As the second energy crisis in a decade kidney-punched an inflation-addled nation, several automakers began to eye the diesel engine as a way to attract customers interested in high-mileage vehicles. The diesel alternative seemed especially appealing to luxury car brands such as Cadillac, whose mighty road dreadnoughts slurped fuel at unconscionable rates. It was...
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Oldsmobile had a long and distinguished history – and suffered a slow, painful death. The process of mortification began in the early 1980s, when General Motors gutted the formerly independent engineering departments of each of its seven car divisions. Management eliminated the Buick, Pontiac, and Oldsmobile-built engines that had made each of these divisions’...
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The smart athlete retires gracefully, at his peak – before he starts to slip and give off that “has-been” stink. To their credit, that’s what Chevrolet managers did when they discontinued the Z28 version of the popular Camaro sport coupe after the 1974 model year. True high-performance engines such as the 1970–1971 Z28’s solid...
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