DATSUN 1000—“WHOLESOME RICE CAKES, NOT EXOTIC SINGING AND DANCING”
I DON’T KNOW THAT JAPAN HAS EVER been known for “exotic” singing and dancing, but someone at R&T in 1958 thought up this contrast. Not that any Japanese imports of … Continue reading
JAGUAR TRIPPIN’—VIRTUALLY
THE JAGUAR HERITAGE TRUST is in Gaydon, south of Coventry in the English Midlands. It’s a vast continent and vast ocean from my home, but I’ve just tripped there—virtually. All … Continue reading
TOYOTA TOYOPET DE LUXE—A 65-YEAR LOOK BACK
“WE BELIEVE,” WROTE R&T IN March 1958, “this is a first complete report of any kind of a new car whose significance may not be fully realized for at least … Continue reading
ALFA ROMEO SUPER SPIDER—THE ALFISTI WERE RIGHT!
THERE’S A BACKSTORY to R&T’s road test of the Alfa Super Spider, October 1959: The magazine acknowledged, “The Alfa Romeo Veloce Spider test (March 1958) was a classic example of … Continue reading
1959 ELVA—VRAIMENT, ELLE VA!
“IN ENGLAND, AS IN THIS COUNTRY,” R&T wrote in June 1959, “nearly every amateur ‘special’ builder has more or less grandiose dreams of seeing his machine win race after race … Continue reading
PEGASO TIDBITS PART 2
YESTERDAY, WE LEARNED FROM R&T, November 1954, that Wilfredo Ricart’s Pegaso cars seemed well-nigh unbreakable. Today several other sources contribute to this Spanish exotic’s history. More Pegaso Lore. Wikipedia gives … Continue reading
PEGASO TIDBITS PART 1
READING OLD R&T MAGAZINES is like experiencing a time machine, in this case, back to November 1954. Robert C. Goldich’s “The Flying Horses of Barcelona” was about the Pegaso, Spain’s … Continue reading
PITY THE AUSTIN A-30
AN ASTOUNDING DESIGN LEAP in automobile design occurred in Britain between the 1954 Austin A-30 and the 1959 Morris 850, aka the Mini. Whereas the Mini was innovative in so … Continue reading
MORETTI—AN ETCETERINA OF NOTE
ETCETERINI ARE DIMINUTIVE Italian sports cars, typically snarly Fiat-propelled and charming. I’ve never heard the singular of this Italian noun. But I assume, like macchina, it’s feminine. Thus, perhaps, “etceterina” … Continue reading
AMERICA WANTED A SMALL CAR? THE 1954 NASH METROPOLITAN DELIVERED
“THIS, THE NASH COMPANY ASSURES US,” R&T WROTE IN MAY 1954, “is what the public asked for…. Well, let’s see what the public wanted.” “First,” R&T said, “the public wanted … Continue reading
Simanaitis Says 