The man with the car that made him famous (and brought him down). John Z. DeLorean.
Back in the Sixties, John Z. Delorean was one of the greatest men working at General Motors. But, by the middle of the Eighties, that all came to a crashing end in a federal courthouse. Most of us know what happened. But, what about the car he badly wanted to put on the market? The DeLorean DMC-12 is still known by most of the public as a time machine, but its own story is a look back at one of the most famous storylines of all time in the small-manufacturer books. Continue reading Obscure Auto: Delorean DMC-12→
For all of the eco conscious folks out there here is a test showing that you should not judge a book by it’s cover, or the “green-ness” of a car by it’s engine size. Knowledge is power.
The Scion FR-S will be the American version of the Toyota GT-86
Now that the US-market Scion FR-S/ Subaru BRZ have been fully revealed, the question of marketing comes to mind. This is especially so considering the fact that these two cars are basically identical to one another. Some differences seem to exist in the various trim levels offered (with the Subaru being slightly upmarket from the Scion), as well as some slight visual aspects, but otherwise there really are no meaningful differences to choose one car over the other. They seem to be counting on brand loyalty to differentiate the sales between the two brands, but this new rear drive sports car is a bit off color for both brands. Continue reading Marketing the Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ→
So, Maybach, as of six days ago, is on its way out, according to Daimler-Benz. Although the cars are pretty overwhelming to behold and definitely showstoppers, I’m not shedding that big of a tear. Yes, I finally got to drive one a few months back, and yes, I did enjoy it. But, when I look at just how the marque has performed in the market over the past decade, my general feelings about the brand have become more evident. Mercedes-Benz was very ambitious in launching the Maybach name, but not every name can be successful, and here are my thoughts on why I don’t think it succeeded. Continue reading The Death of Maybach: Al’s Thoughts→
The BMW M6 is a legitimately proper Grand Touring car by all modern standards. There is no compromise, or sense of it being outdated because it was only discontinued in 2010. It also did not change much at all over it’s lifespan so the ones from 2006 are just as good as the ones from 2010. Because of this, M6s did not hold their value well at all, and they are becoming more and more affordable for normal people. Continue reading Secondhand Saint: BMW M6 (E63)→
Ah, Mercedes-Benz. Just the name brings up thoughts of expensive country clubs, upper-class attitudes, and feelings of being in the 1%. Their flagship sedan, the S-Class, has always been a leader in its market since the 1970s, and despite the high entry price, still sells itself better than the competition. The previous-generation W220 was the one that brought this fantastically flashy flagship into the 21st century, and now some of the most powerful ones (namely, those with some sort of forced induction) can be had for a fraction of their original value. For reasons that shall be discussed later, we’re going to focus on the S55 and S600, as the S65 is significantly harder to find even today. Continue reading Secondhand Saint: Mercedes-Benz S55 AMG, S65 AMG, S600 (2003-2006)→
The Mercedes Maybach in all of it's exuberant glory
I have always been a fan of the Maybach since Mercedes brought the brand back in the early 2000’s. I much preferred it’s sleek design to the over bearing brick that is the Rolls Royce Phantom. I liked the limitless options list, and the fact that the 62’s rear seats could be fully reclined (still the most comfortable car I have been in by far). I also loved that the car was offered in two tone color schemes; something there is not enough of these days. Evidently I am in the minority though, because Mercedes has just announced this week that they will be ceasing Maybach production after the 2013 model year. This news came as an initial shock to me, largely because I like the car so much, but I have given some thought as to why it has failed. Continue reading Maybach: Time to hit the old dusty trail (Nick’s Take)→
There is a lot of bickering that goes on between car enthusiasts about cars of different regions, saying European cars are this, American cars can’t do that, Japanese cars are this, etc. With the advent of the Internet this bickering has only expanded and now people are arguing their views with folks all over the globe. While it is interesting to witness, there is a huge amount of ignorance and a lack of appreciation (on everyone’s part) for how different cars came to be the way they are. I am starting this mini series here to take a look at how the automobile developed in different parts of the world, and hopefully enlighten some of the very opinionated people out there so that they may at least respect cars from all regions and their purposes. Continue reading Automotive Evolution: Series Introduction→
The Delta Integrale, or, one of the last rally cars Lancia ever produced. It can’t be imported legally now, but this petition would make that happen.
As many a car enthusiast is well-aware, the statute of limitations on any car imported to the United States expires after 25 years, which includes safety and emissions regulations, structural requirements such as bumper heights, and many other limitations. They are known as the “gray market” limitations and have created a black market for a good many cars that are not sold on the US domestic market. Currently, Homeland Security funds, which could be better spent elsewhere to perhaps secure our borders or possibly fight terror threats, get spent to keep a few cars out of the ports. Continue reading We, the people of car enthusiasts of America, declare…→
Retractable hardtops are a commonplace design in this day and age, but their history stretches back further than the Mercedes SLK. While that car was the first mass-produced retractable roadster that sold in large numbers in the United States, it wasn’t the first convertible with a folding metal top. Ford was the first to bring the retractable hardtop to the United States nearly fifty years earlier. Continue reading Obscure Auto: 1957-1959 Ford Fairlane Skyliner→
Subaru’s reputation for stout, well-built AWD cars has been a cornerstone of their selling points for over twenty years now. And about a decade ago, the turbocharged Impreza WRX showed that this company could build an excellent all-around sports sedan for not a lot of cash. A few years later, they started turbocharging the Legacy and Outback, and gave a new reason for buyers to switch to a boxer engine and AWD. Continue reading Secondhand Saint: 2005-2009 Subaru Legacy GT (and Spec.B)→
So, after an excruciatingly long wait, the details of Toyota’s new entry level sports car have emerged. After looking them over for myself, I am pleased to report that everything seems to be exactly what I had hoped it would be. The car has some serious potential to be quite a good driving experience with a curb weight around 2700lbs, manual transmission options, a limited slip differential, and a high output, naturally aspirated 2.0L boxer engine producing 200hp (do the math, that is 100hp/L). The FT-86/FR-S is showing much promise, and hopefully this means Toyota is finally going to start making viable cars again, but there are still some things this car must do before progress will truly be evident. Continue reading Toyota FT-86/Scion FR-S, details are out, so what needs to happen?→
Mind Over Motor 