• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Auto Trends Magazine

Car reviews, industry news, & advice.

book review

Book Review: Mustang by Design

December 14, 2018 by admin 5 Comments

Nearly everyone knows something about the Ford Mustang, the iconic sports coupe that’s been part of American automotive lore for more than a half-century. Formally introduced at the New York World’s Fair on April 17, 1964, this steed on wheels has captured the hearts of millions of drivers and remains the quintessential pony car.

As much as we may think we know about the Mustang and its storied history, these details are typically relegated to the release of the first model and every subsequent iteration. But the Mustang’s origin is a story seldom told or least key elements about the vehicle’s beginnings are often left unsaid.

Mustang by Design: Gale Halderman and the Creation of Ford’s Iconic Pony Car

Those omissions led a pair of automotive authors, Jimmy Dinsmore and James Halderman, to collaborate and tell the whole story, which they covered in the seminal hard-copy book titled, “Mustang by Design: Gale Halderman and the Creation of Ford’s Iconic Pony Car.”

Mustang by Design: Gale Halderman and the Creation of Ford's Iconic Pony CarWho is Gale Halderman? To begin, he is James Halderman’s cousin, which immediately supplied the authors with special access and inside knowledge about the Mustang. Gale had a long history with the Ford Motor Company, starting his tenure as a designer fresh out of college and quickly working his way up in the company’s hierarchy.

Significantly, it was Halderman’s initial design sketch that ultimately led to the development of the car that became the Ford Mustang. But the project almost never happened as the automaker was still licking its wounds from the failed Edsel debacle, an all-new marque slotted between the Ford and Mercury brands.

With the backing of Ford executives Hal Sperlich and Lee Iacocca, but especially Iacocca, the then-unnamed project received the reluctant approval of Henry Ford II, the eldest grandson of the company’s founder, Henry Ford. The authors recounted Iacocca’s influence, which included the executive guaranteeing the success of the nascent model with his career aspirations on the line.

Falcon Architecture and a Nominal Budget

The authors dug deeper to reveal more about the project, based on the popular Ford Falcon architecture and allotted a budget of just $75 million to launch. That amount was just a fraction of the cost of the average car launch, but savings were realized by deriving about 60 percent of the coupe’s parts from the Falcon.

Yet, the Mustang’s success was far from guaranteed. For one, it had to show enough differentiation to appeal to its target audience — young people, men and women alike. Indeed, the proposed vehicle was sometimes referred to as a “secretary’s car,” meaning it had to be liked and affordable for office workers. Furthermore, it was tasked with launching an entirely new segment of sport coupes. Ultimately, Ford was striking out in a fresh direction and reshaping the industry with it.

Dinsmore and Halderman shared details about car design that demonstrate how even the smallest changes can have a lasting impact on vehicle development. For instance, the three-gill look on the first-generation model’s front fascia remains a significant Mustang design element, but its purpose was quite simple — the designers had to conceal a gap between the grille and the headlamp bezels. To this day, the design is a significant part of the modern Mustang as it is now utilized in the LED accent lights adorning each model.

From Planning to Production and Beyond

The Mustang’s formal launch was preceded by a massive media push, whereby the automaker made the new car available ahead of its release. Consequently, by the time the Mustang entered dealer showrooms, consumers were ready to make a purchase. One full year later and more than one million Mustangs were sold — a new segment was launched and the pony car was born.

At this point in the storyline, the authors delved into the first model, explaining how new engines and transmissions were brought on and where the late-available fastback model fit in with the standard coupe and convertible. We also learn about Carroll Shelby’s role in transforming the Mustang into a performance model, something Ford needed, especially as GM rolled out the competing Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird models.

The remaining chapters of Mustang by Design focuses on Halderman’s design influence beyond the Mustang. Indeed, Gale worked for the Lincoln-Mercury Design Studio and is credited with developing the opera window popularized in the 1970s. The book also examines Ford’s design studios, Ford family members and key company personnel, then concludes with a look inside the Halderman Barn Museum.

Available at Booksellers Today

Ford Motor Company fans, but especially Mustang mavens, will naturally be drawn to Mustang by Design. There are enough nuggets to keep readers digging for more, while the supporting photographs and story insets complete the narrative.

The book (CarTech; 192 pages; $42.95) is available through booksellers such as Barnes & Noble and Amazon. You can also obtain an author-signed edition through CarTech.

Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: book review, Ford Motor Company, FORD MUSTANG, Gale Halderman, Halderman Barn Museum, HENRY FORD, James Halderman, Jimmy Dinsmore, Lee Iaccoca, Mustang by Design

Book Review: Classic Volkswagens

October 30, 2017 by admin 1 Comment

All about classic Volkswagens!

How much do you know about Volkswagen? Perhaps a better question is this one: how much do you think you know about an automotive brand founded during Germany’s darkest years, specifically the 1930s?

Volkswagen translates to “people’s car” from German, a vehicle authorized by Adolf Hitler and designed by Ferdinand Porsche. The idea for the car was to produce an affordable vehicle for the masses just as the country inaugurated its autobahn or network of interstate highways.

The People’s Car Project

Classic VolkswagensThe People’s Car Project yielded the Type I, a model produced in limited quantities during the war. Allied bombing ensured that the factory was heavily damaged, with production not resuming until 1948 under the auspices of a new West German government. In 1949, the first models arrived in the US, six years before Volkswagen of America established its own base of operation. By then, the Type I was popularly referenced as the Volkswagen Beetle, eventually becoming one of the best-known vehicles in the world.

But the Type I Beetle wasn’t the only vehicle produced by Volkswagen in its first several decades. The Beetle was later joined by the Karmann Ghia, the 1500/1600, and also the Type 2 or “Bus” in the United States.

Chronicling all this is a major proposition, something prolific classic car author John Gunnell managed quite well in his 2017 undertaking, “The Complete Book of Classic Volkswagens: Beetles, Microbuses, Things, Karman Ghias, and More.” Published by Motorbooks (Quarto Knows), “Classic Beetles” is a hard-cover book with a suggested retail price of $50 and available at most bookstores (288 pages; SBN: 9780760349878).

Motorbooks supplied me with a media copy during the summer. Over the next several weeks, I dove into the pages, eager to discover a few things about the brand I grew up with during the 1960s and 1970s. It turns out that there is a lot of information about Volkswagen and its various products that may be unfamiliar to most people.

Welcome to America!

For instance, the very first Volkswagens sold in the US came by Max Hoffman, an Austrian-born, New York-based importer of fine luxury European models. From 1950 to 1953, Hoffman was the exclusive importer and distributor for Volkswagen for the eastern United States. He managed to overcome media criticism and lingering anti-German sentiment to introduce the car and the brand, paving the way for Volkswagen to take over operations in 1955.

The Beetle, of course, dominated sales for many years. To get sales going in the US, Hoffman worked his Porsche and Jaguar connections to convince dealers to take his cars. In exchange for expedited delivery of the luxury models, dealers agreed to take one or two VWs with their orders. Because the cars were so inexpensive, they were easy to market.

The earliest Beetles produced all of 24 horsepower, but ongoing changes yielded more power, while introducing improved parts including hydraulically-operated brakes on all four wheels. The first few models also had a split rear-window, replaced by a single oval rear window in 1953.

Additional changes to follow over the coming years included larger and more powerful engines, a synchromesh manual transmission, tubeless tires, dual-circuit brakes, and 12-volt electronics.

“Volkswagen Bus” by Christine und Hagen Graf is licensed under CC BY 2.0

From Peak to Demise

By the mid-1960s, Volkswagen was selling more than 400,000 Beetles annually. Consider this number for a moment. Today, very few models sell at that clip. The Ford F-Series pickup truck doubles that number, while the Toyota Camry roughly matches what the Beetle sold then.

But the Beetle’s demise was already forecast and Volkswagen began work on an all-new model, which debuted in 1974 as the Golf (Rabbit in the US). Beetle sales continued until the late 1970s in the US, but the model could not comply with stringent pollution regulations. Production continued in Brazil and Mexico, with the latter building the last Beetles. The final model sold in 2003, about 75 years after the first Volkswagen rolled out.

The Volkswagen Bus

Gunnell focused about half his book on the Beetle, before taking a deep dive into all things Bus. Yes, the Bus or Type 2 were Volkswagen’s second most important model in the US, known as the Transporter in other markets. Like the Beetle, the Bus had a rear-engine, rear-wheel drive layout with room for seven or eight passengers.

The interesting thing about the Bus is that although Chrysler claimed to have started the minivan revolution in 1983, the Bus was itself a miniature van. A big difference though is that the original Plymouth Voyager and Dodge Caravan shared architecture with Chrysler’s “K” cars, while the Bus utilized a separate architecture that also yielded trucks.

The Bus, along with the Beetle, also became a symbol of the US 1960s, popularized by “hippies” and prized by families alike. Woefully underpowered, it was available as a panel van and in some markets as a flatbed pickup truck.

Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Coupe
“Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Coupe” by Jordi Carrasco is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Best of the Rest

Lesser known models also receiving attention included the Karman Ghia, a 2+2 sport coupe based on the Beetle’s architecture, yet Italian designed. Also available as a convertible, the Karmann Ghia never achieved anywhere near the success of the Beetle, with fewer than 500,000 models built worldwide, compared to the record-setting 23 million units for the Beetle.

And of course I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention “The Thing,” a model largely unheard of, but not forgotten by collectors. This model’s design was loosely based on a World War II-era Jeep-like military vehicle and sold for only two years in the US. There were too many safety issues surrounding this quirkiest of all Volkswagens, thus the automaker pulled it from the market.

I left out any mention of two other very similar models, the Type 3 1500 coupe and convertible and the 1600 square back wagon. Both models sold alongside other VW products in the 1960s, giving the brand one of its strongest product lineups ever.

Fittingly, Classic Volkswagens covers the brand’s vehicles only through the mid-1970s. With the eventual demise of the Beetle and the rise of the Golf followed by the Jetta and other modern, front-wheel drive vehicles, Volkswagen survived a much-needed transition that has helped the parent company, Volkswagen Group, become the world’s largest automaker today.

Volkswagen Thing
“Volkswagen Thing” by zombieite is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Classic Volkswagens: The Gift That Keeps on Giving

I read automotive books to find out what the authors are saying. Gunnell’s coverage of all things Volkswagen antiquity should interest VW fans. As such, it makes an ideal gift at Christmas, for birthdays or for any other special occasion.


See Also — Book Review: Preston Tucker

Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: book review, Classic Volkswagens, John Gunnell, MOTORBOOKS, Volkswagen Beetle, Volkswagen Bus, VOLKSWAGEN GOLF, Volkswagen Karmann Ghia, VOLKSWAGEN THING, VW

Book Review — Fiat 500: The Design Book

May 3, 2016 by admin 2 Comments

The Fiat 500 is one of the most easily recognized vehicles on the road. It is petite, stylish, and colorful, hallmarks of basic transportation with a distinct design flair.

Launched in 1957, the Fiat 500 was dubbed a “city car,” yielding coupe, semi-convertible, hatchback, and panel van variants. The original model remained in production for 19 years, then was succeeded by a series of small cars.

In 2007, an all-new Fiat 500 was launched, a model coming in larger, wider, and heavier than the original. Despite the size differences, Fiat’s designers managed to provide a modern interpretation of the original 500’s composition. In the process, the Italian automaker has won over a new breed of buyers.

Distributed by Rizzoli New York

Rizzola New York Fiat 500To celebrate all things 500, automaker FIAT commissioned a book to share with readers a compelling story about the car. Indeed, “Fiat 500: The Design Book” delves into the history of the Cinquecento, rightly identifying it as an automotive icon. Rizzoli New York sent this writer a review copy, a colorful 144-page tribute to Fiat’s smallest model. Released this spring, the book retails for $35 and is available through major booksellers.

The Design Book makes for an easy read from cover to cover. Through his introduction, famed architect Enrico Leonardo Fagone sets the table for what readers will soon discover: Fiat’s designers have managed to pull off an unusual feat by creating a masterful original as well as a modern interpretation of that theme.

Instead of examining the original model first, the Design Book looks at what the current version and its multiple permutations — 500, 500L, and 500X — represent today. Indeed, not only were Fiat’s designers tasked with developing an all-new model, but followed by wagon (500L) and crossover SUV (500X) variants. Each model is built on the last in an effort to balance design synergy with practicality.

Design Elements and Technologies

Tasked with providing a consistent and straightforward design, each element of the new Fiat 500 was carefully considered, crafted, and tested. All the while, those same elements needed to reflect a metamorphosis from old to new, not an easy task as modern tastes and innovative technologies were incorporated.

The Design Book outlines those changes by showing sketches of the old and new, side by side. The earlier look was in a car that appeared to be floating on the ground, with curved lines above and below the body. The contemporary look advances mirrored curved lines for the greenhouse and the hood along with a flat, horizontal underbody.

Beyond the general themes, the book outlines such design cues as the location of the headlight (below the hood cut line), the air intake masked within the bumper, and an assortment of curves, lines, and notches. As a new car reviewer, I like to take note of these design elements. Little did I know the original 500 featured a rear, descending belt line compared with the front descending belt line found in the current model. The new look is at once elegant as it is sporty, adding panache to the small frame.

Approaching 4 Million Sold

More than 3.9 million Fiat 500s have been sold since this model originally launched, including 1.6 million since 2007. The US market might never have seen the current version had not the Chrysler Group sunk into financial distress and been rescued by Fiat in 2009. The two companies were formally joined and renamed Fiat Chrysler Automobiles in 2014, with the 2012 Fiat 500 marking the brand’s American relaunch.

The shared relationship between Italian and American is already evident as Milan design meets Detroit technology. One of my favorite infotainment systems, UConnect, has transitioned nicely from Chrysler to Fiat. In the current 500, 500L, and 500X, top-end versions of the touch screen system simply get the job done.

Contemporary Fashion Meets Automotive Design

Although the original 500 may be relatively unknown to American consumers, the new model provides a lesson in all things Fiat with a contemporary twist. The Design Book breaks down the common trim levels — Pop, Easy, and Lounge — carefully explaining what elements of Italian design (purses, dresses, and even zippers) had in forming the look.

And for people who enjoy making the connection between theater, music, food, lighting, technology and even politics — seemingly disparate topics — the last chapter makes the connection, even for the many years the 500 was not in production.

The Design Book is for automotive enthusiasts and fashion designers alike, although it is definitely skewed toward the latter. It might serve as a Mother’s Day or Father’s Day gift or added to your personal collection of automotive titles.

Cover photo copyright Rizzoli New York.


See Also — On the Road With a 2017 Fiat 124 Spider

Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: book review, design, FIAT 500, FIAT 500L, FIAT 500X, FIAT CINQUECENTO

Book Review — Dream Garages International

January 30, 2012 by admin 3 Comments

Many of us know one person who goes well beyond being the atypical weekend mechanic. This individual not only works on cars, but lives them, eagerly finding and passionately restoring a classic car to its former glory or maintaining at least one such model. His main ride may be something newer, but on warm weather weekends you can find him carefully removing the cover from his beloved classic and taking it out on the road. His restoration may still be a work in progress, but it is clearly evident that he knows what he is doing and loves his work.

dream garagesMuch rarer than the hobbyist restorer are two groups of people: the restorer who makes a living from his work and the collector who owns multiple new and/or classic rides. Occasionally, you’ll find someone who straddles both groups, an uncommon individual for certain.

Klancher Compilation

Prolific freelancer writer, author and editor Lee Klancher has put together a book that takes a look at some of the more exotic collections and the garages that house them in his book, “Dream Garages International.” This highly illustrated book puts the spotlight on 18 garages and collectons around the world and, no, Jay Leno is not one of the featured collections.

Instead, Klancher has tapped the work of automotive writers from around the world to share stories about car and motorcycle collections that only the most avid car enthusiast is aware of. Other than locals who know what Ray Rook is doing in his Okato, New Zealand, shop or even where Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, can be found, the home of Porsche collector Thomas Grunnah, “Dream Garages” takes the reader around the world and into the lives of these car fanciers.

Kiwi Legend

Now in his late 80s, all but one of Ray Rook’s three garages have been sold off. Rook has slowed down, but he hasn’t retired from the business of car restoration that he began in a quiet southwest North Island town in New Zealand. Born and raised in Okato, Rook has spent most of his adult years servicing, repairing and restoring cars and has participated in races throughout those years too. His garage cannot hold a wrench to the mystery man’s “Maserati Mahal,” a garage that includes a 1,500 square-foot penthouse designed by DesRosiers Architects. Rook’s garage has a more homey atmosphere, one that would be familiar to anyone who has a car serviced. Cars from Hillman, Holden, Morris and Subaru have been part of his collection that currently includes a 1948 Ford shop truck and a 1967 Ford Mustang fastback. That Mustang served as Rook’s daily drive for the many years he has had it, a fiery red model equipped with a Paxton supercharger.

Dream Garages

  • Compiled by Lee Klancher
  • 18 stories from multiple writers
  • Classic cars and exotics
  • Opulent garages to pigstys
  • Hardcover; 176 Pages
  • 225 color & 2 b/w photos
  • U.S. $35.00
  • 2011 | Motorbooks

Thomas Grunnah lives and works 60 miles north of Milwaukee in the sleepy town of Elkhart Lake. That town is about a half-hour inland from Lake Michigan, a community that averages four feet of snowfall from late fall to early spring. For four months of the year, this community may not be the ideal place to take your classic out for a ride, but during the other eight months the local roads surrounding this legendary Wisconsin getaway are ideal for a drive. The town is also host to Road America, offering vintage car weekends as well as NASCAR and SCCA National Championship runoffs.

Grunnah’s collection of Porsche goodies include a 1956 Speedster, a 996, a 936 junior — a half-scale replica of the 1981 LeMans winner that was built by Porsche, and Porsche tractors. Yes, Porsche was in the tractor business, building farm equipment from 1950 to 1963. His Porsche-Diesel Junior has been lovingly restored, a tractor that showcases an area of Porsche craftmanship that is not known by too many people. You can also find a 1967 Austin Mini Moke in a garage that currently houses 14 vehicles in four spaces.

Custom Garages

Beyond the collections are the garages themselves, home to cars that include Ferraris, Bugattis, Maybachs or classics such as Kaiser, a Hudson Hornet and MG. Most enthralling are those garages that feature terrazo flooring, maple wood cabinets and humidity controlled climate systems. Yes, there is even one garage with an elevator lift that brings cars directly into the living room, a Honchu home not like anything you have ever seen.


See Also — Classic Cars Judged, Auctioned at the Charlotte AutoFair

Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: book review, CLASSIC CARS, DREAM GARAGES INTERNATIONAL, EXOTIC CARS, LEE KLANCHER, MOTORBOOKS

Book Review — Car Guys vs. Bean Counters

June 24, 2011 by admin 1 Comment

Former GM vice-chairman offers an insider’s look at a once proud industry.

Bob Lutz is one of the most colorful, if not controversial figures in the automotive industry today. Although he officially retired from General Motors in 2010, ending a 47-year automotive career that also began with GM and included stints at BMW, Ford and Chrysler, Lutz is now a consultant as well as an author, having published two books including his recently released “Car Guys v. Bean Counters.” This book, published in 2011, takes a look at GM’s rise and fall, but with an eye toward the future – something that Lutz sees as promising for one of the largest automakers in the world.

Maximum Bob

“Car Guys” gives the reader insight into the man whose influence in this important industry is often misunderstood, although the nickname “Maximum Bob” suits him well. This term accurately describes a man who goes full throttle, telling you exactly what he likes or dislikes, ignoring social etiquette and often shaking established, if not erroneous beliefs, including calling global warming “a crock.”

Lutz, now in his late 70s, still resembles the tall, handsome ex-Marine whose visibility was at its nadir for decades, but especially evident while he was serving in his second tenure with GM, spanning from 2001 to 2010. During that decade Lutz served as vice-chairman, or lieutenant for Rick Wagoner and then for three post-bankruptcy GM chairmen.

I met Lutz once, at a meet and greet for new media people held at the 2008 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. I also met Rick Wagoner at the same show, but Lutz’ personality was more front and center, as he explained to his captive, yet attentive audience the virtues of the Chevy Volt, an electrified vehicle still some three years away from production.

Industry Troubles

His most recent book outlines the post-war transformation of an auto industry that went from a global innovative powerhouse to one that was gradually overwhelmed by “process” people and stifled by government regulation. Forever a defender of the U.S. auto industry, Lutz outlines how GM, Ford and Chrysler went from greatness to secondary status in a generation, facing an onslaught of cheaply made Japanese cars that were foisted upon the American populace with the consent of Washington bureaucrats concerned that Japan was at risk of being pulled into emerging China’s orbit. The thinking, according to Lutz, was that if Japan’s insulated economy could be strengthened by exporting its products to a willing American consumer, then everyone would benefit. Except, of course, the Big Three, companies Lutz said were dominated by accountants and very slow to adapt to or at least recognize change.

Much of Lutz’ book points out what went wrong with General Motors, a car company that once dominated the market, producing cars that were stylish, plush, fast and desirable. The transformation from powerhouse to also ran began as the company began to be driven by accountants, with design people stripped of their ability to build cars that were attractive or even worthy of consideration.

Management Missteps

Lutz faults top management and an archaic internal culture that lost sight of what the
customer wanted, producing cars that were ill-conceived and poorly executed. Examples of such included the Cadillac Cimarron, a compact car released in the early 1980s, but sharing the same platform and body of its Chevrolet, Pontiac, Oldsmobile and Buick counterparts. Admitting that Cadillac was never quite the “standard of the world,” nonetheless the brand at one time exuded a certain level of respect whereby luxury products everywhere were defined by the “the Cadillac of….” in its respect industry. “The Cadillac of fashion” or the “Cadillac of new homes,” defined products mirroring a marque that at one time lived up to its exalted status.

The reader also sees where a Fortune 500 company, in a bid to maintain global dominance, made numerous executive and financial decisions which cost the company billions of dollars. Saturn was a plan that was ill-conceived, but did manage to attract a loyal, almost cult-like following. Never particularly fond of this “different” car company, nevertheless Lutz believed that Saturn had the products consumers wanted when the brand was canceled, but wasn’t given the advertising support necessary to advance the brand.

EV1, the electric car project, was too expensive and GM invested far more money in big trucks and SUVs, with not enough going toward small cars. Still, Lutz took to task the media, including a handful of blogger irritants whose GM bashing is wide known. Several times Lutz pointed out media bias and of its spoon-feeding of inaccuracies, if not lies, to an American public who supposedly didn’t know better. The “never can do wrong” Japanese have been proven to be vulnerable, with Lutz pointing out the recent recall problems of Toyota, an archnemeis and sometimes partner with GM.

Reconstructing GM

The best of Lutz is reserved for explaining the years leading up to GM’s downfall and eventual bankruptcy, followed by reconstruction. At once an instructor in the ways of improving automotive design as well as a PR guy not afraid to set the record straight, Lutz fought an uphill battle as vice-chairman, battling a culture steeped in tradition, if not in arcane thinking. The tide, however, was changing as cars such as the 2007 Saturn Aura and 2008 Chevrolet Malibu, reflected a GM that was building vehicles that were stylish, attractive and affordable, winning consecutive North American Car of the Year awards.

Although the company was bleeding billions annually, Lutz explained that GM was turning the corner in 2008, with several new and profitable products in the pipeline including the Chevy Camaro and the Chevrolet Cruze. The Cadillac CTS was in its second generation and successful, and the automaker had the Pontiac G8, arguably one of the best Pontiacs ever built, thanks to its Australian brand, Holden.

The downfall for GM came later that year as America’s financial problems came home to roost and as gas prices topped $4 per gallon. Alone, GM might have survived, but put together these twin challenges hammered the Big Three, leading to GM and Chrysler declaring bankruptcy, with Ford allowed to live on by tapping the funds accumulated from its hocked assets.

Going Global

The remainder of Lutz’ book explains how GM has come back from the precipice and has learned from its mistakes. Lutz warns that government regulations, a biased media and fickle consumers remain challenges for a company that has finally learned how to go global and how to get the product mix right. You’d expect Lutz to interject what he would have done if he were chairman and that he has done – devoting an entire chapter to “what might have been.” Yet, Lutz’s candor is refreshing and eye-opening, while still being able to admit his own mistakes and without shredding every one of his vocal opponents or glorifying his proponents.

“Car Guys” offers to the reader an insider’s glimpse into an industry gone wrong, but one that is far different from what we saw as recently as 2008. Lutz may be retired, but his influence lives on in this book as well as in GM’s current and upcoming product line.

Bibliography

Lutz, Bob, Car Guys v. Bean Counters. Portfolio | Penguin Group USA, 2011


See Also — Book Review — The Allure of the Automobile

Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: BOB LUTZ, book review, BUICK, CADILLAC, Chevrolet, GENERAL MOTORS, GM, HUMMER, OLDSMOBILE, Pontiac, Saab

Book Review – Porsche: A History of Excellence

May 23, 2011 by Harrison Card 1 Comment

Automotive history books offer fascinating looks at the evolution of the ever important automobile. Books focusing on a single manufacturer show the design changes throughout the years, and each progressive generation demonstrates an improvement in refinement and looks. A book tracing the history of the Ford Motor Company, for instance, traces how we’ve ended up at a late model Taurus when we started with a Model T.

A History of Excellence

Porsche however, has an interesting position as an automaker whose most important car looks almost exactly the same now as it did 50 years ago. Yes, the 911 first hit the road in 1963 and looks like it does now, only slightly smaller. It’s not a tribute to the past either like the new Mustang, it’s the exact same lines. However, the technology behind the 911 and other Porsche models has come a very long way since the beginning of the company.

“Porsche: A History of Excellence” (Randy Leffingwell; Motorbooks; 2011) provides a penetrating look into the history of the one of the world’s most prestigious sports and race car manufacturers. We follow Ferdinand Porsche’s beginning as an engineer for Mercedes and designer of the Volkswagen Beetle to Porsche’s assent to its current position as a leading sports car maker.

The book features an excellent blend of text and clear photographs, tracing Porsche’s roots from 1930. That year, Ferdinand Porsche was fired from Mercedes after helping design a batch of winning racers earlier in the 1920s.

Daimler-Benz’s reason for firing him was that his designs were too expensive in the years after the stock market crash. He then designed the Volkswagen, at the behest of Adolf Hitler. After the war, this association would hurt Porsche’s attempts to restart his business as the French arrested him for war crimes and held him for 20 months without trial. He was eventually let out and returned to Stuttgart.

The First Porsche

The first car to have the Porsche name was the 356. Designed by Ferry Porsche, Ferdinand’s son, the car was used to raise enough money to launch the company. The 356 was mechanically similar to the Beetle in many ways. For example, the rear mounted, air-cooled engine was lifted from the Beetle as was the suspension and chassis. However, the company began to refine the car very shortly after its release, and a performance focus was born.

Porsche’s involvement in motorsport is a key part of the company. Racing more than anything else put Porsche on the map as a serious car builder in the late 1940s. The variety of racing series present at the time would foreshadow the various motorsports in which Porsche participated in the last 60 years.

The first Porsche racer was Walter Glocker. Glocker built roadster style racers with Porsche power in 1950 and took the car to a championship in the 1100cc class. In 1952, Ferry Porsche decided to build race cars in-house. Thus, Porsche’s racing heritage was born.

Porsche Racing Machines

Throughout the years, the racing Porsches have remained the most exciting cars the brand produces. Over half of the book focuses on the various racing machines developed by the company over the years. Today, Porsche participates in a huge variety of motorsports.

Through the years, Porsche has fielded cars in Le Mans, IndyCar, Can-Am, Formula 1 and numerous sports car racing leagues. Porsche is rarely thought of as a participant in open wheel racing, but in the 1980s, the company provided engines to front running McLaren. Porsche has also built IndyCars, although the first United States open wheel conflict between the USAC and CART resulted in the car never running.

Despite the various Porsche racing efforts, the biggest, most insane cars are the Le Mans beasts the company has built throughout the years. The 1970 Porsche 917 gave the company its first overall win. The car was the result of a project similar to Henry Ford II’s: win Le Mans, beat Ferrari. The 917 was also modified for the ridiculous North American racing series known as Can-Am. A series with very little regulation, the 917/30’s V-12 produced over 1,500 horsepower, probably the most of any road racing car ever. However, this setup was only run during qualifying, as running full turbo boost was dangerous for the engine. Still, the race trim of 1,100 horsepower was still quite ridiculous.

Another interesting Porsche racing project was their rally racing 959. While the production 959 was a technologically advanced supercar, the race version was designed to meet Group B rally standards for the Paris-Dakar rally. A raised, rally Porsche looks very out of place next to the many road racers, but it illustrates Porsche’s attempts to win at everything.

Porsche has, of course, continued to improve the 911, and the car is now regarded as one of the best in the world. The model is a superb road car as well as a fixture in sports car leagues around the world, including the 24-hour races at Le Mons and Daytona.

Non-Traditional Porsche Models

As of late, Porsche has branched out into several nontraditional cars including the Cayenne SUV, mid-engine Boxster and Cayman, and the Panamera sedan. Most radical is the 918 Spyder, a high powered hybrid which is featured on the cover of the new paperback edition of this book. However, the book has not been edited to include this latest model, nor the Panamera sedan. The book does provide comprehensive coverage of the historical models, and the true value of the title lies there. Everything important in Porsche’s history is here, pictures included.

Resources

“Porsche: A History of Excellence”; Randy Leffingwell; Motorbooks; 2011

Edmunds: Porsche Overview


See Also — Reviewed — Curves Scotland: Number 8

Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: AUTOMOTIVE HISTORY, book review, BOOKS, HARRISON CARD, Porsche, PORSCHE: A HISTORY OF EXCELLENCE

Book Review — The Hot Rod Reader

May 18, 2011 by Harrison Card Leave a Comment

America’s purely original art forms are rather limited. While American poets, play writes and painters have left their marks on art and society, their crafts were not of purely American invention. America’s greatest contributions to popular culture and art are undoubtedly film, jazz and the automobile. Jazz of course, is seen as purely and uniquely American, and while film developed in several countries, the early days of Hollywood set the standard for the world in film.

The Sport of Hot Rodding

Perhaps just as important though, is the American car. The car provides a unique illustration of the American way of life, and a particular style of car defines America. A particularly great aspect of American cars and car culture is hot rodding.

Extremely difficult to define, hot rodding remains a very recognizable part of the identity of the American car. While car enthusiasts argue over exactly what makes a hot rod, “The Hot Rod Reader” brings together stories and articles from nearly 70 years of the odd blend of engineering and art. Featuring articles pulled from magazines such as Hot Rod, Popular Mechanics and even Life, gives a valiant attempt at explaining the unexplainable world of the American hot rod. Editors Peter Schletty and Melinda Keefe teamed up to produce this compilation.

Racing, Paint and Custom Bodyworks

The Hot Rod Reader shows the varying aspects of hot rod culture, from racing to paint to custom bodyworks. Articles in the compilation include features on legends such as Ed Roth, the creator of several amazing custom cars, as well as the psychotic Rat Fink, the deranged Mickey Mouse of hot rodding. Roth himself contributes a fascinating piece, pulled from a 1995 book about his customs, on a particular car known as the “Beatnik Bandit.” The car began life as a project for “Rod and Custom” magazine and Roth explains the various places that he looked for inspiration. Bobby Darin’s “Mack the Knife,” car lent the inspiration for the futuristic bubble top. The paint received a yellow tint courtesy of some ground fish scales from a taxidermist.

The book is divided into sections based on a particular part of hot rod culture, whether art, racing or building. A “Car Craft” magazine interview with pinstriper Von Dutch lends some genuine hilarity to the book as Dutch, who claims to have no other name, explains his unique methods while constantly forgetting the name of the reporter. However, humor aside, the article provides a very comprehensive look into one of the men who made car painting a legitimate art form.

Rise of the Youth Culture

The book also offers commentary on the social climate surrounding hot rodding. A section on the history of hot rodding gives a variety of interesting statistics about the rise in youth culture. In 1953, the top songs of the year were pulled from musicals or sung by traditional singers such as Lee Baxter. By 1959, music of course was greatly youth foucused, and teens in particular were now a huge part of the economy, albeit spending their parents’ money. Hot rodding, too, was beginning to become a central part of American culture. Also noted is the importance of the car in the social life of teens. With the newfound access to a variety of cars, teenagers provided a market for performance parts and modified cars.

On the technical side, the story of the Ardun overhead valve kit details one of the most important products in automotive history. An immigrant from Belgium, Zora Arkus-Duntov established an engineering firm and developed an overhead valve conversion for the Ford V-8. Originally intended for industrial vehicles that experienced overheating due to the flathead design, the Ardun kit turned the engine into the must have performance powerplant. Duntov later became a lead designer at General Motors and helped bring about the Corvette.

Another somewhat technical article covers the rise of street rodding. As drag races became more and more competitive, a car built for both the street and track became uncompetitive in racing. Therefore, a shift towards a street focused vehicle occurred in hot rod circles. Today, very few hot rods are raced at all, even those with performance in mind.

Hot Rodding and Drag Racing

Though hot rods no longer make up large parts of drag racing, early hot rodders built drag racing into the sport that it is today. Of course, Wally Parks, editor of Hot Rod as well as the founder of the NHRA drag racing body, had perhaps the most influence of all. Parks brought hot rodding from a fringe or borderline outlaw hobby into the legitimate and huge business that it is today. He also provided a great public relations image with the NHRA and the idea of sanctioned and legal racing. Interestingly, the National Hot Rod Association began as a car club and didn’t branch into racing until the early fifties. However, the club’s first event in southern California drew 15,000 people. The organizers had only set up 200 seats — the potential for huge business was born.

Art, Engineering and Driving

The Hot Rod Reader provides a diverse and informative look on the various and quite different aspects of hot rodding culture and explains how each comes together for the uniquely American hot rod experience. From art to engineering to driving, the hot rod brings together a plethora of talents and skills and this book brings together the stories.

Resources

The Hot Rod Reader; Motorbooks; Melinda Keefe, Peter Schletty; 2011

National Hot Rod Association: Home


See Also — Book Review – Porsche: A History of Excellence

Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: book review, DRAG RACING, HARRISON CARD, HOT RODDING, MOTORBOOKS, THE HOT ROD READER

Book Review — NASCAR Then and Now

February 4, 2011 by Harrison Card Leave a Comment

Very much a rags to riches story, the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing went from a few dirt tracks to big time business in less than half a century. Given the rather long name, it’s no wonder the acronym, NASCAR, now describes the league, the cars and a culture.

Contemporary Spectacle

With tremendous amounts of spectators and quite a bit of money wrapped up in the show, NASCAR now represents a cultural force. As with most forms of entertainment, stock car racing came from a varied background, but the unified league has allowed for organized competition. NASCAR: Then and Now (Motorbooks; Ben White; 2010; $25.00) provides a comparative look into the history of NASCAR across the years.

The very definition of a coffee table book, NASCAR: Then and Now, doesn’t provide much in terms of words. A little bit of history given at the beginning of each chapter provides an introduction. The focus of the book is on the photographs – a wealth of old and new pictures offering a high resolution glimpse into the action. The quality of the pictures gleaned from the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s gives the book a huge advantage. Many ‘then and now’ books are also an exhibition in ‘then and now’ of photo quality, but this book provides historic photos with amazing depth and clarity, taking the viewer back to the early days of Daytona Beach and Bristol to show just how much the sport has grown and changed.

Identity Loss

The contrast between the times shows how far the sport has come. However, it also reveals the severity of NASCAR’s identity loss. The book highlights the innovation and perseverance of the early NASCAR teams, with an entire chapter devoted to the teams and home town boy drivers. Yesterday’s NASCAR was dominated by rough and tumble men like Cale Yarborough whose soiled face defined the sport of old, offering a stark contrast to today’s perfectly coiffured celebrity driver who leaves fans wondering if Carl Edwards has even ever seen a wrench.

The focus on the race tracks offers some of the best side-by-side comparisons due to similarly angled shots. The amazing expansion of the grandstands at Bristol provides an obvious illustration to the huge numbers of people involved with the sport. Aerial shots of each track give a striking view and the surprisingly high quality of the vintage photographs makes the side-by-side comparisons quite easy.

Sometimes, however, the photos will be from different or reversed angles. While this doesn’t detract terribly from the experience, it seems odd that a similar angle couldn’t be produced for the newer picture.

Engineering Achievements

Perhaps the most jarring example of progress can be found with photos of crashes illustrating a few very violent happenings. While NASCAR may have lost some of its early mystique, the advances in safety cannot be commended enough. Most obviously, the interior of a modern car features a complicated scaffolding of roll cage supplemented by harnesses and neck protecting seats.

The areas surrounding the tracks have a huge impact on safety as well. Early oval tracks used steel guardrails as barriers, resulting in a particularly graphic image of a car impaled on a broken one. While concrete walls have prevented this, the SAFER barrier, provides a great safety advantage through its impact absorbing foam.

As for pit lane, the image of an open pit lane, directly next to the racing surface at Darlington gives potential for a great deal of injury should someone get turned on the front straight. Today’s pit lane features a welcome wall of separation on both sides to protect the crews.

Clone Cars

As much as the tracks, fans and show matter, without the cars NASCAR wouldn’t be very much. In the beginning, stock cars came straight from production cars. The top, Strictly Stock division, was just that: stock. While today’s cars feature tube frames and the exact same body, the early cars actually looked like cars, rather than bricks with paint. Early paint schemes included the street horsepower of the homologated engines, a local dealer or two or some other local business.

The book makes it easy to see the progression of NASCAR into its current corporate era, as the decade-by-decade photos show the progress of sponsorships. Also, while the engines of yesteryear were required to have a production variant, today’s engines are not found in any passenger cars.

Team equipment progression is somewhat mind boggling. From a couple of jack stands and workbenches onto full portable shops with huge tool chests, the crews of modern cars have a lot more to work with. As with every other part of the book, though the technology has improved to amazing levels, the original methods seem to portray a great bit more soul.

Pictorial Perspective

Those looking for a complete NASCAR history should look elsewhere, as NASCAR: Then and Now provides very little detail in its captions or introductions. However, if a picture is worth a thousand words, then this book is worth about a couple hundred thousand words. With strikingly beautiful photography, the book makes for a great quick read, providing an image of just how far an all-American sport has come.


NASCAR Then and Now

  • 144 Pages, Hardcover
  • Nigel Kinrade, Photographer
  • Smyle Media Archived Photography
  • Historical & Contemporary Comparative
  • Motorbooks
  • ISBN: 9780760338148

See Also — Book Review — McQueen’s Machines

Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: Ben White, book review, MOTORBOOKS, MOTORSPORTS, NASCAR

Book Review — The Allure of the Automobile

October 20, 2010 by admin 5 Comments

Automotive design has had its shining moments, something we still see today in select Italian sports cars, German luxury sedans and, if I daresay, in America’s current drove of pony cars. There was a season from the late 1960s to the early 1990s, when most cars were predictable and uninspiring, lacking the finer details once prized by automobile aficionados.

Custom Coachbuilders

Allure of the AutomobileThe golden age of automotive design began to take shape in the earliest years of the Great Depression, spanning into the mid-1960s. That era featured luxurious saloons designed by independent coachbuilders who gave the same attention to the car body and passenger interior as they once did to horse drawn carriages. Names such as LeBaron, Brewster, Pininfarina, Derham and Zagato supplied the bodies which were underpinned by chassis supplied by Delage, Packard, Hispano-Suiza or Bugatti, pairings which have produced some of the most elegant cars of all time.

That beauty has not been lost on the arts community, which has had a profound impact on the way cars have been designed. The earliest coachbuilders drew inspiration from the Art Deco period hatched in Paris, building grand motorcars featuring sweeping lines, ample wood and chrome and plush interiors. That France was the inspiration for all of this should not be a surprise – 17th century French aristocrats paraded their customized coaches through Parisian parks, offering a visual reminder of their wealth, power and position.

Vehicular Art

New York’s Museum of Modern Art offered one of the earliest exhibits of cars, running its “Eight Automobiles” display from August 28 – November 11, 1951. Featured motorcars included models from Bentley, Mercedes-Benz, Cord, Pinin Farina and Talbot-Lago, offering museum visitors examples of automotive art on wheels.

In 2010, the High Museum of Art Atlanta offered its own exhibit of fine automobile craftsmanship, running its “Allure of the Automobile” display from March 21 – June 27, 2010. That exhibit, sponsored by Porsche, examined the custom coachbuilders of the 1930s to early 1960s, 18 rare and stunningly designed works of art from the golden age of carmaking. From that exhibit comes a coffee table book of the same name (Allure of the Automobile | Skira Rizzoli | $40), a permanent companion for exhibit-goers or for people who admire rolling works of art.

“Allure of the Automobile” was written by Ronald T. Labaco — curator of decorative arts and design at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta — and by Ken Gross, an automotive freelance writer and former Executive Director of the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.

Rolling Masterpieces

What “Allure” offers is a clear understanding of what went on in the early days of the automobile industry apart from the mass production of the Ford Motor Company and similar motor-works. By 1930, cars were becoming commonplace in many households, but people of considerable wealth and position demanded much more. Like the French aristocrats, those cars had to be special, if not unique.

And that is what the High Museum of Art Atlanta set out to do – capture some of the most unusual and beautiful classical antique cars and put them on display. Allure the book gives us plenty of full color pictures and background information about these cars including vehicle history, production information, model details and the current owners.

The models on display and featured in the book are:

      • 1933 Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow
      • 1934 Packard LeBaron Runabout Speedster
      • 1935 Duesenberg JN Roadster
      • 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante
      • 1937 Delage D8-120S
      • 1937 Dubonnet Hispano-Suiza H-6C “Xenia”
      • 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster
      • 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C2900B Touring Berlinetta
      • 1938-1939 Porsche Type 64 (body shell)
      • 1948 Tucker Model 48 Torpedo
      • 1953 Porsche 550
      • 1954 Dodge Firearrow III
      • 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SLR “Uhlenhaut” Coupe
      • 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham
      • 1957 Jaguar XK-SS Roadster
      • 1959 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray
      • 1961 Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato Coupe
      • 1961 Ferrari 250 GT Comp./61 Short-wheelbase Berlinetta

American Graffiti

My favorites are a trio of American models – the Tucker Model 48 Torpedo, Dodge Firearrow III and Cadillac Eldorado Brougham. I was especially taken the craftsmanship of the Firearrow which owes its existence to Ghia, but never went into production. Betty Skelton, a well known aviatrix and NASCAR record setter slipped behind the wheel of the Firearrow show car in dress and high heels, powering the Dodge to speeds in excess of 140 miles per hour!

Alas, the Dodge never went into production leaving Dodge enthusiasts waiting nearly four decades for a contemporary artistic expression in the form of the Viper supercar to satiate their need for speed.


Allure of the Automobile

  • Museum of Art Atlanta Exhibition
  • 18 Rare Coaches Detailed
  • Extra Large Hardcover
  • 144 Pages
  • Professional Photographs
  • 2010 | Skira Rizzoli

See Also — Book Review: Preston Tucker

Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: Atlanta, book review, CLASSIC CARS, High Museum of Art Atlanta, Porsche 550, Ronald T. Labaco, The Allure of the Automobile, Tucker Model 48 Torpedo

Book Review — Life Is A Highway

October 7, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

I am not the biggest fan of books comprised merely of compilations of short stories written by different authors. Most of these books seem to offer a mishmash of writing styles and story ideas, taking the reader all over the place.

But, that is precisely the charm found in “Life Is A Highway,” a book that pulls together a century of great automotive writing as compiled by its title curators, Darwin Holmstrom and Melinda Keefe. By perusing this book you can absorb 46 diverse automotive stories spanning the earliest days of the auto industry until now.

Mass Appeal

Life Is A Highway (MBI Publishing Company, $25) will most certainly appeal to the journalist who will instantly recognize some of their peers in print. Car enthusiasts should find the book enjoyable with sections devoted to articles about dream cars and racing. And, if you are someone who is interested in the auto industry from a historical perspective, then you’ll learn that good tires, child safety and gas mileage have been consumer concerns for many years.

Among the most recognized writers featured are P.J. O’Rourke, Jeremy Clarkson, Peter M. Di Lorenzo, David E. Davis and Brock Yates. Jay Leno, J. Edgar Hoover and Alfred P. Sloan, Jr. are also included as are a number of writers who have long passed on and may be known only to a few. And, no compilation would be complete without a chapter of Stephen King’s nightmarish “Christine” included. Even “The Onion” is given room to offer its satirical perspective on our car culture. Great writing? Yes, from a truly sidesplitting angle.

The Stories

You would think that a Ferrari Daytona would win a coast-to-coast race with ease, right? Well, that wasn’t the case with the 1971 outlaw Cannonball race, one of several New York to L.A. events held during the 1970s. Dan Gurney and Brock Yates were the team taking turns piloting this Sunoco blue Italian steed, winning the race in just under 36 hours. Amazingly, it was three people in a Cadillac who nearly beat the Ferrari. With the help of a Dodge patrol car intercepting and ticketing the winners at speeds topping 140 mph, a delay that nearly cost the Ferrari team first place. That story, “1971: The Race That Shook The World,” was penned by Yates.

Foreign cars were few and far between in the 1950s, but Jane R. Bade and her husband Tom owned a Volkswagen Beetle in 1955. Loved by Bade from the start, this young mother of two tots shared her family’s adventures in “A Fiend Goes Foreign.” It seems Bade was married to a car nut or serial car owner, a guy who purchased, drove and sold cars almost as fast as a used car salesman. A totally impractical vehicle for a family of four with a dog and the usual kid stuff to carry, Bade recounts riding in a car that was laughed at, had mechanical problems, but nonetheless caused her to fall head over heels for this economical, foreign ride.

Jamie Kitman, former New York bureau chief for Automotive Magazine, took General Motors, the Ford Motor Company and Chrysler to task in “Noise, Vibration and Harshness: The Big Three American Automobile Companies.” Published just prior to the economic collapse of September 2008, Kitman outlines what he calls a “paradigm shift”in the auto industry with the domestic makes collapsing and foreign brands figuring out what people want to buy and building the better vehicles. Though this article doesn’t have the hindsight of GM and Chrysler passing through bankruptcy and emerging as different companies, you have to believe that this same historical shift will keep the Big Three from ever returning to its mismanagement ways.

What would you do if you got a once-every-five-year opportunity to drive a Ferrari Testarossa and snow was in the forecast? If you were living in southeast Michigan and your name was Jean Lindamood (Jennings), you would scrap plans to drive south through Ohio where the storms were raging and do the unthinkable: invite 49 friends along for a ride. That’s precisely how Lindamood made the most of her time with a Ferrari by staying local and surprising former co-workers, a crotchecy old lady and pimple-faced teens with a chance to ride while she drove. “A Ferrari Among Friends” shows how an exotic car can bring out the best in people.

Your Highway

As I was reading “Life Is A Highway,” I found myself recalling several almost forgotten cars and the crazy rides I’ve taken down through the years, imagining myself penning a story or two of my own. Those tales remain locked deep within me for now, but bubbled to the surface as I absorbed each story.

Likely, you have your own untold stories buried just beneath the surface, something dozens of master writers are just waiting to help you rekindle in Life Is A Highway.


See Also — Book Review — Behind the Wheel

Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: book review, Brock Yates, Jamie Kitman, Jane R. Bade, Jean Lindamood, Life is a Highway

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • Next-Generation Sedona Minivan Will Be Renamed the Kia Carnival
  • GM Launches BrightDrop, Its Commercial EV Brand
  • The Refreshed and Handsome
    Lexus IS 350 F Sport
  • What We Know About the All-New 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L
  • The All-New and Formidable 2021 Nissan Rogue Crossover

Recent Comments

  • Next-Generation Sedona Minivan Will Be Renamed the Kia Carnival — Auto Trends Magazine on Buying Guide: 2020 Kia Sedona
  • Next-Generation Sedona Minivan Will Be Renamed the Kia Carnival — Auto Trends Magazine on Kia Telluride: Opulent, Large Crossover
  • Next-Generation Sedona Minivan Will Be Renamed the Kia Carnival — Auto Trends Magazine on Class Act: 2017 Chrysler Pacifica
  • Next-Generation Sedona Minivan Will Be Renamed the Kia Carnival — Auto Trends Magazine on Highlights of the 2020 Toyota Sienna
  • GM Launches BrightDrop, Its Commercial EV Brand — Auto Trends Magazine on Will the Electric Vehicle Boom Create New-Found Dependencies for Foreign Minerals?

Archives

  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010
  • March 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010
  • December 2009
  • November 2009
  • October 2009
  • September 2009
  • August 2009
  • July 2009
  • June 2009
  • May 2009
  • April 2009
  • March 2009
  • February 2009
  • January 2009
  • December 2008
  • November 2008
  • October 2008
  • September 2008
  • August 2008
  • July 2008
  • June 2008
  • May 2008
  • April 2008

Categories

  • Auto Parts
  • Auto Shows
  • Automotive Career
  • Automotive News
  • Book Reviews
  • Car Tips
  • Classics & Discontinued Models
  • Commentary
  • Commercial Vehicles
  • Concept Vehicles
  • Dealers
  • Engineering & Technology
  • Fleet
  • Fun News
  • Maintenance & Repairs
  • Motorsport
  • New Car Reviews
  • New Models
  • Ownership Experience
  • Product Reviews
  • Special
  • Specifications
  • Uncategorized

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

New!
Check out our Jobs Board!

via GIPHY

Subscribe to Auto Trends

Subscribe in a reader

Social Media

Visit our social media pages:
Facebook
Twitter
Google+
Pinterest

Where is Matt Currently Published?

The Carolinian (new car reviews)
NAPA Know How Blog
On the Road Again

Pages

  • About
  • Authors List
  • Automotive Brochures
  • Contact
  • Industry Jobs
  • Write
    • Style Guide

Categories

Recent Posts

  • Next-Generation Sedona Minivan Will Be Renamed the Kia Carnival
  • GM Launches BrightDrop, Its Commercial EV Brand
  • The Refreshed and Handsome
    Lexus IS 350 F Sport
  • What We Know About the All-New 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L
  • The All-New and Formidable 2021 Nissan Rogue Crossover
  • Fuel-Efficiency and AWD Champion: 2021 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
  • Midsize Performance Master: 2021 Hyundai Sonata N-Line
  • Performance Hatchback: The All-New 2021 Mazda Mazda3 Turbo!
  • NACTOY Finalists For 2021 Offer Familiar and Futuristic Choices
  • Super Trooper: Nissan Titan Pickup
  • Behind the Wheel of the Popular 2021 Toyota Corolla Sedan
  • Lucid Motors Completes Arizona Factory
  • A Robust Turbodiesel Comes to the Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  • Mid-Engine Masterpiece: The Eighth-Generation Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
  • Compact Performance:
    2021 Cadillac CT4-V
  • All-Wheel Drive Supplies the Nissan Altima With a Competitive Edge
  • Return of the Toyota Venza!
  • Lexus Brings a Convertible to the Gorgeous LC 500 Line
  • Stellantis Logo Revealed by Peugeot, Fiat Chrysler Ahead of Spring Merger
  • Preview: 2021 Nissan Rogue Crossover
  • How to Fix a Broken Rivian Vehicle
  • Cadillac Gets Most Things Right
    With the XT6 Crossover
  • The High Potency Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody Coupe
  • The All-New Chevrolet Trailblazer Forges Urban Paths
  • The Small Infiniti QX50 is Big on Tech and Engineering Features
  • Toyota Brings the TRD Treatment to the Midsize Camry Sedan
  • The Kia K5 Outclasses Most Competitors, Including the Departing Optima
  • Can the Toyota RAV4 TRD Off-Road Handle Tough Terrain?
  • Subaru WRX Showcases Its Performance Chops
  • Infiniti Overhauls QX80 Trims and Makes This Important Safety Feature Standard
  • Ford F-250 Super Duty and a Trail-Stomping Tremor Package
  • A Cut Above: Mazda’s Mazda3
  • The Highly Efficient Hyundai Ioniq
  • Volkswagen Atlas Revels in its Strengths
  • General Motors Deepens Partnership With Honda, Takes Stake in Nikola
  • Smart Concept: Jeep Grand Wagoneer
  • More Than an Encore: Buick Encore GX
  • Got a Recall? There’s an App for That.
  • Refreshed Nissan Titan Makes Its Case
  • BMW M235i: Not Your Typical Coupe
  • Hot Stuff: Lexus RC F Sport Coupe
  • Will the Electric Vehicle Boom Create New-Found Dependencies for Foreign Minerals?
  • Rumors? We Got Them!
  • About Bollinger Motors, EV Startup
  • Raptor Fighter: Ram 1500 TRX!
  • White Space Wonder: 2020 Nissan Rogue Sport
  • About the 2021 Genesis GV80
  • The Toyota Supra Gets a Four-Cylinder Engine and We’re Simply Gobsmacked!
  • Jim Farley Appointed Ford President and CEO
  • 12 Things We LOVE About the Dodge Charger R/T Scat Pack
January 2021
S M T W T F S
 12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
31  
« Dec    

Copyright © 2021 · News Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in