History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek December 12. 1988 Every Italian with a hammer and a tree stump is a body man, and in Italy two tree stumps together is a carrozzeria turning out wild, wonderful and, sometimes, strange shapes. But in practical Switzerland, where one grows up making multijewel watches or pocket knives that […]
Oldsmobile XP-888GT: Oldsmobile’s stillborn sports car
History originally published in Automobile Quarterly Volume 36, Number 2; February 1997 Carmakers usually keep a shroud of secrecy over future products, as it’s unwise to tip your hand in the poker game of the automobile market. Why let the other guy know what you have in hand? Whether smashingly bold or more of the […]
Abarth Scorpione SS: It carries a sting behind it
History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek September 16, 1985 Tim Ritter was right. The interior does not suffer gladly the intrusion of large adults. It’s large adults who suffer. Those of us with more modest proportions are merely constrained to one position. There is no room to shift about, to spread out. Leaning forward – […]
Volvos 480ES: The Immigrant that wasn’t
History originally published in Sport Compact Car, December 1997 Of all the “could’ve beens,” perhaps the saddest ever is the Volvo 480 Turbo. Volvo hadn’t built a sports car since the demise of the 1800ES after the 1973 model year. The five mph bumper rule that came into full effect in 1974 would have required […]
1996 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am WS-6: Heavy breathing in the aviary
Cars 1996 Contemporary review originally published in Road & Track Sports & GT 1996 We know, as you do, that the pony car concept is 30 years old. The layout, front engine with live rear axle, is primitive and has more technical shortcomings than D.C. Has lobbyists. GM’s small-block V-8 is – ready for this? […]
Ferrari 275 GTB/6C: The V-12 with a sound that stirs
History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek October 21, 1985 Just the sound of the starter says this is going to be something special, that high-pitched whine that’s a cross between an air wrench and a dentist’s drill. So characteristic of a Ferrari. Then the engine catches. No matter how many times you’ve heard it, is […]
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