Absolutely correct.

I had a brand new Malibu Eco for a week long rental and was pleasantly surprised. The stop/start worked well, the brakes were superbly firm (I hate squishy brakes) and the interior was pretty good; trunk was excellent.

I am genuinely open minded when it comes to - shall we say, non-traditional sexual escapades - but reading this and then remembering my uber drivers thus far = instant heebie jeebies.

I despise light blue on cars, as seemingly every air-cooled VW came in the same shade of meh. However, Lancia perfected blue, as seen here:

This isn't about cars. This isn't about planes. Nor is it about trains, rocketships, Detroit or any other remotely-jalop topic.

Little known fact about the 600 Z coupe: a regulation size keg fits in the rear hatch. I know this because my dad traded (something weirder, no doubt) for a 1971 Z600 circa 1980, and my idiot brother drove the hell out of it. He reported that it would still do 70 with said keg in the back.

The W201 generation Mercedes 190E was known for it's excellent reliability and over-engineered brilliance. It's successor the W202 C-Class was not known for either of those things, rather, it was known for dodgy electronics, and it's propensity to rust. The cheapening of Mercedes began here.

I nominate the 1986 Dodge/Shelby GLHS. Only 500 made (ignoring the later 3 door). 175 hp/175 ft lbs does not a muscle car make? Well, it does when the car weighs 2,200 lbs.

Parts aren't that crazy. It's easier to get vintage Lancia parts than those for my Beta.

1959 Lancia Flaminia. Early V6? Check. Column shift manual? Check. Sedan with wipers on both sides of rear window? Check. Uber-jalop? Oh yes. Yes, indeed.

Avalon. Who but Toyota could channel a mid 90s Buick into the body of a Camry? It's like Ghost all over again, with Patrick (spirit of Buick) in Whoopi (Camry carcass) doing Demi (American's greying legions).

You're not alone.

We could not find any products of this type that fit your vehicle: 1981 Lancia Beta Base

Honestly, real 914-6 (unlike the boatloads of fakes) have always commanded high prices. But I do agree that ordinary 914 have taken off lately.

So eventually we'll get around to a Camaro that's a neo-retro take on a new-retro take, say a 2020 redux of the 2010 which will cause an implosion.

I fly often enough to know that if you were on American and a flight attendant gave the announcement, you were on an MD80, Greyhound of the sky.

Spot on. Not to be Debbie Downer, but there really is a reason for these announcements. I don't need them "sassed up" - in fact, I don't need ANYTHING 'sassed up' - I just need the attendant to do their job and move along.

Mitsubishi Starion/Chrysler Conquest. Needlessly elaborate digital options? Check (even a name for it: Technica package photo attached). Turbo badges galore? Oh yes. "Captive import" philosophy decomposing rapidly? Indeed.

Packard. A true American luxury brand, built on quality and engineering. Make them subtle and elegant, with taste and presence over flash and plastichrome.

So my new brother-in-law thought he'd do the male bonding bit with 13 year old me and put me in his '65 Ford truck with three on the tree. The shift was no problem, but I didn't get how to clutch, and his useless shouts of "too much!" and "not like that!" were less than helpful and I shut down entirely, essentially…