@heat_fan1: No. It's first gen. The Mazda3 was all new. New platform, new name, new everyting. The 323/Protege was discontinued. It's a first gen car. With your logic the only first gen car would be this [en.wikipedia.org]

I was going to say the 1st Gen. Ford Taurus, but the 1st Gen. Ford Tempo beat the Taurus to the market by a couple of years and single handily led an American automobile design revolution. But wasn't the Tempo was just a water-down Ford Sierra. So how about the 1st Gen. Ford Sierra?

Mazda3 - First gen was a great car, especially in the the states, where there was no such thing as a premium hatchback. Perfect styling, equipment, and price. First new car I ever bought, sold it a few years ago and still miss it.

@peevdiddy:

Skoda 120. Orphan powered.

found it!

Sam - As a native New Yorker born and raised south of Houston (HOW-stən) street, I can tell you there is a strong car culture in the tristate area and even in the city and Outer Boroughs, you just need to know where to look. Here are some ideas.

So instead of writing about what my dad drove (just watch the Squid and the Whale - my dad is Jeff Daniels looking for parking in Brooklyn in a black Volvo 240 turbo wagon), I am going to take this opportunity to write about what my step-dad drove. While I was a car nut long before my step-dad, he was the one who…

Enjoy coke? why yes.

Interesting that there are three American cars between 66 and 70 on the list. Two of which, were made by brands that no longer exist.

Reminds me too much of a Volvo 1800 ES. That's both a good and bad thing. Also reminds me to start working on that screenplay of mine, Spies Like Us Two, Electric Boogaloo. James Bond and Simon Templar team up to fight crime with the ultimate weapon: dance.

@Jackie: I recently did the exact same thing ... except the parking lot wasn't empty and my car gracefully ran into a Ford Escape, no real damage to either car but embarrassing none the less ... I blame Jackalopes, but then again I blame them for everything that goes wrong.

@Lotte: Grill baby, grill.

Lots of great grills below but as grills go, real grills, you don't get cooler than the Volvo 480. The grill-less Volvo that still manages to have a grill.

@Maxichamp: There are a few pictures somewhere but finding them would be tough. I was in Italy photographing train stations at the time. Most of it was in Ektachrome and Kodachrome. Would take some digging.

ok so a quick Italian mini van story, it's rare that the topic comes up so I have to take advantage.

the Carabinieri livery is also fantastic ... its like they are dressed in a well tailored armani suit, classy with a little flash ... also helps that underlying model is hot ... if the crown vic only had those gens

i always liked the understated argyle glow of florescent yellow and neon blue that you find in the UK ... like the British, ever so subtle

slow news week ends on a bright spot

Easy. It would be time for "ZR's ZR-1". If I am going to go savage crisscrossing America, might as well do it in the greatest American super car going. Plus, there's the initial thing. And the fact that my wife hates them. To quote her: "$100,000 for a Corvette?, what kinda idiot buys these things?"