Indie Auto

The XR-400 wouldn’t have ‘saved’ AMC but it pointed in a useful direction

by Steve in Fake Design 6

(EXPANDED FROM 7/7/2023) A while back Stéphane Dumas quite rightly noted that another alternative to the 1964 Rambler Tarpon concept car was the XR-400. This was a 2+2 convertible proposed to American Motors in 1962 by the Budd Company. My sense is that there was zero chance AMC was going to produce the vaguely Mustang-like sporty car, [...]

The 1956 Lincoln’s styling proved to be a one-year wonder

July 17, 2026 18

(UPDATED FROM 1/6/2023) The 1956 Lincoln was one of the brand’s most-important postwar cars. Almost 54,000 cars left the factory — an all-time record not broken until 1966. The Ford Motor Company was clearly intending to make a [...]

1975 Mercedes-Benz 450 SL lacked the taut brilliance of its predecessor

July 14, 2026 8

(UPDATED FROM 7/17/2024) A few years ago I came across a 1975 Mercedes-Benz SL. In all honesty, I wasn’t nearly as enthused as when I photographed a previous-generation W113 model, with its iconic “pagoda” roof. The R107 models, [...]

Did GM go too far in downsizing the 1986 Riviera, Toronado and Eldorado?

July 10, 2026 16

(UPDATED FROM 7/1/2024) General Motors has been criticized for going too far in downsizing its 1986 E-body personal coupes, which included the Buick Riviera, Oldsmobile Toronado and Cadillac Eldorado. Sales fell off a cliff, but [...]

J. ‘Kelly’ Flory Jr.’s American Cars series is pricey but valuable

July 10, 2026 4

(UPDATED FROM 4/18/2024) The most valuable books I have bought in recent years have been J. “Kelly” Flory Jr.’s American Cars reference guides. This multi-volume set provides wide-ranging information on U.S.-made cars during the postwar [...]

1967-72 Pontiac Firebird shows limits of ad illustrations

by Steve in Literature 10

(UPDATED FROM 78/2024/ Art Fitzpatrick and Van Kaufman’s artwork in Pontiac’s advertising played an important role in the brand’s popularity during the 1960s. Others have done a thorough job of showcasing the team’s most iconic ads (e.g., Niedermeyer, 2015; Stroll, 2015). Thus, rather than duplicating efforts, I would like to offer a caveat about the [...]