History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek April 1, 1985 I really had no alternative. The only reasonable thing to do was to down shift to second gear, moving the lever through the notchy pattern that felt like it should be gated but really wasn’t, and hit the buttons to lower both the passenger and driver […]
MGA Coupe: A junior GT for road or track
History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek April 27, 1987 I never quite understood why Julius Caesar wanted to conquer the British Isles. It never seemed quite worth the effort, especially when home was sunny Italy and offered all the vino you could tote to the Forum. It also never made much sense to me that […]
Alfa Giulia Spider: Simpatico never was more Italian
History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek March 11, 1985 There is something there that loves an Alfa Romeo Giulia Spider. There is an aura, a certain magic, even in the words, that arouses emotion, a definable affection that can be spoken only in Italian: Simpatico. One not need speak Italian to know the meaning of […]
Saab Sonett II: Different strokes from Swedish folks
History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek June 9, 1986 Bound in this white plastic projectile I dance on the offset pedals and coax the stubborn column shifter from gear to gear, surrounded by the peculiar note of the two-stroke triple. I brake early for the corners and then slither through the corners at full throttle, […]
Meskowski dirt car: AJ Foyt’s training wheels
History originally published in AutoWeek July 30, 1984 Highway 51 rides the backbone of America. The southern end is anchored at New Orleans, the other in northern Wisconsin. In between, the asphalt runs through Centralia, Illinois, which, at least Before California, was about as close to the US center as a city could be. Some […]
Lotus 47: Hard to get in, easy to go fast
History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek November 12, 1984 Down the hill and out of the right-hand turn, down the straight. Building revs and shift. A glance at the pits to my right, and then the chartreuse letters spelling “Lime Rock” on the pavement flash underneath. For all that I, with eyeballs a yard high […]
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