Posts from ‘Review Flashback!’
I was born in 1965, and at no point in my life—as much as I can remember at least—have I not been a car guy. I admit to being more into trains at the beginning, but a healthy dose of Speed Racer helped me through that awkward period.
Review Flashback! 2012 Lexus LFA
2012 Lexus LFA
Lexus sold just over 1200 of its LC 500 and LC 500h grand-touring coupes in 2019. Relative to the popular Lexus RX crossover SUV, which racked up more than 110,000 sales, the LC may seem rare and exclusive. But all things are relative. If you think the LC is a rare sight—and it sort of is–then you’ve probably forgotten about the Lexus LFA.
1987 Dodge Daytona Shelby Z
What price, performance? That’s the question sporty-car shoppers were forced to ask themselves when considering the purchase of a 1987 Dodge Daytona. And by price, I’m not talking about money.
I have never read Frank Herbert’s science fiction epic Dune, but by the time I became aware that the 800-page novel was being adapted for the silver screen, I was pretty well versed on the story.
Review Flashback! 2011 Dodge Dakota
2011 Dodge Dakota
Marketing executives use the term “white space” to refer to an area of a given market segment (say, pickup trucks) in which no product yet exists. If you think about 3M’s 1977 rollout of the Post-it Note, you’ll get the idea.
2007 Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible
From its inaugural model year of 2001 through the 2006 model year, the Chrysler PT Cruiser enjoyed the distinction of being a Consumer Guide Best Buy. The spunky compact “vanlet” hit all the right buttons to earn our favor, counting among its virtues excellent space utilization, respectable fuel economy, and attractive pricing, as well as the undeniable appeal of its nostalgic design.
2005 Buick Park Avenue
Among the storied model names of Buick’s past, the Park Avenue nameplate falls somewhat short of legendary. Buick monikers with richer histories and longer production runs include Century, Electra, LeSabre, Riviera, and Roadmaster.
2005 Chevrolet Astro
As I recall things, Chevrolet caught some media flack when it introduced the Astro minivan back in 1985. Compared to the revolutionary Dodge Caravan and Chrysler Voyager, the new Astro (and GMC Safari clone) was too trucklike, failing to match the Chrysler vans in ride quality, fuel economy, or garagability. But the Astro had its own charms.
2013 Chevrolet Avalanche
It might have been the question that no one asked, but truck shoppers seemed to like the answer. In response to the seemingly hypothetical query “What happens when you cross an SUV with a pickup truck?”, Chevrolet responded “Avalanche.”
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.
