Saturn Archives - America's Car Blog By John Matras

1993 Jaguar XJR-S: Delicious decadence

Contemporary review originally published in Road & Track Sport and GT Cars 1993 The six-cylinder XJS makes sense, but I have to admit I was…

MGA Twin Cam: Perfect for the Perfectionist

Originally published in AutoWeek December 13, 1982 1959 MGA Twin Cam; photos by John Matras Pity the poor MGA Twin Cam. Imagine: four years, count…

Dodge Diamante: “Chrysler Corvette” never got beyond Mopar show car

History originally published in AutoWeek September 11, 1989 To have worked for Dodge in the ‘60s and to have the Hemi, and then look at…

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…

1958 Golden Austin-Healey 100-6

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek July 14, 1986 Have you ever held a steering wheel of solid ivory? Have you ever sat in bucket…

1983 Volvo Limited Edition 240 Turbo, the “Flat Hood”

History originally published in the Illustrated Volvo Buyer’s Guide, 1983, by John Matras; republished by the author The 1983 Volvo Limited Edition 240 Turbo is…

1971 Alfa Romeo Junior Zagato: Senior approves

Originally published in AutoWeek, August 30, 1982 1971 Alfa Romeo Junior Zagato; photos by John Matras Lippity clip. Lip. Clip. The Alfa skips down Penny…

Kaiser Darrin: In the wrong place at the wrong time

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek August 10, 1986 “Henry, this is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen,” gushed Henry Kaiser’s new bride.…

Pure and potent: Two Nash-Healeys

History originally published in AutoWeek July 21, 1986 “We usually start it in second gear. There is a chatter in first that you can adjust…

Type 49 Bugatti: Mme. Abry’s piece de resistance

History originally published in AutoWeek November 26, 1983 The Schlumpfs: Hans and Fritz, brothers, textile industrialists of Alsace, fanciers of classic automobiles,, fanatics for Bugatti’s.…

Kaz’s DAFs

Vintage Stuff feature originally published in Automobile August 1992 The electronic continuously variable transmission (ECVT) on today’s Subarus first appeared in the Sixties on Dutch…

Honda S800: Honda’s first sports coupe preceded the Prelude by 14 years

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek October 19, 1987 Singing through traffic like haiku on wheels, we are a blur of rpm and red and…

Daimler SP250: One out of three wasn’t enough

Originally published in AutoWeek March 7, 1983 I may get some argument on this, but I believe automobiles can be – and are – evaluated…

1997 Acura NSX

Originally published in The Complete Road & Track ’97 Car Buyer’s Guide; republished by the author Back in the mid-60’s, a serious sports car had…

MGA Coupe: A junior GT for road or track

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek April 27, 1987 I never quite understood why Julius Caesar wanted to conquer the British Isles. It never seemed…

Is Today’s Jeep Still a Jeep? The 1991 Jeep Wrangler doesn’t forget 1941 Jeep MB war vet ancestor. That’s good and bad.

Contemporary review/history originally published in AutoWeek April 22, 1991 So the Jeep is 50 years old. For a motor vehicle, or for just about anything…

1973 Chrysler New Yorker Brougham: Gas crisis! What gas crisis?

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek December 3, 2001; republished by the author You could play tennis on the poop deck of this thing. And…

The Monster: Saab goes double or nothing

History originally published in AutoWeek July 19, 1999; republished by the author It looks so innocent, like any other Saab 93 there in the Saab…

Saab Sonett I: The open sports car the Swedes should have produced

Originally published in VW & Porsche, June 1990 The winter nights around Trollhattan are cold and long and snow is always on the ground. But,…

1990 Saab 9000 2.3: John Matras traveled to the deep South – Talladega – to test the new engine from the far north

Contemporary review originally published in VW & Porsche and European Automobiles in August 1990 Talladega’s Turn One rises ahead like a 40-footer at the Banzai…

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1993 Jaguar XJR-S: Delicious decadence

MGA Twin Cam: Perfect for the Perfectionist

Dodge Diamante: “Chrysler Corvette” never got beyond Mopar show car

Maserati Bora: Manly, yes, but she’ll like it, too

1958 Golden Austin-Healey 100-6

1983 Volvo Limited Edition 240 Turbo, the “Flat Hood”

1971 Alfa Romeo Junior Zagato: Senior approves

Kaiser Darrin: In the wrong place at the wrong time

Pure and potent: Two Nash-Healeys

Type 49 Bugatti: Mme. Abry’s piece de resistance

Kaz’s DAFs

Honda S800: Honda’s first sports coupe preceded the Prelude by 14 years

Daimler SP250: One out of three wasn’t enough

1997 Acura NSX

MGA Coupe: A junior GT for road or track

Is Today’s Jeep Still a Jeep? The 1991 Jeep Wrangler doesn’t forget 1941 Jeep MB war vet ancestor. That’s good and bad.

1973 Chrysler New Yorker Brougham: Gas crisis! What gas crisis?

The Monster: Saab goes double or nothing

Saab Sonett I: The open sports car the Swedes should have produced

1990 Saab 9000 2.3: John Matras traveled to the deep South – Talladega – to test the new engine from the far north

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