2026 Nissan Sentra: Will Fortune Favor the Bold?
The SR, usually the most appealing, offers nothing more than red stitching, sport seats (cloth or leatherette) and 18’ blackout wheels to distinguish itself. Those 18′ SR wheels resemble updated Pontiac rims of the mid ’80s or those of the early Ford Probe. If you don’t care for the massive black face of the SR, the S, SV and SL offer a more elegant look with a toned down face. Their front ends work better due to a better balance between aggression and elegance thanks to a body colored pattern that integrates with the grille.
2015 – 2025 Lexus RC: The Old School Futurist
If you think back to the first Lexus coupe, the SC400 from the ’90s, it was never an all out performance car – despite sharing bits with the Toyota Supra. That’s been the case with just about every Lexus coupe since (save for the LFA). The RC was no different. It’s swoopy good looks have aged well, which is why it was so unchanged. Even the mechanical underpinnings have changed very little.
1974 Hurst/Oldsmobile: Keeping Pace for the ’70s
My favorite Olds pace car (outside the slick ’88 Cutlass Supreme) was the 1974 Hurst/Olds Cutlass. I don’t know about the actual pace car, but the replicas started life like any other Cutlass at the Lansing Michigan factory and was transferred to Hurst’s Ferndale Michigan facility. There they got the Hurst treatment that included the vinyl top, trim pieces, decals and the all-important Hurst gated shifter (on some models).
1967 to 1969 Plymouth Barracuda: Early But Still Late to the Party
Gone were the hawkish Green Hornet/Batmobileish lines of the previous car. Also gone was the original fastback car’s distinctive rear wraparound window. In its place was a more steeply raked rear window for the fastback. Speaking of the fastback, it was joined by a hardtop (notchback) coupe and convertible. All models shared handsome lines that suggested coke bottle styling.
1969-1971 AMC AMX/3: When AMC Stood for Ambitious American Car Co.
The small scrappy car maker was used to carving niches for itself, but lacked a product that could stand toe to toe with the best. AMC’s solution was to design and build an exotic mid-engined sports car with a little help from its Italian friends. Called the AMX/3 (American Motors Experimental), the number designation noted the car as the third in a string of experimental cars.
Lines of Distinction: Mitsubishi 1984
Although the company sold as many as 9 vehicle lines in other markets, its U.S. debut consisted of just three cars, the Tredia, Cordia and Starion.
2021-2024 Mitsubishi Mirage – Don’t Leave Me This Way
The humble Mirage is small and might seem underpowered by most accounts. The low curb weight of only 2,084 lbs helps with maneuverability, but does not help its 0 to 60 time of nearly 13 seconds. Maneuverability is one of the Mirage’s strong points. A sharp 15.10 ft turning radius makes it a perfect city car that’s rated for 5 passengers. A ’24 Mirage could turn tighter than the Chevy Spark and Kia Rio, two competitors that are no longer on the market.
2021 – 2025 BMW 430i Gran Coupe: Who Needs a Crossover?
It’s easy to forget that the kidney grille has grown progressively wider with each generation. All of that history was lost on most people when a new 4 Series arrived in 2020. While initial reaction was mixed, time and subtle refinements to the new face have improved public acceptance. Or has it?
1962-1963 Oldsmobile F-85 Jetfire: The Pains of Progress
Turbocharging was new to the auto industry in the ’60s and not much was known about day to day reliability beyond normal testing. While forced induction was in line with the futuristic jet age inspired styling and marketing of the day, it was also a liability in the wrong hands.
2025 Honda Prologue: Rewriting Honda’s Electric Story
Fitting somewhere between the CR-V and Passport, it was Honda’s first EV attempt since the very niche Clarity and Fit EVs. The Prologue has its own design language that stands apart from the rest of Honda’s line, down to the ‘Honda” script across its rear. Its quite a contrast from the swoopy aggression of the Blazer. The Prologue’s clean simplistic lines are attractive and like it’s sister EV, it has plenty of interior room.
Autopolis 