, mind you, Bentley Owners Club. Anyone can be an owner. All it takes is a healthy checkbook and willingness to use it. Which is not to say…
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Production version of the Cadillac Ciel concept dies alongside Caddy übersedan
Its fate is sealed. According to a report by Automotive News, a production version of the Cadillac Ciel isn’t going to happen. The Cadillac Ciel, a four-door convertible, could have been, if perhaps not a four-door drop-top, a long and…
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Brubaker Box: The original minivan
“We were chugging along looking for clients, trying to survive with a small design office, when it occurred to me that there were a hell of a lot of surfer kids getting around in old beat-up Volkswagen vans.” That was…
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1987 Renault GTA: Franco-American from the land of cheese
The Renault Alliance was dull. Born in France as the Renault 9 in 1981 and built beginning in 1982 in Kenosha, Wis. by American Motors during that company’s, well, alliance with the French automaker, the Alliance was powered by a…
