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Home1980s

1980s

Mercedes-Benz 300TD wagon
Design Notes

Mercedes-Benz W123: Back when form really did follow function

July 2, 2025 Steve 4

(EXPANDED FROM 5/26/2023) A comment by Fratzog spurred me to expand on this story about the Mercedes-Benz W123, which to my mind is the brand’s most iconic model. I get that this may be a […]

1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am front quarter
Media Analysis

Does a decline in car design — and car culture — mirror a decline in America?

June 27, 2025 Steve 3

American car-buff media tend to talk down to their readers to the point where I sometimes wonder whether editors — or at least their overseers on the business side — think we’re just a bunch […]

1993 Cadillac Eldorado
Links

Dean’s Garage series on 1992 Cadillacs illustrates Detroit’s lack of self awareness

June 18, 2025 Steve 13

I have been so busy lately that I have tended to only scan the stories at Dean’s Garage. However, this morning I got out of the canoe long enough to read the articles and comment […]

Brock Yates
Readings

Brock Yates brilliantly analyzed fall of U.S. auto industry

June 17, 2025 Steve 1

(EXPANDED FROM 1/22/2021) The Decline and Fall of the American Automobile Industry is one of the most important automotive books of the last 50 years. That’s because Brock Yates presented what may very well be the […]

Mores Creek Bridge
Photo Essay

A sad reason bridges aren’t just used for driving over

June 15, 2025 Steve 1

I would imagine that a goodly number of people who drive over the Mores Creek bridge in southwest Idaho are anticipating a happy time at the nearby Lucky Peak State Park. However, when trying to […]

Quotes

David E. Davis offered his take on John Z. DeLorean

May 24, 2025 Steve 9

Whether John Z. DeLorean was merely a car guy with a tragic life trajectory or a sociopath has been an ongoing debate here at Indie Auto. Thus, I was intrigued to come across David E. […]

1972 Pontiac Firebirds
History

William Porter brought a thoughtful approach to his design work at GM

May 19, 2025 Steve 0

I can be quite critical of Automotive News, so in fairness I should note when they do good work. A case in point is a feature story by David Phillips (2025) about William L. Porter. […]

1980 Plymouth Volare
Quotes

Popular Science questions Chrysler Corporation’s blame game

May 17, 2025 Steve 5

“Chrysler says its financial troubles are caused, in part, by safety and emissions laws that penalize it more than GM or Ford. It costs Chrysler ‘almost twice as much as it will cost GM’ to […]

1988 Chrysler Fifth Avenue
History

It’s too bad that the late-70s big Chrysler were not based on Volare

April 21, 2025 Steve 34

(EXPANDED FROM 12/30/2022) This story operates on two levels. The first one is how the car-buff media could be wrong in its predictions about future products. The second level looks at how slow the Chrysler […]

1978 AMC Concord hatchback
Drive-By Musings

How might John Z. DeLorean have done as head of AMC?

April 18, 2025 Steve 26

(EXPANDED FROM 7/15/2021) A few years ago Curbside Classic commentator Chris Cieslak (2021) noted that American Motors toyed with the idea of hiring John Z. DeLorean after he left General Motors. This brings up an […]

Posts pagination

« 1 … 3 4 5 … 16 »
  • 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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