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Lamborghini Marzal – The Heartthrob Of 1967
Posted on May 6, 2025 | 16 CommentsIn 1967 I was fourteen and perhaps one of the earlier exponents of the eighties’ teenage tradition of having a Lamborghini pinup on my bedroom wall. And here it is […] -
Curbside Analysis: 1996 Ford Taurus – Misguided Styling Creates The Biggest Automotive Fumble Of The Modern Era
Posted on February 9, 2025 | 92 Comments(first posted 12/24/2015) Picture this: You’re the top decision maker responsible for continuing the saga of a beloved institution. Tasked with keeping the flame of interest […] -
Which Car Had The Longest Rear Overhang? The Top 10 In Absolute Length And Percentage Of Body Length
Posted on February 6, 2025 | 48 CommentsStarting 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, […] -
Why Does Everyone Think That The 1967-1969 Barracuda Coupe And The 1965-1969 Corvair Coupe Have Such Long Tails? They’re Actually Shorter Than Typical
Posted on February 3, 2025 | 36 CommentsEvery time the subject of the 1967-1969 Barracuda hardtop coupe comes up, invariably there will be comments about how excessively long its tail is. And how it was undoubtedly a […] -
Design: The Cars Of Claus Luthe
Posted on January 25, 2025 | 77 Comments(first posted 3/7/2014) When writing for anoraks such our readers, it’s difficult to gauge whether Claus Luthe needs an introduction. Certainly, his cars are famous and almost unanimously well-regarded, but […] -
CC Design: Ford/Lincoln X-100 Concept Car – How Many Cars Did It Influence?
Posted on January 3, 2025 | 30 CommentsAs a teenager, I visited the Henry Ford Museum with my parents once every year or two. It was a nice day trip for the family and it allowed me […] -
Curbside Musings: Bringing Color Back – There’s Actually A Lot Out There, Curbside and Otherwise
Posted on November 14, 2024 | 71 CommentsDoesn’t that lovely line of Volvo 140 butts make you want to say “Man, I remember when cars came in so many different colors!”? That’s been my comment on that […] -
Design Capsule: ZIS 112 Cyclops – Does This Russian Car Look A Bit Too Familiar?
Posted on November 3, 2024 | 43 Comments(first posted 2/15/2011) The fact that Russia did some major automotive cribbing back in the day is old hat. But here’s one that managed to escape me […] -
CC Design: How E12 Spelled The End For Michelotti And Bertone At BMW
Posted on July 18, 2024 | 33 CommentsSince I wrote my bio of Paul Bracq in 2018, a lot more BMW material has come to light. Olivier Guin over at Car Design Archive has been constantly feeding […] -
Automotive History And Design: 1957 Chrysler New Yorker Early Proposal – Imperial Intentions
Posted on June 3, 2024 | 18 CommentsBy 1957, the merits of GM’s body-sharing strategy had long been plain for all to see. For example, at the upper end of the market, Buick and Cadillac shared the […] -
Auto-Biography: The Art Center Years – Have You Designed a Ford Lately?
Posted on February 18, 2024 | 23 CommentsLast week’s post described a fifth-semester Art Center design assignment involving a domestic automaker investigating the use of a “not invented here” powertrain for use in several of their vehicle […] -
Auto-Biography: The Art Center Years – Wouldn’t You Really Rather Airbrush a Buick?
Posted on February 11, 2024 | 13 CommentsStrangely enough, two of the transportation design projects during my Art Center years involved assignments to develop a vehicle powered by an engine supplied by a different automaker. Remember, this […] -
COAL #14: More Volvo Imprinting – A Trip to Transpo 72
Posted on January 28, 2024 | 18 CommentsWhich car replaced the trusty Comet? I’m afraid I’ll have to leave you in suspense for another week. You see, the Caliente convertible’s last trip from Art Center back to […] -
Design Analysis: 1974 AMC Matador Coupe and X – Please Go All the Way
Posted on December 11, 2023 | 53 CommentsIt was July, 1972 when the Raspberries released their hit song about a girl asking her guy to, well… you know. -
Automotive & Design History: Mercedes-Benz W110/111/112 Fintails – Béla Barényi And The Elusive Pluckenheckflosse
Posted on December 2, 2023 | 102 Comments(first posted 12/2/2017) Italy, Summer 1981. My father is hustling his brother’s black Mercedes-Benz 220 S heckflosse along the autostrada at speed. Inside the car it’s three children […]