Category: Road & Track

Even when creating a $4 million ultra-hypercar, designers have to compromise.

Frank Lanterman was an air-obsessed scion of a generational La Cańada real estate and water empire, and long-term California Assemblyman, who helped usher in some of the nation’s earliest automotive emissions standards, and was mocked/rewarded at his life’s end by having a section of freeway named after him.

The Rivian R3 is Giving Giugiaro.

In the final years of the 20th Century, shiny, self-adhesive, readily applicable—and fully ersatz—plasticized iterations of various go-fast bits began appearing in auto-parts stores. They dangled alluringly from pegboard hooks in crinkly cellophane wrappers, enticing those who craved cheap speed or the ­pretense of it.

Instead of solving our current crises of overconsumption, the new generation of four- and five-ton battery powered pickups and SUVs only deepen them. And with their immense power and mass, they have a great propensity to further enhance the ongoing slaughter on our nation’s roadways.

My experience with this auric demon reminded me, once again, of the importance of actually driving cars before casting judgment.

This article on Giorgetto Giugiaro–who popularized the angular “folded paper” design in the ’60s and ’70s–may contain the best headline I’ve ever written.

Click on the images above (and then click again) to read a crappy scan, or just subscribe to the magazine already, you Chintzy Blt˘h.

In the new MUSIC issue of Road & Track, I investigate the strange, short-lived penchant, among 1990s East Coast rappers, for the Mazda MPV, and discover that this vehicle actually helped bridge the deep-seated East Coast/West Coast beef.

Click the image above to view a crappy scan, or just subscribe to the magazine already you chintzy blt˘h.

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With the Earth’s ongoing haywire highwire act, the best offense may not always be a good Defender.

But mostly for profit.

My latest for the Hand Made issue of Road & Track. Click on the thumbnails above to see a crappy scan (and then click again to see an even bigger crappy scan) or just subscribe to the magazine already, you chintzy bitch. It’s really good.