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 for a new car introduction, but then the car being introduced was rather unlikely. Powered by a horizontally-opposed twin-cylinder air-cooled engine and sporting peculiar shovel-nosed front end styling that could […]
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 asked the question in a magazine ad and answered it with “Find out for $3995” and a picture of the P1800 (along with a $12,500 for a Ferrari, a similarly […]
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 a never-before coupe version, a new frame, new front suspension, new independent rear suspension. It’s no wonder the St. Louis plant went on double shifts as sales topped 20,000 for […]
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 moved on to something else, you’re dead. The best widgets in the world are useless if they been replaced by framuses. That was the dilemma facing Toyo Kogyo , as […]
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 is a hell of a way to start a 24-hour race, particularly a Ferrari team car with the second-fastest time in qualifying and a real chance at an overall win. […]
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 let out the heavy clutch and edge up the revs just a bit. The big V-8 chuffles and the car edges forward and around, out onto the narrow two-lane blacktop […]
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