Check out the great sports coupes tested in the July 1971 issue of Road & Track. From left to right, Fiat 124 coupe, Opel GT, Triumph GT6+, MGB/GT, and Datsun 240Z. Can you imagine what it was like to hear this contingent of GTs crushing through town or charging up a mountain pass? Probably equal parts sweat, petrochemical fumes, coffee breath, smokes and fried food, with a side order of grins, grimaces and gonads. How very MadMen most likely!
Personally, I remember these cars rorting in daily traffic and silent in parking lots. It didn't take a special occasion to see one, although it was always a special occasion to me. I can think of personal stories involving each car pictured with the exception of the Opel GT. I've always loved that mini Corvette styling, but have never known anyone that owned or rode in one. My parents brought an Opel station wagon back with them from Germany in 1961, but that was a horse of a different color.
Memory lane! I remember all these publications that you scan and post and it's good to see them again. I think I've mentioned before how little I care about most of the current car magazines. I can usually read whatever interests me standing at the magazine stand at Barnes & Noble. All this super-duper high performance stuff (Ferrari, LF-A, etc.) hold no interest for me. I guess I'm just an old-fsshioned kinda guy! These sports coupes even 40 years later are a lot more interesting and relevant to me than most of the new stuff.
ReplyDeletePaul, NYC
I love each and every car in this road test! I remember not thinking much of the Fiat facelift, but seen today, it's even cleaner than the original '67 coupe. Just a beautiful Italian design. I'm not sure about the copyright on interior pages for existing magazine titles, but I don't think they'd mind if I published their cover.
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