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 seats finished in mink? Have you ever looked out on the road over a bumper plated with 24 karat gold? Not bloody likely. Not unless you were the lucky Brit […]
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. She was speaking to the Hoover-Dam-building, Liberty-ship-making, self-made millionaire who, with Joe Frazer of Maxwell-Chalmers/Chrysler/Willys-Overland/Graham-Paige fame, went automobile manufacturing after the war. What she was speaking about was Howard “Dutch” […]
Alfa Romeo Giulietta by Bertone: Driving the Bertone-Alfa that never was
History/driving impression originally published in AutoWeek February 13, 1986 Condensation gathered on the windshield, but the soggy mist was not enough to justify wipers. Even so, the droplets, propelled by the wind of the Alfa’s forward progress, crept up and over the topmost edge of the unframed windshield glass. In the lower elevations nearby they […]
Ferrari Dino 206 GT, 246 GT and 246 GTS, scorned no more: Put down by purists when new, Ferrari Dinos are finally gaining respect – and value
Feature originally published in AutoWeek November 24, 1986 The Dino, finally, has arrived. Criticized at the time of its introduction for being too slow, too small and having too few cylinders, it wasn’t considered a true Ferrari. Real Ferraris have 12 cylinders, the purists said. Real Ferraris didn’t have engine castings and wheels with the […]
Abarth Scorpione SS: It carries a sting behind it
History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek September 16, 1985 Tim Ritter was right. The interior does not suffer gladly the intrusion of large adults. It’s large adults who suffer. Those of us with more modest proportions are merely constrained to one position. There is no room to shift about, to spread out. Leaning forward – […]
Ferrari 275 GTB/6C: The V-12 with a sound that stirs
History/driving impressions originally published in AutoWeek October 21, 1985 Just the sound of the starter says this is going to be something special, that high-pitched whine that’s a cross between an air wrench and a dentist’s drill. So characteristic of a Ferrari. Then the engine catches. No matter how many times you’ve heard it, is […]
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