(EXPANDED FROM 5/1/2020)
The Internet appears to be getting better as a source of information about cars. For example, Automobile Catalog offers basic product details about an admirably broad range of domestic and foreign brands. That said, I still haven’t found a one-stop information source that also includes prices, production figures and automaker milestones. So when I am writing a story about pretty much any car I will still reach for an old-fashioned reference book.
Domestic cars are covered by a number of books, so if one of them has an information gap or a questionable fact, another one might fill in the void. That’s not the case with cars from foreign automakers, where the Standard catalogs are apparently the only game in town. To make matters worse, a new publisher currently offers only a small selection of mostly domestic, brand-specific books. No more mega catalogs (go here for further discussion).
The newer Standard Catalog has some problems
What that apparently means if that if you want a reference book on imported cars, you have a choice between two out-of-print titles: the Standard Catalog of Imported Cars: 1946-1990 by James M. Flammang and a second edition by Mike Covello (2001), which covers the years 1946-2002.
My first inclination was to buy the more recent book — until I read Amazon.com reader reviews. I don’t tend to take these reviews very seriously but noticed an unusual number of negative assessments of the second edition.
Consider the following excerpt from Robert MacLeay’s (2010) review: “Journalism rule #1: Spell their name right. The IDIOT who edited this edition took CORRECT information from the first edition and changed it. Yo Mike! Those italian cars are named ALFA Romeo,; this was correct in the first edition. Alfa stands for Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili. You changed it to “ALPHA ROMEO.” Perhaps the company moved to Greece while I was looking the other way? Stupid, stupid, stupid.”
Like it or not, typos are likely to happen with small-scale publishers — particularly when the books are so large. Thus, I wasn’t inclined to “cancel” Covello for such a small infraction. However, MacLeay went on to argue that the book “gives you no hint that anyone other than Mike Covello had a hand the creation of this book. Not only is the original author/editor not credited or acknowledged in any way, but his own acknowledgements to the many people who helped him have been deleted as well. This is intellectually dishonest.”
Meanwhile, Vermoulian (2004) complained that “data is incomplete and the editing is grossly inferior” to a Standard Catalog on American cars. “They lump model years together into big chunks, when there were substantial differences in models within those years. Information is incomplete or wrong. Example: I looked here to find an answer to the question, ‘When did Toyota first build a Celica convertible?’ The text refers to one in 1987, but I know for a fact that Toyota built one in 1985! No mention at all.”
The first edition also had information gaps
If Vermoulian instead purchased the first edition he would have found similar problems. In addition, when writing a story that involved Saab and Volvo I found incomplete price and sales information (go here for further discussion). I haven’t had that experience with any of the Standard catalogs focused on postwar domestic brands.
Like most other Standard catalogs, this one is lengthy (700 pages), printed on non-glossy paper and is filled with small text and black-and-white photos. As I write this, used copies of the first edition go for around $9 to $12 for “very good” condition through Amazon.com.
Standard Catalog of Imported Cars, 1946-1990
- James M. Flammang, 1992; First Ed.
- Krause Publications, Iola, WI
(1973-74 Honda) “Honda’s early advertising claim for the Civic was certainly modest: ‘It will get you where you’re going.’ Other ads promised that it would deliver ‘more miles per gallon than anybody.’ The CVCC engine was announced in 1972, but did not become available under U.S. Civic hoods until the 1975 model year. The EPA ranked Civic the most economical car of 1974, with a 29.1-mpg rating. Just over one-fourth of Hondas sold in 1973 had automatic shift, and only 8.5 percent were air conditioned.” (p. 285)
(1969 Saab) “As far back as the early 1950s, Saab designers had been pondering the shape of a future model. By the latter part of that decade, those thoughts were focusing on a profile with a low nose and tall tail end. The finished 99 sedan evolved from a ‘Gudmond’ prototype, and looked quite similar to a prototype completed in 1965.” (p. 560)
(1975-77 Volkswagen) “A new transverse-mounted 1471-cc engine went into the new front-drive Rabbit, as opposed to the longitudinal engine in the Dasher. Some Rabbits had all-drum brakes, but by 1976 front discs were standard. After one year with a 1471-cc engine, the Rabbit adopted a larger (1588-cc) four. A year later, that engine added fuel injection and the Rabbit added more standard equipment. Deluxe and Custom models added open-up vent windows. After 1977, the Rabbit would also be built in the U.S. A diesel engine became available in 1977.” (p. 636)
OTHER REVIEWS:
RE:SOURCES
- Covello, Mike; 2001. Standard Catalog of Imported Cars, 1946-2002. Second Ed. Krause Publications, Iola, WI.
- Robert MacLeay, Robert; 2010. Amazon review of Standard Catalog of Imported Cars, 1946-2002. Second Ed. Krause Publications, Iola, WI. Posted March 13.
- Vermoulian; 2004. Amazon review of Standard Catalog of Imported Cars, 1946-2002. Second Ed. Krause Publications, Iola, WI. Posted January 21.
My gripe with the “Imported cars” category often used when talking about US Automotive History is that one single word encompasses vastly different schools of design and product specialisation, such as those that arose in Germany, France, Japan, the UK or Italy.
It was rather unlikely that the potential Mercedes W111 buyer would cross-shop with a FIAT 600, but chances were he’d look at least a little into a Jaguar or a Citrรถen DS. Remaining in the same country of origin, Italy was and is a rather extreme example in that it almost exclusively produces either very small and cheap cars, or focuses on (once called exotics) supercars and hypercars. Conversely, Germany and Japan had and have a very strong backbone of good quality standard brands and premium brand offerings.
In short, clumping together all non-US-origin cars as “imports” (from US’ POV) is not really a choice I am a fan of.