Filed in archive
As We See Things
, General Motors
, Vintage Trucks
by Philip Powell on September 7, 2009
I confess that I've never taken much interest in trucks except to briefly admire one that's been nicely restored. It's just that trucks were never part of my so-called lifestyle. However I...
Filed in archive
As We See Things
, Canadian Cars
, Fun Events
, General Motors
, German Cars
, Porsche
by Philip Powell on July 20, 2009
This is a favorite photo from a long-time history as an automobile journalist. I'm including it here because many of my fellow old car enthusiasts share an appreciation of classic railway trains, ...
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BMW
, General Motors
, Muscle Cars
, Pontiac
by Philip Powell on July 17, 2009
Almost forgotten among the thousands of currently available muscle cars is the original Firebird. Pontiac enthusiasts tend to overlook it because the base engine is a six rather than a V-8 but in doin...
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Concours
, General Motors
, Pontiac
by Philip Powell on June 24, 2009
Pontiac, soon to become one of the Lost Marques of America. Just this day I read that GM would shortly discontinue the Solstice and the Vibe. Mind you, the former was a niche car whose image was dimin...
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Cadillac
, Concours
, General Motors
by Philip Powell on March 12, 2009
Sometimes it takes a concours d'elegance to remind us of Cadillac's former greatness. Especially when two V-16s appear at the same show, as happened at the 2009 Desert Classic in Palm Springs....
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Auctions
, Buick
, General Motors
by Philip Powell on January 14, 2009
Looking through the Gooding Company Scottsdale catalog site is like flipping through the car cards that titilated our dreams when we were kids. The images may have been small but they became big in ou...
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As We See Things
, Design
, General Motors
by Philip Powell on December 24, 2008
The New York Times Wheels site has a lengthy list of comments resulting from a contributor's beef with certain contemporary car features. One suggestion that kept popping up was that manufacturer...
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American Specials
, Aviation
, General Motors
by Philip Powell on December 3, 2008
So The Three Amigos had their egos slapped in Washington for arriving at the moneyfest in their corporate jets? Like other critics I railed at this flagrant abuse of funds while secretly envying them ...
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As We See Things
, Buick
, Cadillac
, Chevrolet
, General Motors
by Philip Powell on September 16, 2008
Most of what I read about General Motors today is bad news, due to financial problems and falling sales in the US. So here's some good news, folks. Today, Sep 16, is the General's 100th birthd...
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As We See Things
, Auto Shows
, General Motors
by Philip Powell on August 18, 2008
Congratulations must surely go to General Motors for bringing twenty Motorama cars to be displayed at the 2008 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. The Motorama shows, dating back to the 1950s, offer...
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Ferrari
, General Motors
, Pontiac
, Pony Cars
by Philip Powell on May 9, 2008
It's not often that people honour an engine unless its a monster V-8 like Chrysler's original Hemi or maybe a screaming Ferrari V-12. So I'm pleased to note that Pontiac's single-overh...
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Books
, Design
, General Motors
by Philip Powell on April 11, 2008
If ever there was an automotive book I'd like to have on my coffee table, this is it. Driving Style: GM Design's First Century is being produced to help honour GM's centennial and promises...
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Chevrolet
, Fun Events
, General Motors
by Philip Powell on April 7, 2008
If there's anything that captures my attention instantly it's news about Corvairs and/or aircraft. The former because I once owned a pair of Corvair Corsas (though not at the same time) and th...
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Automobilia
, Catalogs
, General Motors
by Philip Powell on February 15, 2008
Long before the days of the minivan, the station wagon was a popular alternative for large families or just folks seeking extra carrying capacity. Wagon advertising inevitably featured illustrations o...
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General Motors
by Philip Powell on December 21, 2007
Pontiacs are precious. Pontiac classics powered by inline-sixes-and-eights are even more precious. Fans call them "flatheads" though I prefer to call them "smoothies" from an era w...
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Auctions
, General Motors
by Philip Powell on November 26, 2007
GM Product VP Bob Lutz would love to have something like this in Pontiac's lineup right now. Actually I'd like to have it in my garage and if only I had $1.3 million to spare, that's where...
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Cadillac
, Design
, General Motors
by Philip Powell on November 10, 2007
I'm guessing that my friends at Hemmings are fascinated by LaSalles as much as I am. The above photo was taken by Hemmings' Richard Lentinello as he walked through the 2007 Hilton Head Concour...
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Automotive Art
, General Motors
by Philip Powell on October 25, 2007
With this artwork I'd like to honor a friend and former colleague whom I consider to be one of the most talented illustrators and art directors I've had the privilege of knowing in 30 years as...
Filed in archive
General Motors
by Philip Powell on August 13, 2007
It's not unusual here to see wonderful old cars driving by and occasionally parked on the main street. Inevitably I get annoyed with myself for not carrying a camera but the truth is, the Nikon DS...
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General Motors
by Philip Powell on February 19, 2007
My long-time friend Mel Satok is currently vacationing in Palm Springs CA and doesn't keep up to date with this site as he's not a car guy. Too bad, as he would absolutely love the Oldsmobile ...
Filed in archive
Auctions
, General Motors
by Philip Powell on January 8, 2007
Believe me, the Buick Skylark was a very sexy automobile when it was introduced in 1953. Even those import enthusiasts who mocked Detroit's excesses fell in love with this one. Designed by GM'...
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General Motors
by Philip Powell on January 3, 2007
During the late 80's I was hired to write and direct three videos telling the tale of how the all-new Buick Regal, Olds Cutlass, and Pontiac Grand Prix were developed. These cars were said to be cruci...
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General Motors
by Philip Powell on December 27, 2006
They call it the Tuner Generation; young people (mostly, though not entirely, men) who modify new and used cars in order to stand apart from the masses. Many of the mods are performance-oriented, some...
Filed in archive
General Motors
by Philip Powell on October 20, 2006
It's not exactly a tidal wave yet but there are hints that some manufacturers may drop their sedan models in Europe because the trend is moving toward crossovers (CUV's) and minivans (the latter in mo...
Filed in archive
General Motors
by Philip Powell on June 25, 2006
Sometimes it's not the car, but who owned and drove it that governs the price. Here's an instance where both combine in a brief moment of serendipity. I'm referring to a Corvette owned and driven by a...
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General Motors
by Philip Powell on June 20, 2006
While motoring around one of BC's beautiful Gulf Islands a couple of weeks back, I stopped for a look at some particulary lovely scenery. To my surprise and pleasure, part of that scenery turned out t...
Filed in archive
General Motors
by Philip Powell on June 12, 2006
My maturity in the auto world arrived during a three-year stint as assistant pr manager at Volkswagen Canada's Toronto headquarters. It left me with a fondness for rear-engine cars which migrated to C...
Filed in archive
General Motors
by Philip Powell on May 8, 2006
The flathead is an engine configuration that will likely never be manufactured again, for modern technology has left it far behind. Fortunately thousands of vintage and classic car owners are happy to...
Filed in archive
General Motors
by Philip Powell on April 25, 2006
Believe me, I'm not nominating the Chevrolet Chevette as a classic. But General Motors thinks it deserves a place in automobile history: the Sloan Museum in Flint has retained Chevette No. 00001, with...
