(Updated 10/10/2026) Hindsight is 20-20 vision. And with that acuity, seeing the Rambler’s historical significance is easy: it was the St. John the Baptist of cars, crying in the wilderness of obese bat-winged barges: Repent ye, for the kingdom of Toyota is at hand!. Read the rest of this entry »
(Updated 10/10/2026) In my review of the Chrysler Cirrus, James noted, “I don’t really get all the hate for the second gen Neon.” I’m not sure I can explain it, either. I loved the original Neon. It was cute and fun even if it wasn’t all that refined or reliable. To me, this generation wasn’t cute or fun (except maybe in SRT-4 guise). While it was more refined than the original, it wasn’t as refined as the competition. Given that, what did it really have going for it?
Long before Toyota pickups became commonplace, there was the Stout. This 1960s example was recently spotted in a Washington driveway by CC Cohort contributor Ralf K (Don Kincl). It looks a little rough, but apparently it’s destined for a second life as a restomod.
It’s truly a rare find—dare I say, a unicorn? None of CC’s contributors, nor anyone on the Cohort, has ever come across another Stout found in the States. A few have turned up in our coverage, but always in South America. Whatever its condition, this little piece of Toyota’s past is about as neat a find as they come.
You’d be forgiven for thinking this actually is a full-sized Buick. Although Buick jumped whole-heartedly into the compact ring in 1961, it didn’t take long for them to realize that what Americans really wanted in a small Buick coupe was a not-so-small Buick coupe. So within just six years, the little 1961 Special grew into the biggest “mid-sized” GM coupe ever. And its designers did everything to make it look even bigger yet. The slightly littler big car. Read the rest of this entry »
Several German bus manufacturers have tried in the past to crack the North American bus market. While having some success with intercity and touring coaches, they haven’t been able to establish a long-term presence with their urban transit models. We’ve reviewed Neoplan’s attempt here. Now let’s look at MAN’s somewhat more limited and abrupt endeavor in the Eighties – the MAN Americana. Read the rest of this entry »
The compact Comet, the bigger, plusher version of the Ford Falcon, was Mercury’s only real hit in the early ’60s, appealing to buyers who wanted a slightly more upscale smaller car. In mid-1963, the new 260 cid V-8 became optional on the Comet, but consumer testing publication Consumer Reports thought the V-8 spoiled the Comet’s handling and economy, turning a pretty good compact sedan into a distinctly compromised one.
(Updated 10/09/2026) This car was one of the nicer surprises I’ve had this year. The Fiat Abarth, the Renault Gordini and the Mini Cooper all had a Japanese cousin, and I never knew about it until I happened to meet one a couple weeks ago. One big difference is that Toyota did all their specials in-house, so unlike all these snooty European double-barreled sports cars, this Japanese one has a deceptively short moniker. Another difference is in size and prestige, which are both a bit bigger in the Toyota 1600GT’s case.
(Updated 10/09/2026) And now it’s an occasion to see one on the street. It was America’s sweetheart for such a long run, including several stints as the best selling car in the land; the Ford F150 of its time. And here’s one survivor, the first I’ve seen in a while, so it must be honored, even if we’ve given it full honors before.
Quite a few young, light-hearted Twingo owners showcased their little Renault cult classic at the recently held, 2026 edition of the ‘Renaultoloog Meeting & Markt’ in the south of the Netherlands. Some in an incredible, original condition and many of them were heavily personalized (I’m referring to the Twingos, of course). In that regard, the first gen Twingo now falls in the same category as the good ol’ Citroën 2CV. I just let the pictures speak for themselves.
Text by Patrick Bell.
The hardtop body style was an American idea that was all the rage beginning in the 1950’s. They were popular sellers in both the new and used markets, and remain as favored classics to this day. We feature them today in a variety of models, so take a look and pick out a favorite or two.
Jeep made it easy for Buick guys to go four-wheeling for years to come, because for several years in the late 1960s and early 1970s, it installed Buick V6s and V8s in its various models. Therefore, for you Tri-Shield and/or Jeep fans, here is a decent 1970 Jeepster with a Buick-designed 225 V6 under its big, wide hood. It looks like the Centennial State’s climate has been fairly kind to the old Jeep, and it was until recently for sale on craigslist in Calhan, Colorado.
It’s about time we had a deep dive into the 3rd generation Gloria. We’ve had a glimpse or two before, as I encountered a few in passing or some that were already passed on, so to speak, but it took me six years to find a decent one that would cooperate and pose for the camera. Just a little patience and voilà!
(Updated 10/08/2026) It’s easy to forget what an impact the Capri made in the US, never mind the huge one in Europe. It filled a perfect hole, an affordable European sporty coupe that both the general public and genuine enthusiasts embraced. The Capri quickly jumped to the #2 selling import in 1969, ousting the Opel Kadett. It offered lively performance (with the 2.0 L four), crisp handling and a quality feel. But Ford was ready to up the ante in 1972, with a 2.6 L Cologne 60 degree V6. The result was more of the same.
Every so often, we have to revisit the sad beauty of old workhorses left unrestored and found just as they are, with decades of patina telling their story. Few vehicles make such photo-friendly subjects as GM’s Advance Design trucks—or New Design, as the GMC versions were called. And it’s even more of a treat when the images come from CC Cohort regular contributor Ralf K (Don Kincl).
