Day: Aug 29, 2016

Sixteen Shells From a Thirty-Ought Six

Cadillac’s latter-day Art and Science design theme saw many fine concepts, but this perhaps was its finest.

Image: motorauthority
Image: motorauthority

For a company that has experienced as many false dawns as Alfa Romeo and as many brilliant unrealised concepts as Renault, the fact that latter-day success continues to elude Cadillac remains one of automotive’s more absorbing melodramas. Recently, exterior design director, Bob Boniface told Automotive News, “There’s still this misperception in the public’s eye that Cadillacs are these big, heavy cars that your grandparents used to drive. We haven’t built those cars in generations. But you almost have to overachieve in the messaging.” One can understand his rationale.

For all the great marques, the heel of history weighs heavily upon every degree of deviation. Change has been necessary for Cadillac in order to Continue reading “Sixteen Shells From a Thirty-Ought Six”

Ashtrays: 1976 Renault 30 TS V6

Just two Renault 30s remain in Denmark. Here is the driver’s ashtray of one of them, another DTW world exclusive.

1976 Renault 30 centre console
1976 Renault 30 centre console. Careless join, isn’t it?

I may not have seen an R30 for decades. Like all Renaults these cars aren’t keepers so almost nobody has preserved them. The owner was embarrassed by the paint. This opportunity afforded me a close look at the finish, fit and materials. Having recently seen the 1975 Peugeot 604 I can see that the Renault doesn’t do things worse but differently. The ashtray is smaller than I expected; the R25 (how did the series number fall back?) had one maybe twice as large though. The position is okay; it’s a tray-type with a smooth action. If you want to see it open you need to… Continue reading “Ashtrays: 1976 Renault 30 TS V6”