History originally published in AutoWeek March 12, 1984 How very frustrating, how maddeningly, fist-clinching frustrating it must have been to the men who were NSU to look back upon the Ro 80 and realize how close the car and the company came to forming a successful vanguard of automotive technology. To be sure, the company […]
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 of the nickname. The Kadett, built by GM’s German subsidiary and imported for sale in Buick dealerships, rode on a 95.1-inch wheelbase and its front track didn’t even break 50 […]
Volvo 122-S and 123GT, Sporty Volvos: Did You Say Peppy, or Preppy?
History originally published in AutoWeek, January 9, 1984 By some strange twist of circumstances, the automobiles produced by one Swedish manufacturer have come to represent a group of people equally defined by alligators, ducks and plaids. This is, we are told, because these people respect a good value and admire the frumpy. They have therefore […]
BMW 502: Delicate Sparkle of a Bavarian Princess
Originally published in AutoWeek, January 3, 1983 There was a time after World War II when it looked as if BMW would not survive. The entire automotive factory, tooling and plans had fallen into the Eastern Sector at Eisenach, and what was left in the West was scattered to the four corners of the earth […]
Bentley by Bertone
Originally published in Automobile, June 1992 Stanley “Wacky” Arnolt’s industrial empire included, almost as a sideline, sales and distribution of chiefly British cars and sports-car accessories. He even dabbled in “manufacturing” with the Arnolt-MG and Arnolt-Bristol, which were MG TDs and modified Bristol 404s bodied by Bertone. Seven Aston Martins were handcrafted by Bertone for […]
Driving the new Maserati Biturbo
Originally published in AutoWeek, January 3, 1983 There are two Maserati Biturbos in the country, and AutoWeek has just driven one of them. It was a European production model and the trip was painfully short, but sufficient to prove that all the good things you’ve heard about the new baby Maser are true. First of […]
What They’re Saying