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HomeAuto editors of Consumer Guide

Auto editors of Consumer Guide

1967 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Custom
Data Dive

Langworth and Norbye made excuses for General Motors’ big-car fixation

June 9, 2026 Steve 8

(EXPANDED FROM 2/27/2023) Indie Auto was partly created to spark more robust debates in U.S. auto history. As a case in point, a few years go I questioned a take by Richard M. Langworth and […]

1976 AMC Gremlin
Media Analysis

How Stuff Works still embarrasses itself with a dumb 1970s car quiz

October 13, 2025 Steve 4

(EXPANDED FROM 10/10/2018) Seven years ago I came across an advertisement for a How Stuff Works quiz about vehicles from the 1970s (Tyler, 2018). The promo stated that “no one is getting a perfect score […]

1969 Ford design film clay model
History

Late-1960s Ford car design film shows US automakers losing it

August 13, 2025 Steve 9

(EXPANDED FROM 4/28/2023) A late-1960s Ford promotional film offers a fascinating glimpse into the car and truck designs being worked on at the time. Perhaps more than intended, The Design Makers — Inside Ford Design, […]

1971 Chrysler New Yorker
Fake Design

1969-71 Chrysler: An Exner idea fumbled again

July 29, 2025 Steve 30

(UPDATED FROM 8/3/2022) The 1969-71 Chrysler was an unfortunate example of a promising design that went sideways because of a few bad decisions. The styling was exceptionally clean and purposeful for an American premium-priced car […]

1965 Ford Taunus P4
History

Was Ford right to kill the front-wheel-drive 1963 Cardinal/Redwing?

June 19, 2025 Steve 14

(EXPANDED FROM 6/30/2023) Did Ford make the right move by pulling the plug on a U.S.-built subcompact slated to be introduced in the fall of 1962? The car, initially called the Cardinal but later renamed […]

1937 Cord 810 Westchester sedan
History

1936-37 Cord 810/812 tried to do too much at once

June 11, 2025 Steve 10

(UPDATED FROM 12/20/2022) The 1936-37 Cord 810/812 is arguably one of the most important American cars of the 20th Century. In addition to offering iconic styling, it was also remarkably advanced in its engineering. Among […]

1968 GM premium big cars
Data Dive

1965-68 GM big cars: The end of different strokes

April 28, 2025 Steve 13

(EXPANDED FROM 7/21/2023) General Motors had one of those “be careful what you ask for” problems. In 1962 the automaker captured three-fourths of the premium-priced, big-car market. This was a key reason why GM sold […]

Encyclopedia of American Cars
Readings

Encyclopedia of American Cars is a useful but sometimes inaccurate reference book

January 30, 2025 Steve 0

(EXPANDED FROM 4/26/2013) Last weekend I made the trek to my favorite bookstore — Powell’s in Portland, Oregon. There I found a 1993 edition of the Encyclopedia of American Cars for $25. That struck me […]

1953 Plymouth
Fake Design

Six myths about the misunderstood 1953-54 Plymouth

July 19, 2024 Steve 20

(EXPANDED FROM 5/20/2022) Let’s take the time to unpack six myths about one of the most misunderstood post-war American cars — the 1953-54 Plymouth. This an important exercise because it brings to light some key […]

1950 Buick Super
Design Notes

1950 bucktoothed Buick: The definitive design statement from General Motors

March 14, 2024 Steve 9

(EXPANDED FROM 8/23/2021) Over more than a century General Motors has produced a broad range of cars and trucks. However, if I had to pick one single vehicle that best summed up GM’s design approach, […]

Posts pagination

1 2 3 »
  • 1972 Lincoln Continental Mark IV
    Is David Kiley right that Ford should replace Lincoln with a new brand?
    September 2, 2026 15
  • 1972 Buick Skylark Custom grille
    1972 Buick Skylark Custom represented the end of an era
    September 1, 2026 4
  • 1959 Ford Thunderbird
    1959 Ford Thunderbird was a gimmicky but hugely important car
    August 26, 2026 11
  • Compact cars became the neglected stepchildren of U.S. automakers
    August 21, 2026 21
  • 1980 AMC brochure cover with picture of American Center building
    AMC’s Roy D. Chapin Jr. succumbed to the illusion of bigness
    August 19, 2026 2
  • 1980 Ford Thunderbird and 1956 model
    Ford’s design talent in the 1970s wasn’t enough to halt a dramatic slide in sales
    August 14, 2026 13
  • 1973 Buick Riviera
    Why wasn’t the 1971 ‘boat-tail’ Buick Riviera shrunk to compact size?
    August 14, 2026 24
  • 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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