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HomeJohn Z. DeLorean

John Z. DeLorean

1973 Buick Riviera
Links

Why wasn’t the 1971 ‘boat-tail’ Buick Riviera shrunk to compact size?

August 14, 2026 Steve 24

(UPDATED FROM 6/16/2024) David Burrell has written what may be the most detailed account of how William Mitchell vainly tried to shift the “boat-tail” 1971 Buick Riviera to a mid-sized platform. Burrell’s story in Retro […]

1963 Buick Riviera
History

1963-65 Buick Riviera shows GM’s struggle with personal coupes

May 20, 2026 Steve 19

(UPDATED FROM 12/14/2023) The 1963-65 Buick Riviera was one of the more memorable designs of the 1960s. However, the car didn’t really look like a Buick. Nor did it sell very well — arguably due […]

1977 Pontiac Phantom
Drive-By Musings

The good and bad of William Mitchell’s 1977 Pontiac Phantom

May 2, 2026 Steve 16

(EXPANDED FROM 12/18/2020) Indie Auto’s internet connection is finally working, so let’s take another look at William Mitchell’s swan song, the 1977 Pontiac Phantom. I must admit to feeling ambivalent about this concept car. Although […]

1967 Pontiac Grand Prix convertible grille closeup
Design Notes

1967 Pontiac Grand Prix convertible didn’t catch on

April 23, 2026 Steve 14

(EXPANDED FROM 9/1/2023) Albert Fredrick Godwin stopped by to point out that our featured 1967 Pontiac Grand Prix convertible was his car. He had displayed it at an annual auto show hosted by LeMay Collections […]

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 […]

1971 Cadillac Eldorado
Quotes

Did 1971 Cadillac Eldorado get opera windows due to UAW strike against GM?

July 26, 2025 Steve 1

When Irv Rybicki was interviewed by Dave Crippen (1985) about his design career at General Motors, he told a story about how the 1971 Cadillac Eldorado supposedly got opera windows. The Monte Carlo was initially […]

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. […]

Wright On A Clear Day
Readings

DeLorean’s book is still one of best critiques of General Motors

May 7, 2025 Steve 24

(EXPANDED FROM 4/1/2022) On A Clear Day You Can See General Motors ranks right up there with Brock Yates’ The Decline and Fall of the American Automobile Industry (1983) in articulating where Detroit went wrong. Yet it should […]

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 […]

Design Notes

1973 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme: Monument to a fading dream

March 17, 2025 Steve 15

(EXPANDED FROM 15/8/2023) General Motors’ 1973 mid-sized cars were a major focus of our discussion about William Mitchell’s tenure as head of design. Thus, I thought it would be a good time to expand on […]

Posts pagination

1 2 »
  • 1962 Ford Galaxie 500
    Did the 1960-64 big Ford sell so poorly because of cannibalization?
    October 16, 2026 37
  • 1969 Ford Thunderbird 4-door Landau
    Was 1969 the beginning of the end for the Ford Thunderbird four-door Landau?
    October 14, 2026 7
  • Is Jaguar smart to run away from its design heritage?
    October 8, 2026 21
  • AMC Pacer clay model
    Why does Joe Ligo’s PBS series sanewash AMC’s mid-70s recklessness?
    October 6, 2026 21
  • 2026 Ram pickups
    A pyrrhic regulatory rollback and how poorly the 1978 Matador coupe sold
    October 2, 2026 12
  • 1962 Chrysler 300
    Did the 1962-65 Chrysler 300 ‘dilute’ the letter series?
    September 29, 2026 12
  • 1968 Ford Mustang
    Three rules led to a stultifying level of conformity in 1960s U.S. car design
    September 24, 2026 12
  • 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 146
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