Indie Auto
header-advert
  • Home
  • About
    • Introduction
    • Editor’s Notes
    • Story Ideas Bank
    • Why All The Data?
    • Fake Stuff
    • About Those Photos
    • Talk Legal To Me
    • Privacy Policy
  • All Our Features
    • Ad Nauseam
    • Bird Chatter
    • Calendar
    • Current Events
    • Data Dives
    • Design Notes
    • Drive-By Musings
    • Fake Designs
    • Gallery
    • Histories
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Links
    • Literature
    • Media Analysis
    • Multimedia
    • Our Sponsors
    • Photo Essays
    • Quotes
    • Random Shots
    • Satire
  • Look It Up
    • In Auto Paedia
    • By author
    • By automaker or brand
    • By time period
    • By topic
    • By vehicle type
  • Readings
    • General Reference
    • Specific Brands & Automakers
    • Auto Culture, Policy & Business Strategy
    • Bibliography
    • Where To Buy Your Books
    • Recently-Posted Readings
  • Links
    • Bibliography of Links
  • Contact
    • Emails & Newsletter
    • Rejected Comments
  • Donate
HomeDesign excesses

Design excesses

1956 Ford Country Sedan
Design Notes

1956 Ford Country Sedan wagon: The once and future Explorer

February 13, 2024 Steve 5

(EXPANDED FROM 1/25/2022) Nineteen-fifty-six was a pivotal year for Ford station wagons. This was essentially the last time that the brand would offer an old-fashioned, utilitarian wagon for more than three decades. When the Ford […]

1972 Ford Gran Torino 2-door hardtop
Links

All-new 1972 Ford Torino didn’t rank well against older intermediates

February 5, 2024 Steve 3

The 1972 Ford Torino was a particularly big deal. The automaker had bestowed upon its mid-sized offerings the first all-new platform since they were introduced in 1962. Ford ditched unit-body construction and increased exterior dimensions […]

1976 Buick Riviera
Design Notes

Did Wayne Kady screw up the 1974-76 Buick Riviera?

February 2, 2024 Steve 13

(EXPANDED FROM 11/19/2021) In a recent story, Hagerty described Wayne Kady as “the most well-known unknown designer in the history of General Motors” (Seaman, 2024). Among the designs that the article shed light on is […]

2006-7 Dodge Charger
Letters to the Editor

Owner of a 2007 Dodge Charger calls comments about the car ‘not in line’

January 28, 2024 Steve 0

Hawk stopped by to respond to our story, “2006-2010 Dodge Charger: A cartoonish attempt at rip-roaring nostalgia.” I own a 2007 Dodge Charger R/T and have enjoyed many positive comments on it. This all-black beauty […]

Parody ads about the auto industry and media
Our Sponsors

Automotive Views exclusive report on why 2024 Lexus TX looks so lumpy

January 15, 2024 Steve 1
1950 Studebaker Champion convertible
Satire

1950-51 Studebaker was ‘pinnacle of postwar styling’ that could have saved automaker

January 8, 2024 Steve 13

Now that The Truth About Cars is publishing stories developed with artificial intelligence, Indie Auto has no choice but to keep up with the competition. We have thus created a new feature called “The AI […]

1977 Monte Carlo
Fake Design

Was the 1973-77 Chevrolet Monte Carlo’s styling ‘honest’?

December 22, 2023 Steve 36

(EXPANDED FROM 12/24/2021) Curbside Classic commentator XR7Matt (2014) offered a fascinating justification for the stylistic excesses of the 1973-77 Chevrolet Monte Carlo: “Space efficiency is marketing buzz that everyone has fallen for in recent years, it’s actual day […]

2023 Tesla Cybertruck
Design Notes

Is Tesla Cybertruck a brilliant breakthrough or a gimmick?

December 6, 2023 Steve 7

(EXPANDED FROM 3/12/2021) When Tesla’s Cybertruck was unveiled a few years ago, Electrek commentator Benjamin Winters (2021) dismissed the design as “objectively bad.” When he received pushback, Winters countered by arguing that “I’m an industrial […]

1961 Imperials
Design Notes

1961-63 Imperial: Ode to Virgil Exner’s neo-classical excesses

November 22, 2023 Steve 3

(EXPANDED FROM 3/19/2021) Virgil Exner was a champion of neo-classical styling throughout his career. His best designs were arguably a handful of 1950s Chrysler show cars but his most influential work didn’t come until later. […]

Parody ads about the auto industry and media
Our Sponsors

Honda Prelude ads address sporty coupe’s controversial long nose

October 31, 2023 Steve 0

Posts pagination

« 1 … 10 11 12 … 20 »
  • 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
Society of Automotive Historian award to Indie Auto

Recent Comments

  • josh on Car Life speculates about why Studebaker shut down its South Bend plant
  • Geeber on Car Life speculates about why Studebaker shut down its South Bend plant
  • John Sutter on Miscellaneous ramblings about being on the road
  • Steve on 1975 Mercedes-Benz 450 SL lacked the taut brilliance of its predecessor
  • Steve on Adam Wade’s top-10 ugliest ‘classic’ cars list is decidedly quirky
  • stewdi on Adam Wade’s top-10 ugliest ‘classic’ cars list is decidedly quirky
  • Kowalski on 1975 Mercedes-Benz 450 SL lacked the taut brilliance of its predecessor
  • kim in lanark on Car Life speculates about why Studebaker shut down its South Bend plant
  • Mike in IA on The 1956 Lincoln’s styling proved to be a one-year wonder
  • Anthony Boddy on Adam Wade’s top-10 ugliest ‘classic’ cars list is decidedly quirky
  • Geeber on Adam Wade’s top-10 ugliest ‘classic’ cars list is decidedly quirky
  • Geeber on Adam Wade’s top-10 ugliest ‘classic’ cars list is decidedly quirky
  • Geeber on Miscellaneous ramblings about being on the road
  • Steve on Adam Wade’s top-10 ugliest ‘classic’ cars list is decidedly quirky
  • Anthony Boddy on Adam Wade’s top-10 ugliest ‘classic’ cars list is decidedly quirky

Archives

Categories

Tags

1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s American Motors Auto culture Auto history media Auto media Automotive News Automotive Views Business strategies Chevrolet Compact cars Curbside Classic Design Design excesses Dodge Electric vehicles Engineering Fake advertising Ford Ford Motor Co. Full-sized cars General Motors Journalism standards Luxury cars Management culture Marketing Mid-sized cars Parody Patrick R. Foster Plymouth Premium-priced cars Public policies Rambler Reader comments Richard M. Langworth Stellantis Studebaker
Follow Us
  • Facebook
  • RSS Feed
Search
Archives
Categories
Help keep the lights on
Quinault at night

Copyright © 2022 Olympia, Earth Media, LLC | All rights reserved