1962-1964 Ferrari 250 GTO: The Real GTO
The American Muscle car was not as crude as some of its critics suggested, or at least the Pontiac wasn’t. To the Ferrari’s defense, it managed to create 300+ hp from just 3 liters while Pontiac needed double that displacement to make 348hp. The test Pontiac was massaged with a dealer’s “Bobcat” treatment making it atypical of the factory GTOs in dealer lots. Still the stunt launched a muscle car legend while reaffirming Ferrari’s status as the one to beat.
1980 to 1991 Peugeot 505: If Its Not Broken…
Introduced to America for the 1980 model year, the 505 replaced the 504 in Peugeots line. Although it was considered big by European standards, it was smaller than the popular Ford Taurus. The 505’s looks were a blend of American practicality and European austerity. Not quite blocky as most European cars or as rounded on the edges as American cars, the 505 look was straightforward and unpretentious. Perhaps the 505’s most distinctive feature were early car’s slant-quad headlight clusters that looked inspired by the 1959 Buick Invicta.
2017 – 2023 Chevrolet Bolt: Giving The People What Want
The first-generation Bolt took the form of a subcompact hatchback with a tall profile, reflecting GM’s hesitation between a traditional sedan and the emerging crossover trend. This height provided excellent visibility and headroom. Stylistically, it avoided looking “weird,” opting for a “futuristic flying buttress” aesthetic that shared design DNA with the Cruze and Volt, featuring geometric air ducts and a glossy black grille cover. Despite its top-heavy appearance, the floor-mounted battery provided a low center of gravity, offering roadholding comparable to the Cruze or Volt.
2026 Buick Electra L7: Big In China
When I was in 5th grade, the principal of my school drove a lemon‑crème colored Buick Electra 225 with a white landau top. It was a big, proud car that … Continue reading
Lines of Distinction: Eagle 1992
Though I never really paid much attention to what else was on the showroom floor that day at Ricart Jeep Eagle. The Eagle line was evolving with the full-sized Premier, a car based on a Renault. The Talon and Summit, a compact sedan, wagon and three door hatchback coupe rounded out the compact options in Eagle’s line. Except for the Normal Illinois built Talon, all of Eagle’s cars were essentially captive imports made in Japan (parts of the Summit line) or France (Premier). As such, Chrysler pushed the brand as a sophisticated alternative to domestic offerings.
1992 – 1999 Rover 800 Coupe: Almost a Legend
Some effort was made to further distinguish the Rover from the Acura with multiple styling tweaks from Richard Woolley and David Saddington overseeing at least two iterations as the car became more America focused (by the thinking of the English). Its fascinating to think that two separate teams were trying to figure out how to Americanize the same car with slightly different outcomes.
2026 Nissan Sentra: Betting On 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.
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