It depends vastly on the quality of the four-cylinder. I4s have secondary balance vibrations and power pulse gaps. But most modern engines have considerable engineering, like balance shafts, to smooth those out. In general, the cheaper the application, the buzzier the I4.

It’s more that he made bad decisions when he chose the only Fiero worth the time and money (‘88 model year fastback with the good suspension). The engine choice, the paint, the interior, the goofy supercharger setup, the ruined sails, the suspension... lots to criticize at $8,500. Drop it by half, it’s a project.

The LQ1 is interesting, but it’s a fussy engine with lots of needs and it’s getting harder to find a good one. I would seek out a much more modern LZ9 that should bolt right up to the Fiero’s stock trans. It’s the last of the pushrod 60-degree V6s, you can lift one out of a junkyard Impala, and it offers enough power…

The Texas freeze created a global automotive plastics shortage. The chip shortage doesn’t help matters.

The new Z will be $40K minimum and more like $45K for something with a few goodies. That still comfortably undercuts the Supra. The Toyobaru isn’t in the same category and have you checked on Miata prices lately.

I’m with you. It’s not a bad price for something you could use as a goofy summertime driver while putting together a fun track project. It’s not worth restoring.

What a great feature. A lot of the smaller Euro wagons have a defroster element built into the C/D pillar glass but as a dog owner I would absolutely check the option box for a roll-down quarter window. The roll-down rear glass on 4Runners and Sequoias is nice but can tend to let exhaust into the car (my old Jeep SJ…

The weight is certainly an issue but not surprising for a vehicle with more than 10" extra wheelbase over a Miata. A 2+2 convertible is a decent thought and would fill a niche that is very quickly dwindling. There are pretty much no small, relatively inexpensive 4-seat convertibles anymore, esp. with RWD. All that’s…

It’s funny, all of the brands you mention except Aston and Ferrari have turbo-4s as their bread and butter engines now. It just doesn’t matter, though, what the powerplant is. The average customer doesn’t much care--but style, price point, size, perceived value are all easy to gauge and will help dictate brand…

Bradley is just poking fun here. Even today, most NA engines the size of the S70/2 don’t outperform it. It’s nearly a racing engine, same as the new GMA 12. The big advantage of the Cosworth engine is almost 200 lbs in weight savings. And, I guess, because it’s British.

It’s definitely not a lot of cash, but the production volume is so low that a lot of time can be spent on engineering and QA/QC of individual units. Also, most of the design, aside from some of the aero, is playing off established engineering. This is a re-hash of the F1 with some tweaks. Then, of course, GMA is a…

I like it, especially because the T6 just feels a lot sportier than the complicated T8 setup. I just wish the V60 was still available with the T6.

With a wheelbase more than 10 inches shorter than the new Wagoneer the LC is in a different size class as well. Third-row seating is not that generous, the cargo space isn’t even comparable—LC is much smaller—and even the base Wagoneer beats the LC in towing.

Possibly the loveliest thing Volvo makes but it tops out at the T6 in the U.S. The XC90 Recharge is the 400-hp wagon this guy wants, but he won’t find one under $60K yet.

It’s an interesting idea, though you pretty much have to replace everything in the fuel delivery system and even then you’re probably limited to 5 psi. A boosted 3800 would yield far more power with less headaches for less money.

It’s an excellent little car for the price, esp. with the ‘88 improvements. Two things, though:

LOL, this is right on the money. I love the insane thought that the Peugeot brand could somehow make it here. This is not a premium brand anymore, it’s one of practicality and efficiency. And, frankly, we’ve got plenty of those brands already. Even if by some miracle the brand could actually deliver a premium…

I think he means the 2-series (Gran Coupe plus the RWD models). Add the CLA/GLA from Merc. Not sure how body style matters but it’s true the compact premium convertible market is drying up.

It’s funny, the minimal overhangs are what put me off this car when I got one as a rental. Sure, the tallness was convenient and for a low-powered rental it drove surprisingly well. But the cargo space with the seats up was very poor. It’s the usual issue with hatchbacks...the rear overhang is chopped off, leaving…

I don’t disagree with your take, because I personally feel like Kia/Hyundai are perennial “chasers”, seeking to claw market share from the leaders but never busting a segment on their own, and not really taking a leadership role in new technology.