1910 Buick 60 Special “Bug” Racecar
by Jack Stewart
Note: The following story was excerpted from the February 2016 issue of Collectible Automobile magazine.
Don’t cross Buick. The manufacturer was eager to win some races at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 27, 1910, but its Model 30 racecars were disqualified the morning of the race. Buick management was mad and resolved to get even. In a time before “the Brickyard” had settled on a yearly 500-mile race, Buick planned to come back for the track’s next meet on July 1 with revolutionary cars to extract its revenge.
2018 Chrysler Pacifica Limited in Velvet Red Pearl
2018 Chrysler Pacifica Limited
Class: Minivan
Miles driven: 289
Fuel used: 15.0 gallons
How Hi-Rail Pickup Trucks Work
Chevrolet Silverado Hi-Rail conversion by Harsco. (Harsco Corporation photos.)
I have a number of automotive fantasies, many of which fall into the “never gonna happen” category. Among these daydreams are commuting to work in a Mercedes-Benz Unimog, and driving with Grace Kelly to get a malt at Chicago’s Superdawg Drive-In in a Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing.
Test Drive: 2018 Nissan Leaf
2018 Nissan Leaf SL in Scarlet Ember (a $395 option)
2018 Nissan Leaf SL
Class: Electric Vehicle
Miles driven: 257
Fuel used: N/A
How Tire Sizes Work
The string of numbers found on the side of tires may seem confusing, but it’s easy enough to decode once you know what the numbers stand for. (Photo courtesy of Continental Tires.)
The easiest way to replace the tires on your vehicle is to work with a professional retailer who will help you identify the tires that best match the specifications of the car, as well as your wants and needs for ride quality, handling, and the types of roads and conditions in which you normally drive.
2018 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV GT S-AWC in Ruby Black Pearl (a $295 option)
2018 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV GT S-AWC
Class: Compact Crossover/SUV
Miles driven: 822
Fuel used: 24.5 gallons
2002 Lincoln Blackwood
In recent years, Ford’s F-150 product planners and marketing staff have found themselves with an enviable “problem:” They have apparently not yet found the ceiling for what buyers will pay for a fully decked-out full-size pickup. With each new model year, pickup manufacturers keep finding buyers for ever-more-high-end trim levels loaded with new features and gilded with luxury-level appointments.
2018 Toyota 4Runner Limited in Blizzard Pearl (a $395 option)
2018 Toyota 4Runner Limited 4X4
Class: Midsize Crossover/SUVs
Miles driven: 722
Fuel used: 40.2 gallons
1976 Ford Thunderbird
There is no longer space in the American new-car marketplace for vehicles with hoods and trunklids that consume more linear space than their passenger compartments do. While I know that the passing of the giant coupe was inevitable, I also lament that automotive designers no longer have a free hand with such large and expressive canvases.
Test Drive: 2018 Volkswagen Golf GTI
2018 Volkswagen Golf GTI Autobahn in Tornado Red
2018 Volkswagen Golf GTI Autobahn
Class: Sporty/Performance Car
Miles driven: 244
Fuel used: 8.3 gallons
Classic Cars
