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HomePatrick R. Foster

Patrick R. Foster

Readings

Foster and Glatch’s AMC book is splashy but suffers from pom-pom waving

November 18, 2024 Steve 5

I feel torn in writing a review about The Complete Book of AMC Cars (2024). New auto history books are rare enough these days that anyone who navigates the gauntlet of getting published deserves applause. […]

2023 Jeep Wagoneer L rear quarter
Current Events

Was Patrick Foster right that the revived Jeep Wagoneer could be a game changer?

September 17, 2024 Steve 7

When Jeep announced that it would revive the Wagoneer nameplate for a big sport-utility vehicle, Patrick Foster predicted that it could be as historic and game changing as the original (Bond, 2020). Those words carried […]

1985 Renault Alliance convertible
Links

Motor Trend tries to put a positive spin on Renault bailing out American Motors

September 9, 2024 Steve 2

A 1980 Motor Trend story on the tie up between American Motors and Renault had a few intriguing wrinkles scattered among all the puffery. For example, Fred M. H. Gregory reported that AMC was close […]

1953 Studebaker Commander 2-door coupe
History

Should Nash have combined with Studebaker rather than Hudson in 1954?

August 19, 2024 Steve 11

Curbside Classic commentator Steve (2018) has argued that Nash-Kelvinator should have combined with Studebaker rather than Hudson for an interesting set of reasons. He effectively follows the advice of Aaron Severson (2024), who recently suggested that […]

Editor's Note

Why Collectible Automobile reflects a ‘systems problem’ in auto history field

June 11, 2024 Steve 7

Indie Auto reader Daniel Mix wrote a comment that brings up some important issues, so I thought I would elevate both his missive and my response. Here’s what he had to say about our story, […]

1968 AMC Javelin
Media Analysis

Why did Patrick Foster settle for fanboy fluff in his 1968-70 AMC Javelin story?

June 3, 2024 Steve 4

I had high hopes when I saw that the August issue of Collectible Automobile included a story about the 1968-70 AMC Javelin. Patrick Foster has been studying American Motors’ history for decades, so I expected […]

1980 Buick Skylark
Links

New Yorker story shows difficulties of an outsider reporting on auto industry

April 25, 2024 Steve 5

Industry coverage by journalists from outside the automotive media can be a mixed bag. They are less likely to succumb to the groupthink that can undercut reporting from the likes of Automotive News or a […]

1970 American Motors ad with Chapin
Links

Car and Driver gives Roy D. Chapin royal treatment in 1970 AMC Hornet story

March 26, 2024 Steve 0

Car and Driver under David E. Davis gave the royal treatment to American Motors’ head Roy D. Chapin Jr. A case in point was a story about the 1970 AMC Hornet, which treated Chapin’s marketing […]

1972 AMC Gremlin X
Media Analysis

Pat Foster barks up wrong tree by lauding an AMC Gremlin GT with a 360 V8

March 13, 2024 Steve 13

Since last summer’s departure of Daniel Strohl from Hemmings, I have mainly been drawn to its website because of a Pat Foster column. He has become one of the most prominent U.S. auto history book […]

Ward Packard
Readings

James Ward offers more nuanced take on Packard’s fall than other auto histories

February 26, 2024 Steve 35

(EXPANDED FROM 12/15/2022) James A. Ward’s Packard book, The Fall of the Packard Motor Car Company, is dwarfed by Automobile Quarterly’s epic tome edited by Beverly Rae Kimes (2002) as well as Stuart R. Blond’s […]

Posts pagination

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  • 1950 Nash Rambler hood ornament
    Speedreaders.info is a rare source of book reviews, but quality varies
    June 3, 2026 0
  • 1958 Lincoln
    1958-60 Lincoln: Failing to beat GM at its own game
    June 2, 2026 12
  • 1957 Nash Ambassador
    Three videos: The death of car culture, rich people’s cars and the 1957 Nash
    May 29, 2026 6
  • 1963 Mercury Marauder
    1963 Mercury Marauder: Ford tries to do a premium-priced car on the cheap
    May 27, 2026 11
  • Did 1964 Ramblers share more parts between size classes than competitors?
    May 26, 2026 1
  • 1976 Tatra T-613
    Tatra was yet another automaker that deemphasized aerodynamics by 1970s
    May 22, 2026 12
  • Patrick Foster shows how International Harvester failed to adapt
    May 13, 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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