Long before books were sold online, before you could shop for anything and have it delivered to your door, or...
Vintage Roadcar Columns
The 1953 Turin Auto Show must have been quite a sight. It presented cars of what would become a landmark...
There are a number of cars that are better known by their nicknames, than their original designation, like the Alfa Romeo Montreal, or the Ferrari Daytona. But probably the most iconic and well-known nickname is Mercedes’ Gullwing. The 300SL was a road car based on Mercedes’ 1952 W194 racecar. The...
In 1954, the AC company, in Thames Ditton unveiled a new car, a beautiful coupe called the AC Aceca. Many...
Three-owner Kellison was extracted from a barn, in 1986, and restored by author, racer and rally organizer Rich Taylor. I...
Among car collectors, enthusiasts, even kids who’ve yet to master driving, the Chevrolet Corvette needs no introduction. Introduced in 1953, the fiberglass convertible (at that time, the only body style) was a surprising, but welcomed departure for the conservative Chevrolet division. GMs VP of Styling, Harley Earl, eagerly promoted the...
Some 9,500 miles separate Davenport, Iowa, and Victoria, Australia, but this great distance is no obstacle for a group of...
So often the cars I research come with stories permanently attached. Stories of celebrity ownership or the classic “Fangio drove...
Not too long ago, a very good friend called me about his 1967 4.2 Jaguar XKE OTS. He had two precise questions for me to research and a task. First, was his XKE a Series 1 or Series 1.5? Second, was his car originally equipped with an enclosed headlight bonnet...
Ken Miles drove this car. So did Phil Hill, Bruce McLaren, and Chris Amon. It began life as one of...
As classic car enthusiasts, we live with a foot in two completely different worlds. One foot is firmly placed in...
In the 1980s, the idea of a Japanese Luxury Sedan was a radical concept. Most North American perceptions around Japanese cars were still very much attached to frugality, economy, and base-model offerings. There were exceptions, of course, as higher trim Japanese cars began sporting comfort features, but most of those...
Every car guy, collector and car designer knows the two major categories that separate car designs—Pre-war and Post-war. Pre-war cars...
I’ve been revisiting a series of cars recently from the period of my youth. There’s something to be said about the cars we saw everyday while young. Even if they were part of our general visual landscape some of them captivated us in a strangely endearing way. The Saab 900...
Living in Southern California, we’re admittedly pretty jaded when it comes to the classic cars we see on the road,...
The Earth is round. These days we say this with reasonable certainty (thanks in part to space travel) and considerably...
After several false starts, the U.S. is finally getting a major classic car exhibition of its own… A little over a year ago, I lamented in this space [“5-year Paradigm, VR, June 2015] about the U.S.’s lack of a major classic car show, such as France’s Retromobile or the UK’s...
Throughout the 1950s, American automobile manufacturers developed some of the most extravagant concept cars. While many of these efforts were...
After suffering what must be called the worst five years of American car design 1974-1979, the 1980s ushered in the...
Aston Martin. The name alone conjures up images of spies, well-dressed Europeans at fine gatherings, record-setting race wins and a company history nearly as dynamic as the cars themselves. Competing against highly established British stalwarts, Aston Martin had to deliver not only performance and elegance, they had to offer a...
Can a fictional spy save the world…and a car company? I write this column on the eve of Halloween. While...
There’s an old adage about “the steady march of progress.” The truth, in fact, is that when it comes to...
Being ejected from the car…that’s half the appeal! As I’ve mentioned off and on, I’ve found that my automotive tastes have morphed over the years. Certain cars that used to hold no fascination for me whatsoever, have for some reason started to pop onto my radar. Call it exposure, call...
In 1962 the worlds of fashion, design and cultural norms were changing faster than we were sending a man to...
If you’ve been reading this space for any period of time (yes, I’m talking to both of you), then you’ll...
Every year the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance offers a spectacular showing of amazing cars. I am fortunate to get a front row seat to the event as a class judge. I could write an entire article on the judging experience, remarkable cars, dedicated people and history of this amazing event,...
Just how far are you prepared to go for exclusivity? In January, Bentley announced that its famed Mulliner coachbuilding team...
What does the recent sale of “unobtanium” tell us abou the market as a whole? I’ve literally just walked in...
I graduated from Art Center College of Design in 1987. MTV was in full swing, Compact Disc players were the rage, a cartoon snippet called “The Simpsons” saw its debut, and Rap music was coming on strong. Staring at the screen of my bulky desktop computer, floppy disc at the...
