When Fiat exited the North American market in the early 1980s, it seemed unlikely that the economical Italian brand would ever return. A shoddy reputation had been built over the years on poor reliability, questionable build quality and a penchant for premature rust. Though its cars were small, they carried […]

When you’ve owned a significant number of cars, there will be some that stand out in your memory, the special ones that appealed to you in a way that others did not. Like Goldilocks and her choice of porridge, they weren’t too hot or too cold, they were just right. […]

The first generation of the Lexus IS was never much to look at. Apart from more-stylish wheels and a slightly more pugnacious stance, Lexus’ new compact sport sedan didn’t seem to differentiate itself much from some lesser Toyota models. You had to get closer and pay attention to see that […]

While the all-new Mustang that debuted in 1994 had sold in respectable numbers, Ford heard the rumblings of Mustang purists who felt that the fourth-generation car was too generic. To these fans, who decried it as a “two-door Taurus,” the SN95-platform Mustang had lost its soul. So, for its mid-cycle […]

When the next-generation Porsche Cayman arrives in roughly a year’s time, it and the new Boxster will both be fully electric vehicles. You read that right: Internal-combustion engines will no longer power Porsche’s mid-engine sports cars. That makes it a great time to look back at the now-affordable first-generation Cayman, […]

The Toyota MR2 rocked the sports-car world when it arrived in 1984. With a mid-engine, rear-drive design that stood on the shoulders of the Porsche 914 and Fiat X1/9, the lightweight Toyota offered nimble steering and adequate speed at a truly affordable price. American buyers stepped up, purchasing more than […]

Aston Martin was under Ford Motor Company’s ownership from 1987 to 2007, an era in which even its most ardent fans would have to agree the brand was in the doldrums — or at least a bit lost. Yet Ford’s money in that era certainly saved one of Britain’s legendary […]

In 2005, Pontiac brought forth what would be its last sporty car. The 2006 Solstice was an attractive — even rakish — convertible 2-seater with excellent balance and handling. The Pontiac’s introduction was followed up later in 2006 with a badge-engineered döppelganger called the Saturn Sky and Europeans got the […]

Back in the late 1990s, before the Fast became Furious, Honda Motor Co. found itself the fortunate beneficiary of a momentous shift in car culture. Almost overnight, Honda Civics and Acura Integras became icons among a group of enthusiasts known as much for their ill-fitting pants as for their slammed […]

“Why don’t we get the great cars that the Europeans get?” has been a constant complaint of American enthusiasts, regularly falling on deaf ears at the car companies. Well, except for one pair of ears — those belonging to the legendary Bob Lutz. Before he had GM importing Opels to […]