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HomeMedia Analysis

Media Analysis

1958 Mercury Turnpike Cruiser roof vent
Media Analysis

Frank Peiler’s ‘what if’ drawings illustrate the dumbing down of auto history

July 30, 2022 Steve 14

Our friends at Collectible Automobile have just recycled another Frank Peiler (2018) “what if” post on their Twitter feed. This particular article answers the question: What if other U.S. automakers had grafted the design elements […]

1977 AMC Gremlin X
Media Analysis

Was AMC seriously considering a late-70s Gremlin wagon?

July 29, 2022 Steve 1

Dan Strohl (2022) has posted a photograph of what could have been a Gremlin wagon prototype. His story and comment thread offer a number of plausible ideas about what AMC had in mind, but I […]

"The Design Makers -- Inside Ford Design" film from late-60s
Media Analysis

How 1960s car design reflected the good old (boy) days

June 24, 2022 Steve 3

(UPDATED FROM 8/7/2020) I enjoy reading automotive designers talk about what it was like to back in the 1960s. A part of me is interested purely for the nostalgia of it all. But another part […]

1962 Chevrolet Corvair front
Media Analysis

Larry Printz’s anti-Ralph Nader rant hurts reputation of The Detroit Bureau

June 6, 2022 Steve 8

A recent feature story by The Detroit Bureau illustrates the dangers of a current events website trying to get into the automotive history business. Executive Editor Larry Printz’s (2022) ode to the Chevrolet Corvair included […]

Media Analysis

Hotcars.com calls the 1958 Studebaker President ‘ahead of its time’

May 25, 2022 Steve 7

Hotcars.com writer Eugenia Akhim (2022) linked to an Indie Auto article to cite the viewpoint that the 1958 Studebaker “was one of the ugliest cars to come out of the 1950s.” That’s not exactly what […]

A Baruthosaurus at the keyboard
Media Analysis

Successful automotive journalists need to master these two rules

April 4, 2022 Steve 0

(ORIGINALLY POSTED 5/24/2014) Many are called but few are chosen to be professional automotive writers. Some things you can’t control, like technological change and media consolidation. However, aspiring writers can increase their odds of success by […]

1960 Studebaker Lark 4-door sedan
Media Analysis

1959 Studebaker: Was it really design theft?

March 21, 2022 Steve 12

(EXPANDED FROM 4/2/2017) Richard M. Langworth has authored more auto histories than just about anyone. Yet he was strikingly humble when beginning to discuss the controversial topic of who was responsible for the 1947 Studebaker’s styling. “I am […]

Motor Trend objectifies women
Media Analysis

What would happen to auto history media if they outlawed clickbait?

February 9, 2022 Steve 0

Surely it couldn’t happen here. This is America! But stay with me for a moment: What if scientists concluded that auto history clickbait was bad for your health. Too much exposure to it turns your […]

Doll afraid
Media Analysis

TTAC’s Matt Posky raises false fears about end of owning private cars

January 11, 2022 Steve 1

Over at The Truth About Cars, Matt Posky (2021a) recently wrote that his “stomach was in a twist” because the government was “talking about the merits of reducing people’s ability to own things.” His story […]

Media Analysis

Corey Lewis offers a questionable take on the 1961-63 Imperial

December 16, 2021 Steve 0

Corey Lewis may be The Truth About Cars’ best writer these days, but his piece on the 1961-63 Imperial offers a questionable take in some ways. The biggest eye-opener is Lewis’s (2021) contention that Chrysler […]

Posts pagination

« 1 … 7 8 9 … 13 »
  • Is Jaguar smart to run away from its design heritage?
    October 8, 2026 21
  • AMC Pacer clay model
    Why does Joe Ligo’s PBS series sanewash AMC’s mid-70s recklessness?
    October 6, 2026 20
  • 2026 Ram pickups
    A pyrrhic regulatory rollback and how poorly the 1978 Matador coupe sold
    October 2, 2026 12
  • 1962 Chrysler 300
    Did the 1962-65 Chrysler 300 ‘dilute’ the letter series?
    September 29, 2026 7
  • 1968 Ford Mustang
    Three rules led to a stultifying level of conformity in 1960s U.S. car design
    September 24, 2026 12
  • 1976ish Toyota Corolla
    Data on imports sheds light on their dramatic gains from 1964-80
    September 18, 2026 5
  • 1974 Chrysler New Yorker
    1974 Chrysler New Yorker was a tragedy that played out on four levels
    September 16, 2026 16
  • Internet problems reminded me of U.S. automakers in the 1970s
    May 2, 2026 1
  • 1956 Buick hood scoop
    Readers brainstorm ideas for future Indie Auto stories
    October 14, 2022 141
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