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 surprise anyone. For it went mostly unnoticed when it was new. Born in the shadow of the Espada and sharing the showroom floor with it and the fabulous Miura, it’s […]
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 Dirty Harry’s gun. Organic as a cat, fluid as a crayon on the sidewalk on August 15. Slick in the dorsal region and thick in the haunches. Colored Revlon’s best […]
Lamborghini Urraco: Flawed but not forgotten
History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek August 11, 1986 I was told to look for the Urraco. The airport at Savannah, Ga., is small and, sure enough, Don White’s little Lamborghini, a ‘74 P250, was the only one at the curb. Don was standing nearby, and, after introducing ourselves and loading my gear into the […]
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 almost always a cure for lack of power – even in Italian exotic cars, which should never be lacking in the engine compartment. While it got rave reviews overall, the […]
Ferrari Testa Rossa TR250: What but lust and desire can a redhead inspire?
History originally published in AutoWeek January 30, 1984 Let’s talk desire. Let’s talk lust. Let’s talk Testa Rossa. Ferrari Testa Rossa, of course, for no other maker has been so brazen as to borrow the name, as did Pontiac with the GTO. But more specifically, let’s talk 250TR, the V-12, not the four-cylinder which preceded […]
Maserati Bora: Manly, yes, but she’ll like it, too
History originally published in AutoWeek August 29, 1983 It’s a bullet, big bore and Magnum-packed, a missile, ICBM for the Interstate, pregnant with malice. It has the shape of motorized malevolence and the punch to back it up. The Maserati Bora is surely the most masculine, most testosterone-loaded design ever to come from the pen […]
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