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Vauxhall 30/98: The beginning of the end of an era of sportsters

I-4 Vauxhall

Vauxhall 30/98: The beginning of the end of an era of sportsters

Original history/driving impressions originally published in Motor Trend’s Sports Cars of the World-1990, republished by the author “Only $2,575,291.” That’s how much GM paid for…

JmatrasApril 3, 2025

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1956 Lancia Aurelia Spyder: Simple, golden

1956 Lancia Aurelia Spyder: Simple, golden

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek, September 3, 2001; republished by the author When the roll is called up yonder for great cars that no…

1998 Volvo C70 Coupe and Convertible

1998 Volvo C70 Coupe and Convertible

Preview originally published in European car, November 1996; republished by the author coup de main: a sudden action undertaken to surprise an enemy coupe from…

1960 Plymouth Fury: The tale (fin) of the 1950s

1960 Plymouth Fury: The tale (fin) of the 1950s

History/driving impessions originally published AutoWeek September 27. 1999; republished by the author If there is a single icon for the automotive 1950s, it’s the tailfin.…

1992-1994 Acura Vigor: Silent Running

1992-1994 Acura Vigor: Silent Running

History/driving impressions originally published in Sport Compact Car, October 2000; republished by the author It’s as if Acura had tossed a stone in a pond…

Land Rover Defender 110: No doubt, the redoubtable Brit

Land Rover Defender 110: No doubt, the redoubtable Brit

No doubt, from the bottom of its 16-in. Michelin mud-and-snow tires to the top of its Paris-Moscow-Beijing Rally externally mounted rollbar, the Land Rover…

1984 Audi Sport Quattro: Ingolstad’s civilized rally car proves a “Thriller B”

1984 Audi Sport Quattro: Ingolstad’s civilized rally car proves a “Thriller B”

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek April 26, 1993; republished by the author Audi excised 12.6 inches from the wheelbase of the standard Quattro coupe…

1969 AMC Javelin SST 290: American Motors fields pony car-era bruiser-cruiser

1969 AMC Javelin SST 290: American Motors fields pony car-era bruiser-cruiser

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek October 22, 1990; republished by the author Growing up in the ‘60s, you were a Ford guy, a Chevy…

Suzuki X-90: Don’t ask Y

Suzuki X-90: Don’t ask Y

Review originally published in Road & Track Truck & Van ’98 Buyer’s Guide; republished by the author It doesn’t take more than one look the…

1975 Toyota Corolla Deluxe: The first “new Beetle”

1975 Toyota Corolla Deluxe: The first “new Beetle”

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek April 24, 1999; republished by the author Something amazing happened in 1975. For the first time in two decades,…

1968 Alfa Romeo T33 Stradale: Dancing-in-the-street version of a prototype

1968 Alfa Romeo T33 Stradale: Dancing-in-the-street version of a prototype

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek February 1, 1999; republished by the author Like a persistent back-seat driver, the 2.0-liter V8 yammers incessantly. Sucking air…

1975 Ferrari 308GT4: The new Ferrari designed for a new era

1975 Ferrari 308GT4: The new Ferrari designed for a new era

I have a secret, but I'll tell you because we're old friends and I know I can trust you. Ready? O.K. The Ferrari 308GT4 is…

Ginetta Regeneration (Ginetta G4 and G12, Ginetta G 12 and Ginetta G 32)

Ginetta Regeneration (Ginetta G4 and G12, Ginetta G 12 and Ginetta G 32)

News report originally published in Road & Track Exotic Cars Quarterly, spring 1991; republished by the author Ginetta, the tiny British firm that has been…

1976 Mazda Cosmo: A hit in Japan, but an energy-crisis miss in the States

1976 Mazda Cosmo: A hit in Japan, but an energy-crisis miss in the States

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek April 11, 1994; republished by the author The Mazda Cosmo should have been a runaway success. After all, it…

BMW 2002 Cabrio: Taking the lid off a beefier Bimmer

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek November 19, 1984; republished by the author Putting the top down. It’s a delight, it’s a fascination, it’s a…

The Monster: Saab goes double or nothing

The Monster: Saab goes double or nothing

History originally published in AutoWeek July 19, 1999; republished by the author It looks so innocent, like any other Saab 93 there in the Saab…

1968 Lancia Flaminia Berlina: Italy’s most luxurious sedan

1968 Lancia Flaminia Berlina: Italy’s most luxurious sedan

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek February 25, 2002; republished by the author The Via Flaminia, one of the great Roman roads, was laid down…

1963 Citroen ID-19: Smooth as cheese & crackers, but not our can of soup

1963 Citroen ID-19: Smooth as cheese & crackers, but not our can of soup

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek October 17, 1994; republished by author “Je me suis inspire d’un oiseau aquatique.” Well, it does look a little…

1976-1983 Renault 5 Le Car

1976-1983 Renault 5 Le Car

History originally published in Sport Compact Car November 1998; republished by the author Shakespeare said, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”…

Special Edition’s Shogun: Here’s to crazy ideas

Special Edition’s Shogun: Here’s to crazy ideas

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek April 24, 2000; republished by the author “By the fifth Corona it seem like a bitchin’ idea,” Rick Titus…

1985 Maserati Quattroporte: Italian definition of a four-door makes a statement

1985 Maserati Quattroporte: Italian definition of a four-door makes a statement

History/driving impression originally published in AutoWeek November 12, 1990; republished by the author English is an efficient and purposeful language, but Italian is more exquisite…

1976 Triumph TR6: Symbolizing the twilight of the British sports car’s reign

1976 Triumph TR6: Symbolizing the twilight of the British sports car’s reign

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek July 18, 1994. The hood is narrow, much more so from the driver’s seat them when viewed from outside.…

1957 Simca Vedette Versailles: Nee Ford, Simca’s star of the 1950s

1957 Simca Vedette Versailles: Nee Ford, Simca’s star of the 1950s

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek March 27, 1995; republished by the author Two of the least frequently noted developments regarding automobiles in France were…

Mazda RX-7 convertible conversion, 1979-1987: Pacific Avatar and the Topless Californians

Originally included in Mazda RX-7 Sports Car Color History, by John Matras, published by Motorbooks International, 1994; republished by the author Just looking at the…

1967-73 Saab 96 Sport & Rally: Swedes maximize potency of “stunt plane for the road”

1967-73 Saab 96 Sport & Rally: Swedes maximize potency of “stunt plane for the road”

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek July 22, 1991 Eager and alert and minus only wings, tail structure and propeller, this Saab 96 resembles a…

1997 Acura NSX

1997 Acura NSX

Originally published in The Complete Road & Track ’97 Car Buyer’s Guide; republished by the author Back in the mid-60’s, a serious sports car had…

1913 Zinn-Buick racer: Re-bodied Model 24 roadster lays claim to longevity

1913 Zinn-Buick racer: Re-bodied Model 24 roadster lays claim to longevity

History originally published in AutoWeek March 13, 1989; republished by the author Zinn – Eugene “Huey” Zinn, that is – doesn’t exactly spring to mind…

1980 Dodge Omni 024 De Tomaso: Phony Label but Still Avant Garde

1980 Dodge Omni 024 De Tomaso: Phony Label but Still Avant Garde

History originally published in Sport Compact Car June 1998; republished by the author It should have been no surprise that in 1978 when Chrysler introduced…

1951 Dellow Mk I: Sports car evolved from traditional British “trials” racers

1951 Dellow Mk I: Sports car evolved from traditional British “trials” racers

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek December 13, 1993; republished by the author If you can think of history as waves of rising and falling…

2017 Fiat 124 Spider Lusso quick drive review: Mostly familiar but different

2017 Fiat 124 Spider Lusso quick drive review: Mostly familiar but different

Contemporary first drive review originally published in CarBuzzard, Nov. 1. 2016 There were two things we were worried about with the new 2017 Fiat 124…

Hemi Under Glass: Sometimes a design mistake lives forever – if it’s spectacular enough to keep packin’ ’em in

Hemi Under Glass: Sometimes a design mistake lives forever – if it’s spectacular enough to keep packin’ ’em in

Feature originally published in AutoWeek, July 15, 1985; republished by the author The two drivers are buckled in and helmeted. Each cranks the giant Chevy…

Saab 93B: The Saab America loved first

Saab 93B: The Saab America loved first

History/driving impressions originally published in European Car August 1995; republished by the author The first Saab to come to America, at least officially, was a…

Asardo 3500 GM-S: Dream car went from ’59 N.Y. show to GM V-8 power

Asardo 3500 GM-S: Dream car went from ’59 N.Y. show to GM V-8 power

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek April 30, 1990; republished by the author Dreams are wisps of fantasy, but to the true believer they’re as…

1968 Lamborgini Islero: Unloved styling marked “The Forgotten Lamborghini”

1968 Lamborgini Islero: Unloved styling marked “The Forgotten Lamborghini”

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek October 23, 1989; republished by the author The Lamborghini Islero has been called “The Forgotten Lamborghini,” which shouldn’t particularly…

1967 DAF 55

1967 DAF 55

History/driving impression originally published in Sport Compact Car March 2000; republished by the author The Amsterdam Automobile Show in early 1958 was an unlikely venue…

1995 Toyota MR2

1995 Toyota MR2

Contemporary new-car review originally published in Road & Track 1995 Buyers Guide Following is a list of affordable mid-engine sports cars: Toyota MR2. Yes, that’s…

1954 Volkswagen-Okrasa Cabrio: A rare survivor of the hot-rodded Beetles of the 50s

1954 Volkswagen-Okrasa Cabrio: A rare survivor of the hot-rodded Beetles of the 50s

History originally published in AutoWeek June 19, 1989 We have become so accustomed to the radically modified VW – it approaches minor religion status in…

The Great Volvo Sports Car: Buying the Volvo 1800 Series

The Great Volvo Sports Car: Buying the Volvo 1800 Series

History and buyer’s guide originally published in European Car in August 1993; republished by the author “What’s it like to own a $10,000 car?” Volvo…

Sixty-Three and Counting (Mac McGrady’s Nash-Healeys)

Sixty-Three and Counting (Mac McGrady’s Nash-Healeys)

His addiction began in 1953, explains Leonard Nelson “Mac” McGrady. As a son of an automobile dealer, McGrady had seen many cars, but when he…

The Sting Ray: King Corvette (1963-1967 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray)

The Sting Ray: King Corvette (1963-1967 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray)

“Collectorfile” originally published in AutoWeek June 17, 1991; republished by the author What a year 1963 was for the Corvette: a new body style, including…

1993 Ford Bronco: The big-selling, big ute

1993 Ford Bronco: The big-selling, big ute

Review originally published in Road & Track Sport-Utilities Pickups & Vans Buyer’s Guide 1993; republished by the author. With all the hoopla surrounding Ford’s Explorer…

1949 Maserati A6/1500: Lusty little coupe became Italian firm’s benchmark car

1949 Maserati A6/1500: Lusty little coupe became Italian firm’s benchmark car

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek January 7, 1991; republished by the author. Two years after the end of World War II, with most of…

1989-1994 Mercury Capri XR2

1989-1994 Mercury Capri XR2

History/driving impressions originally published in Sport Compact Car October 2001; republished by the author It just goes to show you how things so similar can…

1928-36 Duesenberg J/SJ: Driving Miss Doozy

1928-36 Duesenberg J/SJ: Driving Miss Doozy

History/owner’s guide (CollectorFILE) originally published in AutoWeek April 18, 1994; republished by the author “It’s a doozy.” The phrases entered the American lexicon to the…

Merkur XR4Ti: The T-Bird’s continental cousin

Merkur XR4Ti: The T-Bird’s continental cousin

History/buyer’s guide originally published in European Car, August 1996 Anyone partial to European mobiles was all the more frustrated by the new Ford Sierra XR-4i.…

2007 Saturn Sky Red Line: Raisins in the Sky

2007 Saturn Sky Red Line: Raisins in the Sky

Contemporary review originally published in CarBuzzard September 9, 2007; republished by the author Do you know what it’s like to sit down to a warm…

1960 Mazda R360

1960 Mazda R360

History originally published in Sport Compact Car October 1996; republished by the author. No matter how fine you hone your products, if the market has…

1969 Dodge Dart GTS 383: A high-water mark of straight-line performance

1969 Dodge Dart GTS 383: A high-water mark of straight-line performance

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek January 15, 1990; republished by the author Crank the steering wheel around at least a couple of times, gingerly…

Ferrari 250 GTO: Star-crossed racer’s day in the sun ends in the pits

Ferrari 250 GTO: Star-crossed racer’s day in the sun ends in the pits

History originally published in Road & Track Specials Ferrari 1990; republished by the author Embedded in a sandbank at the end of the Mulsanne straight…

The First Automobile Race in America: Chicago, November 28, 1895

The First Automobile Race in America: Chicago, November 28, 1895

Originally published in Automobile, February, 1991; republished by the author “As impassable as the alleys of Stamboul; as filthy and mucky as the roads of…

The De Tomaso Mangusta: The best car in the world, the worst car in the world

The De Tomaso Mangusta: The best car in the world, the worst car in the world

History/driving impressions originally published AutoWeek October 26, 1988; republished by the author The De Tomaso Mangusta. All the visual impact of the wrong end of…

Random Picks

1990 Saab 9000 2.3: John Matras traveled to the deep South – Talladega – to test the new engine from the far north

1990 Saab 9000 2.3: John Matras traveled to the deep South – Talladega – to test the new engine from the far north

Contemporary review originally published in VW & Porsche and European Automobiles in August 1990 Talladega’s Turn One rises ahead like a 40-footer at the Banzai…

The Sting Ray: King Corvette (1963-1967 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray)

The Sting Ray: King Corvette (1963-1967 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray)

“Collectorfile” originally published in AutoWeek June 17, 1991; republished by the author What a year 1963 was for the Corvette: a new body style, including…

1998 Honda Prelude Type SH: Pulling its weight in style

1998 Honda Prelude Type SH: Pulling its weight in style

Road test originally published in Road & Track Sports & GT Cars 1998 “It is one thing to show a man that he is in…

1975 Toyota Corolla Deluxe: The first “new Beetle”

1975 Toyota Corolla Deluxe: The first “new Beetle”

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek April 24, 1999; republished by the author Something amazing happened in 1975. For the first time in two decades,…

2005 Mercedes-Benz C55 AMG: The fast and the seniorious

2005 Mercedes-Benz C55 AMG: The fast and the seniorious

Review originally published in CarBuzzard 2005 One would like to think that the Mercedes-Benz AMG C55 is the fast and the furious for grownups. Sorta…

1968 Lamborgini Islero: Unloved styling marked “The Forgotten Lamborghini”

1968 Lamborgini Islero: Unloved styling marked “The Forgotten Lamborghini”

1979-82 Fiat Strada: End of the Road

1979-82 Fiat Strada: End of the Road

History originally published in Sport Compact Car, October 1998 The Fiat Strada arrived in the United States with considerable fanfare and a lot of press…

Arnolt-MG: Wacky’s Small Wonder

Arnolt-MG: Wacky’s Small Wonder

History originally published in Sport Compact Car. February 1998 Stanley H. Arnolt Jr wasn’t a big man, but to casual acquaintances, he seemed taller than…

Innocents Abroad: Phil Stiles and George Schrafft and the Crosley Le Mans

Innocents Abroad: Phil Stiles and George Schrafft and the Crosley Le Mans

History originally published in Automobile Magazine, June 1993 No one had expected this much of the first timers at Le Mans, not even the entrants…

1976 Triumph TR6: Symbolizing the twilight of the British sports car’s reign

1976 Triumph TR6: Symbolizing the twilight of the British sports car’s reign

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek July 18, 1994. The hood is narrow, much more so from the driver’s seat them when viewed from outside.…

1955 Packard 400: A very nice place to be

1955 Packard 400: A very nice place to be

History originally published in AutoWeek August 5, 2002 By 1955, Packard was on the ropes. Like a champ who had seen better days, the company…

Armed and Crazy

Armed and Crazy

Feature originally published in Truckin’ March 1983 The energy crisis, while also affecting things like the price of home heating oil, along with the dual…

Robert Valpey’s Allard J2: The first Cad-Allard

Robert Valpey’s Allard J2: The first Cad-Allard

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek September 2, 1985 When Sidney Allard introduced the Allard J2 in 1949, it was to be powered by war…

Ferrari 250GT Spyder California: A Ferrari for the Club, even if the Club is LeMans

Ferrari 250GT Spyder California: A Ferrari for the Club, even if the Club is LeMans

Originally published in AutoWeek August 12, 1985 They don’t build elegant race cars anymore. Sophisticated lines don’t mesh with the crunch and thrust of modern…

BMW Isetta 300: A Perfect Pick for the Pygmies

BMW Isetta 300: A Perfect Pick for the Pygmies

Originally published in Autoweek, June 20, 1983 BMW Isetta 300; Photos by John Matras The first problem is getting in. Sure, the door opens with…

1976-1983 Renault 5 Le Car

1976-1983 Renault 5 Le Car

History originally published in Sport Compact Car November 1998; republished by the author Shakespeare said, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”…

1958 Dual-Ghia 400 Prototype: This show car reached the road, but not production

1958 Dual-Ghia 400 Prototype: This show car reached the road, but not production

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek May 5, 1995 When Eugene Casaroll, owner of Dual Motors, decided to go into the car business, he wanted…

1999 BMW M Coupe: Warning: This coupe can be hazardous to Cougar drivers

1999 BMW M Coupe: Warning: This coupe can be hazardous to Cougar drivers

Contemporary car review originally published in Road & Track Sports & GT Cars 1999 Good thing no one was coming the other way. The driver…

1983 Ferrari BB512i: “In the clearing stands a Boxer…” – A supercar champ

1983 Ferrari BB512i: “In the clearing stands a Boxer…” – A supercar champ

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek October 19, 1992 Not for its tough guy mien was this heavyweight contender dubbed Boxer. It was for the…

1939 BMW 321: From bureaucrat to burgher, the war changed many things

1939 BMW 321: From bureaucrat to burgher, the war changed many things

History originally published in AutoWeek, February 28, 1983 It was a fitting motorcar for the professional, this new BMW 321, a good choice for the…

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