sport truck Archives - America's Car Blog By John Matras

1959 Toyopet Crown Custom: Toyota’s initial U.S. failure a lesson for later success

History originally published in AutoWeek August 3, 1992 Who would have believed that Toyota, maker of the 1959 Toyopet Crown, would have become the international…

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…

1984 Lamborghini Jalpa P350: Mimran had a little Lambo

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek August 12, 1996 Ain’t no substitute for cubic inches. No matter how many camshafts you have, adding cubes is…

The Arnolt-Bristol: an all-American sports car, via Bristol and Bertone

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek, on May 23, 1988; republished by the author There probably never was in Arnolt-Bristol like Dave Hans’s back in…

Volvo P1900 1956-1957: Volvo’s first sports car

History originally published is Illustrated Volvo Buyer’s Guide (1993) by John Matras It left as quickly as it had, leaving hardly a ripple to mark…

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…

BMW 3.0 CSiL: The Homologator

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek May 5, 1986; republished by the author. When the final history of the Nurburgring is written, when the last…

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…

A pair of Porsches: Super-90 and Carrera 2

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek June 23, 1986 This isn’t a history of Porsche. It isn’t history of the 356 or even the 356B.…

Ford Probe: Sporty econocar or Thunderbird stand-in?

Review originally published in Road & Track Car Buyer’s Guide 1997 Once destined to replace the Mustang as a properly down-sized, front-drive import-pretender, the Ford…

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…

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…

1979-82 Fiat Strada: End of the Road

History originally published in Sport Compact Car, October 1998 The Fiat Strada arrived in the United States with considerable fanfare and a lot of press…

Armed and Crazy

Feature originally published in Truckin’ March 1983 The energy crisis, while also affecting things like the price of home heating oil, along with the dual…

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…

1959 Talbot Lago America: Last of a proud race

History/driving imressions originally published in AutoWeek October 20, 1986 Grand routier. It has that certain sound even on paper, without even being spoken. There can…

1980 Dodge Omni 024 De Tomaso: Phony Label but Still Avant Garde

History originally published in Sport Compact Car June 1998; republished by the author It should have been no surprise that in 1978 when Chrysler introduced…

Meskowski dirt car: AJ Foyt’s training wheels

History originally published in AutoWeek July 30, 1984 Highway 51 rides the backbone of America. The southern end is anchored at New Orleans, the other…

Alfa Romeo GTA: Less is more

History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek April 14, 1986 There is not much to the interior of an Alfa Romeo GTA. Memory fails all but…

1951 Mercedes-Benz 170S Cabriolet: Playing survivor

History originally published in AutoWeek September 24, 2001 Allied bombing had done its best to destroy the ability of the Third Reich to wage war.…

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

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1959 Toyopet Crown Custom: Toyota’s initial U.S. failure a lesson for later success

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

1984 Lamborghini Jalpa P350: Mimran had a little Lambo

The Arnolt-Bristol: an all-American sports car, via Bristol and Bertone

Volvo P1900 1956-1957: Volvo’s first sports car

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

BMW 3.0 CSiL: The Homologator

1993 Ford Bronco: The big-selling, big ute

A pair of Porsches: Super-90 and Carrera 2

Ford Probe: Sporty econocar or Thunderbird stand-in?

The Monster: Saab goes double or nothing

1971 Alfa Romeo Junior Zagato: Senior approves

1979-82 Fiat Strada: End of the Road

Armed and Crazy

1967 Jensen FF: American push, British pull

1959 Talbot Lago America: Last of a proud race

1980 Dodge Omni 024 De Tomaso: Phony Label but Still Avant Garde

Meskowski dirt car: AJ Foyt’s training wheels

Alfa Romeo GTA: Less is more

1951 Mercedes-Benz 170S Cabriolet: Playing survivor

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1956 Lancia Aurelia Spyder: Simple, golden

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