The Nano is one of the boldest and most fascinating back-to-basics small cars since the original Mini. Designed to lure India's burgeoning middle classes away from two-wheelers, it received much publicity because of its suggested price of 100,000 rupees-roughly $2,000. When the car went on...
As manufacturers worldwide strove to meet legislation that demanded reduced emissions and greater fuel efficiency, interest turned again to tiny city cars with two, or at most four, seats. Some manufacturers produced tiny, sub-l,000 cc, two- or three-cylinder cars designed for city use. Others made...
With origins that lie in the Japanese silk industry, Suzuki grew into a world-renowned maker of motorcycles and cars. It has proved expert in producing small, low-cost cars, 4x4s, and commercial vehicles with a global appeal. The marque is now expanding its range into larger,...
For 50 years the trend had been to build cars lower and sleeker, but designers realized that people were increasingly buying four-wheel-drive vehicles because they wanted higher, safer-feeling cars. A surge in production of "crossover" vehicles followed, some with only limited off-road ability....
After building cars for more than a century, the motor industry discovered the power of its heritage in public perception. Today, every manufacturer who is able to do so draws heavily on its past with evocative model names and styling cues. For other manufacturers, there...
The Continental R formalized the revival of the Bentley marque, which had degenerated into nothing more than a Rolls-Royce with a different radiator grille, in the years since Rolls-Royce's 1931 takeover of the company. The first Bentley to carry a distinctive body of its own...
Extreme performance cars came to the fore in the 1990s with models that broke both styling conventions and speed records. Manufacturers used technology and materials from Formula 1 to set new benchmarks for what production models could look like and how they behaved on the...
With the continuing popularity of sedans and touring cars racing around the world, some executive cars in the 1990s became much more sporty, but others concentrated on comfort and refinement. All were increasingly fitted with complex electronics, gadgets, and driving aids, while multiple camshafts and...
A string of legendary road and race cars has borne the name of Ferdinand Porsche, one of the 20th century's finest automotive engineers. The marque he founded has been synonymous with performance cars since the 1950s, and its most famous product, the Porsche 911, has...
With the launch of the Dodge Viper in 1992, Chrysler opened a new chapter in the vibrant history of the U.S. muscle car. Instead of the large-capacity V8 engine that was traditional for the breed, the Viper had an 8-liter V10-a configuration that had recently...