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. To my right is a Karmann Ghia, and I’m looking up at it. In the passenger seat to my left is Allan Modney, president of Automarque in Arlington, Virginia. We’re […]
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 homer and, by initial reports, Chrysler has driven one out of the park with the Dodge Viper RT/10. Truth is there is no rational justification for the Viper. Certainly it […]
Fulfilling Francophiles: Peugeot’s gone, but French eccentricity lives on in a Citroen XM gray market
Originally published in AutoWeek, October 26, 1992 Citroen XM; photos by John Matras Unique is an overworked and often improperly used word, so we won’t use it to describe the Citroen XM. The XM is, however, the only French automobile currently being imported into the United States and it is, well, different. As you’d expect […]
Bristol 408: Superb Performance Plus Individuality
History originally published in AutoWeek, December 27, 1982 For some, a Rolls is to ostentatious. For some, a jaguar is too common and flashy. Mercedes or BMW, too, well, German. Italian cars are simply too exotic. Even a Bentley is too obvious. For these people, however, there is Bristol. Bristol is a carmaker for a […]
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 a twist of the handle, but it’s on the front of the car. I can’t just slide in from the side like I’ve practiced for years. It’s a learned skill, […]
Bentley Continental R-Type: The Rolls-Royce of Bentleys
Originally published in AutoWeek July 22, 1985 1954 Bentley Continental R-Type; photos by John Matras When I was boy, a visit at Uncle Henry’s was always special. Uncle Henry, you see, had every copy of Mechanix Illustrated ever printed—or so it seemed—and every copy of Mechanix Illustrated , in addition to MiMi-clad-in-overalls-that-covered-as-little-as-possible in those days […]
What They’re Saying