“Shoot for the moon and if you miss, you will still be among the stars.” – Les Brown
At the time of this writing, California-based Fisker Automotive is in bad shape and if they don’t get a miracle, they are going to go under.
In case you haven’t been following the Fisker saga, let me fill you in. Fisker Automotive was founded in 2007 by Henrik Fisker, a Danish-born designer who also penned the Aston Martin DB9, the Aston Martin V8 Vantage, and the BMW Z8. The new company was to launch a luxury plug-in hybrid car in 2009. After multiple setbacks and delays, customers finally began taking deliveries of the Karma sedan in late 2011. Continue reading →
I was riding my bike around on a nice sunny Saturday in Phoenix, just minding my own business, when I came across this Aston Martin just hanging out in the Metrocenter parking lot. At first, I couldn’t figure out why such a car would be parked at what I would surely consider to be one of the top five shittiest places I know about.
When I was a kid, there was a show on TV called “Before They Were Stars.” The show looked at popular celebrities to see what they were like before they became famous. Some of them had humble careers working in menial jobs for low wages – and of course, they would always dig up an embarrassing high school yearbook photo.
In the same way, most car enthusiasts have heard of the DeTomaso Pantera, the Ford-powered, Italian-styled, mid-engine sports car from the 1970s. Before DeTomaso hit it big with the Pantera, they tested the waters with a car that is relatively unknown today: the Mangusta.
The Mangusta was the Pantera before it got its teeth fixed, its hair combed, and changed its name. Like an up-and-coming celebrity, the Mangusta was a little rough around the edges before it became a big shot.
First introduced in 1964, the Ford Mustang was an instant success that combined style and performance into a compact and affordable package. The car’s long hood, short trunk, and V8 engine captured America’s hearts and launched Ford to the top of the sales charts like a Saturn V rocket. Ford was unstoppable, selling a staggering 600,000 Mustangs in 1966.
As time went on, the initial excitement over the new car began to wear off. By 1972, demand for the Mustang was down to 125,000 cars per year. Then in 1973 the oil crisis hit hard, sending gas prices soaring. It seemed as though the Mustang was going to be a tough sell.
Ford responded by introducing the downsized Mustang II in 1974, an ugly little thing that was based on the Pinto. Although it shared the Mustang name, it didn’t share anything else with the first generation cars. That’s what makes this 1973 Ford Mustang so special – it’s the last year of the original pony cars.
Contrary to GM’s third-generation LT1, it’s HHR, or it’s psuedo-pride advertisements for how “deep” Chevy “runs”, there actually is some amount of actual heritage left in the brand.
I’m going to go through the 2013 Line-up (as advertised on www.chevrolet.com) and highlight the cars that GM still makes that have some kind of meaningful tie to a simpler time. The Corvette above is a foreshadow to an obvious choice. Let me just say that the amazingly potent and well performing Z06 and ZR-1 cars will always be a bright spot in a dark time for General Motors. They almost make you forget about Corvette missteps such as:
1973 bumpers
The 305-powered 1980 California Corvette.
78-82 “fastback” windows.
The year 1983.
The fact that between that year we had two distinctly styled Corvettes (the 1982 C3 and the 1984 C4) that both came with nearly identical shit motors (the Crossfire).
Doug Nash 4+3 Transmission
Through all of that, the Corvette still manages to exist and kick ass. After seeing the 2014 model at Barrett-Jackson, I say bring it on. I’m ready for a new ‘Vette.
The Chevy Silverado and Suburban and are awesome examples of Chevrolet’s deep-rooted tradition. The Suburban name alone dates back to 1935 (a world-record for using a model name) and both vehicles are architecturally much like their 1960’s counterparts, though much improved. The 2013 Silverado is still available with the 4.3L V6 and 4 speed automatic, an option that dates back to the 1985 C/K trucks. The 4.3L V6 shares it’s design with the first generation small block Chevy. This means that you can still buy a truck from Chevy that has an engine in it that was designed in the 1950’s. I don’t think any other manufacturer can make that claim.
Unfortunately, this is where it ends. GM’s current products such as the Malibu and Impala haven’t shared anything in common with their ancestors short of name plate for nearly two decades at this point. The Camaro is an aesthetic abomination; I really can’t bring myself to care about it. I honestly would rather be seen in a Chrysler-Concord-meets catfish-faced 98-02 model. And I’m certain that with drag radials and a t-56, it would give the 400hp+ fifth generation a nice little scare. After that, all that’s left is the little shit-boxes that no one really wants to like.
As a child that grew up when you could still buy a passenger car with a carburetor, a frame and a bumper made out of steel -off a dealer’s lot brand new- it sucks to see the overall pussification and misdirection of the car industry. Some may say that this is the golden age of muscle cars all over again, but I scoff at that notion. This is the malaise era all over again, except these cars are powerful. Ugly, overwrought designs, heavy and chock full of a bunch bullshit that you don’t need. Infotainment is just the new replacement for opera windows and brougham tops.
