The Brown Car Blog.

Karmann Ghia Yes, but no. I mean it looks fantastic and I can...

Mon, 20 May 2013 22:07:40 +1000

Karmann Ghia

Yes, but no. I mean it looks fantastic and I can imagine how amazing it looks rolling down the street, but I imagine it’s rubbish to drive. Unless it’s on airbags. In which case it’s probably weird to drive. So, still no.

/via Daily Carfix

1964 NSU TT I love alternate universe cars and the NSU TT is...

Mon, 20 May 2013 13:05:59 +1000

1964 NSU TT

I love alternate universe cars and the NSU TT is like an alternate universe BMW 2002. Somewhere there’s a universe where the most storied homologation racing saloon from the 80s is an upright Audi with the engine in the ~~boot~~ trunk.

Though I think my favourite thing about that particular alternate universe is the fact that there, the Japanese equivalent of the TT, the Hino Contessa, was the dominant track weapon and the Datsun 1600/510 is a footnote. And then Mazda perfected the small capacity V8 that they stole from Daimler and put it in the RX series.

Hey, it’s my fantasy alternate universe. Go invent your own.

/via Production Cars

Chevy Vega GT Look, I know the Vega is a joke. But from here in...

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:53:00 +1000

Chevy Vega GT

Look, I know the Vega is a joke. But from here in the antipodes all I see is a Torana-that-never-was that needs a honking great V8 and a ducktail spoiler.

/via The ‘Pedia.

Citroen GS Pallas Citroen on a boat ramp. Is that a...

Thu, 16 May 2013 13:48:17 +1000

Citroen GS Pallas

Citroen on a boat ramp. Is that a thing?

/via classic-autoglas

1978 Chevrolet Opala Caravan SS You can learn about the Opala...

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 18:39:00 +1000

1978 Chevrolet Opala Caravan SS

You can learn about the Opala yourself but this is all you need to know: Holden Monaro Shooting Brake.

/via Punta Taco

Mercedes Benz W113 “Pagoda”, interior by Vilner I...

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 18:48:24 +1000

Mercedes Benz W113 “Pagoda”, interior by Vilner

I really like the Mercedes Pagoda. Although they look like a boulevardier, they’re quite sporty, in a tweed-suit sort of way.

I’m not sure about the quilted interior fitted to this one especially given the rally-look exterior. It sure is brown, though.

/via Serious Wheels

“Chubby Brown” Austin Allegro, of Allegro...

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 12:19:17 +1000

“Chubby Brown” Austin Allegro, of Allegro Motorsport

Austin Allegro’s are universally reviled. The look weird, they rusted, they had square steering wheels.

Naturally there are people who love them, often because they look weird, rust and had square steering wheels.

But, Allegro’s were never renowned for their sporting prowess. Until now.

/pic via Retro and Classic Cars which has a wonderful story on the origins of Allegro Motorsport and Chubby Brown.

Jaguar C-type Jaguar Heritage Racing took a C-type to Monaco and...

Thu, 05 Jul 2012 14:22:00 +1000

Jaguar C-type

Jaguar Heritage Racing took a C-type to Monaco and the Mille Miglia. Which looks like it was just a horrible experience.

/via Serious Wheels

Automoblox C9-S Berlinetta I’ve got a set of three...

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 08:43:03 +1000

Automoblox C9-S Berlinetta

I’ve got a set of three Automoblox (Red, Green and Blue) and people love them. Kids love them. I’ve set mine loose among kids as young as 2 and they can figure out how to pull them apart and put them together. I’ve brought them in to work and shown them to design students who enjoy the clearly painstaking simplicity that they have.

I’ve really got to get a brown one.

/via Automoblox

Saab 99 Did Saabs ever look normal? I think there’s a...

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 13:51:00 +1000

Saab 99

Did Saabs ever look normal? I think there’s a definite rightness to the 99. But normal?

/via Le Gang Blenheim’s La Promenade du Dimanche

goodoldvalves: Chevrolet Monte Carlo advertisement (1971) I...

Sun, 11 Mar 2012 09:41:21 +1000

goodoldvalves:

Chevrolet Monte Carlo advertisement (1971)

I personally didn’t know about this generation of the Monte Carlo. This is rather beautiful — I also love the fact that the standard, most basic engine you could get on one of these, was a 5.7L V8.

Is it me, or is there a style of automotive advertising photography from the early 70s that’s got a real post-apocylptic feel?

carinteriors: Mazda Savanna RX 7 I had a 1980 RX-7 (the one...

Sat, 10 Mar 2012 10:24:54 +1000

carinteriors:

Mazda Savanna RX 7

I had a 1980 RX-7 (the one pictured is a 78 or 79) with the black interior and dark grey seats from a 1988 RX-7. It was much, much less friendly than this lovely caramel version.

the-stig: wagonation: Yes. Yes. Yes....

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 16:52:21 +1000

the-stig:

wagonation:

Yes. Yes. Yes.

Coolcoolcool.

Wowowow.

Previously…

Is brown really the next big car colour?

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 08:29:00 +1000

Is brown really the next big car colour?:

Rob Hull at Which? Conversation:

When it comes to selecting car colour, brown is firmly at the bottom of my check list. But it appears manufacturers are pushing cocoa-coloured cars as the next fashion trend to take over from white. Are you sold?

/via @vickytnz and Stephen Westland

1987 Nissan ARC-X concept It’s nagging at me, this Nissan....

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 21:23:00 +1000

1987 Nissan ARC-X concept

It’s nagging at me, this Nissan. It reminds me of a more modern car, but I can’t place which one.

/via @owenready and carstyling.ru

1974 Peugeot 304 I’ve been sitting on this photo for ages,...

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 17:13:47 +1000

1974 Peugeot 304

I’ve been sitting on this photo for ages, because I didn’t know what to say about it. The 304 seems like just a car. And then I realised that was the point.

1974 was the beginning of the Malaise Era, the ten years following the 1973 Oil Crisis. In the ‘States, Malaise cars are smaller than the previous decade, but are baroque, verging on rococo. European cars on the other hand, if this 304 is any indication, went the other way. Modernist, in that spare Villa Savoye way.

But do you think it’s sacrilegious to suggest that the 304 would look better with thin whitewalls?

/via Unique Cars and Parts

Lancia Beta Spider If I had a Lancia Beta Spider, its name would...

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 09:00:05 +1000

Lancia Beta Spider

If I had a Lancia Beta Spider, its name would be Stavro Mueller.

/via Octane’s wonderful Specfinder

Toyota Publica van Corollas are too mainstream. The Publica is...

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:47:33 +1000

Toyota Publica van

Corollas are too mainstream. The Publica is pretty obscure. You probably haven’t heard of it.

/via Speedhunter’s coverage of the 2012 New Year Meeting. But sure to check out their full coverage.

1970-ish Toyota Corona “Jenkins! Get in here!” Yes,...

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 11:50:00 +1000

1970-ish Toyota Corona

“Jenkins! Get in here!”
Yes, boss?
“Jenkins, is this the hero shot for the new Corona?”
It’s great, isn’t it? We’re trying out a new photographer. He suggested a studio shoot.
“The photo is fine. I like how the children are sat in the car. Makes it look bigger. But why are they all dressed in white?”
They’re going to play tennis, boss.
“Tennis?”
Oh, yes. Tennis is very in. Very 1973. Or squash. Squash is very now. In fact, racquet sports are all tracking very high in our focus groups, sir.
“But is it the right image for the Corona, Jenkins? Those tennis players seem a bit wild. That McEnroe character especially.”
Oh, that might be, sir, but people are looking for a bit of action and danger right now.
“And we’re going to leverage off that desire for action and danger to sell the new Corona?”
That’s what our target market are looking for, sir. Action, danger and glamour.
“What is our target market for the Corona, Jenkins?”
Professional men, aged 35-50, with families.
“Jenkins, I’m a professional man aged 35-50 with a family and what I want is a good stiff drink and time to read the paper.”
Well… it’s more of a general trend, sir.
“I’ll tell you what it is, Jenkins. It’s the beginning of the end.”

/via Autorama 70

putthison: For auction in Los Angeles: designer Raymond Loewy’s...

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 18:43:07 +1000

putthison:

For auction in Los Angeles: designer Raymond Loewy’s personal Studebaker Avanti. One of the most stunningly beautiful cars ever created. If you’re unfamiliar with Loewy, you may know some of what he designed: the Coke bottle, the Greyhound bus, the Shell logo and the Lucky Strike package, among others.

A brown (ok, beige) Avanti? Raymond Loewy knew what was up.

Even if he didn’t like the Citroen DS.