FERRARI GROWL FROM A TINY TIGER—THE 1958 FIAT-ABARTH 750
“UNDOUBTEDLY A FAVORITE SPORT of Fiat-Abarth owners will be VW-baiting,” R&T said in June 1958. “Even our somewhat jaded test crew got a tremendous kick out of driving the Fiat-Abarth … Continue reading
LOTUS ELITE PART 2
IN PART 1 YESTERDAY, we learned about the Lotus Elite’s innovative use of fiber-reinforced plastic in structural applications. Today, we’ll continue with R&T’s April 1963 evaluation of the Elite and … Continue reading
LOTUS ELITE PART 1
“TO THE HARD-CORE ENTHUSIAST,” the Lotus ad copy reads, “any twisty stretch of road holds a downright hypnotic challenge to send it in screaming: red line it on the straight, … Continue reading
1955 FORD THUNDERBIRD—WHAT’LL SHE DO? PART 2
R&T’s ROAD TEST OF THE FIRST-GENERATION Ford Thunderbird emphasized testing methodology as opposed to a review of the car itself. Here in Part 2 the testers share hints on optimizing … Continue reading
1955 FORD THUNDERBIRD—WHAT’LL SHE DO? PART 1
R&T WROTE IN MARCH 1955, “With all the interest in the new Thunderbird ‘personal car,’ the performance claims of overly enthusiastic salesmen can perhaps be excused. In a quick survey … Continue reading
ALLARD K3—GRENDEL’S SOPHISTICATED BROTHER?
TO GET A SENSE FOR THE K3’S RELATIONSHIP to Grendel, check out “Allard Palm Beach—Grendel’s Kid Sister,” appearing only three months before this particular R&T road test. This and other … Continue reading
NASH-HEALEY AND THE BENEFIT OF FORCED INDUCTION
ACTUALLY I ADMIRE NASH-HEALEYS of 1950-1952 Le Mans fame (finishing 4th, 6th, and 3rd overall, respectively) more than I do the marque’s later Pinin Farina iteration. To my eye, the … Continue reading
JAGUAR ARITHMETIC
R&T SUMMED UP ITS June 1955 road test of the Jaguar XK-140 with what it called “COVENTRY’S FINEST FORMULA.” The magazine said, “For six years the Jaguar XK sports car … Continue reading
SPEED ON THE SAND PART 2
IN PART 1 YESTERDAY, DRIVERS WENT AS FAST AS THEY COULD on the sands of 1954 Daytona Beach. Today in Part 2 we return with R&T to this venue a … Continue reading
SPEED ON THE SAND—THEN AND NOW PART 1
DAYTONA BEACH, PENDINE SANDS, BONNEVILLE—AND OUISTREHAM. This last named, less familiar, was described at the Classic & Sports Car website, January 17, 2024. It’s on the Normandy coast of France, … Continue reading
Simanaitis Says 