In the days when “5-speed,” “Fuel Injection,” and “16 valve” were exciting enough to warrant badges on the back of your car, few badges were as envied as “Turbo” and “Intercooler.” The era of the Turbocharger was at its peak in 1985 when this hot Volvo 242 GLT Turbo, with its 162-hp (a big number in 1985) B21FT engine was built. Images of 80s vehicles, and in particular anything from the height of the turbo era, are particularly popular...

Although the Triumph TR4 used many of the same components as its predecessor, it’s Michelotti-designed body fresh and modern, and made for a much quieter and more practical experience than the old TR3. But even wind-up windows were controversial for the TR purists. It wasn’t only the body that changed, though – among many other mechanical tweaks, the old Triumph engine was bored out to 2.1 liters and all the gears were now synchronized – with overdrive available on...

A series 1 Jaguar XKE fronts an early 70s TR-6 in this scene, as cars are still arriving for the 2015 Washington All British Field Meet. Though at different ends of the spectrum (the TR-6 is now a bit of a pricey car in some ways, but it’s still an affordable sports car), these two big six sports cars have always had a strong following, and their popularity has never really...

This tiny van was one of the more interesting vehicles in the “special display” class at the 2015 Pacific Northwest Concours. The Subaru 360 was the first car from that company to arrive in the United States – in 1967 – and the related Sambar van soon followed, creatively renamed as the “360 Van.” “Kei” vans of this type are still common in Japan but in the United States there were relatively few takers. But this brightly-hued machine with...

It may be down at the heel at 64 years old, but this ’51 Chevy Deluxe would surely do Dinah Shore proud. It is apparently still a driver, despite pretty heavy rust in the sills. But the patina of age is almost always more interesting than the perfection of restoration, and this car wears all it’s miles on the outside. Chevrolet built 380,270 Deluxe sedans in 1951, all of them powered by the old Stovebolt Six. This hardy flathead...

A small crossover aimed at Gen-X and Gen-Y customers, who will soon make up as much as 80% of entry-level luxury car buyers, the Infiniti QX30 is an important model for Infiniti. The QX30, and the related Q30 hatchback, were developed in concert with Mercedes-Benz, and the cars share their overall architecture with the Mercedes GLA, CLA, and current-model A-class. Despite the sharing of hardware and similar target customers, the cars really don’t look or feel related. Mercedes’ traditional...