In 1959, Ford bought the rights to use the name “Comet” from ambulance and hearse builder Cotner-Bevington’s Comet Coach Company, with high hopes for a new compact car that was to be sold by Edsel dealers. But with the Edsel line euthanized barely into early 1960 production, the new upmarket […]
Cheap Thrills
Benz Bones, Mopar Soul
The Chrysler-Maserati TC of 1989–91 may have been Lee Iacocca’s pet project, but it did show Chrysler a thing or two about trans-oceanic undertakings. But when the Crossfire was introduced at the 2001 North American Auto Show in Detroit, Chrysler wasn’t exactly calling the shots, thanks to the DaimlerChrysler merger. […]
DeLorean’s Italian Vega
When the Vega program was introduced in 1970, GM’s CEO Ed Cole also went forward with a program to build the Wankel rotary engine under license from NSU. The original intent was to offer it in a sporty new fastback hatchback design called the Monza 2+2 for 1973, and then […]
If the Shoebox Six Fits
If you can call Henry Ford one thing, it’s persistent. His disdain of 6-cylinder engines dates to the teens of the last century, mostly out of spite of his competition. When Ford’s son Edsel pleaded with him to expand from the Model T and Model A 4-cylinder platform, Henry wouldn’t […]
A Panther Stalks the Market
Chevrolet’s 1994–96 Chevrolet Impala SS created a performance following. This high-performance car built on a full-size 4-door platform generated an immediate cult following among those who wanted a potent LT-1 but needed the practicality of a sedan over a Camaro SS or Corvette. Today, the car’s status as a true […]
Making It Personal
Custom vans defined the 1970s. You can chalk that movement up to a number of factors: withdrawal from the hippie movement or the disappearance of muscle cars, a market glut of used first- and second-generation American work vans, and a burgeoning interest in light-duty trucks despite the OPEC oil crisis. […]
Economy-Class Super Sport
By 1970, closing time was fast approaching the muscle car era, and it was just as apparent at the time as it is now in retrospect. The Clean Air Act of 1970 and safety concerns — along with subsequently high insurance rates — gave enough hints to anyone paying attention, […]
Off-road Plymouth
Although the Jeep CJ, International Scout and Ford Bronco got the ball rolling on small personal off-roaders, it was the Chevrolet Blazer that really jump-started the interest in full-size SUVs. Based on a shortened pickup truck platform, the Blazer was more of a play toy than a work truck. While […]