-
-
Curbside Classics Archives
European Brands 1970s Archive
-
![Old habits are hard to break. How else to explain VW’s 1969 411? After being poorly received in Europe, it took the 411 two years to reach US shores. And […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Untitled-1.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage R&T Review: 1971 Volkswagen 411 (Type 4) – Old Habits Die Hard")
Vintage R&T Review: 1971 Volkswagen 411 (Type 4) – Old Habits Die Hard
Posted on September 7, 2023 | 39 CommentsOld habits are hard to break. How else to explain VW’s 1969 411? After being poorly received in Europe, it took the 411 two years to reach US shores. And […] -
![(first posted 6/1/2017) Road and Track tests the new Fiat 131 Mirafiore (“Brava”), which replaced the 124. Although the 131 was very successful in Europe and other locales, it […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Fiat-131-1.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage R&T Review: Fiat 131")
Vintage R&T Review: Fiat 131
Posted on August 22, 2023 | 37 Comments(first posted 6/1/2017) Road and Track tests the new Fiat 131 Mirafiore (“Brava”), which replaced the 124. Although the 131 was very successful in Europe and other locales, it […] -
![(first posted 7/7/2017) One of the more readily forgotten chapters of the 70s was Lancia’s push for a share of the lower-premium import market. Lancias had of course […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/rt-7-750015-900.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "R&T Vintage Review: Lancia Beta Montecarlo – Lost In Translation")
R&T Vintage Review: Lancia Beta Montecarlo – Lost In Translation
Posted on August 7, 2023 | 48 Comments(first posted 7/7/2017) One of the more readily forgotten chapters of the 70s was Lancia’s push for a share of the lower-premium import market. Lancias had of course […] -
![(first posted 1/30/2017) The arrival Triumph TR-7 was a very big deal. Great Britain had essentially created the whole 1950s-1960s sports car boom after the war with its MG TC/TD, […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/TR-70001-900-a.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage R&T Road Test: Triumph’s TR7 – Britain’s Last Great Hope in the Sports Car Sector")
Vintage R&T Road Test: Triumph’s TR7 – Britain’s Last Great Hope in the Sports Car Sector
Posted on January 30, 2023 | 51 Comments(first posted 1/30/2017) The arrival Triumph TR-7 was a very big deal. Great Britain had essentially created the whole 1950s-1960s sports car boom after the war with its MG TC/TD, […] -
![(first posted 12/9/2016) Whereas almost every car sold in the US struggled with serious performance drops as a result of tightening emission controls during the 1970s, there was one powerful […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/911-a-crop.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage R&T Review: 1975 Porsche 911 Carrera – Survivng the Malaise Era Just Fine")
Vintage R&T Review: 1975 Porsche 911 Carrera – Survivng the Malaise Era Just Fine
Posted on December 8, 2022 | 51 Comments(first posted 12/9/2016) Whereas almost every car sold in the US struggled with serious performance drops as a result of tightening emission controls during the 1970s, there was one powerful […] -
![(first posted 11/11/2016) The VW Scirocco was as much of a game-changer in its class as was the Rabbit/Golf, upon which it was heavily based. Ultra-light, zippy, and eminently […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Scirocco-1-900.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage Review: 1975 VW Scirocco – ‘A Truly Remarkable New Small GT’")
Vintage Review: 1975 VW Scirocco – ‘A Truly Remarkable New Small GT’
Posted on November 11, 2022 | 54 Comments(first posted 11/11/2016) The VW Scirocco was as much of a game-changer in its class as was the Rabbit/Golf, upon which it was heavily based. Ultra-light, zippy, and eminently […] -
![(first posted 10/29/2016) Prior to the arrival of the MB 300D, and the soon-to-come VW diesel, oil burning passenger cars required substantial sacrifices, most of all in performance, along with […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/MBZ-300-D-1-900.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage R&T Road Test: 1975 Mercedes 300D – “The Astonishing 5-Cylinder Motorcar”")
Vintage R&T Road Test: 1975 Mercedes 300D – “The Astonishing 5-Cylinder Motorcar”
Posted on October 29, 2022 | 51 Comments(first posted 10/29/2016) Prior to the arrival of the MB 300D, and the soon-to-come VW diesel, oil burning passenger cars required substantial sacrifices, most of all in performance, along with […] -
![(first posted 6/23/2016) The weather just begs for some top-down motoring, and for many, that means a genuine sports car. Back in 1976, there were a lot more options even […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/RT-6-Sport-Cars-008-900.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage R&T Review: Six Affordable Sports Cars – Which Would You Buy in 1976?")
Vintage R&T Review: Six Affordable Sports Cars – Which Would You Buy in 1976?
Posted on June 23, 2022 | 75 Comments(first posted 6/23/2016) The weather just begs for some top-down motoring, and for many, that means a genuine sports car. Back in 1976, there were a lot more options even […] -
![(first posted 4/28/2016) As the 1970s unfolded, Car and Driver introduced new terminology to define an emerging class of cars targeting driving enthusiasts: Super Coupes. It was a far […]](https://www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/themes/arras162/images/thumbnail.png "Vintage Comparison Test: 1972 Super Coupes – Car and Driver Evaluates A New Class Of Small Sporty Cars")
Vintage Comparison Test: 1972 Super Coupes – Car and Driver Evaluates A New Class Of Small Sporty Cars
Posted on April 28, 2022 | 107 Comments(first posted 4/28/2016) As the 1970s unfolded, Car and Driver introduced new terminology to define an emerging class of cars targeting driving enthusiasts: Super Coupes. It was a far […] -
![(first posted 4/4/2016) Rest assured, this is not a belated April Fool’s Day post. In the August 1973 issue of Car and Driver, the editors lined up a rather […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/0873CDmainImage.jpeg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage C&D Comparison: 1973 Oldsmobile Cutlass Salon Versus 1973 Mercedes 450SE – No Joke, Car And Driver Compares A Colonnade To An S-Class")
Vintage C&D Comparison: 1973 Oldsmobile Cutlass Salon Versus 1973 Mercedes 450SE – No Joke, Car And Driver Compares A Colonnade To An S-Class
Posted on April 4, 2022 | 111 Comments(first posted 4/4/2016) Rest assured, this is not a belated April Fool’s Day post. In the August 1973 issue of Car and Driver, the editors lined up a rather […] -
![Yes, there was a time when it wasn’t exactly hard to identify “the world’s best sedan”, and with the arrival of the newest w116 S-Class Mercedes, it was pretty much […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/cover.jpeg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage R&T Road Test: 1973 Mercedes 450 SE – “World’s Best Sedan?” Did You Have To Ask?")
Vintage R&T Road Test: 1973 Mercedes 450 SE – “World’s Best Sedan?” Did You Have To Ask?
Posted on April 1, 2022 | 39 CommentsYes, there was a time when it wasn’t exactly hard to identify “the world’s best sedan”, and with the arrival of the newest w116 S-Class Mercedes, it was pretty much […] -
![Austin had once been the best selling import brand in the US for a number of years in the immediate post-war era, until it was taken down by VW in […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/marina-top.jpeg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage R&T Road Test: 1973 Austin Marina GT – Dead Before Arrival")
Vintage R&T Road Test: 1973 Austin Marina GT – Dead Before Arrival
Posted on March 31, 2022 | 45 CommentsAustin had once been the best selling import brand in the US for a number of years in the immediate post-war era, until it was taken down by VW in […] -
![Road and Track set out to test the field of the nice sports cars approved to participate in the SCCA’s new racing class: Showroom Stock Sports Cars, as an addition […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Race-top.jpeg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage R&T Track Test: Nine Showroom Stock Sports Cars – Swing Axles FTW!")
Vintage R&T Track Test: Nine Showroom Stock Sports Cars – Swing Axles FTW!
Posted on March 25, 2022 | 24 CommentsRoad and Track set out to test the field of the nice sports cars approved to participate in the SCCA’s new racing class: Showroom Stock Sports Cars, as an addition […] -
![The Jensen-Healey is one of the sadder footnotes of the 1970s. It was anticipated with considerable excitement, as the Austin-Healey 100/3000 had made such a significant impact in the sports […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/JH-1-top.jpeg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage R&T Road Test: 1973 Jensen-Healey – Competitive But Not Exciting")
Vintage R&T Road Test: 1973 Jensen-Healey – Competitive But Not Exciting
Posted on March 19, 2022 | 12 CommentsThe Jensen-Healey is one of the sadder footnotes of the 1970s. It was anticipated with considerable excitement, as the Austin-Healey 100/3000 had made such a significant impact in the sports […] -
![The Porsche 914 originally came in two quite disparate versions: 1.7 L VW powered, and rather modestly at that, and the vastly faster and more expensive Porsche six powered 914/6. […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/914-top.jpeg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage Review: 1973 Porsche 914 2 Liter – “Bigger 4-Cylinder Engine Gives The Popular 914 A Boost”")
Vintage Review: 1973 Porsche 914 2 Liter – “Bigger 4-Cylinder Engine Gives The Popular 914 A Boost”
Posted on March 13, 2022 | 15 CommentsThe Porsche 914 originally came in two quite disparate versions: 1.7 L VW powered, and rather modestly at that, and the vastly faster and more expensive Porsche six powered 914/6. […]
