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 […]
Fulfilling Francophiles: Peugeot’s gone, but French eccentricity lives on in a Citroen XM gray market
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 currently being imported into the United States and it is, well, different. As you’d expect […]
Bristol 408: Superb Performance Plus Individuality
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 too obvious. For these people, however, there is Bristol. Bristol is a carmaker for a […]
Bentley Continental R-Type: The Rolls-Royce of Bentleys
Originally published in AutoWeek July 22, 1985 1954 Bentley Continental R-Type; photos by John Matras When I was boy, a visit at Uncle Henry’s was always special. Uncle Henry, you see, had every copy of Mechanix Illustrated ever printed—or so it seemed—and every copy of Mechanix Illustrated , in addition to MiMi-clad-in-overalls-that-covered-as-little-as-possible in those days […]
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