History/driving impressions originally published August 13, 1984 There is no better way to pave one’s own road to the automotive scrapheap of history than to become known as purveyor of obsolescent crocks. Even in eras of high demand and sellers’ market, such as existed after World War II, it ill behooves a manufacturer to become […]
1958 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz: What the rich folks drove while you were at sports car races
History originally published in AutoWeek September 19, 1988 It was the product of an era when the best the average man could hope for was a big cigar, a buxom blonde and a Cadillac convertible. It was, for 1958 at least, the popular conception of the signs of success, conspicuous at its conspicuously consuming best. […]
1956 Chrysler New Yorker: Styled in a flight of fancy, but the power was very real
History originally published in AutoWeek October 31, 1988 Chrysler called it “Flightswept” and although 1956 didn’t bring the ultimate in befinned automotive extravaganzas from Chrysler styling chief Virgil Exner – memories of the Chrysler Airflow were still too recent to rush into things – the trend was definitely set. Advertisements showed the cars not very […]
1934 Brewster Ford: Beauty was more than skin deep, but not to the frame
History originally published in AutoWeek October 9, 1995 The Great Depression was no kinder to the makers of luxury automobiles than it was to most other businesses, and perhaps it was even worse. Cars are, even for the wealthy, a deferral purchase. Remarkably, the 1930s produced some of the grandest motorcars ever made, as some […]
1933 Rolls-Royce Park Ward Coupe: Right drive, left entry
History originally published in AutoWeek June 25, 1984 Rolls-Royce has never been predisposed to produce a range of vehicles designed and priced for a variety of pocketbooks. One was expected to aspire to the same standards as that great perfectionist, Henry Royce, and if not, well, there were lesser motorcars. Rolls built, in fact, only […]
2011 Aston Martin Rapide: No cape necessary
Contemporary review originally published in Examiner.com on March 1, 2011 The key looks like a crystal wrapped in an Aston Martin logo, like something used to open Superman’s Fortress of Solitude. Fitted into an opening on the dash–a square peg into a square hole–the Aston Martin Rapide draws it in. But solitude? Not necessarily. The […]
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