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seen better days, the company that in the ‘30s had been America’s premier carmaker had suffered the one-two punch of an outdated marketing concept compounded by the lack of deep pockets to do much about […]
Singer Roadster: The Last Aria of a Dying Diva
Originally published in AutoWeek in August 8, 1983. It must’ve been rather bleak at Singer Motors as 1956 approached. The Birmingham firm predated the automobile as a manufacturer of bicycles, and it entered the motor business in 1901. By 1928, Singer ranked third among all British private car manufacturers. But sales had slackened through the […]
BMW 502: Delicate Sparkle of a Bavarian Princess
Originally published in AutoWeek, January 3, 1983 There was a time after World War II when it looked as if BMW would not survive. The entire automotive factory, tooling and plans had fallen into the Eastern Sector at Eisenach, and what was left in the West was scattered to the four corners of the earth […]
Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint Speciale: Special Indeed
Originally published in Autoweek, September 13, 1982 Walk around the car. Watch the light work on it, cascade over the body like the ripples of a Disney-animated waterfall. Watch’s reflections slide over the fender, slip down into the trough between the fender and the hood and then spread into a quiet pool over the hood […]
Bentley by Bertone
Originally published in Automobile, June 1992 Stanley “Wacky” Arnolt’s industrial empire included, almost as a sideline, sales and distribution of chiefly British cars and sports-car accessories. He even dabbled in “manufacturing” with the Arnolt-MG and Arnolt-Bristol, which were MG TDs and modified Bristol 404s bodied by Bertone. Seven Aston Martins were handcrafted by Bertone for […]
Austin Princess limo: It really had all the Aminities
Originally published in AutoWeek December 26, 1983 Item: late in the evening of March 20, 1974 Princess Anne was returning to Buckingham Palace in a royal Austin Princess limousine when some disaffected Third Worlder blocked her car with his, then opened fire. It was a kidnap attempt that failed, and although the Princess (the one […]
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