Categories:
By
Bertel Schmitt on June 7, 2012
“Don’t shift!!!!”
I will hear this many times today.
In the many underpowered cars that I had driven up a hill, around a bend, or towards an intersection, a well-meaning friend, instructor, or authority figure in the seat next to me inevitably yelled: “Shift!!” This was to entice me to stir the stick, and to keep me from killing the engine either outright or in a frenzied over-rev.
This time, it is different. I am in Japan, and I sit in Japan’s first kei-car, a Summer-of-Love generation 1968 Subaru 360. Next to me sits his owner, Chiharu Tamura, and he shouts “don’t shift!!” (Read More…)
By
Paul Niedermeyer on May 6, 2010
That Subaru is still thriving is in itself a minor miracle. The small Japanese car makers have either imploded (Isuzu), are threatening to (Mitsubishi), or have sought shelter (even Subaru is now 20% owned by Toyota). Subaru did have its own near-death experience in the early nineties. But in a long string of wild bets, Subaru’s final card in the US was a big gamble on AWD, and the timing couldn’t have been better. And like most successful gamblers, there have been losses along the way (see above). But perhaps because of the bumpy ride, Subaru is still alive and kicking. (Read More…)
“Don’t shift!!!!”
Recent Comments
car_guy2010 - Yes. YESSSSS!!! More features like this and less of Bertel’s dyke-bashing please!
28-Cars-Later - That’s nice to hear… the Panther is obviously a superior choice :)
28-Cars-Later - I had an ex who in 2006 was obsessed with the idea of seven row seating in an SUV (she had three kids). She had a ’99 Caravan held together by...
maciejewskiadam - Jonny- great review. I have one thing to say, though: ‘Aluminum Look’.
MRF 95 T-Bird - Corvair’s with automatic transmissions(Power-glide) had the lever on the dash which lacked the Park function. Just...
Scoutdude - Those Chinese bumpers will likely loose their chrome or start rusting like crazy in only a couple of years and even brand new it...
Landcrusher - No, I in no way even implied that. You could demilitarize DARPA, whatever. Besides...
86SN2001 - Warning, threat…….whichever works I guess.
jmmz - I still have my blue 1983 Honda DX automatic Hatchback and it is going strong. Super fun to drive.
porschespeed - Hokey smokes Batman, I may be an acerbic ass, but that I have no particular issues with JB nor grey market anything....