The 1960s saw the final flowering of the separate chassis luxury car. These huge, heavy, traditional, and opulent cars were gradually replaced by fighter, more efficient, modern, monocoque luxury models, with significantly higher performance and sleeker, lower lines. The decade also saw the appearance of...
When Lotus founder Colin Chapman-dissatisfied with the engines available to him-asked Ford to commission a new power plant for Formula 1, Ford turned to Cosworth’s Keith Duckworth. The resulting engine was legendary, winning 12 driver’s titles between 1968 and 1982....
Clean, smooth lines and hot-rod performance options were the big trends in 1960s America, as car stylists reacted against the excessive fins and chrome of the previous decade. American carmakers finally found their sports-car niche with the Ford-inspired, compact, and affordable “pony cars.” “Coke bottle”...
World-renowned for prestige and driving excitement-and as the maker of James Bond’s favorite cars-Aston Martin is a prime example of a small British marque: building sports cars against the commercial odds, yet surviving decade after decade thanks to the support of devoted owners and dogged...
In the 1960s, many racing-car makers realized the benefits of moving the engine from its traditional position at the front of the car to the middle or rear. Improved weight distribution was just one of the advantages of this configuration. Marques that adopted the new...
A new breed of sedan, these cars were aimed at hard-driving businessmen. The cars were well able to sustain foot-to-the-floor overtaking and relaxed high-speed cruising—in contrast to earlier counterparts that would shake themselves to pieces or overheat their engines. Much of the know-how behind these...
In the 1960s engineers in Europe and Japan had considerable freedom with their designs for compact family transportation. Manufacturers chose either a front engine with front-wheel drive, a front engine with rear drive, or a rear engine with rear drive. Styling was also flexible, leading...
When introduced in 1955 Citroën’s DS was the most advanced car of its time. Under its sleek body was a complex hydropneumatic system, driven off the engine. This powered the self-leveling suspension, the brakes, and the steering, and provided automatic clutch operation and assistance to...
When Walter P. Chrysler decided to compete with the giants of Ford and General Motors (GM), he set a course that would see his firm become one of the world’s largest car manufacturers. Embracing such marques as Dodge, Plymouth, and DeSoto, the Chrysler brand has...
For space, comfort, and fuel economy, family cars of the 1950s were similar to those of today; the big differences were in style, safety, performance, and noise at higher speeds. Any of these family cars would comfortably take you from New York City to Montreal,...