Matra Archives - America's Car Blog By John Matras

1965 Matra-Bonnet Djet: The first mid-engine production car

Originally published in AutoWeek, April 25, 1988. 1965 Matra-Bonnet Djet, photos by John Matras. Europa. Miura. Manguta. Dino. Stratos. Pantera. Countach. Boxer. Bora. Esprit. M1.…

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…

2006 Pontiac Solstice: A solstice-tested Pontiac Solstice

Contemporary review in CarBuzzard on December 23, 2005 We indulged ourselves one afternoon. We put the top down on a 2006 Pontiac Solstice. That’s not…

Porsche 904/6: Don’t call it a conversion

History originally published in AutoWeek December 31, 1984 Henry Payne’s Lincolnesque frame slouches in the fiberglass driver’s seat, the steering wheel down between his knees,…

2011 Saab 9-5 Turbo4: Om du bygger det

Contemporary review originally published in examiner.com December 2010 Om du bygger det, så kommer de. Or translating the Swedish into English, if you build it,…

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,…

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…

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…

1970 Opel Kadett Rallye 1.9: Imported Sizzle

History originally published in AutoWeek August 5, 2002 The Opel Kadett was advertised as the “Mini-Brute,” and one could hardly argue with the first half…

Holden Monaro GTS: Very American, very GM-like, yet very different as well

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek October 26, 1987; republished by the author The blokes put Australia in the right place: On the other side…

1991-’92 Dodge Spirit R/T: Delightfully Wicked

Originally published in Examiner.com January 5, 2010 1991 Dodge Spirit R/T; Dodge photo There's something delightfully wicked about a mundane four-door family sedan being muscled…

1958 Dual-Ghia 400 Prototype: This show car reached the road, but not production

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek May 5, 1995 When Eugene Casaroll, owner of Dual Motors, decided to go into the car business, he wanted…

1973 Fiat 124 Sport Coupe: What’s not to like

Feature originally published in European Car July 1994 Double overhead cams, tidy handling, Italian style: what’s not to like? Well, how about emissions controls as…

1978 Dodge Li’l Red Truck: A red-hot hauler

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek March 2, 1987 Overlap, overlap, overlap, the V-8 whispers, telling secrets about its camshaft, gently rocking the truck with…

1967 Jensen FF: American push, British pull

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek August 9, 1982 Do something, I thought. But no, the Jensen FF belied its four-wheel-drive and behaved like a…

Austin Princess limo: It really had all the Aminities

Originally published in AutoWeek December 26, 1983 Item: late in the evening of March 20, 1974 Princess Anne was returning to Buckingham Palace in a…

1992-1994 Acura Vigor: Silent Running

History/driving impressions originally published in Sport Compact Car, October 2000; republished by the author It’s as if Acura had tossed a stone in a pond…

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…

1993 Ford Bronco: The big-selling, big ute

Review originally published in Road & Track Sport-Utilities Pickups & Vans Buyer’s Guide 1993; republished by the author. With all the hoopla surrounding Ford’s Explorer…

Lancia Fulvia 1.6 HF: Lancia’s great rally champion

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek December 2, 1985 The little car growls over the upgrade, barking at the up shifts, snapping at the down,…

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Matra-Simca Bagheera: Matra à trois

1965 Matra-Bonnet Djet: The first mid-engine production car

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1965 Matra-Bonnet Djet: The first mid-engine production car

Iso Grifo: The Lion and the Eagle

2006 Pontiac Solstice: A solstice-tested Pontiac Solstice

Porsche 904/6: Don’t call it a conversion

2011 Saab 9-5 Turbo4: Om du bygger det

1982 Lancia Zagato: A car we should have loved more

Singer Roadster: The Last Aria of a Dying Diva

1996 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am WS-6: Heavy breathing in the aviary

1970 Opel Kadett Rallye 1.9: Imported Sizzle

Holden Monaro GTS: Very American, very GM-like, yet very different as well

1991-’92 Dodge Spirit R/T: Delightfully Wicked

1958 Dual-Ghia 400 Prototype: This show car reached the road, but not production

1973 Fiat 124 Sport Coupe: What’s not to like

1978 Dodge Li’l Red Truck: A red-hot hauler

1967 Jensen FF: American push, British pull

Austin Princess limo: It really had all the Aminities

1992-1994 Acura Vigor: Silent Running

Oldsmobile XP-888GT: Oldsmobile’s stillborn sports car

1993 Ford Bronco: The big-selling, big ute

Lancia Fulvia 1.6 HF: Lancia’s great rally champion

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