Even though they haven’t always had the lifelong recognition some instant classics like the Jaguar E-type have, partly due to going in and out of fashion, there are quite a few design icons in the post-war repertoire of American manufacturers. While many of the cars Americans love and remember from their childhoods are, with hindsight, oversize, cluttered, and overwrought. That said, there was a golden period for design minimalism in the mid-1960s, and one of the cars to benefit from this fashion is the Oldsmobile Toronado. You can find today’s 1968 Oldsmobile Toronado for $3995 in Malvern, OH.
Accessible Design Icon – 1968 Oldsmobile Toronado
September 23, 2013Overexposed – 1988 Mitsubishi Galant Sigma
September 23, 2013One of the great themes of 1970s and 1980s design that has yet to be repeated is the wedge, and perhaps it will never come back due to pedestrian safety rules. Great expressions of the wedge include the Lamborghini Countach and Lotus Esprit. Less great, but equally interesting wedge design cars include the Subaru XT sports coupe and the 1988-90 Mitsubishi Galant Sigma. In fact, having those two parked in your garage would make an interesting picture. In the US market, the Galant Sigma was available with a 3-liter V6 and 4-speed automatic, and had limited sales success. You can find have your own Japanese rarity, today’s 1988 Mitsubishi Galant Sigma, for $2250 in East Elmhurst, NY.
RustyButTrusty On The Street – Volvo, Ferrari, and Cadillac Hearse
September 22, 2013Sometimes it’s amazing how many old cars a couple block radius can contain. On a recent drive, there were three interesting vintage cars, and this is not to mention the passing Datsun Fairlady roadster or the pre-GM Saab 900 convertible. The first car was a Volvo 122 2-door sedan. Fitted with slotted alloys in the 1970s, along with some little hoods over the headlights as you commonly see on VW Beetles, and some period foglights mounted in a strangely high position, this looks like a gently aged car that’s still working for a living.


