Fiat launched the Barchetta in January of 1995 as a part of a two-pronged approach to revamping its image by building affordable sports cars. The Chris Bangle-designed Fiat Coupé was billed as a heir to the sporty Fiat coupes of the 1960s and 1970s, and the Barchetta paid an unmistakable homage to the 124 Spider … Continue reading
American Motors Corporation (AMC) designed the Jeep Cherokee XJ to take on the Chevrolet S-10 Blazer and the GMC S-15 Jimmy. Launched in time for the 1984 model year, the Cherokee was much smaller than its predecessor and more efficient thanks to the use of downsized engines. Jeep engineers made sure the Cherokee remained capable … Continue reading
We started the future classic series over a year ago in order to satisfy our own curiosity after running into a Rover 216 GTi in the Ikea parking lot. Seeing that the article was well-received, we held a Ran When Parked referendum and readers voted to keep the series around. Continue reading
We started the future classic series over a year ago in order to satisfy our own curiosity after running into a Rover 216 GTi in the Ikea parking lot. Seeing that the article was well-received, we held a Ran When Parked referendum and readers voted to keep the series around. Continue reading
Honda introduced the second-generation Prelude in November of 1982. Larger and more expensive than the first-gen model, the second-generation Prelude continued to offer buyers a sportier, more exciting alternative to the popular Accord sedan. Continue reading
Introduced in Europe in early 1988 and in North America a year later, the BMW E34 5-Series was the long-awaited successor to the aging E28. It was designed by a team operating under Claus Luthe, the same man who penned the E28, but it stayed true to BMW’s then-current design language with a noticeably less … Continue reading
For several decades, Mercedes-Benz was the only German luxury car company that offered a regular-production convertible. BMW fired first when it launched the ragtop version of the E30 3-Series and the Z1 convertible in 1987, and Audi quickly joined the party with a topless four-seater dubbed simply Cabriolet in 1991. Continue reading
Contrary to popular belief, the Subaru Brat was named after an unruly teenager: The name was an acronym that stood for Bi-drive Recreational All-terrain Transporter. Based on the Leone, the Brat was commissioned by the president of Subaru’s American division who saw a market for a small, four-wheel drive pickup that was smaller and cheaper … Continue reading
There are no two ways around it: The Renault 14 was a flop. Like all cars it had its flaws and its qualities, but its career was marred by an advertising campaign that compared its silhouette to that of a pear. Buyers discovered the 14’s bad tendency to rust by the time hoards of them … Continue reading
The word from management was clear: If Fiat was to become profitable, it had to ditch its economy car image and move slightly upmarket by renewing its ties with the world of motorsports. This didn’t necessarily mean competing in racing events, but offering a leisure car or two wouldn’t hurt. The Centro Stile fired in … Continue reading
