Surely one of the most idiosyncratic automobiles to burst onto the automotive scene since, say, the cooling of the earth is the Audi TT. Shaped something like a snap beetle with wheels, it’s immediately disliked by some. If that’s you,…
No ifs, ands or buts, it was easy in 1957 to build yourself an over-the-counter racer. Visit your local Chevrolet dealer, put checkmarks next to the boxes for RPO 684 and RPO 579E, and get a checkered flag down at…
When a carmaker has a model that has been around for a while, it starts making special models, such as Porsche has done with the 2008 Boxster RS60 Spyder. But then, aren’t all Porsches special? Still, with a mid-cycle update…
When the roll is called up yonder for great cars that no one ever thinks about anymore, surely the Lancia Aurelia Spyder’s name will be written in gold. No one really thought very much about it in 1956 when it…
History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek February 1, 1999; republished by the author Like a persistent back-seat driver, the 2.0-liter V8 yammers incessantly. Sucking air and high test spritzed into the velocity stacks I can see in the rear-view mirror,…
I have a secret, but I’ll tell you because we’re old friends and I know I can trust you. Ready? O.K. The Ferrari 308GT4 is a great car. Really. Yeah, I know you’ve read otherwise, but bear with us and…
Ginetta, the tiny British firm that has been cottaging away at building cars since the late Fifties, is reviving a couple of its greatest hits as well. The company’s forte has been a variety of cars, virtually all of which…
Originally included in Mazda RX-7 Sports Car Color History, by John Matras, published by Motorbooks International, 1994; republished by the author Just looking at the first-generation RX-7 was enough to provoke speculation about Mazda’s Rotary sportster’s appearance as a convertible….
History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek July 18, 1994. The hood is narrow, much more so from the driver’s seat them when viewed from outside. The edges are emphasized by the slim fender ridges, sharp as exclamation points. The passenger…
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 to have its engine in the middle. Lots of reasons were cited for this, things…