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1973 Chrysler New Yorker Brougham: Gas crisis! What gas crisis?

1971-1980 Chrysler USA V-8

1973 Chrysler New Yorker Brougham: Gas crisis! What gas crisis?

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek December 3, 2001; republished by the author You could play tennis on the poop deck of this thing. And…

JmatrasApril 3, 2025

1956 Chrysler New Yorker: Styled in a flight of fancy, but the power was very real

1951-1960 Chrysler USA V-8

1956 Chrysler New Yorker: Styled in a flight of fancy, but the power was very real

History originally published in AutoWeek October 31, 1988 Chrysler called it “Flightswept” and although 1956 didn’t bring the ultimate in befinned automotive extravaganzas from Chrysler…

JmatrasApril 3, 2025

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Home
The Cars:
The Make
- Abarth
  - AC
  - Acura
  - Alfa Romeo
  - Alvis
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  - Arnolt
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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…

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 Big Three-0: Range Rover has [30th] birthday, and Brits celebrate en masse

The Big Three-0: Range Rover has [30th] birthday, and Brits celebrate en masse

Event report originally published in AutoWeek on October 16, 2000; republished by the author Thirty years to the day, Range Rover enthusiasts gathered at the…

Supercharging to the Rescue: 1994 Toyota Previa S/C

Supercharging to the Rescue: 1994 Toyota Previa S/C

Contemporary new product report/review originally published in Popular Science April 1994; republished by the author It seemed that Toyota had painted itself into a corner.…

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1933 Rolls-Royce Park Ward Coupe: Right drive, left entry

1933 Rolls-Royce Park Ward Coupe: Right drive, left entry

History originally published in AutoWeek June 25, 1984 Rolls-Royce has never been predisposed to produce a range of vehicles designed and priced for a variety…

Kaz’s DAFs

Kaz’s DAFs

Vintage Stuff feature originally published in Automobile August 1992 The electronic continuously variable transmission (ECVT) on today’s Subarus first appeared in the Sixties on Dutch…

1959 Deutsch-Bonnet HBR5: Frenchmen team for Panhard-powered bulbous bullet

1959 Deutsch-Bonnet HBR5: Frenchmen team for Panhard-powered bulbous bullet

History originally published in AutoWeek October 15, 1990 Charles Deutsch was the designer and Rene Bonnet made the engines go faster, together these two Frenchmen…

BMW 1600-2 Cabriolet: Blue-sky Never

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…

Kibler Aircar

Kibler Aircar

Originally published in Automobile, February 1988 Behind John Kibler’s head is a 400-cubic-inch V-8 rescued from a 1971 Chevy Kingswood station wagon. Its roar, however,…

Lamborghini Espada: Two-plus-two equals success

Lamborghini Espada: Two-plus-two equals success

History originally published in AutoWeek, February 2, 1987 For the large automobile manufacturer, the launching of each new model represents a risk of manageable proportions.…

Lamborghini Urraco: Flawed but not forgotten

Lamborghini Urraco: Flawed but not forgotten

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek August 11, 1986 I was told to look for the Urraco. The airport at Savannah, Ga., is small and,…

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…

Volvos 480ES: The Immigrant that wasn’t

History originally published in Sport Compact Car, December 1997 Of all the “could’ve beens,” perhaps the saddest ever is the Volvo 480 Turbo. Volvo hadn’t…

1998 Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4: Survival of the nifty

1998 Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4: Survival of the nifty

Contemporary review originally published in 1998 Road & Track Sports & GT Cars Not long ago car market was awash in Japanese high-performance cars and…

1970 Opel GT 1.9: Mini-Vette?

1970 Opel GT 1.9: Mini-Vette?

History/driving impressions originally published in Special Interest Autos, June 1997; republished by the author Compare the front clip of any production Opel GT with a…

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…

A pair of Porsches: Super-90 and Carrera 2

A pair of Porsches: Super-90 and Carrera 2

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek June 23, 1986 This isn’t a history of Porsche. It isn’t history of the 356 or even the 356B.…

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…

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…

Saab Sonett I: The open sports car the Swedes should have produced

Saab Sonett I: The open sports car the Swedes should have produced

Originally published in VW & Porsche, June 1990 The winter nights around Trollhattan are cold and long and snow is always on the ground. But,…

Supercharging to the Rescue: 1994 Toyota Previa S/C

Supercharging to the Rescue: 1994 Toyota Previa S/C

Contemporary new product report/review originally published in Popular Science April 1994; republished by the author It seemed that Toyota had painted itself into a corner.…

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…

Berkeley: Tiny but not insignificant

Berkeley: Tiny but not insignificant

History/driving impressions republished by the author, originally published in AutoWeek October 6, 1986 Well-known late-night comedian: “This car is really small.” Audience: “How small is…

Maserati Ghibli Spider: Driving under the Influence.

Maserati Ghibli Spider: Driving under the Influence.

Originally published in AutoWeek October 18, 1982 Maserati Ghibli Spider, photos by John Matras. Summer nights are special magic, a sorcery that suspends time and…

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1989 Mazda RX-7 Infini IV: The Orient Express

First published in the book, Sports Car Color History Mazda RX-7 (1994) by John Matras 1989 Mazda RX-7 Infini IV; photos by John Matras The…

1951 Mercedes-Benz 170S Cabriolet: Playing survivor

1951 Mercedes-Benz 170S Cabriolet: Playing survivor

History originally published in AutoWeek September 24, 2001 Allied bombing had done its best to destroy the ability of the Third Reich to wage war.…

1983 Volvo Limited Edition 240 Turbo, the “Flat Hood”

1983 Volvo Limited Edition 240 Turbo, the “Flat Hood”

History originally published in the Illustrated Volvo Buyer’s Guide, 1983, by John Matras; republished by the author The 1983 Volvo Limited Edition 240 Turbo is…

Ginetta G4: Not a Car for the Dilettante

Ginetta G4: Not a Car for the Dilettante

Originally published in AutoWeek, November 22, 1982 I look in the tiny dash-mounted rear view mirror and all I see is a grill-mounted Chevy bow-tie.…

1933 Rolls-Royce Park Ward Coupe: Right drive, left entry

1933 Rolls-Royce Park Ward Coupe: Right drive, left entry

History originally published in AutoWeek June 25, 1984 Rolls-Royce has never been predisposed to produce a range of vehicles designed and priced for a variety…

1971-74 De Tomaso Pantera: Ford’s “affordable” exotic at home among the classics

1971-74 De Tomaso Pantera: Ford’s “affordable” exotic at home among the classics

Originally published in AutoWeek, August 7, 1989 If longevity has anything to say about virtue, as it does with, say, the VW Beetle or Citroen…

Dodge Viper: The Perfect 10

Dodge Viper: The Perfect 10

Originally published in Automobile Quarterly, Volume 31, Number 2 It’s outrageous, it’s extravagant, it may be somewhat antisocial, but it’s American as a grand slam…

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…

1982 Lancia Zagato: A car we should have loved more

1982 Lancia Zagato: A car we should have loved more

History originally published in AutoWeek June 26, 2000 You should have regrets, America. But Italy, it’s partly your fault as well. A car with pretty,…

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…

Saab Sonett I: The open sports car the Swedes should have produced

Saab Sonett I: The open sports car the Swedes should have produced

Originally published in VW & Porsche, June 1990 The winter nights around Trollhattan are cold and long and snow is always on the ground. But,…

Kibler Aircar

Kibler Aircar

Originally published in Automobile, February 1988 Behind John Kibler’s head is a 400-cubic-inch V-8 rescued from a 1971 Chevy Kingswood station wagon. Its roar, however,…

1996 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am WS-6: Heavy breathing in the aviary

1996 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am WS-6: Heavy breathing in the aviary

Cars 1996 Contemporary review originally published in Road & Track Sports & GT 1996 We know, as you do, that the pony car concept is…

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…

1973 Chrysler New Yorker Brougham: Gas crisis! What gas crisis?

1973 Chrysler New Yorker Brougham: Gas crisis! What gas crisis?

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek December 3, 2001; republished by the author You could play tennis on the poop deck of this thing. And…

Lotus 11 Le Mans: Made for Mulsanne

Lotus 11 Le Mans: Made for Mulsanne

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek March 31, 1986 Tears are streaming back into my ears. The 1100cc Coventry Climax engine is bellowing angrily as…

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…

Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Daytona Spyder: The Spyder inside the Daytona

Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Daytona Spyder: The Spyder inside the Daytona

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek December 29, 1986 It shouldn’t have existed, the Daytona Spyder. At least it shouldn’t have been what it was.…

Jaguar Mk V: Cat with a hot landau roof

Jaguar Mk V: Cat with a hot landau roof

History/driving impressions originally published August 13, 1984 There is no better way to pave one’s own road to the automotive scrapheap of history than to…

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…

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