While today Subaru occupies a niche building rugged all-wheel-drive wagons and crossovers, the brand’s auto manufacturing origins stem from an entirely different vehicle debuting in the late 1950s – the “Ladybug” Subaru 360. As an ambitious upstart car company’s first automobile marketed towards everyday mobility needs, this rear-engine two-seat microcar embodied the scrappy determination lifting…
Ask automotive enthusiasts to visualize a Mustang and odds are they picture a sporty fastback silhouette with long hood and short rear decklid. This iconic roofline helped make the original 1964 1⁄2 Mustang an overnight success while fueling the 1960s pony car performance wars against rivals playing catch-up. Even as SUVs dominate sales today, the…
Take a drive along the most rugged unpaved roads across North America and one plucky machine undoubtedly appears in rearview mirrors tackling muddy trails without effort – Toyota’s timeless Land Cruiser FJ40. As the original iteration bringing Toyota’s four-wheel drive capabilities to export markets, the 1960s-era FJ series earned abundant fame proving its mettle around…
Take a drive along remote trails from the Australian Outback to the African Savannah and one boxy silhouette undoubtedly appears tackling the roughest terrain – Toyota’s venerable Land Cruiser FJ62. As one of the longest-running 4×4 nameplates globally, the 1960s-era Second Generation Cruiser earned iconic status proving reliability and ruggedness across every inhospitable environment imaginable…
During the heady 1960s, American automakers explored progressive ideas through motorsports, concept cars and a new wave of engineering prowess. Among GM’s brands, Oldsmobile took the biggest risk reinventing personal luxury coupe perceptions with its reveal of the 1967 Toronado packing major advancements beneath polarizing avant-garde styling. At first controversial, the long-hood coupe pioneered front-wheel…
The VW Corrado early 1990s ushered an exciting era envisioning a high-tech future through concept cars and production models alike. Among mainstream brands, Volkswagen embraced this ethos strongest transforming its economical image almost overnight with the radically styled Corrado coupe. Introduced for the 1989 model year, this aerodynamic 3-door hatch channeled formula racing inspiration, unconventional…
Take a walk through Porsche’s glistening museum in Stuttgart and one sleek silhouette stands out as the modern embodiment of the brand’s racing pedigree – the Le Mans conquering Porsche 919 Hybrid LMP1 prototype. Developed for World Endurance Championship domination, this ultimate expression of hybrid racing technology channeled every innovation Porsche engineers could conceive between…
944 Porsche by the early 1980s, Porsche stood at a crossroads. With high costs straining sales volume, the rear-engine 911 needed a lower-priced model appealing to aspirational buyers across new demographics. As executives debated priorities, Porsche consultants proposed an unexpected solution – a Porsche water-cooled front-engine roadster budgeted below $20,000. Initial skepticism soon transformed into…