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,…
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…
History originally published in AutoWeek August 5, 2002 By 1955, Packard was on the ropes. Like a champ who had seen better days, the company that in the ‘30s had been America’s premier carmaker had suffered the one-two punch of…
Contemporary review originally published in Corridor Today March 15, 1988 I believe that automobiles are something like nouns in romance languages: they have gender. Oh, I know objectively that cars are innate objects made of rubber and plastic and steel…
Originally published in AutoWeek, October 26, 1992 Citroen XM; photos by John Matras Unique is an overworked and often improperly used word, so we won’t use it to describe the Citroen XM. The XM is, however, the only French automobile…
History originally published in AutoWeek, December 27, 1982 For some, a Rolls is to ostentatious. For some, a jaguar is too common and flashy. Mercedes or BMW, too, well, German. Italian cars are simply too exotic. Even a Bentley is…
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 library excesses in leather and walnut, is the flat-black steering wheel. It’s a huge one-piece…