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Saturn Sky Red Line
There wasn’t time to mourn them all. The General Motors bankruptcy that came—at least in part—as a result of the 2007-2009 Great Recession wiped out a slew of established car brands, and all of the models those brands retailed.
Review Flashback! 2004 Scion xB
2004 Scion xB
As an upstart automotive brand aimed squarely at young buyers, Scion was full of promise. Toyota launched the Scion nameplate in 2003, in an attempt to engage automobile customers earlier in life and bring a little spark into the somewhat stodgy environs of the typical American Toyota dealership. The first Scion vehicles started showing up in select California Toyota dealerships in summer 2003, and the brand expanded nationwide in early 2004.
Review Flashback! 2009 Hummer H2
2009 Hummer H2 SUT
And just like that, the Hummer brand is back from the dead. Due in showrooms late in 2021, the all-new 2022 Hummer EV pickup truck will be a flagship of General Motors’ latest electric-vehicle initiative. This time, however, Hummer is a sub-brand of GMC, not a stand-alone brand. And this time, Hummer will not be shunned by the buying public when gas prices again spike—the new Hummer uses no gas.
All things are relative. While no one would expect any of the vehicles featured below to shine in terms of braking performance, the Editors of Consumer Guide called out the Chrysler Imperial for its dubious stopping ability. And that’s just one of the many insights buried in the test report below.
1988 Buick Reatta
It saddens us to say it, but the luxury coupe is all but dead. While BMW and Mercedes-Benz still sell a few midsize and large 2-door cars, Cadillac and Lincoln do not. Lexus does sell the impressive LC, but that car is expensive, and it’s really more of a sports car than a luxury coupe in the sense we’re discussing here.
Review Flashback! 2006 Subaru Baja
2006 Subaru Baja
The classic Christmas film It’s a Wonderful Life is widely beloved today, but did you know that it was met with only faint critical praise when it was released in time for the holidays in 1946? The Frank Capra-directed story about a family man fallen on hard times underperformed at the box office, and would not be recognized as a serious work of cinematic art until decades later. Fans of the film will be glad to hear that It’s a Wonderful Life now ranks high on the American Film Institute’s (AFI’s) 100 Years, 100 Movies list.
2007 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS
Thanks in large part to Chevrolet’s involvement in NASCAR racing, the somewhat anachronistic Monte Carlo outlived its useful life span by half a decade or so. By 2000, the mainstream-brand midsize/large coupe segment was all but gone, with only the coupe versions of the Honda Accord and the Toyota Camry (dubbed Solara) still seeing meaningful sales volume.
Review Flashback! 2004 Chrysler 300M
2004 Chrysler 300M
It was known internally as “LH,” and it was the architecture on which a number of popular and well-regarded Chrysler Corporation large cars were built. Known for their short-hood “Cab Forward” design, the LH cars included mainstream products (Dodge Intrepid, Chrysler Concorde), luxury cars (Chrysler New Yorker, Chrysler LHS), and one long-forgotten model (Eagle Vision).
Review Flashback! 1974 Dodge Monaco
1974 Dodge Monaco Brougham
All things considered, 1974 was a pretty big year for Dodge’s large cars. In addition to a complete redesign, the Polara name was dropped from the lineup. Monaco, previously the top trim level, was now the base and midlevel moniker, while the new Monaco Brougham capped the lineup.
2004 Mercury Marauder
If you didn’t think about it too hard, you might have predicted at the time that the 2003 Mercury Marauder would have been a hit with the car-buying public. The car had a lot going for it: a powerful V8, decent handling, cop-car lineage via its Ford Crown Victoria corporate cousin, and stealthy good looks. Plus, the Marauder should have filled the void in muscle-car enthusiasts’ hearts created when the popular V8-powered Chevrolet Impala SS was discontinued in 1996.
