Mazda is displaying a like-new 1989 MX-5 Miata at this year’s edition of the Geneva Motor Show to celebrate the roadster’s 25th anniversary. The specially-outfitted roadster is painted in an attractive shade of green reminiscent of British Racing Green and the interior features tan leather upholstery as well as a wooden Nardi steering wheel. Rally-inspired … Continue reading
Cutaways are a fascinating way to discover what lurks beneath the sheetmetal of a car. Today, they are generally done with computer programs such as AutoCAD but they were painstakingly drawn by hand by highly-skilled artists for several decades. The best-known cutaway artist is arguably Haynes’ Terry Davey, the man responsible for the drawings found … Continue reading
In the early days of the auto industry, black was often associated with the Model T and Henry Ford’s attempt to save money by adopting standardized production methods. Several decades later, black was found on official vehicles used by miscellaneous government agencies around the world because it’s a low-key color that doesn’t immediately stand out … Continue reading
Although the first part of a car that meets the eye is the body, the interior is arguably more important as it plays a major part in determining if a car is enjoyable to drive or ride in. Cobbling together an interior is tough because engineers, designers, bean counters, factory workers and even dealers all … Continue reading
It’s officially winter time in the northern hemisphere. Ski stations are gearing up for their busiest seasons, holiday preparations are in full swing and annoyed commuters are getting ready to fire up the snow blower. What vintage car would you rather drive through the snow? What one would you trust the least? Continue reading
Although brown cars have been around for decades, their heyday was undeniably the 1970s when companies from all over the automotive galaxy offered at least one shade of it. In retrospect, brown went remarkably well with cars that were often laden with emissions equipment such as air pumps and 5-mph bumpers. Brown largely fell out … Continue reading
“The Mazda 1500 is a great car to take hunting because…” How would you caption this 1960s press shot? Continue reading
The stereotypical taxi cab is the Ford Crown Victoria in New York, the Mercedes-Benz w123 in Frankfurt (or, nowadays, Morocco), the Volkswagen Santana in Beijing, the LT1 FX4 in London or on strike in Paris. Which vintage taxi would you rather hail down to get from point A to point B? Alfa Romeo New York … Continue reading
Ran When Parked got to spend the better part of a weekend in Bangkok, Thailand, on our way back home from a business trip in China. Having never been to Thailand before, we were impressed by all of the old cars that are still on the road. Continue reading
Far off the beaten path yet easily spotted from the freeway, this Mazda 323 has been sitting in a field for several years. With the notable exception of the steering wheel, the five-door hatchback is complete but it has been the victim of petty vandalism and time has not been kind to it. Continue reading
Ran When Parked 