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Home2026January

Month: January 2026

Multimedia

Scaringe presents Rivian as a Tesla without the controversy and chaos

January 29, 2026 Steve 0

With Tesla showing signs of stepping back from automotive production, Rivian has the potential to come out from under its shadow with a more affordable R2 model. Toward that end, the automaker’s founder R. J. […]

1950 Nash Rambler hood ornament
Drive-By Musings

Was the 1950-55 Rambler the biggest category buster of the postwar era?

January 28, 2026 Steve 8

A recent discussion by Kim and Geeber in a comment thread got me wondering whether the 1950-55 Rambler was the biggest category buster of the postwar era. Why would I consider that possibility? The Nash […]

Parody ads about the auto industry and media
Our Sponsors

Where you can go when family and friends aren’t enough

January 27, 2026 Steve 0
Readings

Langworth’s Kaiser-Frazer book still represents gold standard of auto histories

January 27, 2026 Steve 8

(EXPANDED FROM 5/7/2021) I only needed to quickly double-check a fact when I reached for Richard Langworth’s book, Kaiser-Frazer: The Last Onslaught on Detroit. A few hours later I finally pulled myself away from it. […]

Hudson-Willys merger idea
Media Analysis

Patrick Foster’s idea of a Hudson-Willys merger still raises major questions

January 23, 2026 Steve 7

(EXPANDED FROM 10/17/2023) A few years ago Patrick Foster (2023) suggested in a Hemmings column why a marriage of Hudson and Willys could have made sense. More recently he updated his essay, so I was […]

Current Events

Ford executives try to get close to Trump despite policy differences

January 21, 2026 Steve 10

Ford Motor Company executives stood by quietly as President Donald Trump recently argued that the U.S. doesn’t need cars from Canada and Mexico (Fox 29 Philadelphia; 2026). Later Ford CEO Jim Farley lauded the administration […]

1969 Toyota Corona 4-door sedan
Links

Car and Driver road test of 1966 Toyota Corona anticipates Japanese ascendancy

January 20, 2026 Steve 15

(UPDATED FROM 1/3/2024) A July 1966 Car and Driver road test of the Toyota Corona insisted that if this car was “typical of what the Japanese automobile industry is producing, European manufacturers deserve to lose […]

1970 Buick Riviera
Design Notes

The 11 worst single-year redesigns of postwar American cars

January 16, 2026 Steve 36

(EXPANDED FROM 7/14/2023) I grant you that top-whatever rankings can be clickbaity, but I decided to do this story for a specific reason. In the postwar years Detroit tended to assume that rapid-fire restylings were […]

Olympia parking lot
Media Analysis

How should we view automotive writers who have attacked emissions regs?

January 15, 2026 Steve 2

Aaron Severson (2025) recently criticized a number of automotive writers for attacking emissions regulations. This got me thinking about how we should view these writers — who are often considered some of the leading lights […]

1964 Dodge Dart GT convertible
History

1963-66 Dodge Dart was arguably as important as the Ford Mustang

January 13, 2026 Steve 7

(EXPANDED FROM 10/26/2023) One of the most underrated cars of the 1960s was the 1963-66 Dodge Dart. This “family” compact anticipated the size of the contemporary family sedan during a time when the American auto […]

Posts pagination

1 2 »
  • 1965 Studebaker Cruiser proposal
    Car Life speculates about why Studebaker shut down its South Bend plant
    July 17, 2026 8
  • 1956 Lincoln
    The 1956 Lincoln’s styling proved to be a one-year wonder
    July 17, 2026 18
  • 1975 Mercedes-Benz 450 SL
    1975 Mercedes-Benz 450 SL lacked the taut brilliance of its predecessor
    July 14, 2026 6
  • 1988 Oldsmobile Toronado
    Did GM go too far in downsizing the 1986 Riviera, Toronado and Eldorado?
    July 10, 2026 16
  • J. 'Kelly' Flory Jr.
    J. ‘Kelly’ Flory Jr.’s American Cars series is pricey but valuable
    July 10, 2026 4
  • 1968 Pontiac Firebird green convertible
    1967-72 Pontiac Firebird shows limits of ad illustrations
    July 7, 2026 10
  • Miscellaneous ramblings about being on the road
    June 25, 2026 5
  • Internet problems reminded me of U.S. automakers in the 1970s
    May 2, 2026 1
  • 1956 Buick hood scoop
    Readers brainstorm ideas for future Indie Auto stories
    October 14, 2022 141
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