1977 Cadillac Coupe deVille

Two of my most vivid childhood memories that center around cars happened with the same car: my Uncle’s 1977 Cadillac Coupe deVille (or de Ville depending on what you read). It was brand new when he got it in late 1976, and even though it was more than a year old, he kept it in spotless showroom-like condition. For that reason, I felt terrible about my motion sickness episode in the front seat.

It was on a particularly curvy section of the still under construction I-77. The big Caddy swerved and rolled about the corners with a kind of exaggerated motion. It was just too much for me unfortunately.

This is very close to what my Uncle’s 1977 Coupe deVille looked like

A year later my parents came to get us from our annual Ohio summer vacation. We sat sadly in the back seat as the family Buick Century headed east on I-70. Then we noticed a speeding light green Cadillac getting ever closer in the distance with it’s lights flashing – it was our uncle who caught up with us in that Cadillac – the one I got sick in a year before.
My Uncle later convinced my parents to let us stay in Columbus for another week. We were never so happy.

Cadillac’s were considered “The Standard of the World”, or at least Cadillac convinced millions of car buyers in America that it was. As GM’s top brand, Cadillac with its  baroque Fleetwood and Coupe de Ville best epitomize my ideal of the big American luxury car of days past.

The Coupe de Ville was Cadillac’s most spacious luxury coupe at the time (the Eldorado was it’s most sporting). The name ‘Deville’ was derived in part from the Italian word for town car. As such, it attempted to be all things to all buyers who wanted comfort, style and luxury in a personal car, but without the sporty pretensions of the Seville. During the mid ’70s the only real modern Cadillac was the new Seville, leaving the rest of the line to traditionalists. The Seville’s formal, yet athletic boxy shape would usher in a whole new design language at Cadillac as it’s cars would become the giant rectangular boats that I remember from childhood.

1977 Buick Electra

I usually consider the 1977 model year as the beginning of the modern Coupe de Ville. That was the year that 8.5 inches was whopped off the C-Body wheelbase and over 9 inches off it’s overall length. Another benefit of the EPA mandated diet was a serious overall weight reduction that came in at nearly half a ton. GM’s downsizing of the C-Body platform also affected the Buick Electra and Cadillac Fleetwood making them all compliant with new EPA rules. The Coupe dVille could now reach 18 mpg on the highway.

Compliance had other benefits. Although the revised 7.0 liter V8 had 180 hp in the ’77, 10 less than the engine a year before, it moved the up to 5,400 pound car with the same urgency as before.

The pilot’s choice: 1977 Cadillac Coupe deVille

My Uncle’s car had an optional fuel injection system that bumped power to 195, an impressive number until you realized that Cadillac needed an engine the size of a VW to do it. Most Cadillac buyers likely did not care about gas mileage when gas was well under $.75 a gallon. They bought their coupes for its unquestionable style and luxury.

Style and luxury were always the most important reasons for buying the Coupe de Ville. It’s upright grille with standing hood ornament remained, as did the wire wheels and landau styled top. Other more subtle changes over the ’76 model was a taller greenhouse that allowed more headroom and surprisingly for a car whose wheelbase was nurtured, more leg room in the front and back. The new Caddy featured squared off styling more in line with the Seville. Gone was the rear wheel cover that gave previous models their old world look (or was that charm?).

enormous coupe doors with baroque styled handle

All the expected things like the big doors with buttoned upholstery and that signature belt used as a handle were still there. I also remember the neat square door lights that never seemed bright enough to be functional. Power everything and a radio that activated the antenna when you weren’t playing cassettes or as in my Uncle’s case, Ohio Players or Lou Rauls 8-tracks.

One of the things I admired about these cars, even today was how smoothly they shifted. As a teenager, my goal was to learn to drive a car with a manual transmission as smoothly as the Cadillac, Oldsmobile and Buicks I remember riding in. In the Coupe de Ville’s case, shifting duties were performed smoothly by GM’s legendary Turbo Hydro-Matic 400 – one of the best 3 speed automatics available at the time. My motion sickness was never prompted by harsh shifts – the floaty suspension however might have been another matter.

1978 Cadillac Coupe deVille dashboard

Apparently my uncle O’Neal was not alone in his love of the Coupe de Ville. The early years of the 5th generation set all kinds of sales and production records. The classic looks of that model still looked good in the final year of production in 1984. Of course by that point my uncle’s tastes had changed like the rest of the market would eventually. When it came time to trade in the old Caddy in 1984, he did it at an Audi dealership and drove away in the recently introduced 5000 sports sedan (with a 5-speed manual no less!). Cadillac’s days as the undisputed standard of the world may have been over, but when it did what it knew best, wonderful cars like the Coupe de Ville was the result.

1979 Cadillac Coupe deVille Custom 

2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback XSE

Cadillac once billed itself as the standard of the world. Today that title might apply to cars like the Toyota Corolla. The Corolla name has been around for more than a half century. Not long after it’s debut in 1966 it has grown in popularity and steadily set sells records to become the on and off best selling car in the world.

AE86 and FX-16

The Corolla became the go to car for most people by sticking to its core virtues: affordable, dependable, basic transportation. As such, most versions of the Corolla don’t excite enthusiasts. There have been a few variants that are legendary like the rear wheel drive AE86 and front wheel drive FX-16 from the ’80s. Performance Corollas have long since been a memory as today’s Corolla looks sporty, but retains pedestrian handling traits tuned to comfort. The last Corolla marketed for performance was the seldom seen 158 hp 2009 XRS.

Since then Corollas have been getting more aggressive looking, especially from 2014

2014 Corolla

forward. Despite it’s more sporty look, all Corollas were available with a comparatively low power (132 hp) 1.8 liter four cylinder engine. The popular “S” trim added visual spice with blackout treatments and chrome tipped exhausts – and of course the big red “S” on the back.

Toyota is now adding substance to the Corolla’s sporty look. For 2019, it now offered a 5 door hatch in America. Interestingly enough, the Corolla like the Chevy Cruze was late to the 5 door hatch game in America. For Corolla fans, the big news beyond the rear door is the normally aspirated 2.0 with dual variable valve timing. It produces 168 hp, making it the most powerful factory Corolla ever. It’s probably safe to say that the Corolla Hatchback is now the sporty Corolla in America. The sedan only comes with the less powerful 1.8 liter engine choice.

2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback XSE (left) and SE (right)

With power comes responsibility. The new Corolla in XSE trim at least tries to look the part with slinky headlights, a larger rear spoiler, 18in wheels. There’s even a six speed manual transmission! The front adds a playful quality to the brand’s signature gaping mouth grille. Like the Camry, the Corolla features a fake vent or vertical accent just aft of the rear wheels. It also shares a trait with the recent Honda Civic hatchback in that it has plenty of fake vents and ports in the back. The large rear diffuser minick’s the front grille’s gaping mouth design.

Despite having rev matching for the manual, the Corolla hatchback driving experience is not much different than any other Corolla. It’s more rewarding to drive by virtue of it’s manual transmission, but it’s no pocket rocket with a 10 second 0 to 60 time. That’s to say that it’s well composed and solid feeling and it’s fully independent suspension. It still would rank towards the bottom of the compact car class on performance.

Fortunately for Toyota, people do not buy Corollas for performance.

Like any other Corolla, the Hatchback is likely to sell well because 1. it’s a Corolla 2. it’s super reliable and 3. it just so happens to look sportier than the sedan. More importantly, it’s the class leader in quality and has mastered the art of being all things to most people. It’s loaded with the options that are important to most drivers like Apple Carplay (no Android Auto). The rest of the interior is simple using a design philosophy Toyota calls “Sensuous Minimalism”. There are nice touches like the well designed Intune entertainment system with it’s combination of touchscreen and physical buttons. It’s a welcome sight as carmakers move increasingly toward screen centered controls.

2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback interior (XSE)

I wonder who the market for this car will be. It’s too mild mannered for the tuner boys who might be the only buyers to opt for the manual transmission XSE. Price is a factor in the Corolla’s favor as the hatchback is likely to undercut the Honda Civic.
The Corolla Hatch is interesting looking, but I would not go so far as to call it pretty.

In fact it can look funny from the side thanks to a awkward flowing beltline that forms a kink towards the back. Visually it reminds me of the 2012-14 Hyundai Elantra’s ugly rear quarter panel. That’s become a thing with most modern cars. They might start with classical proportions, but mess it up somewhere with a clash of volumes that could have only come from cars designed by regulations, committees and hyped up CAD software. You could say that the Hatchback is a kind of concession if you consider that in Europe Toyota just made it’s sporty wagon or estate variant available.

2019 Toyota Corolla Touring Sports Wagon

Called the Corolla Touring Sports Wagon, it’s lines are much easier on the eyes. The roofline recalls shooting brake designs more than most wagons. It has that tidiness of European or JDM cars that Americans don’t really go for (in the Midwest). Like it’s uglier counterpart in America, the Wagon rides on Toyota’s global GA-C platform, but with a longer wheelbase. To add insult to injury, the wagon has the same sized engine, but it makes 180 hp.

The wagon is not coming to America. Even so the Hatchback it the sportiest car to wear the Corolla name in America since 2009. For that reason it might help hold off the tide of crossovers and small SUVs by convincing buyers that a 5th door offers the same practically.

2019 Toyota Corolla HB

2017 Hyundai Elantra Sport

Compact cars were once where all the action was. They still make up a big part of the American car sales portfolio. Their percentage of sales are being chipped away at by everything from crossovers to schemes of car free living. Still the most affordable option for small families, makers are feeling the squeeze to push up the value quotient of their lower end offerings like never before.

Hyundai is one brand who has responded to these market pressures in the most impressive way – they out value to out sell many rivals. For Hyundai (and its sister company Kia) the good news spreads across many segments. One of the most established categories where Hyundai shines the brightest is the one where they got their start in the American market: the compact sedan arena.

Hyundai’s Elantra shares a platform with Kia’s Rio. Both cars have been continuously improved to an extent not seen since Japan’s rise in the ’80s and ’90s. Gone are the days where Hyundai’s biggest attribute was its low price. While no longer bargain basement, a loaded Elantra cost less than most similarly equipped Civics and Corollas. With both Honda and Toyota stepping up their design games, Hyundai was forced to respond in kind. The Elantra was once a middle of the road performer with looks that never offended (if you don’t count the 04-08 models).

In the past, such a low profile never endeared it to performance oriented publications, yet the Elantra quietly rose as a star in Consumer Reports – a place where many car buying decisions are made for everyday people. It would seem that more and more people are choosing the Elantra from the shrinking hypercompetitive ring of compact sedans.

2018 Hyundai Elantra SE

As quality, features and performance have risen, so has design as a priority. The Elantra looks more expensive than its price would suggest, an impressive trick in this segment. Under chief design Peter Schreyer, Hyundai has steadily improved it’s design language to look more upscale. The concept matches the company’s value proposition in that it tries to offer more for less. Now, just as many buyers might consider an Elantra for it’s looks vs. just it’s lower price.

The Elantra is available in two body styles, a sedan and 5 door hatch. The sedan, (the better looking of the two) has a sleek coupe-like profile that would suggest a trick hatchback design, yet it opens as a traditional trunk. The 5 door is not as attractive as others competitors  on the market, but it’s not as juvenile as the Honda Civic Sport. What the 5 door gained in versatility, it may have lost in aesthetics. I wonder if a wagon would have allowed Hyundai to keep a more upmarket look without sacrificing that much cargo space. It would also would mesh with Schreyer’s more upscale vision for Hyundai’s design direction.

2018 Hyundai Elantra GT Sport

As design stepped up, so did equipment levels and performance. Hyundais have always been known for offering a lot of value for the money. They started adding backup cameras, touchscreens and other formally luxury like items every early on its mid and upper level trims. Now an entry level DX offers almost as much kit as Hyundai’s first luxury car in America the Equuuis when it was new in 1999.

2018 Hyundai Elantra Sport interior

Starting with the 2017 models, they got improved engine management systems and direct injection. The technology boosted power on base engines to a 147 hp while the top engine produced as much as 210 hp. The more powerful engine made its debut in 2017’s Sport and later the GT Sport 5 door hatch. They were capable of 0 to 60 times in the mid 6 second range – clearly faster than the departed Veloster Turbo (and less polarizing). They both featured a 6 speed manual transmission that is also available in some base trims with the least powerful engine.

The great thing about the sport oriented versions of the Elantra is that they offer performance on par with the Honda Civic Si, but without the silly robotech styling that cripples most versions of the Civic. At first glance, there’s little to distinguish a Sport Manual or GT Sport from mid-line models except for their slightly larger wheels. There are other versions of the Elantra that focus more on luxury, making them just as compelling as the sport orient ones (especially because they have the same 210 hp engine).

2018 Hyundai Elantra Limited

Base models are still middle of the road in overall performance, but offer considerable value. Models equipped with the 1.8 L turbo engine are on par with the Honda Civic Si and class leading VW Golf GTi in performance. Since most people don’t buy strictly on performance, Elantra sales have outpaced the Corolla, Cruze and Focus to become the second most popular compact car in America – behind the Civic.

Hyundai will no doubt continue its upward rise in quality to the point that its reputation will match that of Honda or Toyota (not just with young people, but older ones too). It has already surpassed them in various JD Powers quality rankings. It’s clear that the popular Elantra continues to be a priority for Hyundai as it has already received a mid cycle refresh for 2019, making it even more competitive in its bid to catch the Civic in sales. At this rate the Elantra will become America’s petro darling.

2017 Hyundai Elantra Sport

2002 Acura TL Type-S

Honda was the first Japanese manufacturer to spin off a luxury brand in America. While it was the first, it’s Acura brand did not capture the public’s imaginations in the way that Lexus or even Infiniti could. With the sporty Integra and game changing NSX, Acura would eventually established itself as a performance leader, although its reputation for luxury was not as pronounced.

The flagship RL was capable but bland. The volume leader the, first TL was even more so. Acura’s response was a total makeover of the TL with a larger all aluminum 24-valve V6 with 225 hp. The engine used the same VTEC technology that first appear in the NSX which implied that the new midsize sedan would be performance oriented. While the previous TL was a decent car, the performance potential of the new power plant was now matched with sleek new sheet metal.

2003 Acura CL Type-S

The new look sedan was easily Honda’s best look car outside of the NSX. Even in its most aggressive form as the Type-S, it had a tasteful bit of restraint – maybe too much restraint. A new coupe called the 3.2CL arrived later, although attractive, it was neither aggressive or particularly luxurious looking even in Type-S trim. It actually looked frumpy next to the sportier looking sedan. It may have been for that reason that the sedan outsold the coupe.

The TL’s interior, one of Honda’s best, was one of the car’s highlights. The ergonomically design center stack was (with or without the LCD) was positioned to easily be within the drivers reach. The odd colored wood accents were not for everyone, but the leather clad cabin was generally a pleasant place to be.

2003 Acura TL Type-S interior

To simplify matters, all TL came with the same 3.2 liter engine. In 2001 that engine got a boost of  35 horsepower for the Type-S. The Type-S was available as a coupe or sedan and might be easily overlooked if it weren’t for its 17′ wheels. The low key looks hid the Type-S’s impressive performance numbers (by sport sedan standards of the early Ohs) with a 0 to 60 time in the low six second range and a drag limited top speed of 145 mph.

Those numbers were not class leading, but what the Acura might have lacked in overall performance compared to cars like Infiniti’s G35, it made up for in initial cost, comfort and reliability. If more performance was what you wanted, the TL had the benefit of being a Honda which meant that there were plenty of tuner and performance parts available from companies like Comptech. Comtech for instance added more than 50 hp to the Type-S by using GM Eaton type supercharger.

Supercharged Comtech Acura CL

Factory options however were minimal for all TL, but the option of being able to shift the four speed automatic transmission manually with paddle shifters was a new and novel feature for all TL (and most of the industry in 1999).  The quick shifting transmission only enhanced the TL performance, especially in concert with Honda’s wonderful multi link double wishbone rear suspension.

2002 Acura CL Type-S dash

Luxury came in the form of all the expected attributes like leather interior with wood grain accents. Unexpected (in 1999) in the TL’s price range was a host of technologies that we would take for granted today. A 6′  touch screen infotainment system with a navigation system was the only option. Initially the CD based system would quickly change to a satellite-linked one, matching larger more expensive cars from Mercedes and BMW. Those competitors (BMW especially) could cost considerably more and not be as well equipped as the TL. Acura had essentially brought a Henry Ford Model A system of options to the TL, simplifying the buying process considerably while keeping it’s own production cost down.

With it’s biggest stumbling block addressed, the TL had become a major contender in the near luxury market where looks, comfort and power were the biggest of buyer demands.  With similar entries from Lexus, Infiniti, Audi, and BMW already well established, the Acura would carve a niche similar to BMW with a performance oriented luxury car. In fact, at its peak, the TL trailed only BMW’s 3 Series in sales in America. Unlike any of it’s European competitors in particular, the TL would cost less to buy and maintain just like any other Honda.

2003 Acura TL Type-S with factory ground effects

The second generation TL still used some Honda Accord parts, most notably an enlarged version of it’s engine, but it was visually distinguished enough from any other car in Honda’s American lineup (something the first TL did not do convincingly). In Europe the TL was called the Honda Inspire and was sold as an upscale alternative to the Accord.

A subtle reskin would add a gear to the transmission. The new 5 speed transmission was initially troublesome, a rare event with Japanese cars (by the public’s perception at least). Other refinements would address transmission issues and add more power, eventually reaching 260hp by 2002. With the TL, Acura finally lived up to the brand’s initial promise in the luxury sedan realm.

2002 Acura TL Type-S

1982 Camaro Sport Coupe

A few years ago I wrote about the 3rd generation Firebird – not the fancy SE, Trans-Am or GTA, but the humble base car. It’s counterpart over at Chevy was similar in its less glamorous mission to appeal to buyers looking for an inexpensive 2+2 that had more style than performance.

Both style and frugality were being planned into the 3rd gen F-body as early as 1975. GM even went so far as to benchmark early proposals against the front wheel drive the VW Scirocco. At that time, there was a contingent within GM that wanted a front wheel drive car similar to what the Japanese and Europeans were offering. They figured the J-body Cavalier/Sunbird was insufficient to truly compete with what the public saw as more nimble and sophisticated imports. It’s possible that small coo resulted in what eventually became the Beretta.

The three Camaros of 1982

Smaller size, efficiency and curve cutting performance was exactly what import buyers were looking for (and the Beretta would not be it). The J cars had some of that, but lacked other qualities import buyers had come to expect (high build quality, refinement etc). The public might have been looking for sporty efficient compacts, but the bigger F-body cars were just not that. Despite starting out with a rather large four cylinder engine in the base models, they were in a class of their own with little direct foreign competition if you go on just wheelbase and engine size. Either way, the Camaro handily outsold the Mustang (and many other competitors) in the 1982 model year, no doubt due to the entry level Camaro Sport Coupe.

Siku 1/64 “Camaro Z28” circa 1983

Camaros of this era were actually sold in Europe, although not officially by GM until 2011. Though there’s no hard numbers, I suspect that they were more often the Sport Coupe variety with some 4 cylinder engine due to European taxes on engines larger than 2.0 liters (European Camaro forums suggest that V8 powered cars are just as popular). Skiu, a German diecast toy manufacturer produced a Camaro toy in the late ’80s that resembled the Sport Coupe but was labeled a Z28. The German toy manufacturer was known for its accurate scale representations, so that alone suggests the Sport Coupe may have been altered for Europe (or Siku simply made a mistake).  Any insight on 3rd gen Camaros in Europe would be most appreciated.

Meanwhile back in the States…

Dropping a four cylinder in a Camaro might have been seen as a compromise in the ‘80s. In 1982, it was GM’s way of adding efficiency (by F-body standards) to its new Camaro/Firebird line up. With it, GM’s pony cars could enter the ‘80s like Ford’s Mustang entry and satisfy all ends of the market. The new Camaro (called the Sport Coupe in base trim) was lighter and more efficient than any before it, but it was still a world apart from the typical Celica or Sirocco. The worst, it was large, heavy and slow with poor interior space management. At best it was a good looking, comfortable 2+2. Almost a GT car by most definitions.

1984 Camaro Sport Coupe

Of the base F-body offerings from GM, the Camaro Sport Coupe arguably was the more refined design. Unlike the base Firebird, it’s design never suggested that it was missing something as much as the Firebird did. Base Firebirds would eventually take on SE charistics, but the addition of pronounced ground effects around 1984 only widened the gap. The Camaro Z28 had ground effects from the beginning, but the Sport Coupe’s lack of them did not detract from its overall visual appeal. In the Sport Coupe’s case it even added a distinctive feature: a grille with three thin air slots. It almost made up for the lack of fog lights and deeper front air dam.

Camaro models for 1982

Like the Firebird, the base Camaro offered buyers on a budget the cleanest expression of the new F-body design. The most stripped Camaro did not look so much like a penalty box due to its attractive optional styled steel wheels. If dealers, realizing that the base car was the only Camaro gateway for many younger buyers, could resist the urge to spoil it’s lines with tacky stickers or stick-on body side moldings, the base car could come across as elegant if not subdued sporty.

1984 Sport Coupe with optional Custom Sport Interior

The interior is perhaps the one area where the base Camaro has the most in common with more expensive versions. The dashboard with its blocky futuristic cockpit look was nearly identical, only plastic covers over what would have been options were the only clue that you were in the base car. Also there were no fancy Z28 or Berlinetta logos, only Camaro over the flat glove compartment. There were a number of options that would allow you to tastefully dress up your Camaro Sport Coupe like the 1984 Custom Interior Package that added textured cloth sport seats.

Mechanically is where the Sport Coupe differentiates itself the most from other Camaros. While the base Berlinetta and Z28 featured V6 and V8 power respectively, the Sport Coupe used a Pontiac built 2.4-liter 4 cylinder. The Iron Duke OHV design came in two varieties, the first called the LQ8 featured a two barrel carburetor design. It was only available for the 1982 model year and was quickly replaced with the LQ9 which used a more modern throttle body fuel injection system. Regardless of what version you had, horsepower never topped 100. For a car that weighed over 2,877 lbs, the base Sport Coupe’s big four had its work cut out for it.

Most Sport Coupes were optioned with 4 speed automatic transmissions. Some even went out the door with the standard 4 or optional 5 speed manual.

Chevrolet would not rectify the Sport Coupe’s performance issues until it began offering a V6 (and sometimes V8) as an option and eventually as the base engine (V6). The buyers of the 4 cylinder cars were not expecting to keep up with Berlinettas, or even the lighter 4 cylinder Mustangs as much as they were interested in cruising with some measure of style. That cruising never exacted a big price on efficiency as the Camaro claimed 23 mpg in the city and up to 35 mpg on the highway. Not bad for a stylish 2+2 with a performance pedigree.

Besides the commendable gas mileage, there were other things that reminded you that you were not in a Z28. For one only the front brakes were disc, with the rears being drums (like the Cavalier!). There were options to improve the Sport Coupe’s appearance and sometimes it’s road holding abilities like the F41 Sport Suspension, but Chevrolet never used the Sport Coupe as a platform for a sleeper in the way Ford did with V8 powered LX Mustangs. By 1986 the Iron Duke four cylinder engine was gone and replaced with a 2.8-liter V6 from the Berlinetta. Before that however, a detail oriented buyer could order a Sport Coupe with a 5.0 V8!

My encounter with the Sport Coupe was seldom with a V8 or even V6 version. More often than not I might catch a glimpse of a beaten down Sport Coupe in Southern Ohio. You know the stereotype: < stereotype> Sport Coupes often suffer an identity crisis with owners trying to convert them to Z28 look alikes with varying degrees of body panel swaps and wheel upgrades. It’s sad to see these cars in this state because it builds on the negative stereotype of the Camaro owner as a hillbilly or redneck chariot. Even worse the Sport Coupe is considered a dropout hillbilly’s car where the Z28 (or Trans-Am) owner at least can claim a regular job somewhere </stereotype>. Of course when done right, the Sport Coupe can be quite attractive in its own right.

Tastefully modified Sport Coupe with Z28 rims

Base Camaros would eventually bridge the gap visually with the Z28 with it’s own ground effects package (usually in RS trim). Even by then it was still in a unique class by itself that had no real precedent outside of the US (with some exceptions in Australia). Sure, the Nissan’s 240SX might have looked like a close competitor to the Sport Coupe in concept with its big four cylinder engine and rear wheel drive, but in truth import buyers seldom cross shopped their local Chevy dealer.

The concept of the stylish sporty coupe had become front wheel drive with efficient DOHC engines. The Camaro Sport Coupe never saw such technology. As a result for much of the 3^rd gen Camaro’s production span, the majority of style conscious buyers were considering Probes, Celicas and Eclipses. Interestingly, the ideal of a four cylinder Camaro has made a comeback, with none of the pitfalls of the old Sport Coupe. The Sport Coupe owners can be proud that under the hood of new LS/LT Camaros is a nearly 300 hp engine that can trace its conceptual beginnings with the first four cylinder Camaro: The Sport Coupe.

1983 Camaro Sport Coupe

1984 Pontiac Fiero Official Pace Car

Everybody loves a good concept car. The only thing better is probably a pace car. At their best a pace car represents the final step in applying concept car technology to production. At its worst it’s often no more than an extension of the tease that comes with many concept cars -made all the more painful because they often look like you could buy one right off the lot.

Through the ’80s only a Indy 500 few pace cars really captured my imagination. Being that the famous race required that all it’s pacers be American made, it often counted them out of my sphere of interest.  Besides, I was at the beginning of my Japanese car infatuation and there seemed to be little variation in what defined a pace car.

Of those red blooded Merican cars that got my attention, they were almost always from Pontiac. The first one was the 1984 Fiero Pace car. The Fiero would make Indy history as being the first (and only) mid-engined car and shortest with a 93.4 inch wheelbase to pace the 500. The production car had been out for little more than a year and was getting praise for its innovative mid-engine, rear wheel drive packaging. It was also interesting looking with it’s plastic body panels and space frame construction. The choice was a refreshing change from the usual Camaro/Oldsmobile/Mustang standbys.

The only problem was that a stock Fiero was not particularly sporty to drive with GM’s tired 2.3 liter Iron Duke four cylinder engine. It always seemed dumb to me that so futuristic looking a car could be saddled with old fashioned technology under the hood. But that was the GM way back then (to its detriment later). The old iron block throttle body engine could trace its roots back to the ’70s. With only 92 hp, it was a much larger engine than what Japanese manufacturers were using with less power too. The old engine was no doubt a compromise and cost cutting measure. Despite being a 2 seater, Pontiac had to pretend that the Fiero was nothing more than a sporty commuter runabout to get it past company brass.

Meanwhile, auto enthusiasts had other ideals and apparently so did Pontiac. To showcase the performance potential of it’s new mid-engine car, Pontiac was selected to pace the 68th running of the Indy 500. Not surprisingly, instead of adding things like electronic fuel injection or dual overhead cams, Pontiac did what GM only knew what to do in the early ’80s: increase displacement. Besides, the engineers has little time to get a car ready by the May 27th race date.

The changes over the stock car were substantial enough to give the Fiero true sports car status. A large intake along with a new ground effects treatment transformed and chrome wheels transformed the otherwise homely looking Fiero into a little near exotic. The smooth nose framed a deep functional air intake that channeled air at speed. It gave the Fiero a mini Trans Am look.

The stock 2.3 was bored out to 2.7 liters and fitted with a special air intake fitted just behind the cabin. The engine enhancements resulted in 232 hp, an impressive figure in the pre Quad 4 era of GM. The 2.7 was the same engine that would find it’s way under the hood Fiero GTP class race cars. Any doubts that a four cylinder could keep pace were erased when pace driver John G. Callies reached 136 mph. Replicas were fitted with a 92 hp 2.5 liter four and swapped the chrome disc rims with Pontiacs standard 14 inch Turbo Casts painted white.

’84 Fiero Pace car replica interior

Speaking of white the interior was decked out in white with red seat accents that matched the subtle accent stripe around the car and it’s rims. It was probably the only aspect of the car that did not age well being that there was nothing subtle about Pontiacs treatment of red on the inside.

It’s Indy 500 tradition that the official pace car company supply an official truck. With Pontiac not offering any trucks, it used a specially prepared S-10 based GMC Sonoma. Pontiac called it’s truck pair Indy Haulers. GMC sold Hauler editions (that featured Pontiac rims). It was the closest Pontiac would ever come to having a pickup.

The official vehicles of the Indy 500

Pontiac made replicas available with a smaller less powerful 2.5 liter four. Owners had the option of applying decals or leaving the two toned car plain and inconspicuous. Production cars also lacked the large air intake, there was a aftermarket that willing to restore it’s look and function. In many ways, the ’84 Pace Car previewed the styling for the ’85 GT.

While not as impressive as the 2.7 from the pace car, the ’85 GT would come with a 2.8 liter 6 cylinder engine. It only made 140 hp which for the time was adequate for an American 6 cylinder, but well below Japanese cars like the Toyota MR2 which only needed a 1.6 liter engine to produce 145 hp.

But then again the Fiero was a different breed of car that appealed to a different buyer. Unfortunately the promise of the 1984 Pace Car would never be truly realized in production. Just as Pontiac was getting the Fiero right, it canceled it after 1988.

1984 Pontiac Fiero Pace Car replica

1981 De Lorean DMC-12

Ask anyone to name a famous car from film or TV and the DeLorean DMC-12 is likely to be in the top 5 right up there with General Lee Charger and KIT Trans Am. What’s even more amazing is how big the DMC-12’s impact on popular culture was considering that less than 900 were produced in a short three or so year run. The story of John Z Delorean rise and fall has been well documented, but the car which bears his name has a much better legacy.

Part of what made the DMC-12 such a great choice for its role in the 1985 film Back to the Future, was that the DMC-12 just looked down right futuristic. With it’s low wide stance, exotic stainless steel construction and gullwing doors just looked like the car of the future – or what we imagined the future to look like in the late ’70s.

Designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, John Z. Delorean cut no corners with initial design and did everything in the same flamboyant style that bought Pontiac from the dead in his previous job. He might have tried to do too much too fast, as evidence in the quality issues of early cars. The name itself was inspired by early idealism: the 12 in the DMC-12 name was supposed to allude to the car’s planned $12,000 price tag. At that price DeLorean should have had a backlog of orders.

There’s no denying the DMC-12’s striking design. The well proportioned fastback featured the futuristic industrial design look that Giugiaro had become known for. Even the interior was clean and functional with a well laid out dash and high center tunnel for the transmission. It resembled any number of exotics with boxy dash designs like the Lotus Esprit (another Giugiaro design).

Speaking of Lotus, that company engineered much of the suspension system and is the reason the DMC-12 handled better than average. Unusual for the time, the DMC-12 sported 15 in wheels in the back and 14s in the front, both using a cast-alloy “turbofan” design (similar to a Pontiac design). Quite usual for the time was the DMC-12s rear louvers is one of the few cars from the ’80s that really wore it’s rear louvers well.

DMC-12 interior

On looks alone, the DMC-12 ranked as one of the decade’s most futuristic looking cars. It’s methods of construction was also futuristic, employing molded-plastic body panels with stainless steel skin. In some ways it recalled the Bricklin, but was less kit car and more refined in appearance.

For all it’s exotic looks, the DMC was rather pedestrian under the hood. Originally aiming fora wankel, then Ford’s famous Cologne V6 (from the Capri), DeLorean had to settle for a Renault built V6. The 2.8 liter fuel injected engine was in many ways more advanced than the Ford offering, but in a car with looks that bordered Countach level futurism, 130 hp was just not enough. European cars managed to make a more reasonable 156 hp. A five speed manual transmission also from Renault was the standard transmission. When fitted to European cars, the DMC-12 could get to 60 in 7.8 seconds. American cars were closer to 10 seconds to the 60 mph mark. Some cars featured a three speed automatic that was said to be ill matched to the engine.

Rear Mounted 2.8 Liter V6

Originally slated to be a mid-engine design, the engine placement move to the back by the time final production models rolled off the line in Belfast, Northern Ireland. That was 1981 and the DeLorean created an initial sensation in the European media. The delay of the DMC-12’s arrival in America fostered built up expectations until the automotive press realized that this was no true exotic was when it came down to performance. It rode well, handled assuredly, but it’s French heart lacked the umph of a true sports car – or at least one that cost double what they hoped to sell it for. To make matters worse, Car and Driver tested a DMC-12 in 1981 and tried to reach it’s speedometer indicated 130 mph. The best the could do was 117.

1981 De Lorean DMC-12

The scramble for a suitable engine was just a foreshadowing of production problems and cost overruns that would push up the DMC-12’s rollout to 1981 and bump up the asking price to $25,000 which was more than a Corvette. Even after spending all that money, you got a cheap off the shelf Craig stereo (a CD player was optional). After a rough first year, the company managed to fix many of the quality control issues and were even able to offer a one year 12,000 mile warranty.

Unfortunately DeLorean’s personal problems would catch up with him as he would be arrested on cocaine trafficking charges. He was acquitted of the charges, but the bout of bad publicity did not help investor and public confidence in the struggling Irish company. Around the time DeLorean Motors declared bankruptcy, there were about 100 partially assembled cars on the production line. Those cars and the inventory of parts changed hands and eventually became the basis for a thriving parts/restoration business that exists today.

It’s interesting to speculate what would have happened if the DeLorean Motor company had succeeded and found a more suitable power plant and transmission for the DMC-12. Maybe that other cars that Delorean dreamed of at Pontiac, but were shelved might have found new life at DMC. Its clear that interest in the DMC-12 has not waned as toy companies like Hot Wheels continue to issue replicas of both the “movie car” and the street versions for new generations of fans to discover.

1981 De Lorean DMC-12

2017 Buick LaCrosse Premium

The American luxury car is alive and well at Buick. That might sound surprising being that much of its lineup can be traced back to Rüsselsheim. As such, many of its cars and SUVs aspire to be more European-like than anything from Buick’s recent past.  It makes you wonder what will Buick revert to when all it’s ties to Opel are severed. Interestingly, the GM division’s flagship sedan is the only one still designed and built in America, the LaCrosse. More surprisingly, its E2XX platform (a variation of Epsilon) is unique to Buick and shares no version with Chevrolet or Cadillac.

While the name might aspire to something European, the LaCrosse is Buick’s most American sedan in appearance and driving character. It’s big, bold and expressive – arguably, perhaps the most attractive car Buick has to offer. As a flagship the LaCrosse is the synthesis of Buick’s current design language. It bridges the gap between traditional Buick design cues and those dictated by Opel’s influence on the brand.

As one of Buicks most curvaceous cars, it’s lines are neither Asian or particularly European, although it has subtle traits from each. It walks a fine line between the American traditionalist expectations of the Buick brand and those of the Chinese consumer who when given the chance buys nearly double the Buick’s sells in North America.

2019 Buick LaCrosse

It’s a handsome design by any measure. The LaCrosse has a modern subdued elegance about it thanks to a long sleek silhouette. Flowing “C” pillars and a hunched over the rear wheel well recalls everything from the Audi A6 to Hyundai’s Azera. Thankfully, Buick resisted the urge to add portholes, but did update them with thin slits framed in chrome. It’s a tasteful touch that adds a modern nod to Buick’s once signature design attribute. Portholes are still popular as cheap add ons with certain buyers – an audience that Buick is not actively courting, but is aware of their preferences where a traditional American luxury sedan is concerned (dealers will likely respond in kind with tacky accessories).

The Lacrosse’s appeal is as broad as it’s price range. Well equipped entry level models can start at 29K while top models in Avenir trim can top out close to $50,000.
The Avenir trim, named presumably after the Canadian town, competes with the likes of Lexus and Audi. This is a very competitive market where upstarts like Genesis are offering considerable value and kit for the money.  This is the only area where the Lacross is hampered – even more so when you consider that Buick once offered more value than Cadillac with similar luxury.

2018 Buick LaCrosse Avenir

The Avenir trim of the LaCrosse lacks some of the amenities of the Enclave in the same trim like LED headlamps and automatic folding mirrors. The omission offers GM a way to hold back Buick’s flagship to encourage buyers to move on to Cadillac (which needs some help in America). The problem is that there are no Cadillac sedans that have the initial universal appeal of the LaCrosse. Cadillac’s evolution of the Art and Science design theme is a love it or leave it look. I personally love it, but most buyers in America think differently. That has limited the company’s appeal in its home market (although Cadillac like Buick is big in China).

The Lacrosse is much easier on the eyes in my estimation than any Cadillac right now. Apparently we Americans are not the only ones who think so. There were years where the LaCrosse sold double in China what it did in North America which is to say more than Cadillac. It’s also attractive inside, a metric where Buicks were once guilty of the same hard plastic sins as the rest of GM. Leather wood, brushed aluminum and soft plastics come together to form a flowing space that is simplistic and free of unnecessary clutter. The basic impression is that this interior could have come from Lexus and might be the best Buick interior since the Enclave.

Buick LaCrosse interior

Part of the LaCrosse’s appeal comes from it’s all around good road manners. For those looking for traditional Buick (American car) ride and quietness, the base car with it’s 2.6 liter hybrid gasoline/electric four banger is more than succificent. It’s 197 hp won’t win any drag races with 32000 of heft to haul, but it is the best solution for drivers concerned about efficiency as well as comfort. It’s direct injection design helps it achieve a claimed 35 mpg on regular gas (using a standard 6 speed automatic transmission).

For those in search of more performance, there’s a 3.6 liter V6 that produces a healthy 320 hp. There were six trims of the LaCrosse in 2018 with the Sport Touring being the least expensive version with the V6. Even with this powertrain connected to a 9 speed automatic transmission, the fuel penalty only drops 5 mpg to 30 on the highway. With the bigger engine the LaCrosse reveals it’s sporty side with larger 20′ wheels and a sport mode. O to 60 comes in a respectable 5.6 seconds. Like many luxury cars these days, the LaCrosse is front wheel drive, butis available with all-wheel drive.

Even with a bit of performance, the LaCrosse is not by any stretch of the imagination a performance car. This is actually one of the attributes that make it the one holdout in all of Buick’s line up. It’s unabashedly American in character with no aspirations to be European or overtly tech savvy like the latest Korean or Japanese car. The design cues inherited from Opel’s influence on other Buicks resolve nicely on the larger canvas of the Lacrosse, especially when viewed from the rear.

2019 Buick LaCrosse corporate tail light treatment

The distinctive American character is an attribute the LaCrosse shares with the recent Lincoln Continental. But as Ford and Buick will tell you, what’s admired by one group of drivers apparently is not in demand by the market as a whole. Cars like the Toyota Avalon, once the most American of the Japanese big cars has gone the way of cars like the Camry where sporting character tries to mask it’s original mission as a Japanese equivalent to cars like the Caprice.

2018 Buick LaCrosse Sport Touring

Cars like the Crown Vic, Caprice and Roadmaster are long gone and with them a certain kind of big car floatiness that used to be associated with Buicks largest cars. The LaCrosse does not completely erase memories of the big Buicks of old, but carries their tradition on in a new climate of strict safety, emission and fuel efficiency standards.
The Lacrosse is easily GM’s most attractive big car. The problem is that even such an accolade is not enough to help it stand out in the shirking market for big sedans where everyone seems to be a star. It does not help either that GM sees fit to limit the Lacrosse’s potential by limiting available options just to protect Cadillac’s sales.

There’s enough difference in mission between Buick’s only American design and engineered sedan from any of Cadillac’s offerings to let it stand on its own merits. For now its a small miracle that the LaCrosse is as good as it is in light of Buick’s emphasis on crossover and SUV-like things.

2018 Buick LaCrosse Sport Touring

1990 Dodge Colt GT

When I was in college during the late ’80s, I would hang out at the small Byers Chrysler/Dodge/Plymouth dealership that was next to campus. In those days there were three auto dealerships in downtown Columbus and all of them were within walking distance of my apartment. There was the seldom visited Cadillac dealership on one end of campus and Honda on the other. I had my little 1980 Civic 1300, so I felt a natural affinity for all things Honda and often imagined it as my first new car. The third dealership was the easiest to reach, it was practically next door to my painting classes.

Chrysler dealerships to me always seemed like a collection of extremes. Super boring sedans on one end and scruffy sporty cars like the Daytona on the other. The best thing any Chrysler dealership had on its lots were often captive imports, those cars usually built by Mitsubishi with Chrysler, Dodge or Plymouth labels stamped on them. Cars like the Colt GT and Conquest Tsi made trips to this lot exciting.

A stripped down Colt might have been in my budget, but the Colt GT got the bulk of my attention. The Colt name has long been the victim of a long term identity crisis. They were usually the result of Mitsubishi’s close partnership with Chrysler. These captive imports allowed Chrysler to offer cars with Japanese attributes (technology, efficiency and compact utility) that their native offerings lacked. Chrysler for instance built no cars outside it’s flagship TC that had twin-cam heads or multi valve engines.

Detail of Mitsubishi/Dodge Colt GT dash

Colts were often humdrum small sedans or three door hatchbacks. The hatchback body style was the most interesting, especially when it was one of the sportier varants. Dodge or Plymouth Colt GTs have been around as early as 1970s, but it was the sixth generation of this Mitsubishi in MoPar drag that was the most interesting. Mitsubishi, of course had its own version of the car it built, but buying it from a Chrysler dealership meant that you did not have to worry about the hordes of laid off Midwestern factory workers screaming buy American at you. They were often too stupid to know to complexities of their own industry (I experienced this first hand when applying for a job at a GM Fisher Body plant and being told that I could not park my Illinois built Eagle Talon in the main lot because it was foreign).

Oddly enough in this polarized climate of buy American protectionism, Chrysler often made no secret of the Colts origins with taglines like “Its all the Japanese you need to know”. That brash sales strategy might have been bolstered by the Colt GT being an early star in the ongoing evolution of the pocket rocket. Even in base form, the Colt’s little 1.3 liter 89 hp engine was adequate. With the GT, you got that same engine but with turbocharging and dual overhead valves for an impressive 135 hp. GT cars were noted for their subtle ground effects, and 14[ aluminum alloy wheels. It was an impressive package that had a better power to weight ratio than anything else on the Chrysler lot save for the rare Conquest Tsi.

Dodge Colt GL interior

Chrysler had experience in building this type of car on its own as the Dodge Omni. The GLH version needed 2.2 liters and turbocharging to make about 10 more horsepower. The Colt was an altogether better car, by most metrics (efficiency, performance and reliability). Retiring the Omini would make way for Chrysler’s next homegrown attempt at a small car: the Sundance/Shadow twins. For the much of the 6th gen Colt’s lifespan, it was Chrysler’s only subcompact offering.

Despite the scruffy performance cars in the Chrysler lot, I remember spending far more time with the civil and refined merchandise in Hugh White’s Honda lot up the street. It was quite likely that the torque happy  Colt GT with it’s mid 7 second 0 to 60 time could have made easy work of even the mighty Prelude Si while having almost as much technology (possibly more). That wasn’t enough to keep the Chrysler dealership around. Not long after graduation, the Byers dealership closed.

Base model Summits and Colts were identical

The Colt however would get a new lease on life as a Eagle Summit. Future variants would never have a performance equivalent to the GT. In its final inneration in America, the Colt could be had as either an Eagle or Mitsubishi. It was available as a sedan or traditional coupe. Both versions were attractive subcompacts. The most performance oriented versions offered less than 120 hp and were never really marketed as a “GT” version. In some places in Europe, a three door hatchback variant was still available.

The final Colt which departed around 2014 was a sad looking little supermini devoid of any performance pretension and sold mostly in Pacific markets like Japan and Australia. It was an unremarkable end to a pioneering little car that stole the pocket mantel from the Germans and made it truly a Japanese phenomena regardless of what label was stuck on it.

1992 Dodge Colt GT

1985 Ferrari 328 GTS

Its always tough to follow a popular act. The Ferrari 308 had become the face of Italian Exotica to millions of viewers of the American TV show “Magnum P.I.”. Sales took off and Ferrari went from being a niche maker to a much bigger niche maker. As popular as the 308 was, Ferrari was planning its next act with the 328 not long after the ’80s began.

The 328 was basically the same car as the 308 but with a larger engine. While that might be simplifying a description of the 328, it advanced many of the 308’s best attributes while improving quality and reliability. Available as a coupe (GTB) and spider (GTS) they were equipped with 3.2-liter all-aluminum V8, an enlarged version of what sat behind the passenger compartment of the 308. The high revving Formula One inspired engine produced 270 hp. That power was sent to the rear wheels via a manual 5 speed transmission with a gated shifter. Still a Pininfarina design, the 328 embodied everything good about Ferrari but this time with a more rounded softer look.

Ferrari 328 GTS

As technology goes, the 328 featured Bosch’s K-Jetronic electronic fuel injection and a electronic aided anti lock brake system. Despite that, the 328 is widely considered one of the last analog Ferraris – that is before electronic traction control and driver assist technologies could be switched on to make the wealthy boulevard cruiser feel like a race car driver.

Ferrari 328 GTB

The interior was not drastically changed from the 308. I’ve always felt that Ferrari’s from this era had dash designs and interiors that were blockish as if they were built in a garage like a kit car. Actually it looks like a step backwards from the elegance of some of the great GT cars Europe produced during the late ’60s through the mid ’70s. Either way the black dash contrasting with the (tan) leather seats, and door panel inserts were well established in the Ferrari tradition. Ferrari would seriously consider modernized ergonomics with the 328’s replacement.

Ferrari 328 GTS interior

The exterior appearance was modernized primarily by the use of color keyed bumpers. The distinctive black bumpers of the 308 had become a hallmark of Ferrari’s 1970s era designs. Not everyone was happy with the stylistic changes, as some Ferrari faithful were resistant to the new look. While not everyone agreed about the new face, there was no disagreement about performance. 0 to 60 in 5.5 seconds and a top speed of 166 mph were typical of the GTB. The 328 also outpaced the sales of the 308 as Magnum fantasies gave way to a faster more reliable Ferrari.

Despite the increased weight of the 328, it was faster than the lighter less powerful 308. The interior made use of Ferrari’s Fiat connection with a healthy supply of standardized Fiat switching gear. While not as exotic as other parts of the car, they proved to be reliable. About the only thing not all too reliable were the electrical systems of many 308 and 328s. Another problem spot for owners were the expensive TRX wheels and odometer problems.

The 328 was available in colors other than red!

The mid-engined rear wheel drive setup with a double wishbone suspension sounded like a Formula One car on paper. In the real world the 328 handled as well as to be expected from a Ferrari. During this growth period in the company’s history it was making the transition to becoming the Toyota of the exotic car market. Although the 328 was the entry level Ferrari for the late ’80s, customers were expecting more reliability and less fussy daily operation. The 328 would polish off what the 308 started in its quest to place an exotic (Ferrari) in every rich person’s garage.

Later 328s would get ABS braking systems to augment the four wheel disc systems of before. The (GTB) was the better performing variant because of its increased structural rigidity. They also happen to be rare, as the more common 328 GTS Spyder became the car of choice in warm sunny locals like Southern California or Florida.

Perhaps not the most rare, but the most exclusive 328s were turbocharged cars built from 1986 to 1989 for the Italian home market only. They featured smaller displacement engines to skirt around the tax imposed on cars with engines larger than 2-liters. The GTB/GTS Turbos had 254 hp and were nearly as quick as the regular cars. They are distinguished from the outside by their larger air ducts. During the 328s four year run 6,068 examples were built before being replaced by the 348ts in 1989.

Estoque in Need for Speed: World, 2010 video game

Concept cars have always offer both promise and propaganda. The promise is what’s possible or better yet, what might end up in your local dealer’s showroom. The propaganda is the confirmation that the car maker can dream just like we do, even if that dream is technology that you might never see or worse a beautiful design that may never materializes in a maker’s line up.

The Estoque at one of many public appearances

The Lamborghini Estoque offers such a dichotomy. It’s been more than 10 years since the public got its first glimpse of the four door concept car at the Shanghai International Auto Show in 2008. Since then, Aston Martin and Porsche have released their own four door sedans. The ideal of Lamborghini doing the same was intriguing but in a way inevitable. The Estoque, roughly translated as the sword of a matador, would not be the first four door Lamborghini (that would be the brutishly ugly LM3000 of the ’80s), but it was Lamborghini’s first four door sedan and maybe just as importantly it’s first front engine road car.

As a super sports sedan, the Estoque had plenty of then new Lamborghini design cues, like the front end stealth bomber look inspired by the relatively new Murcielago. Despite the aggressive front clip, the rest of the design language was totally new for Lamborghini in that it exercised considerable restraint with a touch of elegance. Like Aston Martin’s Riptide, the Estque was a exercise in sporting, elegant yet practical design.

Since the Countach of the ’70s, Lamborghini’s were usually known for their all out aggressive quest for performance with designs that suggested spaceships as much as cars. With the Estoque, Lamborghini would return to some of the elegance of the 400 GT, Muria and Islero. As a four seat exotic that would shuttle wealthy clientele the Estoque driver would be expected to leave shifting duties to the 7 speed dual clutch automatic transmission. Though I wonder how many owners would use a “driver” as Lamborghini described the car as practical for everyday use. Still it’s difficult to image this car in the Kroger parking lot being loaded with groceries.

Also in a nod to the last four door passenger vehicle Lamborghini produced, the Estoque would by all four wheels. The exterior restraint extended to the elegant interior which featured a sculpture-like dash designed around a modest touchscreen display. There’s even a pop up screen for rear passengers neatly tucked away in the extended console.

Estoque interior

Comfortable GT car or not, it was still a Lamborghini, which means that sports car attributes like low weight would be in play. Despite it’s 5.2 liter V10 and 202 inch length, the Estoque still managed to weigh in under 4,000lbs. With massive 23 inch rims in the back and 22s up front, the Estoque is a commanding presence on the road.

The sides lacked the folds and vents common in many of today’s Lamborghini. The rear was especially attractive, framing a set of slim tail lights capping a graceful flowing rear window and trunk line.

Estoque tail lights

Had the Estoque been produced, it would likely have offered a comfortable ride due to it’s long 118 inch wheelbase. The stretch profile afforded the design the luxury of long rear doors, that give the sedan the graceful look of a coupe. The car was also wide, befitting it’s supercar status as a Lamborghini.

The show car featured a V12 engine, but such a car in Lamborghini’s lineup might be available with any number of power plants from V8 to hybred/V10. Although there was rumors of the Estoque being readied for production, instead Lamborghini decided to make their first four door vehicle the new Urus SUV.

Hotwheels Estoque

The Estoque was in a way available for everyone as Lamborghini licenced its design to toy and game manufacturers like Mattel and Motormax for example who made 1/64 and 1/24 scale versions respectively.

The video games, toys and random appearances at auto events in a way kept the Estoque in the public consciousness over the years. If the Estoque were released for production today it would be familiar yet still be an edgy design.

For those who must have everything (or at least experience it), there are actually a few drivable Estoque concept cars in existence. One like this one can be hired for what must be the cost of a Hyundai.

Had Porsche or Aston Martin waited to introduce the Raptid or Panamera today, chances are they would be some sort of crossover or SUV. The delayed intentions of Lamborghini might have doomed Estoque to concept car status, especially since it’s production four door vehicle the Urus SUV is getting rave reviews.

Lamborghini Urus tail lamp arry

SUV’s are not particularly my bag, but to Lamborghini’s credit, they have managed to incorporate some of the Estro’s greenhouse design cues into their new super truck. In particular, the Urus shares a similar tail light design. In a way that makes the memory of the Estoque all the more sad. Porsche’s recently refreshed Panamera is still around so is the Aston Martin Rapide. Maybe there’s room for one more supercar exotic sedan?

With SUV’s and crossovers ruling the market now, the likely hood of the Estoque ever seeing production as a sedan gets slimmer with each passing year – and it’s been 14 and counting. It still ranks as one of the best super sedan designs ever. For that reason rumors has it that the Estoque may surface as at 2021 model. Here’s for hoping.

Lamborghini Estoque rear

1977 Pontiac Catalina

Base models of any given car are often overlooked by the automotive press in favor of more exciting trims with more power and features. You’ve seen it before: the brochure shows the GT or LX parked in front of some fancy opera house while the DX is at the grocery store. Often these lowly base models can offer some of the appeal of it’s more expensive relative with considerably more value.

When the “old GM” had all of its divisions overlapping and duplicating each others offerings, it’s line of big cars were divided into two types: the big B-Body and bigger C-Body. By today’s standards even the so called midsized B-Body seemed large, but in 1977 GM rolled out new downsided full-sized cars that actually gained interior volume over their replacements, but lost as much as 800 pounds in the process. GM was shrewd in its early bid to downsize-resulting in success when the gas crunch happened again in the beginning of the ’80s.

Much of the reason was that GM managed to keep key proportions in tact that fell in line with customer expectations, especially on the interior where there was more room than before. Other carmakers like Ford and Chrysler had mixed results with their attempts at downsizing. GM was more consistent in its application and seemed to have done downsizing right.

1980 Catalina with optional wire 14′ wheels

Of the GM divisions offering a version of the B-Body, Pontiac was by public perception the least recognized, despite offering four and two door sedans as well as a wagon that was actually based on the larger C-body chassis. With the mid-sized LeMans being replaced by the downsized Catalina, the Bonneville became Pontiac’s top big car, although not always convincingly as the cheaper Catalina was the same size and trailed it in most key respects.

Both the Catalina and Bonneville shared the same body panels, only subtle differences in the amount of chrome and the rear wheel cover or skirt of the Bonneville distinguished them in most years. Even within the trim lines there were small differences between the grille of the coupe vs sedan. ‘Cat and Bonnie’ if you will, did share the same range of engines that went from the standard 3.8 liter V6 to an array of V8s (some initially banned in California due to emissions regulations). There was even a rarely seen Oldsmobile sourced diesel variant. Like many of GM’s divisions who shared engines, Pontiac was no different with some of it’s V8 coming from Buick or Oldsmobile (especially cars sold in California).

The handsome 1978 Pontiac Catalina coupe

The Catalina 2+2 had a short but storied history as one of the fastest cars of the early muscle car era, but the new ’77 was far from that legacy as it was a response to strict emissions standards. Being that the Catalina was often sold as a “stripped down alternative” to the Bonneville, most went out the door with the Buick sourced base 3.8 liter V6.

Being the base model did not mean that it was truly stripped of elegance. Aside from a reduction of brightwork and the absence of the flap over the rear wheel wells, the Catalina actually looked like a sportier version of the Bonneville, much like the Impala was the sportier version of the Caprice. At least to my eyes it was the more handsome car of the pair thanks to selective restraint and the absence of the wheel apron.

1980 Catalina interior

Nothing betrayed the Catalina’s occasional luxury aspirations as much as it’s front bench seat. You got a split-bench as standard equipment in the Bonneville. The Catalina was marketed as part of a tiered options package, meaning that once you went beyond a certain tier, you were into Bonneville territory. This insured that no Catalina could be as well equipped as a Bonneville. Even the station wagon was tiered from bare bones Catalina Laurentian Safari to Bonneville Parisienne Safari.

However, because both models shared the same engine range, the Catalina could in theory be equipped with the 400 cid V8. That would be mostly theory, as the Catalina’s biggest engine was usually reserved for the Bonneville Parisienne Safari station wagon. In sedans there were often in police cars or the occasional taxi. With the sedan weighing in at around 3500 pounds, the downsized Catalina would have been handicapped as a performance car with only 105 hp from its base engine. The largest V8 with around 180 hp, might have pushed it into performance car territory by 1977 standards. By the ’80s, Pontiac was offering a 4.9 liter V8 with even less power than the old 400 thanks to ever stricter emissions standards.

1981 Mid-sized LeMans Safari (left) and Full-sized Bonneville Parisienne Safari (right)

The lighter Catalina would have had a slight edge over a heavier more optioned Bonnevilles in fuel efficiency if not all out speed. Despite such an advantage, the Catalina was never promoted as a sleeper performance car. It’s performance potential was exploited mostly as a police car, a role it seemed well suited for. Oddly enough, with features like three and four speed automatic transmissions, rear drum brakes and 8 track stereo options, the 5th gen Catalina’s spec sheet looked similar to the 1967 model in some ways. Everything was there except the muscle car-like performance.

1979 Catalina dash

It was because of Pontiac’s muscle car legacy that most people still knew Pontiac for it’s sporty intermediate coupes. Even its smaller cars like the Phoenix got more attention than the Catalina/Bonneville pair. During the time of the 5th generation Catalina, Pontiac was not yet into full steam marketing any sedans as true performance cars. That would not come until the arrival of the 6000 STE in 1983 and Grand Am in 1985.  The Catalina did excel as a smooth riding, reasonably comfortable highway cruiser that just happened to be relatively efficient with the base engine.

The Catalina’s best attribute might be it’s subdued and modern appearance. The fifth gen car’s lines were crisp and modern and set the tone for the squared off look of GM’s large sedans for the ’80s. The ’77 model in particular with it’s simple cross grille was the cleanest expressions of the “Pontiac look” as it applied to sedans. Successive grille designs would evolve the vertical slat look until it became a standard identifiable Pontiac design trait by the mid ’80s.

1977 Catalina Safari

The Catalina was always overshadowed by the Bonneville which in turn was overshadowed by Chevrolet’s popular Impala/Caprice duo. Even Buick had more success with their B-bodies than Pontiac. That’s too bad because finding a clean working Catalina from this era would be a rare and have some collector potential. Think about it – the right car properly equipped would come close to the Bonneville in just about every way. Plus there’s the bonus of not having to bother with the skirt when changing or cleaning tires.

The Catalina’s underdog status might have been part of the reason the name was dropped by 1982, despite being around since the ’50s. In its place a further downsized and now front wheel drive Bonneville would become all things to all people looking for the ever shrinking Pontiac ‘big’ sedan.

1981 Pontiac Catalina

2018 Dodge Neon SXT-A (Mexico)

The recent GM announcement about retiring 6 slow selling sedans was inevitable considering how the standard sedan is seige in a marketplace that’s more interested in the next iPhone than any car. Many now think of cars as mere appliances to be rented or hired as needed.

Still, on the bottom end of the market, the entry level car still thrives when it’s well built and offers considerable value. As the well of available cars dwindles down to market leaders from Honda, Toyota and the Hyundai Group, it makes you wonder if trends will ever swing back to the good olde three box passenger car in a variety of sizes.

Chrysler was one of the first of the Big Three to jettison it’s small car offering in America. The Dart had potential, just like the 200 after it, but both ultimately lagged behind the competition in refinement and sales.

Chrysler compacts since 1995

Which brings us to oddly to a new Neon.

The old Neon was great car when first introduced back in 1994. It’s design was fresh and innovative and it’s packaging made it uncommonly roomy for an American small car while being fun to drive. Over time Chrysler updated the Neon through two generations, but not at a pace that kept up with the competition. The story of the Neon played out much like that of the many American cars of the era; they tended to lag behind imports to the point that discontinuing them or using re-branded captive imports was easier than trying to compete directly with home grown products. Unions also hampered car companies, making it harder to discontinue poor selling lines, thus pouring salt into wounds.

To Chrysler’s credit, it tried more than once with the Neon’s replacement. The Caliber was simply a disappointment to many. While the Dart was not as innovative as the initial Neon, it was at least attractive and sometimes comfortable. Unfortunately, despite its good looks and acceptable performance, it lagged in other factors (mostly perceptual) and was relegated to second rate status almost as quickly as it was introduced. Had the Dart arrived 5 years earlier, it might have been a class leader, but these were strange times in the world of compact cars.

For a hot moment, the smaller car market in the U.S. was fiercely competitive, leading to jumps in quality and in varying degrees technology. The Fiat based Dart simply could not match its suddenly hot competition. The Dart only lasted a few years and was axed along with it’s step up companion the Chrysler 200. It became clear that the Neon or Dart name might not appear again in America.

Fiat Tipo Sedan

Like the Escort and Cavalier, the Neon reappeared, but this time in Dodge’s 2016 Middle Eastern and Mexican lineups. Like a class reunion of old friends who could not agree where to meet, these old names were never destined to meet in the U.S. market again.

The Dart or Neon names mean little in the Middle East. In Mexico, there is likely someone who remembers the ’90s Neon or the ’60s Dart and was happy to see one of them come back. They must have been disappointed to know that the new Neon had nothing to do with the storied car of old, but instead started life as a Turkish-built Fiat Tipo sedan. The Tipo is immensely popular in Southern Europe and the Mediterranean and seemed well suited for emerging car markets like China.

One of the Neon’s surprising features is a large trunk

Perhaps we in America are spoiled, because the Neon is the largest sedan sold by Dodge in Mexico (its a step up from the hilariously funny looking Attitude and View subcompacts).

There was even talk a few years ago of bringing the Neon to America as a Dart replacement – which would have be disastrous being that the new Neon is not as attractive or as capable as the outgoing Dart. For instance, the 110 hp 1.6L four cylinder equipped sedan is slightly smaller than the Dart and by comparison offers basic SOHC technology. Things like rain sensing wipers and driver selectable variable assist electric steering are nice standard features that might give the Neon a leg up on other low price cars like the Nissan Versa, but not value leaders like the Kia Rio.

Interior of 2017 Dodge Neon SXT-Plus

To the Neon’s credit, it does have all the modern digital connectivity options that buyers expect like Bluetooth, handsfree technologies as well as a sweet 8.4 inch touchscreen infotainment interface. The screen alone might be a selling point for many who care less about driving vs. in car entertainment options. For about $15k or so dollars, it’s almost as compelling as a Nissan Versa.

2017 Dodge Neon with 6 Speed Automatic Transmission

The Neon might have two potential hurdles in the unlikely event it arrive in the U.S. The first are it’s looks. They are sure to put off fans of the Dart and original Neon. The other might be it’s overall performance. A small sedan can be difficult to nail the proportions correctly and the Neon has it almost right. The Mazda 2/Toyota Yaris sedan would be the current benchmark of how to do a small sedan right. The compacted shape of the Neon constraints some areas like the front overhang to the point of making the car appear cartoon-like. The Who from Whoville feel is more pronounced on the base SE with it’s tiny looking 15′ wheels. Even with the larger 17′ wheels of the top trim SXT Plus, the Neon can look pedestrian from some angles.

2018 Dodge Neon SXT Plus

The rear is perhaps the cars best feature with an upscale tail light treatment with a tasteful chrome strip running across the trunk. Some versions even have chrome door handles. Chrysler has some of the world’s best designers and did their best to make the Tipo look like a Dodge, but I wonder if they could have done better if they were not blinded by the burnouts of Hellcats and Demons.

As for performance, while no would buy the Neon expecting it to be a sleeper street racer. As a small car with around 100  to 110 hp, you’d expect it to get more than 40 miles to the gallon. As spec’d in Mexico with a 6 speed auto only achieves 36 mpg on the highway. To put that in perspective, a Honda Civic LX with 158 hp is rated for 38 highway mpg. Other cars in the segment easily top 40. This disadvantage would likely be compensated for with heavy discounts for the Neon to work in America.

If Chrysler was really serious about bringing this car to America, they must have concluded that the name would have been wrong. The Neon’s reputation towards the end may not have been not steller, but it did have a positive overall legacy. Using that name on a car that’s neither cute or overly capable would put the name in the grave for at least a generation or two. After all there are still a sizable number of Neon enthusiasts (some of whom bought the Dart). Besides the Neon fits Dodge’s current line up about as well as a tree hugging hybrid would.

2018 Dodge Neon (Mexico)

Dodge has decided to stick to selling highly profitable V8 powered muscle cars and house towing trucks. It’s an odd and bravely defiant strategy being that everyone is running to electrification. For Dodge, its current strategy seems to be working (for now). It’s been said that auto industry product planners typically try to look 5 to 6 years into the future when justifying new products. With that in mind, maybe they project that buyers with more digital connectivity than cash just might see the new Neon as a cost effective long-term alternative to ride sharing services. Perhaps now would be a great time to bring Plymouth back.

2016 Dodge Neon STX Plus

1980 Oldsmobile Starfire Firenza

The American designed and built compact car is becoming an endangered species. GM’s recent announcement of axing the Cruze (and others) follows similar ones made by Ford and Chrysler. The concept of a so called home grown compact car actually died at GM with the demise of the Cobalt as Cruze development was more global and uniform in scope.

These days offer an extreme contrast to the Big Three of old, or as recently as 15 years ago. During the 1970’s GM used two small car platforms in North America, the T –Body (Chevette/T1000) and H-Body (Monza/Skyhawk/Sunbird/Starfire). Both platforms were shared by GM’s divisions with the exception of Cadillac (who waited for the J-platform for its Cimarron). Initially in sharp contrast to imports, they were rear wheel drive. The larger H-body was marketed as a step up in size, power and comfort from GM’s own Chevette and competitors like the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic and Datsun B210.

From a design perspective the H-body would find its mojo once the sleek fastback hatch was offered for 1975. The most popular was Chevrolet’s Monza. As the platform’s “flagship”, it is arguably considered the most attractive of the H-body cars. Gradually starting with the SX, then the GT package and finally the Firenza, the Oldsmobile version  could give the Monza a run for its money.

1979 Starfire Firenza coupe

Oldsmobile was perhaps the most unlikely subscriber to the platform which might explain why it’s the most forgotten.  The Starfire would be the brand’s first compact car in the modern era and for a generation raised on big Oldsmobile family cars, it was a culture shift. In a strike against it, it was counter to many people’s firmly planted ideal of what a proper Oldsmobile should be despite it having rear wheel drive. With big Delta 88s and Cutlass Supremes still selling well, the small Starfire was an oddity that did not have the brand’s traditional luxury or occasional performance cachet.

Oddly, the ideal of a compact car seemed to work better for Buick who was very close to Oldsmobile in GM’s product placement scheme. With comparatively smaller sales against Pontiac’s Sunbird, Buick’s Skyhawk and Chevy’s Monza, the Starfire had its work cut out because it had no truly distinct personality against its platform mates, especially in its base and mid line trims.

The fact that the Starfire did not have an Oldsmobile built engine might be a clue to its position in the H-body hierarchy. Depending on the year, the base engines were either a Chevrolet (2.3) or Pontiac (2.5) 4 cylinder. Even the optional engines were built by Buick (3.8L V6) or Chevrolet (5.0 V8). Like the most potent versions of any H-body car, the V8 with a about 105 hp could be equipped with a 5 speed manual transmission.

1977 Oldsmobile Starfire

Of the H-body cars, the Starfire with it’s Cutlass Supreme-like grille might have been the most fully resolved design. Like Pontiac mimicking the Firebird’s front end, the ideal of a smaller 442 must have crossed the minds of Oldsmobile ad executives. For the 1979 model year only, the grille evolved to resemble the Chevrolet Chevette. In strangely GM fashion, the following and final year of the Starfire would see its sportiest version, called the Firenza. Like the GT (an options package), the Firenza had stripes, sport gauges and the option to step up to V8 power.

The Starfire Firenza was tastefully if not aggressively optioned. While not much different than the sportiest versions of other H-body hatchbacks at first glance (they all seemed to use a thick lower body stripe paint scheme), it did have a few features unique to it. Flared fenders and an integrated front lower body air dam were Firenza only features that even the most aggressive (factory) Sunbird Formula lacked.

Especially attractive was the final Starfire Firenza’s more upright blacked out grille. At that point in not trying to look like a Pontiac or base Starfire, the Firenza resembled any number of GM of Europe products from Opel or Vauxhall. The ideal of the Starfire might have been ahead of its time for Oldsmobile’s product lineup, but the Oldsmobile traditionalist was just not ready for a small car with the rocket emblem on it. Despite close to 30 mpg on the highway, the convenience of a hatch and the potential fun of rear wheel drive, the market for small cars was quickly moving to imports.

The 1979 Oldsmobile Starfire line of sporty coupes

I remember my older brother’s first car; it was a used 1977 Pontiac Sunbird coupe. While it was not a fastback, it was similar enough to the Buick, Oldsmobile and Chevy versions to draw similar conclusions about build quality. For small cars the Sunbird (and by extension the other H-bodies) felt heavy and substantial. Sitting in it, you got the feeling that GM tried to shrink it’s larger cars down to scale, vs. the Mazda GLC my brother would inherited later. By sharp contrast the Mazda felt like a small car (it was actually smaller) and was built to a much higher standard (no squeaks, ill fitting gaps or panels). More importantly it’s manual shifter was precise feeling. These were just perceptual feeling, but ones that stuck with me in forming a lifelong bias against domestic cars. It was an uphill battle that GM would fight to win over converted Baby Boomers and G-Xers who did not look back until the event of Saturn.

The market the Starfire was trying to appeal to was fully formed by the time the Saturn brand came around. It was said that many Oldsmobile designers and execs made the move to Saturn (which would explain some Oldsmobile-like design cues on the SL1/2). Up to that time, Oldsmobile had more success with the H-body successor, the J-body based Firenza.

Oldsmobile Starfire interior

Finding a Starfire (or any H-body) on the road today is like finding a leprechaun. Despite decent sales (better for other H-bodies), few survived. Like many American cars of the time, rust, poor long-term reliability and low resale value made these cars disposable. It’s interesting to note that GM struggled to be competitive with it’s small cars when the Starfire was new and still and continues today. It’s true the market has changed towards trucks and truck-like cars, but if Honda, Toyota, Kia, Hyundai and Subaru can make mainstream small cars that people want to buy, why can’t GM?

1979 Oldsmobile Starfire GT (modified)

I was a teenager when Mercedes released it’s first small entry level car in America, the 190E, otherwise known as the baby Mercedes. That car was an immediate hit, causing other luxury manufacturers to scramble in the race to offer competitors. Mercedes has since then missed the mark with the C230 in the ’90s and to a lesser extent SMART cars in the following decade.

When Mercedes introduced it’s new “baby Mercedes” in 2014, it created quite a stir. Even more exciting for many was the low advertised starting price of $30,000! Of course no CLA Coupe could be had for that much as dealers usually carried cars loaded with options (like the $1,500 panoramic sunroof). When the CLA was not loaded with options, it poised an interesting question: Is a cheap Mercedes worth it – and can it meet buyer’s expectations?

The answer was yes and no.

Yes, the designers for Mercedes managed to package the CLA as a sleek four door coupe with style that was punching above its weight class. At first glance, the CLA was more glamorous than it’s entry level status would indicate, especially in upper trims where it mimics some of the drama of the bigger CLS. In America it came with a transverse mounted 2.0 liter four cylinder turbo engine making a modest 208 hp. That was less power than some Honda Accords, but more than the similarly priced BMW 320i. More importantly, for the cost of a loaded Camry or Accord, you could have a new Mercedes Benz!

The no part of the luxury question comes when you consider the cheaper materials used in the interior. Other comparative strikes come when comparing rear wheel drive cars like the BMW 320 to the CLA. While performance was good, it could not match the best of rear wheel driven cars. Also, the compact packaging extracted a high price on entry and exit from the rear seats. Only a small child would have sufficient headroom thanks to the sloping coupe-like roof. That was the price Mercedes decided to pay in learning it’s lesson with the hatchback C230 Sport Coupe years ago.

Despite cutting some corners to keep the CLA close to it’s imagined starting price of $30,000, sales were brisk. For starters, it was Mercedes first front wheel drive car in America. As such, it lost the long hood short rear deck stance of bigger rear drive cars like the CLS. However, enough of the CLS’ style was condensed into the CLA, that the term baby Mercedes no longer seemed applicable as it wore the new brand signature big grille proudly.
Such style came with all the inconveniences that come with a sloping roofline like reduced rear seat headroom. In the larger CLS it was no problem. In the compact CLA, it was a penalty box for those in the back seat.

As the most popular model in America, the CLA250 became the subject of many tests and reviews. Although there were some initial quality control issues, prompting Consumer Reports to not recommend it, the CL was widely praised for it’s performance, style and value by the auto performance press. Even with high expectations aside, the CLA had something for everyone from the fuel sipping 250 up to the powerful 45 AMG. For awhile the 45 AMG had the most powerful 2 liter four cylinder engine in the world at 350hp.

While the interior was a good example of Mercedes efficiency, it was not much different than some small low cost cars like the Mazda3 which had made the leap to upmarket pretensions. For Mercedes to have a similar interior quality with the occasional cheap hard plastic said more to how the compact car segment has caught up with the notion of entry level luxury.

Mercedes Command system works similar to Audi’s interface control with a non touch 8′ screen mated to a round control knob. The screen also had the appearance of being stuck on as opposed to sitting on top of the dash as on many BMWs and Mazdas.

Most buyers bought the CLA Coupe for it’s style but were treated to surprising efficiency. Equipped with a 7 speed auto, the CLA was optimistically rated for 35 mpg (on premium gas). Aside from direct injection, the CLA was so efficient due in part to a sleek coupe-like profile that helped it cut through the wind with less resistance.

Since the car’s run it has had one major facelift. The most dramatic change came in the front as the once three part lower air dam/vent system became a flowing mouth that draped across the front like a melted smile. There were other subtle changes in the back with lights and the lower bumper air diffuser. The small changes were justified as Mercedes was careful not to spoil it’s first small car hit since the original E-Class of the ’80s.

The CLA Coupe will be joined by the similar A-Class sedan. Besides sharing the same platform, the two will compliment each other as the A-Class fulfills more the role of a proper sedan. It might even be the true successor to the 190E. That means more rear seat headroom and slightly longer rear doors. It also means that the small design quirks of the CLA have been ironed out in a car that should otherwise replace it.

It would be interesting to see if more variants of the CLA will make it to America. In Europe there is a estate that could easily be butched up to crossover status like the Subaru Crosstrek. For now the CLA Coupe and A-Class Sedan will co exist like family rivals, but for how long is not known.

1992 Subaru SVX

Cars are becoming more alike as global manufacturing, safety and emissions standards become more commonplace. It seems that not too long ago it was possible to buy new quirky cars in the United States. Those cars increasingly seemed to come from Japan, especially during the ’80s and ’90s. Other than Mitsubishi, no one more than Subaru made quirky cars that stood out for multiple reasons.

Subaru had a long track record of offering unusual cars in America. As a kid in the ’70s, I remember my neighbor’s silver Brat, a small off-road El Camino-like four-wheel drive car. Subaru kept up the left field inspiration with the XT6 coupe in the ’80s and the flagship SVX in the ’90s.

Big Aspirations
During the ’90s Subaru was mostly known for its little four-wheel-drive wagons and sedans. The one standout in this otherwise pedestrian line up of Justy and Loyales was the Alcyone SVX sports coupe. Named for the brightest star in the cluster that made up its logo, the SVX was Subarus answer to everything from BMW’s 3 Series to the new Japanese luxury coupes from Lexus and Acura.

1995 Subaru SVX profile

Subaru Amadeus shooting brake concept

Designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, the famed designer of various BMW, Delorean, and Maserati, the SVX was unusual thanks to its odd window in a window greenhouse design. At first glance, the long, low and wide SVX is a striking design if not polarizing thanks to its strange mix of sci-fi futurism and Japanese modesty. There was more from where that came. Potentially Subaru would have been on a roll with weird, yet interesting cars like its Amadeus shooting brake concept, introduced at the same time as the production version of the SVX at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1991 suggesting that they were related.

The Almost Supercar
Looks aside, the SVX came close to early ’90s supercar levels of performance. In typical Japanese fashion, it was loaded with technology. Chief amongst performance gear was a DOHC flat-six boxer engine. To my knowledge, outside of Porsche no flat-six with DOHC was available in America. Also, at 3.3 liters, the 230 hp engine was Subaru’s largest naturally aspirated engine to date (as of 1/18). Such a mill might have made for a tempting platform for modifications, except I never hear of any Subaru fanboys boasting of mods to the SVX’s engine – even though used SVX are cheap for the moment.

Power was delivered to either the front wheels on base models or all wheels on the top line LSi. AWD models are actually the rarest, as the option was not popular and was discontinued after a few years of adding it to entry-level models as an option. With the speed restrictor off, an SVX could reach 150+ mph, which in 1992 was Mitsubishi 3000GT or Nissan 300ZX territory. 0 to 60 was also impressive (for the time) with a sub 7-second run which placed right in line with AWD Talon/Eclipse turbo twins.

Performance might have been more impressive if the SVX came with something other than the 4 speed automatic. Subaru likely had no manual transmission that could handle that much power (it might not have hurt to ask GM or Toyota for help in that regard). The lack of a manual transmission said more to the SVX’s mission as a sports luxury touring car, a role which at it excelled.

Subaru SVX dash with hideaway stereo

Inside the SVX was almost conventional. It’s dash and control layout it resembled the Toyota 3rd gen Supra. The top models featured lush supple leather seats with multiple power settings. Like other Japanese cars, there was the cool CD/cassette stereo with Dolby NR, automatic music search and radio with electronic tuning. Perhaps the stereo’s best parlor trick was that it could be hidden with a pull out panel. The back seats were actually comfortable, mimicking the front with supple leather padding. The large glass hatch made the SVX as practical as it was weird looking.

Future Classic In the Making?
Unfortunately for Subaru, the SVX was a rare sight, even at the height of its availability. Not only did the SVX not fit in with other Subarus on the lot, but it was also at least $10,000 more than the next costliest car, the Legacy. To add further insult to oddness, Subaru was said to lose money on each car it sold. More than 24,000 were sold worldwide with the US accounting for nearly half. Most SVX sales happened early in its availability. It’s hard to believe that the car was available as late as 1997, by which time only a few thousand were sold in America.

1997 Subaru SVX

I imagine that a car like the SVX might not have looked so strange in Europe next to various Citroens and Renaults. Sometime after the 1993 model year, the SVX lost it’s then fashionable black top for a more modern monochromatic scheme. Oddly enough in doing so, it looked more conventional (or as conventional as a SVX could look). In the States, of course, it was still a fish out of the water design. Time might work to the SVX’s advantage, as it’s odd charm is likely to make it a sought-after future classic.

Mission Accomplished
The cost of such a strategy in the ’90s was to change the public’s mind about Subaru as a maker of serious performance cars (at any cost). The automotive press got it, even if the public didn’t. In a way, the SVX did its job and paved the way for more conventional looking (by Subaru standards) performance versions of the Impreza that have carried us to the company’s latest performance coupe with just letters for a name: the BZR.

Those days of the quirky Japanese car might be long behind us. If there was any company who could bring those days back, it would be Subaru.

1993 Subaru SVX

The rise of Hyundai and Kia should be enough to worry the world’s established luxury car makers. The Japanese in particular would have more to fear as many buyers choose Acura or Lexus because they don’t care about European heritage or the baggage that sometimes comes with it (like expensive maintenance). Quality and performance aside, European brands have always banked on their deep heritage and more specifically the snob appeal that comes with it.

Killing Old Habits
That’s been the traditional thinking until Lexus came along and turned that notion on its head in the late ’80s. The other Japanese brands, Acura and Infiniti were never really considered equals to European luxury in prestige, but posed a more direct challenge American brands like Cadillac. Cadillac and Chrysler responded with sportier variants of their larger sedans (Cadillac STS and Chrysler LH, etc.) in an attempt to capture some of the European luxury car market.

Since that time Chrysler and Cadillac’s image (for it’s luxury cars) has fallen despite the steady advances Cadillac seems to be making with crossovers and SUVs. Many Gen X and younger buyers still associate the brand with old school gangsters and flamboyant rappers.

The Rise of Kia
Unlike the steady rise of Japanese luxury cars, The Hyundai Motors Group has made tremendous quality, technical and design strides in a relatively short period of time. After all, most cars now are built the same way and sourced from the similar suppliers, so there is no excuse for poor quality. Assuming all things being equal, design and performance sell cars in the premium segment.

For the luxury performance market, Kia’s uphill battle no longer looks as steeply uphill as it did for cars like the Amanti. It was just 17 years ago that Kia tried entering the low end of the entry luxury sedan market with that Mercedes meets Jaguar clone. Since that time Kia has shown itself to be the real deal starting with the mid-sized Optima in 2010. Today, the K900 (and Cadenza to a lesser extent), takes up the luxury slack while the Stinger must carry the mantle of performance sedan for a brand not usually associated with such in America.

Buy the best, borrow the rest
Kia’s new game plan was simple; take the best of your competition and turn it against them with a higher value proposition. By luring designers like Peter Schreyer and Tom Kearns from Audi and Cadillac respectively, Kia has manage to develop a signature look all it’s own thanks to Schreyer’s design oversight.

The Stinger’s distinctive look was not created in a vacuum. After 2006, Kia’s line would gradually benefit from the new corporate ‘tiger grille’ look as various showcars hinted at the future and Optimas, Rios and Sorentos became proof of concept in the showrooms. Nearly every Kia has been successful in its segment – a notion backed up by increasing sales. Kia has been grooming a brand image that is not completely clear yet, but is evolving into performance or the look of it. The Stinger suggests that it might aspire to be a Korean Pontiac with its sporty nature filtering down the line to its smallest cars like the Soul.

In addition to looking the part of flagship, the Stinger performance sedan has found a size niche that slots it neatly between the smaller BMW 3 Series and the larger BMW 5 Series. This could be a sweet spot for ride dynamics and packaging while still allowing room for more than two passengers.

The rear wheel drive Stinger is attractive by any measure. It takes design cues from the GT4 Stinger coupe and GT concepts. If fact, from the side its profile is exactly like the GT concept with it’s long hood and sloping C-pillar. The production car lacks the elegance of the GT concept, but the proportions still suggest a rear wheel drive coupe. After closer inspection, the overall look of the Stinger appears to be made up of borrowed inspired details – a composite of best practices in current automotive design – many of them coming from Chrysler, Lexus and Cadillac.

The most original aspect of the Stinger is it’s elongated wrap around rear reflector that ends as a thin strip of red – a very showcar-like touch. Otherwise the tail lights remind me of something between a Dodge Charger and Dart. Either way the rest of the Kia line has suggested bits and pieces of the new corporate look while the Stinger brings them all together at their most aggressive.

One Car 5 Personalities
All five variants feature a large rear hatch that when the rear seats are down has 41 cubic inches of cargo space – nearly as much as a crossover.
The Base 255hp base models compare with the well to the BMW 430 Series Grand Coupe, but as you go higher in the range the Kia value factor is not as prevalent as you might think. With all-wheel drive (an option on all models), the $55,000 Kia Stinger GT2 may not be a more compelling buy against buying from an established maker of luxury cars.

Kia had an opportunity to further distinguish itself from the competition by offering a manual transmission. Sadly its absent from the options list. A 8-speed automatic is the only transmission available, unlike the manual in the lower trim of the Genesis G80. For the most part the need for a manual is unnecessary bit of symbolism considering that the Stinger out performs most of it’s rivals (at least on the lower end). A Car and Driver test from February 2018 pits an Audi A5 Sportback, BMW 430i xDrive and a Stinger 2.0 AWD with the Audi as the winner and the BMW and Kia in a tie. Not bad for the first year out the gate.

Like many of those rivals, all versions of the Stinger are available with turbocharged direct-injection engines in either 4 or 6 cylinders. At the top of the range, the GT trim features a twin turbo 3.3L V6 with 376hp. The Stinger is mechanically similar to Genesis G80, but gets shortchanged in the displacement and suspension department.

Aside from looks and the lushness of the Genesis interior, the primary difference is the use of a double wishbone suspension in the G80 vs. a MacPherson strut/Multi-link setup in the Stinger. The G80, being bart of Hyundai Motor Groups flagship brand uses a 3.8 L six in it’s Sport model. The Stinger is lighter than the G80 which should aid steering feel befitting of a performance car, but many automotive journalist have stated otherwise.

Kia Stays In It’s Lane
Kia’s place in the Hyundai pecking order might explain why the Genesis G80 Sport is said to handle better with a more refined ride. After all, Genesis is luxury while Kia is positioning itself as affordable performance. At 4140lbs, a Stinger GT2 with all wheel drive is lighter than the Genesis G80 Sport, even though it looks heavier. The Stinger however is not competing with merely sporty cars as BMW, Audi and Lexus make track ready cars with more polish for everyday use – especially in ride quality.

People don’t always buy sports sedans on just ride quality alone. The interior, perhaps the least attractive aspect of the Stinger is comfortable with a pleasing mix of the materials. The speedometer display cluster is a cool mix of digital and analog but the LCD on the dash looks cheap thanks to the huge bezel. The 7 to 8 inch screen could have been even larger if the bezel were not so big.

The overall look of the dash is original, but it’s components look vaguely familiar. The Chromed ringed HVAC vents look like they could have come from a Nissan 370Z or a second gen Dodge Stealth RT. The look is sporty with little in the way of luxury except for the tasteful restraint in the use of chrome and brushed aluminum accents. The use of varied materials and color contrasts also breaks up the monotony of black leather and plastic.

The Stinger is quite the looker, but in the wake of its own sister car the Genesis G80 and a crowded field of sport luxury sedans, it’s difficult to say if buyers who can afford German or Japanese luxury will even consider a Stinger. Hyundai’s Genesis brand has a similar struggle, but it’s line up is more convincing as a luxury brand. Kia however, despite it successes with the Soul, Optima and Sedona, is still seen as the maker of affordable sporty cars and not Autobahn world beaters. At least not yet.

Public opinion and perception now moves as fast as the internet, so who knows in 5 years Kia might have firmly established itself as a major player in the luxury sedan market by winning the hearts and minds of buyers. Just 17 years ago Kia had uninspiring designs and had to resort to undercutting the competition on price. It’s certainly a different world now.

It’s do or die for the midsize family sedan. The market shifts in the current environment have highlighted the fact that cars outside the top 10 or top 5 will face an uphill battle for sales. Nissan like Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, Kia and Subaru still build mid-sized cars that people who still buy cars still want. Always somewhere in the top 10, it used to be that Nissan Altima was synonymous with performance – even beyond what the Honda Accord was offering.

The Good Old Days

1993 Nissan Altima SE

The Altima was at one point Nissan’s biggest seller, swapping that title with the smaller and cheaper Sentra. A big part of the Altima’s appeal beyond being heavily discounted (like a Big Three car) was it’s sporting nature and its nicely slotted position between the economy of the Sentra and the performance and roominess of the Maxima.

Since its debut in 1992, its grown in size with each generation and at one point it shared the Maxima’s platform to the point of looking like a stripped down version of it. They both had become appliances for a number of years, yet the Altima was still a big seller due to aggressive dealer discounts. Sometime after 2012, the Altima started to get it’s mojo back.

Moving Closer Together, Again
The Maxima got a big makeover for 2018, further distinguishing it from the Altima (despite still sharing the D-platform). For the 2019 model year it was the Altima’s turn, getting marginally bigger, but not looking too much different from the facelifted 2016 model. Gone was the 3.5 liter 6 and in its place the almost ubiquitous turbocharged 2.0 liter four became the top engine. The 2.0 is the first variable compression turbo engine to make it to production. Trick technology aside, in many ways it’s size and output has become a standard of mid-level cars across the industry.

A 2.5 liter inline four with 188hp was the base engine and is the only power plant available with the Altima’s first application of AWD. Other than the Subaru Legacy, no other vehicle in this class offers all wheel drive. Ford dropped it’s AWD Fusion in 2018. In all there were 12 trims each saddled with a CVT. Lower versions start in the low 20s and use naturally aspirated power. They are easy to point out with their 16′ bolt on wheel covers and capped holes where fog lights might have been. To Nissan’s credit, even lower tier models still have a true dual outlet exhaust and chrome trim accents along the beltline.

2019 Nissan Altima SL

On the other end of the trim spectrum are the Platinum and Edition ONE versions. They break a price ceiling that puts the Altima into Maxima territory. When fully optioned they approach $40,000. That much for a Altima sounds crazy, but a Camry XSE V6 or Accord Touring can cost about the same. At 248 hp the Edition ONE is not likely to challenge a 300hp Maxima, but the two cars are once again much closer physiology than the Camry might be to the Corolla.

By not combining AWD with the turbo, Nissan insures that it’s top models have no chance of poaching Maxima buyers with performance claims. As presented, the AWD SR model is touted for all-weather safety while the Platinum offer a well rounded near luxury sport driver experience. That said, the all Altima offer a better driving experience than the Camry and matches the Accord. The Accord has one of the industry’s best CVTs. The Altima’s only performance liability is that it does not offer any transmission beyond the CVT which means there is no manual (something Honda still offers).

On looks alone, Nissan seems to be playing it safe with interesting if not offensive design. The bar was raised considerable for mid-sized sedans with the recent revamps of Toyota’s Camry and the Honda Accord. Nissan adds an attractive edge in the form of its so called floating roof design, first seen in the Maxima (and in various Citroën and Renaults years before). The V-motion front end is Altima’s most distinctive design trait. Like the Camry and Accord, the Altima uses boomerang-shaped front and rear lights, suggesting a design trend first seen with trailblazers like Kia’s Optima.

2019 Nissan Altima side profile

Beyond the greenhouse treatment and the abrupt kink below the C pillar, little else sets this design apart. In all, it’s an attractive overall package that comes across as less offensive than the Accord and maybe not as aggressive as the Camry. With Camry’s NASCAR chops, Toyota can legitimately take the high road to claiming some kind of performance heritage.

Nissan however must rely on mixed signals. The Skyline is a rare and unattainable car for most. Nissan’s accessible sports car, the 370Z is long overdue for a make over. Anyone who remembers 240SX’s and Sentra SE-Rs is probably not in the market for a family car by now. The Juke, the company’s last small performance car was too weird for all but teenagers. The bulk of the company’s performance heritage remains in distant history.

To Nissan’s credit, it has endowed all versions of the Altima with a fully independent suspension that uses a multi-link system in the rear just like some sports cars. When sporting 19′ wheels the Altima looks especially attractive, especially next to the Maxima where it offers a toned down alternative. Even the base models don’t look so anemic with their true dual exhaust tips.

2019 Nissan Altima Platinum interior

Like the outside, the Altima’s cabin is pleasant and non offensive. While not bad by modern standards, it lacks the finer detailing of the Honda or the aggressive sporting nature of the Camry. It does have good material quality and it’s overall look using Nissan’s Gliding Wing philosophy is one of simplicity and elegance. The dash also features a nice mix of actual and virtual touch controls. Especially neat is how Nissan has integrated the woodgrain strip into the dash design.

Nissan was an early pioneer in easy financing, especially in urban communities where the Altima sold strongly against Toyota and Honda. I suspect that the new sportier styling will go a long way in appealing to Altima’s younger more urban demographic. While it’s share of the pie has dwindled (like nearly all other sedans), it likely that the Altima will maintain it’s spot in the top 5 of mid-sized family sedans in America. In doing so, the Altima is on target to recapture some of the sporty heritage laid down by the original 93-97 Altima SE.

2019 Nissan Altima Platinum

1988 Toyota Supra Turbo

The new Toyota Supra created quite a buzz at this year’s North American International Auto Show this year. It’s aggressive design carries over some of the aquatic creature look of the legendary 1993-2002 Supra code named A80. That car rode to fame (and tuner bastardization) thanks to The Fast and The Furious film franchise. It’s easy to go to your neighborhood department store and find toys of the fourth gen Supra, but you’d have to dig deep on the internet for find

With all the hype the Supra A80 got during the late ’90, it’s easy to forget the previous generation that started it all – or at least broke away from the restraints of the Celica in 1986. In the process of splitting, the Supra retained some of the angular look of the outgoing A60 Celica, especially the front end with its pop up headlight design. While the Celica became front wheel drive with a radically new aerodynamic look, the Supra A70 would retain rear wheel drive, like the Toyota Soarer it was closely related to.

Not that the Supra was a brick. It’s new look showed much more restraint than the old Celica-Supra. The low wide design helped it achieve an impressive Cd of 0.32. In America and Europe, the Supra was fitted with larger 16in wheels vs. 15′ in Japan. The Japanese model was also narrower initially. Despite a sleek fastback coupe profile, the A70 Supra maintained the practicality of a rear hatch, although it’s tiny back seats were more for insurance reasons or to hold bags of groceries.

1989 Toyota Supra dash

More important for enthusiasts, the Supra retained rear wheel drive and became a conservative platform for performance enhancing technologies. As a specialty coupe, it was dynamically somewhere between luxurious GT car and full fledged sports car. Luxury was evident in the interior which was driver centric with a full array of neatly arranged dials and controls and a 8 way power adjustable driver seat (available with cloth or leather). Although a five speed manual transmission was standard, most cars were delivered with a four speed automatic.

In much of the world there was a wide range of Supra models, some fitted with wheel covers and 2.0 liter straight sixes that made as little as 105hp. In Japan there were as many as 4 straight six engine options. In America, we only got the 200 hp 3.0 as the starting point for the short 1986 model year. The following year a turbocharged option was introduced (similar to the top Japanese model) . Through small annual tweaks it would eventually reach 232hp. All the running changes for the Supra were subtle, with the most dramatic being a more smoothly integrated front end lower air intake around 1990 and a five star wheel design (which carried over to the next gen car in 1993).

Post facelift 1990 Toyota Supra

Like other Japanese performance cars, the Supra was known for its use of technology. Things like multi-valves and dual overhead cams were a given, making the Supra seem like a spaceship next to push rod big block V8 American cars like the Corvette. When Toyota wasn’t offering a fully digital dash, it was more conservative in it’s use of gadgets (unlike Mitsubishi) and preferred to use them where they made a noticeable improvement in comfort or performance.

Innovations like TEMS, Toyota’s version of an adjustable suspension system allows the driver to select from sport and comfort modes, much like many modern cars do today. The Supra was an early adopter of ABS brakes, with the option being made available in 1987. When all this technology worked in tandem, it helped the Supra achieve impressive performance figures. Like many pure sports cars, the Supra was fitted with a fully independent double wishbone suspension – front and rear. There was also a rather pricey Sports Package that included a limited-slip differential.

Toyota Supra fitted with Sport Roof option

The Yen to Dollar ratio made the Supra more expensive than it should have been (it cost nearly double the amount of a MR2), especially against cars like the Corvette. This was in part due to the performance gadgets as well as luxury options many dealers ordered. For instance, the Sports Roof option was an easy to remove roof that could be hidden in the hatch to effectively make the Supra a kind of targa topped quasi convertible. Initially it was available in all models, then once a sunroof option came for 1990, it became a Turbo model only option.

Dynamically the Supra fell somewhere the heavy lazy luxury oriented Nissan 300ZX (as commonly equipped in normally aspirated form) or the all out performance ferocity of the Mitsubishi Starion Tsi. With a 0 to 60 time in the high sixes, the Turbo models were amongst the fastest cars in its class. Even the normally aspirated car could reach 60 mph from a stop in the very low 8 second range.

Despite being a hit with the automotive press, Supra sells in America plummeted noticeably from it’s debut year high in 1986 (36,000+ units) to just over 700 in the final model year of 1992. Adding things like a rear spoiler and changing up the rear lights did little to boost sales. Perhaps Toyota’s other performance cars, the Celica, MR2 and Corolla GT got all the attention because they were far more affordable (except for the rare Celica AllTrac).

Pure White option Toyota Supra Turbo

To make matters worse, the American market would get shortchanged as the top engine would be a 2.5L 24v twin turbo in Japan, while we continued on with the single turbo 3.0. Japanese cars also got a new distributorless ignition called Toyota Direct Ignition (TDI). All those things would eventually make it to America in the form of an all new Supra. At least we got an airbag and a neat all white trim package called Super White IV.

In retrospect, once the next Supra arrived for 1993, everyone seemed to forget the 1992 model. The 1993 Supra found itself in a well publicized spotlight in a tight four way contest for Japanese sports car supremacy between the Mazda R-X7, Nissan 300ZX and Mitsubishi 300GT. Arguably the Supra won that battle, but in all the smoke, everyone seemed to forget the car that granted Supra its independence from the Celica.

As time passes, I tend to like the Supra A70 even more. A few in the tuner community have taken advantage of the small but active market for modifications. In many instances a tastefully modded Mk III is more appealing to me than the tadpole faced car that came after it.

1987 Toyota Supra (European model)

2019 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat

2006 seems like a long time ago. There was no iPhone or fancy touch screens in most cars. In that year Dodge rolled out it’s brash new sixth generation Charger. Never mind that it was no longer a coupe, but a full-size sedan on Chrysler’s hard working LX platform. The Charger represented the traditional rear wheel drive American full-sized family sedan. It was the opposite of the Chrysler 300 in that it was a sleeves rolled up muscle car wrapped in family sedan practicality. In essence the new Charger embodied the spirit of old sporty Polaras and Monacos, cars that were mid range, large and simple.

The Good Olde Days
The field of American full-sized cars from the traditional Big Three was not crowded, but just about each maker had at least one mid ranged big sedan. With the exception of the Pontiac G8, GM had gone front-wheel drive, as did Ford with it’s slow selling front or all wheel drive Five Hundred. From the beginning, the Dodge Charger distinguished itself as a true muscle car with its big aggressive grille, muscular blockish silhouette and most importantly rear wheel drive.

2006 Dodge Charger SRT

Higher trims looked down right menacing next to the Pontiac G8. Even the lower powered cars looked aggressive despite smaller 16′ wheels and capped holes where things like fog lights might be. It was more likely that the Charger was crossed shopped against the more expensive (Holden export) Pontiac was selling because it represented a shrinking rear wheel drive sedan market.

Moving to the Front (wheels)
In all people were still buying large sedans, but the segment was giving way to more profitable SUVs, even then as manufacturers felt pressured to push larger cars more upmarket or to re-invent them as front wheel drive. It wouldn’t take all the fingers of one hand to count the rear wheel drive sedans left in the mid range market.

Gradually, the Big Three’s affordable large sedans would drop off or convert to front wheel drive like infected zombies. Two iterations of the Holden Commodore as the Pontiac G8 and later the Chevrolet SS would drop off, leaving the Charger with no direct spiritual competitor. Others like the Chevy Impala would follow suite with announced production shutdowns. Ford had long since announced that it’s slow selling Taurus would be axed along with nearly all its car production. All of them made the sheepish conversion to front wheel drive as standard.

Against the Wind
Somehow the Dodge Charger survived in this environment and seemed to thrive is it turned it’s back on market trends towards cars as efficient appliances. Could it be that buying a Charger is like an act of defiance? Owning and driving one feels less like having a family car and more like having a politically incorrect muscle car with four doors. Hell, you can even get it with all-wheel drive now. Hows that for delaying the call of the SUV?

It’s easy to imagine a V8 powered Charger R/Ts doing small town parade duty. Few SUVs and fewer dainty crossover can inspire that kind of patriotism. After all, who needs a jacked up station wagon when kids and groceries can be shuttled in bitchin’ muscle car? You can even buy it in purple of all colors – a big purple family sedan for heaven’s sake!

2019 Dodge Charger SXT

As the Big Three have retreated from big mid priced sedans, what’s left are a stable of front-wheel drive imports that are as bland as they are ubiquitous (with the possible exception of the Toyota Avalon). As far as traditionalists are concerned, no one still sells a large affordable sedan like the Charger. To pay the bills, most Chargers are sold with the volume selling 292 hp 3.6L V6. On occasion you might encounter a R/T with a 5.7 L V8 or even a Hellcat with 707 hp 6.2L V8. These cars stand out in the market where there is still some demand, and not just from highway patrol departments who have almost no domestic rear wheel drive sedans to choose from anymore.

A True Survivor
The Charger will likely outlive all of it’s LX platform mates as Chrysler recently announced that the 300 will end production after 2019. The Dodge Magnum and Lancia Thema (a reskinned 300) have long since thrown in the towel.

2011 Dodge Charger Rallye V6

A part of me hopes that Dodge can continue to be the flag bearer for the reasonably priced full-sized rear wheel drive sedan. Perhaps part of the Charger’s appeal is that it’s become countercultural with its bike lane smoking V8 power and rear wheel drive. These are things that bode well for Dodge’s current marketing which distinguishes itself from the follow the crowd mentality. It’s the kind of American individualism as product that has persisted, even as the Charger has gradually moved from being brutish looking to becoming a refined world class design. The Charger just might be the best looking mid-range large sedan in the world – certainly the best looking one with rear wheel drive.

Making America Great Again?
No aspirations of European handling here, just good old fashioned American design inguniety, grit and displacement. The designers at Dodge must be doing something right for Kia to copy the Charger’s tail light array with it’s new Stinger. Speaking of the Stinger, it compares closely to some versions of the Charger, although it costs more in it’s base form. I wonder how many people will cross shop the similarly priced R/T with the base Kia sports sedan.

2015 Dodge Charger front end redesign

In a world where everyone wants a car than can be charged overnight like a smartphone, it would seem that the folks in Auburn Hills are getting the last laugh as sales of the Charger are holding steady, even as the Chrysler 300 is slumping.

Interestingly, American’s traditional car buying habits are similar to Australia’s in many ways. Both nations have a rich muscle car heritage. In the Land Down Under nearly all of it’s home grown muscle car manufacturing is gone. The Ford Falcon and Holden Commodore were like the Charger in many ways but are no longer in production in Australia.

So it’s surprising that Chrysler only sells two versions of the 300 and no Dodge branded cars there. With the 300’s modest success there being attributed to it’s rear wheel drive V8 formula, one wonders if the cheaper Charger would have been a better fit for a market that remembers Chrysler as a muscle car brand, not really one of luxury. Either way it will be interesting to see how long Dodge can continue to sell the everyman’s full-sized sedan we lovingly know as the Charger.

2019 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat