The Infiniti G35 and G37 Coupes were grand tourers known for being as easy on the eyes as they were on their owners’ wallets. Based on Nissan’s FM platform, which underpins its more famous Z cars, the coupes also shared mechanicals with sedan counterparts that borrowed their name, if not […]
Affordable Classics
Three-Letter Thrill Ride
Unlike many of its early-2000s counterparts, Ford’s Focus SVT had something truly special going for it. It wasn’t the most powerful car in the sport compact world, and it certainly wasn’t the most aggressive-looking. But it may have had the most passionate development team behind it, ensuring that it filled […]
All in the Family
The 1990s were an important time in Mercedes-Benz history. Since the late 1960s, AMG had been modifying Mercedes vehicles as an independent performance shop, but in 1993 the plucky tuner signed a contract of cooperation with Mercedes-Benz to gain access to its dealer network and to co-develop AMG-branded models. By […]
Hidden Dragon
The Nissan 240SX wound up being a commercial failure over its 10-year production run, yet it was a cultural success long into the decade that followed. After years of strong sales of its inexpensive front-engine, rear-drive Silvia in Japan and other markets, Nissan decided to bring the car to the […]
Little Giant
When Fiat exited the North American market in the early 1980s, it seemed unlikely that the economical Italian brand would ever return. A shoddy reputation had been built over the years on poor reliability, questionable build quality and a penchant for premature rust. Though its cars were small, they carried […]
Hitting the Sweet Spot
When you’ve owned a significant number of cars, there will be some that stand out in your memory, the special ones that appealed to you in a way that others did not. Like Goldilocks and her choice of porridge, they weren’t too hot or too cold, they were just right. […]
Lexus IS as Lexus Does
The first generation of the Lexus IS was never much to look at. Apart from more-stylish wheels and a slightly more pugnacious stance, Lexus’ new compact sport sedan didn’t seem to differentiate itself much from some lesser Toyota models. You had to get closer and pay attention to see that […]
The Leading Edge
While the all-new Mustang that debuted in 1994 had sold in respectable numbers, Ford heard the rumblings of Mustang purists who felt that the fourth-generation car was too generic. To these fans, who decried it as a “two-door Taurus,” the SN95-platform Mustang had lost its soul. So, for its mid-cycle […]
End of an Era
When the next-generation Porsche Cayman arrives in roughly a year’s time, it and the new Boxster will both be fully electric vehicles. You read that right: Internal-combustion engines will no longer power Porsche’s mid-engine sports cars. That makes it a great time to look back at the now-affordable first-generation Cayman, […]
That’s Mister Two to You
The Toyota MR2 rocked the sports-car world when it arrived in 1984. With a mid-engine, rear-drive design that stood on the shoulders of the Porsche 914 and Fiat X1/9, the lightweight Toyota offered nimble steering and adequate speed at a truly affordable price. American buyers stepped up, purchasing more than […]