When the Saab 900 Turbo debuted in 1978, it redefined the sports-coupe segment. If the sporty Swedish hatchback’s shape, spacious interior and funky wheels weren’t enough to force buyers to reconsider the definition of a luxury sports coupe, the 900 Turbo’s engine would. Under its long, sloping hood, the 900 […]

The Datsun B-210 was the right car at the right time. In mid-1973, the OPEC embargo had Americans lining up around the block for gas. The beastly muscle cars of the late 1960s were too thirsty, and the latest replacements from Detroit were strangled and listless. As if on cue, […]

Usually, getting a good buy at one of the Monterey Car Week auctions is just as likely as having no traffic on California 68 between Monterey and Salinas on Friday morning. Yet it does happen. The following three cars — at three different venues — represent good buys for the […]

When it comes to bang for your buck — or purchasing your first classic car — the 1964½ through 1966 Ford Mustang should be on your radar. No other car on the planet is so universally recognized — and not just in the United States. You’ll see Mustangs on the […]

The year was 1990, and the venue was Laguna Seca raceway. I was there to get some open track time in an MGB. My run group that day included a deep crimson Maserati Biturbo, and I spent several hours studying every detail of the taillights and rear end. That happened […]

A few years ago, while sitting in my cubicle at General Motors world headquarters in Detroit, MI, I began my search for a classic car — an affordable one. Despite my being in the Motor City, I determined I wanted something from Europe — preferably English or Italian — with a […]

Everyone has a Z-car story. If you didn’t own one yourself, you knew someone who did. Datsun (later Nissan) built an affordable 2-seat fastback sports car with respectable power and handling — and enthusiasts bought them in large numbers. However, the evolution of the Z-car is a cautionary tale for […]

As a rule, it’s the overlooked cars that make the best Affordable Classics. That’s certainly the case with the Porsche 924. The more-developed 944 that came along later has completely overshadowed Porsche’s first water-cooled car. It’s well past time to take another look and find the appeal and the value […]

Ihad a friend who was cursed with the nickname “Swamp Gas.” Folks called him that because “swamp gas was the only explanation for something that weird.” Which brings me to the Citroën 2CV. Yup, that odd little French car that also answers to “deux chevaux.” From the land of stinky […]

Any car is a rolling exercise in compromise: horsepower vs. economy, stability vs. agility, interior space vs. exterior volume, bilge capacity vs. sinkability. Whoa. What? That last is only a problem with the most glaring example of compromise in automotive design ever — the Amphicar 770. It has been called […]