Terrific historical research by everyone on this piece, thanks.

HOW HAVE I NEVER HEARD OF THIS?! This actually looks pretty great, both as a decent-looking car and as superb trolling. I’d never guess GM of the ‘80s (or today) was capable of either.

...but how awesome would a GTI pickup have been?

...if you didn’t get punched in the face. Speaking as one who spent 30 years in newsrooms.

Yeah, I love being lectured on the hard realities of life by someone who’s spending their life in the Toy Department.

These were the affordable used cars during my college and immediate post-college years. They were objectively horrible, and also awesome.

That’s a Chrysler....Imperial? New Yorker? Newport? Anyway, RWD.

The velour leads me to think this wasn’t originally a fleet car - not that that’s an issue, I guess.

I’m not sure the parade analogy works in this case. Parades occur on public streets - anything/anyone that may interfere would almost always have to be on the street/sidewalk - public property.

Probably just my viewing this from my US frame of reference, but how much legal authority can WRC exercise over spectators along a stage? Unlike circuit racing, the property along the course isn’t owned by a party that could enforce its rules on spectating areas, etc. At least here it seems it’d be up to each property…

Train’s name is Coast Starlight. Also:

Oh, man. I had this exact vehicle in light green as my daily 1999-2014. It was a roadtrip beast - fast and comfortable. Put a new radiator in it but that’s about it. The rust got it - started on the rear fenders, but it’s all one stamping across the top of the doors to the A pillar. At 78k this one has oh, 100k left?…

Really? This goes on all over Minnesota, Wisconsin and (I assume) everywhere lake ice gets thick enough to drive on.

I wouldn’t assume that, based on what I’ve seen here in Iowa.

Needs the yellow stripe across the hood and cabin, right?

Probably a better dd than a Lambo.

Oh, man. I remember when these were all over as just cheap used cars. With a slant six and the typewriter transmission they were pretty indestructible. But even as a kid I wondered if each corner was designed by a different stylist who wasn’t talking to the others.

Why would a “car blog” have anyone in/anything to do with NYC? 

By this definition the Buick Regal TourX must be some form of meh, right? If I hadn’t seen one last winter at the Chicago auto show I wouldn’t believe they exist. I’ve never seen one in the wild, and there MAY be one in those shots of the entire Buick lineup you see in their ads, but I’ve never seen an ad featuring…

This looks like the car Johnny Cash sang about.