(first posted 1/3/2015) As the Gambler sang: “You got to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away, know when to run”. Over the course of my 19 years of TR4 ownership I knew none of these things.
(first posted 2/8/2019) During the 1980s, GM had its greatest loss of market share ever, setting the stage for its ultimate demise. It was a remarkable performance, and those of us that were around at the time were utterly dazzled by its ability to keep spitting out new Deadly Sins at a breakneck pace. How did they do it?
Ask Irv Rybicki.
Sometimes, individual cars tell a story by representing profound corporate triumph or failure. Other times, cars seem to speak to the conditions they lived their life in. Occasionally, they can reveal the personality that customized them. Today’s junked rarity with a bad toupee represents all three.
not the winner but a worthy runner-up
Starting in 1948, American cars entered a new developmental phase marked by the sprouting of curious and rather excessive body extensions at their rear ends, often adorned by fins, rockets, jet engine exhausts, wings and other ornamentation. This era reached its peak in the late fifties and through the mid seventies. These remarkable protuberances then retreated and have long since been superseded by more practical and aerodynamic short and high rear ends. If—like me—you’ve ever wondered which car had the longest rear overhang, both in absolute as well as in relative terms, we’re finally going to answer that question. How can such important questions have been left unanswered until now?
In addition to our two winners and numerous runners-up, we’re also going to look at the history of how this trend unfolded.
A year after its European debut, Volkswagen’s chunky new Corrado coupe came to the U.S., powered by a 1.8-liter four with VW’s unusual G-Lader supercharger. Car and Driver tested the 1990 Volkswagen Corrado G60 in November 1989 and came away with mixed feelings about this left-field choice in the then-crowded “supercoupe” field.
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(first posted 5/2/2014) We all like to talk about the great brougham epoch, and we have an idea of when and how it began, but establishing its peak–and more importantly, its epitome–is a different matter. So let’s make an attempt to more clearly address this question: Which car was the Mayor of Brougham City?
(first posted 4/28/2014) The short-lived GMC Syclone pickup and Typhoon SUV, which burst onto the automotive scene in 1991 only to disappear after 1993, turned the usual modus operandi of General Motors on its head.
(first posted 2/6/2019) These days, it’s rather hard to imagine a time when Chrysler’s future looked bright and optimistic. It’s even more difficult to imagine a time when Chrysler had a competitive entry in a crucial vehicle segment. I say this all because just take a quick look at Chrysler’s current lineup.
Text by Patrick Bell.
Today we are going to add another chapter to our series on Black Americans and their cars, with some new photos added to the topic plus a pair that have appeared previously. What I like about this gallery is that it is a moment captured in a day of the lives of regular hard working people along with their cars. Some of them are obviously special occasions, but for the most part just everyday life. As had been said before at CC, this did not get recorded much in the past for various reasons, especially in the lower socioeconomic communities.
Let’s start out with a young family likely at a family gathering. They are leaning on a ’60 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight Convertible Coupe which was the top of the line model. In front of it is a ’51 or ’52 Plymouth, and behind a ’56 Dodge. Across the street in the left background is a ’50 Buick 2 door Jetback Sedanet, and through the windshield of the Ninety-Eight looks like either a ’58 Chevrolet or Pontiac 4 door sedan.
While preparing this selection, I’ve had to face the question: just what is a luxury car?
In some countries, any full-size American or Canadian car is a de facto luxury car, as they’re so big, so expensive, so rare, so… I put such thoughts aside. Sure, some years Holden-assembled Chevys came with leather interiors to ‘justify’ the high price forced upon them, but – no Chevy-with-leather here. Cadillac, Lincoln, Imperial; that sort of thing.
What do you do when you have just launched a brand-new smaller model, but you are still in the process of ramping up production and need to keep your hungry clientele satiated? To bring home the bacon, BMW trimmed off the fat from their still-tasty older small model for a couple of years – the poverty speck strategy. (Quite the ham-fisted T87 metaphor, though I’ve seen wurst). Let’s have a butcher’s at how this little piggy went to market.
The coupe version of the car I would own after 20+ years of dreaming. 1955 Packard image from Old Car Brochures.
What 30 something dreams of owning a 61 year old luxury sedan from a marque that most people have no idea even existed? This one.
(first posted 4/29/2014) There are people who don’t feel any particular allegiance to their given nationality, but rather, claim a more global identity. Likewise, while many cars undeniably reflect their national origin, there are others whose unique character makes their identity much more difficult to pin down. Honda’s fourth generation (EF) Civic was one of the best ambassadors of this concept, bringing the company’s cosmopolitan ethos to buyers all around the world.
(first posted 2/4/2019) Winter has returned to Chicago with full fury, with this past Thursday, January 31st, 2019 bringing some of the coldest temperatures ever recorded in this city on this date, at -21°F . The first Saturday of the new year was deceptively warm, with afternoon temperatures approaching sixty degrees Fahrenheit in some parts of the city. Strangely enough, this past Superbowl Sunday weekend brought temperatures all the way back to the Forties, and today may reach Fifty.
Mental and emotional illnesses are to be taken very seriously (psychology major, here), but with these wild swings in temperature, it has crossed my mind more than once that Mother Nature could use some prescription antidepressants and/or some counseling. There should be no shame in seeking help, and I’ve seen a life coach for some years now. These ridiculously low temperatures all seem worth it, though, when summer in the Windy City, with its plethora of fun activities, finally arrives. C’mon, summer.
