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Yugo GV and GVC: Yugo, he gone

1981-1990 I-4 Yugo Yugoslavia

Yugo GV and GVC: Yugo, he gone

History originally published in Examiner.com 7/17/2010 and news item November 16, 2008 What a deal it was! Look, Ma, a new car--they call it a…

JmatrasApril 3, 2025

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1956 Lancia Aurelia Spyder: Simple, golden

1956 Lancia Aurelia Spyder: Simple, golden

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek, September 3, 2001; republished by the author When the roll is called up yonder for great cars that no…

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…

1960 Plymouth Fury: The tale (fin) of the 1950s

1960 Plymouth Fury: The tale (fin) of the 1950s

History/driving impessions originally published AutoWeek September 27. 1999; republished by the author If there is a single icon for the automotive 1950s, it’s the tailfin.…

1992-1994 Acura Vigor: Silent Running

1992-1994 Acura Vigor: Silent Running

History/driving impressions originally published in Sport Compact Car, October 2000; republished by the author It’s as if Acura had tossed a stone in a pond…

Land Rover Defender 110: No doubt, the redoubtable Brit

Land Rover Defender 110: No doubt, the redoubtable Brit

No doubt, from the bottom of its 16-in. Michelin mud-and-snow tires to the top of its Paris-Moscow-Beijing Rally externally mounted rollbar, the Land Rover…

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…

1969 AMC Javelin SST 290: American Motors fields pony car-era bruiser-cruiser

1969 AMC Javelin SST 290: American Motors fields pony car-era bruiser-cruiser

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek October 22, 1990; republished by the author Growing up in the ‘60s, you were a Ford guy, a Chevy…

Suzuki X-90: Don’t ask Y

Suzuki X-90: Don’t ask Y

Review originally published in Road & Track Truck & Van ’98 Buyer’s Guide; republished by the author It doesn’t take more than one look the…

1975 Toyota Corolla Deluxe: The first “new Beetle”

1975 Toyota Corolla Deluxe: The first “new Beetle”

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek April 24, 1999; republished by the author Something amazing happened in 1975. For the first time in two decades,…

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…

1975 Ferrari 308GT4: The new Ferrari designed for a new era

1975 Ferrari 308GT4: The new Ferrari designed for a new era

I have a secret, but I'll tell you because we're old friends and I know I can trust you. Ready? O.K. The Ferrari 308GT4 is…

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…

1976 Mazda Cosmo: A hit in Japan, but an energy-crisis miss in the States

1976 Mazda Cosmo: A hit in Japan, but an energy-crisis miss in the States

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek April 11, 1994; republished by the author The Mazda Cosmo should have been a runaway success. After all, it…

BMW 2002 Cabrio: Taking the lid off a beefier Bimmer

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek November 19, 1984; republished by the author Putting the top down. It’s a delight, it’s a fascination, it’s a…

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…

1968 Lancia Flaminia Berlina: Italy’s most luxurious sedan

1968 Lancia Flaminia Berlina: Italy’s most luxurious sedan

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek February 25, 2002; republished by the author The Via Flaminia, one of the great Roman roads, was laid down…

1963 Citroen ID-19: Smooth as cheese & crackers, but not our can of soup

1963 Citroen ID-19: Smooth as cheese & crackers, but not our can of soup

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek October 17, 1994; republished by author “Je me suis inspire d’un oiseau aquatique.” Well, it does look a little…

1976-1983 Renault 5 Le Car

1976-1983 Renault 5 Le Car

History originally published in Sport Compact Car November 1998; republished by the author Shakespeare said, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”…

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…

1985 Maserati Quattroporte: Italian definition of a four-door makes a statement

1985 Maserati Quattroporte: Italian definition of a four-door makes a statement

History/driving impression originally published in AutoWeek November 12, 1990; republished by the author English is an efficient and purposeful language, but Italian is more exquisite…

1976 Triumph TR6: Symbolizing the twilight of the British sports car’s reign

1976 Triumph TR6: Symbolizing the twilight of the British sports car’s reign

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek July 18, 1994. The hood is narrow, much more so from the driver’s seat them when viewed from outside.…

1957 Simca Vedette Versailles: Nee Ford, Simca’s star of the 1950s

1957 Simca Vedette Versailles: Nee Ford, Simca’s star of the 1950s

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek March 27, 1995; republished by the author Two of the least frequently noted developments regarding automobiles in France were…

Mazda RX-7 convertible conversion, 1979-1987: Pacific Avatar and the Topless Californians

Originally included in Mazda RX-7 Sports Car Color History, by John Matras, published by Motorbooks International, 1994; republished by the author Just looking at the…

1967-73 Saab 96 Sport & Rally: Swedes maximize potency of “stunt plane for the road”

1967-73 Saab 96 Sport & Rally: Swedes maximize potency of “stunt plane for the road”

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek July 22, 1991 Eager and alert and minus only wings, tail structure and propeller, this Saab 96 resembles a…

1997 Acura NSX

1997 Acura NSX

Originally published in The Complete Road & Track ’97 Car Buyer’s Guide; republished by the author Back in the mid-60’s, a serious sports car had…

1913 Zinn-Buick racer: Re-bodied Model 24 roadster lays claim to longevity

1913 Zinn-Buick racer: Re-bodied Model 24 roadster lays claim to longevity

History originally published in AutoWeek March 13, 1989; republished by the author Zinn – Eugene “Huey” Zinn, that is – doesn’t exactly spring to mind…

1980 Dodge Omni 024 De Tomaso: Phony Label but Still Avant Garde

1980 Dodge Omni 024 De Tomaso: Phony Label but Still Avant Garde

History originally published in Sport Compact Car June 1998; republished by the author It should have been no surprise that in 1978 when Chrysler introduced…

1951 Dellow Mk I: Sports car evolved from traditional British “trials” racers

1951 Dellow Mk I: Sports car evolved from traditional British “trials” racers

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek December 13, 1993; republished by the author If you can think of history as waves of rising and falling…

2017 Fiat 124 Spider Lusso quick drive review: Mostly familiar but different

2017 Fiat 124 Spider Lusso quick drive review: Mostly familiar but different

Contemporary first drive review originally published in CarBuzzard, Nov. 1. 2016 There were two things we were worried about with the new 2017 Fiat 124…

Hemi Under Glass: Sometimes a design mistake lives forever – if it’s spectacular enough to keep packin’ ’em in

Hemi Under Glass: Sometimes a design mistake lives forever – if it’s spectacular enough to keep packin’ ’em in

Feature originally published in AutoWeek, July 15, 1985; republished by the author The two drivers are buckled in and helmeted. Each cranks the giant Chevy…

Saab 93B: The Saab America loved first

Saab 93B: The Saab America loved first

History/driving impressions originally published in European Car August 1995; republished by the author The first Saab to come to America, at least officially, was a…

Asardo 3500 GM-S: Dream car went from ’59 N.Y. show to GM V-8 power

Asardo 3500 GM-S: Dream car went from ’59 N.Y. show to GM V-8 power

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek April 30, 1990; republished by the author Dreams are wisps of fantasy, but to the true believer they’re as…

1968 Lamborgini Islero: Unloved styling marked “The Forgotten Lamborghini”

1968 Lamborgini Islero: Unloved styling marked “The Forgotten Lamborghini”

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek October 23, 1989; republished by the author The Lamborghini Islero has been called “The Forgotten Lamborghini,” which shouldn’t particularly…

1967 DAF 55

1967 DAF 55

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…

1995 Toyota MR2

1995 Toyota MR2

Contemporary new-car review originally published in Road & Track 1995 Buyers Guide Following is a list of affordable mid-engine sports cars: Toyota MR2. Yes, that’s…

1954 Volkswagen-Okrasa Cabrio: A rare survivor of the hot-rodded Beetles of the 50s

1954 Volkswagen-Okrasa Cabrio: A rare survivor of the hot-rodded Beetles of the 50s

History originally published in AutoWeek June 19, 1989 We have become so accustomed to the radically modified VW – it approaches minor religion status in…

The Great Volvo Sports Car: Buying the Volvo 1800 Series

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…

Sixty-Three and Counting (Mac McGrady’s Nash-Healeys)

Sixty-Three and Counting (Mac McGrady’s Nash-Healeys)

His addiction began in 1953, explains Leonard Nelson “Mac” McGrady. As a son of an automobile dealer, McGrady had seen many cars, but when he…

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…

1993 Ford Bronco: The big-selling, big ute

1993 Ford Bronco: The big-selling, big ute

Review originally published in Road & Track Sport-Utilities Pickups & Vans Buyer’s Guide 1993; republished by the author. With all the hoopla surrounding Ford’s Explorer…

1949 Maserati A6/1500: Lusty little coupe became Italian firm’s benchmark car

1949 Maserati A6/1500: Lusty little coupe became Italian firm’s benchmark car

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek January 7, 1991; republished by the author. Two years after the end of World War II, with most of…

1989-1994 Mercury Capri XR2

1989-1994 Mercury Capri XR2

History/driving impressions originally published in Sport Compact Car October 2001; republished by the author It just goes to show you how things so similar can…

1928-36 Duesenberg J/SJ: Driving Miss Doozy

1928-36 Duesenberg J/SJ: Driving Miss Doozy

History/owner’s guide (CollectorFILE) originally published in AutoWeek April 18, 1994; republished by the author “It’s a doozy.” The phrases entered the American lexicon to the…

Merkur XR4Ti: The T-Bird’s continental cousin

Merkur XR4Ti: The T-Bird’s continental cousin

History/buyer’s guide originally published in European Car, August 1996 Anyone partial to European mobiles was all the more frustrated by the new Ford Sierra XR-4i.…

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…

1960 Mazda R360

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…

1969 Dodge Dart GTS 383: A high-water mark of straight-line performance

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…

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 First Automobile Race in America: Chicago, November 28, 1895

The First Automobile Race in America: Chicago, November 28, 1895

Originally published in Automobile, February, 1991; republished by the author “As impassable as the alleys of Stamboul; as filthy and mucky as the roads of…

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…

Random Picks

1978 Dodge Li’l Red Truck: A red-hot hauler

1978 Dodge Li’l Red Truck: A red-hot hauler

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek March 2, 1987 Overlap, overlap, overlap, the V-8 whispers, telling secrets about its camshaft, gently rocking the truck with…

1912 Simplex 50 HP Tourabout: Quality construction, sporting luxury powered by 10 liters

1912 Simplex 50 HP Tourabout: Quality construction, sporting luxury powered by 10 liters

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek July 20, 1987 Rolling down the highway at 50 mph, the only sounds come from the wind as it…

Review: 1994 Toyota Supra

Review: 1994 Toyota Supra

Review originally published in Road and Track Specials 1994 Buyers Guide You can see it in their eyes, from the round-eyed wonder of little boys,…

Maserati 3500GTI: Six for the road

Maserati 3500GTI: Six for the road

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…

1976 Lancia Scorpion: In Search of a Stinger

1976 Lancia Scorpion: In Search of a Stinger

Originally published in European Car, August 1994 1976 Lancia Beta Scorpion, photos by John Matras What a concept. The country that gave us the Fiat…

The First Automobile Race in America: Chicago, November 28, 1895

The First Automobile Race in America: Chicago, November 28, 1895

Originally published in Automobile, February, 1991; republished by the author “As impassable as the alleys of Stamboul; as filthy and mucky as the roads of…

1969 Dodge Dart GTS 383: A high-water mark of straight-line performance

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…

Citroen 2CV long-term test: Zero to 60 in a new, pre-‘ 68 Deux Chevaux

New-car review originally published an AutoWeek June 10, 1985 I know why celebrities wear dark glasses: Being noticed has its advantages, but after a while…

Rock ‘n’ roll: Mazda MX-5 Miata versus Lotus Elan

Rock ‘n’ roll: Mazda MX-5 Miata versus Lotus Elan

Comparison review republished by the author; originally published in Motor Trend’s 1990 Sports Cars of the World They don’t make rock ‘n’ roll like they…

Kermit the Bentley: It’s not easy being green

Kermit the Bentley: It’s not easy being green

History originally published in AutoWeek December 10, 1984 “Back in the mid-1950s a young man in England named Collin Hiley was apprenticed to Rolls-Royce Aero…

2016 Ford Shelby GT350R Mustang track drive review: Flat-plane geometry and monster brakes

2016 Ford Shelby GT350R Mustang track drive review: Flat-plane geometry and monster brakes

Car review originally published in CarBuzzard May 21, 2016 There’s a sort of chicane, and the 2016 Shelby GT350R Mustang tags the curbing on the…

Jaguar Mk IX: Great Britain’s Grandest Cat

Jaguar Mk IX: Great Britain’s Grandest Cat

Originally published in AutoWeek, November 1, 1982 1961 Jaguar Mk IX; John Matras photo. It seems rudely out of place. There, surrounded by the Edwardian…

1971-73 Plymouth Cricket: On a Sticky Wicket

1971-73 Plymouth Cricket: On a Sticky Wicket

Originally published in Sport Compact Car, September, 1996 1972 Plymouth Cricket; Chrysler Corp. photos The Plymouth Cricket is largely forgotten today, but in 1971, it…

Type 49 Bugatti: Mme. Abry’s piece de resistance

Type 49 Bugatti: Mme. Abry’s piece de resistance

History originally published in AutoWeek November 26, 1983 The Schlumpfs: Hans and Fritz, brothers, textile industrialists of Alsace, fanciers of classic automobiles,, fanatics for Bugatti’s.…

1967 Jensen FF: American push, British pull

1967 Jensen FF: American push, British pull

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek August 9, 1982 Do something, I thought. But no, the Jensen FF belied its four-wheel-drive and behaved like a…

AC Aceca Bristol: Predecessor of the “Snake”

AC Aceca Bristol: Predecessor of the “Snake”

Originally published in AutoWeek November 15, 1982 AC Aceca Bristol; photos by John Matras AC was on a roll. Its roadster, the AC Ace, had…

Intermeccanica Italia: Italian-American with an identity crisis

Intermeccanica Italia: Italian-American with an identity crisis

History originally published in AutoWeek April 2, 1984 I was skirting the Virginia shore of the Potomac River on the downstream side of Washington, DC,…

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.…

Model T speedster: Hot rod of an earlier age

Model T speedster: Hot rod of an earlier age

History originally published in AutoWeek February 16, 1987 The crackle of the exhaust was like nothing you’ve ever heard, popping and snapping it idle, booming…

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…

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