Jun
10
Today we have the battle of the Titans – Porsche and Datsun. Due to a number of circumstances, Porsche lost its competitive edge at the entry level. The Porsche 912 – that has finally come into its own of late – was outgunned by none other than Datsun when they introduced the 240Z. So what is a tiny company like Porsche to do? They teamed up with the guy down the street named Volkswagen and came up with the 914. Read More
Jun
10
Made in Japan had wonky connotations back in the 60s. That persisted in the early 70s but there were definitely cracks appearing in the argument. Datsun and Toyota sedans were beginning to give VW fits on content and performance. Forget the American small car entries. They were just an embarrassment. Then, on the sports car front, Datsun stuns with the beautifully, yet derivatively styled, Datsun 240Z combined with a smooth 2.4 liter overhead-cam straight six and independent rear suspension. Read More
Jun
10
The Studebaker Lark was ingeniously designed using the platform of the full-sized 1953–1958 Studebakers. Engineers reduced the front and rear overhangs and shortened the wheelbase ahead of the firewall. But the car could still seat six people comfortably and hold a surprising amount of luggage. It was hoped that the Lark would save America’s oldest vehicle manufacturer when it was launched as a 1959 model. Sales were brisk mainly because the Big 3 didn’t yet have a suitable compact car and dealers were allowed to represent Studebakers in addition to their Big 3 franchise. Read More
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