Originally published in European Car, August 1994 1976 Lancia Beta Scorpion, photos by John Matras What a concept. The country that gave us the Fiat X1/9 – which Road & Track magazine called “the best handling car in the world” – a big brother, a mid-engined sports car with real beans. More power! In fact, […]
1965 Matra-Bonnet Djet: The first mid-engine production car
Originally published in AutoWeek, April 25, 1988. 1965 Matra-Bonnet Djet, photos by John Matras. Europa. Miura. Manguta. Dino. Stratos. Pantera. Countach. Boxer. Bora. Esprit. M1. 308. Mondial. Testarossa. GTO. Compile a list of favorite enthusiast cars and often as not you’ll find the engine is in the middle. Excuses are low polar moment, front-to-rear balance, […]
1971 Alfa Romeo Junior Zagato: Senior approves
Originally published in AutoWeek, August 30, 1982 1971 Alfa Romeo Junior Zagato; photos by John Matras Lippity clip. Lip. Clip. The Alfa skips down Penny Grove Road, an ancient wooded path paved only as an afterthought. It’s so narrow that it must have cause problems when farm wagons met on it. The surface is an […]
1971-73 Plymouth Cricket: On a Sticky Wicket
Originally published in Sport Compact Car, September, 1996 1972 Plymouth Cricket; Chrysler Corp. photos The Plymouth Cricket is largely forgotten today, but in 1971, it was Chrysler’s temporary future. In 1970, Chrysler Corporation had been rolling in the present. With the 426 Hemi and the 440 Wedge and some of the best styled and engineered […]
BMW 1600-2 Cabriolet: Blue-sky Never
Originally published in AutoWeek April 5, 1983 BMW 1600-2 Cabriolet; Photo by John Matras It drives BMW owners wild. It makes ‘em crazy. To be sure, others notice the BMW 1600-2 Cabriolet. Some, slant six Valiant drivers for example, ask what kind of car it is. Others, more astute, point it out to their friends. […]
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