Posts from ‘Classic Cars’
2005 Pontiac Bonneville GXP
There are a handful of cars that really put General Motors’ Pontiac division on the map–memorable, exciting vehicles around which the Pontiac brand forged its image of sporty, near-luxury substance–and one of those was the Bonneville. The Bonneville name was first applied to a pair of Pontiac concept cars introduced at the 1954 General Motors Motorama. The moniker was first applied to a production model in 1957, when it became a topline version of the Star Chief convertible.
1972 Plymouth Satellite four-door sedan
Summertime is car-show season, and we always try to take in as many automotive get-togethers as we can. Local cruise nights, marque-specific dealership-lot shows, fancy concours gatherings, or what have you… it’s all good. Our Chicagoland home base has plenty of these kinds of events to offer, and in the upper Midwest, car folks know to take advantage when the weather is warm (or, let’s face it—flat-out hot), because it won’t be long before summer’s over and the cold and snow come again.
Review Flashback! 2006 Cadillac XLR
2006 Cadillac XLR
In terms of total production, Cadillac’s second attempt to sell a modern-era 2-seat sports car was less successful than its first effort. Indeed, the total build of 1986-1993 Allantés came to 21,430–almost 5000 units more than our topic here: the 2004-2009 Cadillac XLR. But in the case of Cadillac sports cars, sales volume may not be the best measure of success.
1980 Mercury Bobcat
There are few emotional influences more powerful than nostalgia. To hear my mother tell it, for example, everything was better in the old country. Given the fact that mom’s childhood home lacked electricity, indoor plumbing, and access to Netflix, I’m pretty sure the fog of time is clouding her judgement somewhat.
1988 Toyota Corolla FX16 GT-S
by Don Sikora II
Note: The following story was excerpted from the October 2018 issue of Collectible Automobile magazine.
If our readers were asked to rank Toyota Corolla traits, we’d guess sportiness and enthusiast interest would fall pretty far down the resulting list. Still, there have been Corollas capable of piquing a cheap-wheeler’s curiosity, and we think the 1987-88 FX16 GT-S “hot hatch” is one of the cars from this subset.
2012 Chevrolet Colorado 3LT
Automotive marketing types enjoy a fine tradition of branding things that aren’t always that noteworthy. Consider the 1980 launch of Chrysler’s first “K-Cars.” Advertising in support of the Dodge Aries and Plymouth Reliant touted the cars’ “Iso-Strut” suspension and “Trans 4” engine.
1947 Chevrolet Fleetmaster Fleetline Aerosedan
Note: The following story was excerpted from the October 2006 issue of Collectible Automobile magazine
Let’s say you’re not convinced that appearance is an important factor—maybe the important factor—that drives car shoppers to choose one vehicle over another. Then consider the 1947 Chevrolet Fleetline Aerosedan. Despite being the most expensive two-door closed car in the Chevy lineup, it was still the most popular model of the best-selling brand in America in ’47.
Review Flashback! 2008 Dodge Magnum
2008 Dodge Magnum R/T
The passage of time can play tricks on your memory. Here’s a question to prove this point: For how many years did sales of the Dodge Magnum overlap with the run of the TV sitcom Big Bang Theory?
1963 Oldsmobile Jetfire
Legendary Chicago Cubs second baseman Ryne Sandberg racked up nine Gold Gloves during his 17-year career as a big-league ball player. That’s a number Ryno can point to with pride, and it’s a number even casual baseball fans can appreciate. Not that the famously modest ex-Cub spends much time defending his career, but if he had to, the stats are there.
What Was the Carbon E7?
Carbon E7
On March 22, 2010, the Carbon Motors Corporation placed an order with German automaker BMW for almost a quarter of a million 6-cylinder diesel engines. Obviously, Carbon Motors’ management was feeling optimistic about the firm’s business prospects.
