Biturbo Archives - America's Car Blog By John Matras

Mazda Cosmo Sport: RX-7’s honorable ancestor

History originally published in AutoWeek May 7, 1984 The thrill was back, they told us, and how right they were. Emissions controls, beginning in the…

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,…

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.…

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.…

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…

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,…

1984 Lamborghini Jalpa P350: Mimran had a little Lambo

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek August 12, 1996 Ain’t no substitute for cubic inches. No matter how many camshafts you have, adding cubes is…

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…

1969 Dodge Charger 500: Or is it Charger 392?

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek April 15, 1985 The year was 1968. Both the Dodge Charger and the Ford Fairlane had been freshly rebodied.…

The BMW 328 Mille Miglia prototype looked like a winner

History originally published in AutoWeek December 16, 1985 This is a shape, profoundly sensual, utterly female. It is sublime in efficiency, knowledgeable of what must…

Renault 8 Gordini: Semi-rhapsody in blue

History originally published in AutoWeek April 16, 1984 Saying “Gordini” in France is like saying “Shelby” in America. Not only do both names mean automotive…

Daimler SP250: One out of three wasn’t enough

Originally published in AutoWeek March 7, 1983 I may get some argument on this, but I believe automobiles can be – and are – evaluated…

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…

1982 Lancia Zagato: A car we should have loved more

History originally published in AutoWeek June 26, 2000 You should have regrets, America. But Italy, it’s partly your fault as well. A car with pretty,…

1979-1980 Plymouth Fire Arrow: On target

History originally published in Sport Compact Car May 1998 The 1970s were difficult, bringing us not only John Travolta and disco but also diminishing expectations…

Ford Probe: Sporty econocar or Thunderbird stand-in?

Review originally published in Road & Track Car Buyer’s Guide 1997 Once destined to replace the Mustang as a properly down-sized, front-drive import-pretender, the Ford…

BMW 2000Tilux: A sports car for sharing

History originally published in AutoWeek April 11, 1983 Find the roughest road you know: 40-year-old concrete, cracked, broken and rudely patched. Knife-edge ridges and holes.…

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…

Iso Grifo: The Lion and the Eagle

Originally published in AutoWeek May 17, 1982 Iso Grifo; photos by John Matras The Eagle. Symbol of flight and airborne grace. Bent, curved, hammered on…

1939 BMW 321: From bureaucrat to burgher, the war changed many things

History originally published in AutoWeek, February 28, 1983 It was a fitting motorcar for the professional, this new BMW 321, a good choice for the…

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Mazda Cosmo Sport: RX-7’s honorable ancestor

Intermeccanica Italia: Italian-American with an identity crisis

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

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

Kermit the Bentley: It’s not easy being green

1975 Toyota Corolla Deluxe: The first “new Beetle”

1984 Lamborghini Jalpa P350: Mimran had a little Lambo

1971-73 Plymouth Cricket: On a Sticky Wicket

1969 Dodge Charger 500: Or is it Charger 392?

The BMW 328 Mille Miglia prototype looked like a winner

Renault 8 Gordini: Semi-rhapsody in blue

Daimler SP250: One out of three wasn’t enough

Ferrari 250 GTO: Star-crossed racer’s day in the sun ends in the pits

1982 Lancia Zagato: A car we should have loved more

1979-1980 Plymouth Fire Arrow: On target

Ford Probe: Sporty econocar or Thunderbird stand-in?

BMW 2000Tilux: A sports car for sharing

Singer Roadster: The Last Aria of a Dying Diva

Iso Grifo: The Lion and the Eagle

1939 BMW 321: From bureaucrat to burgher, the war changed many things

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