History/buyer’s guide originally published in European Car, August 1996 Anyone partial to European mobiles was all the more frustrated by the new Ford Sierra XR-4i. The Sierra debuted in 1983, replacing the Cortina and Taunus , and the XR-4i was its high-performance variant. Reports filtered back to the states about the fast and funky new […]
Volkswagen Corrado G60 and SLC: The short run of a German sprinter
History/driving impressions originally published in Sport Compact Car, August 1999 Volkswagen called it the Corrado, allegedly from the Spanish correr, to sprint or run. And the new coupe, having its debut in the fall of 1989 as a 1990 model, had the no waste, and just put the leftovers in the trash bin. It followed […]
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 of the globe, down under, a looking-glass world where everything is the same…only different. Take the language. Americans and Australians both speak English, although their English is, to Americans, a […]
Dancing With Valves: Toyota Celica All-Trac Turbo versus Isuzu Impulse RS
Comparison review originally published in the Road & Track Performance Cars 1991; republished by author Some people might not consider the Isuzu Impulse RS versus the Toyota Celica All-Trac Turbo a fair match, putting a 160-bhp car up against a 200-bhp rival costing half again as much. But check the specifications: Both are sports coupes […]
1975 Chevrolet Cosworth Vega: Great Expectations never realized
History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek January 19, 1987 Oft expectation fails, and most oft there where it most promises. –William Shakespeare, All’s Well That Ends Well How odd that the Bard of Avon, writing at the beginning of the 17th century, should so aptly describe the 1975 Chevrolet Cosworth Vega. Expectations great and otherwise […]
1979-1980 Plymouth Fire Arrow: On target
History originally published in Sport Compact Car May 1998 The 1970s were difficult, bringing us not only John Travolta and disco but also diminishing expectations in automobiles. Every fall brought anxiety. Do I buy this year’s model before they’re all gone, or wait and buy next year’s model which will more than likely be worse. […]
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