Christopher Smith

I’m not interested in starting another retro design phase, but there are a few things I’d love to see on new autos once again

The Gentlemen’s Agreement among Japanese automakers may have restricted horsepower, but it was the catalyst that turned great Japanese performance cars into bona-fide legends. And 60s American muscle wasn't actually that different...

Rare and awesome, this race-prepped Mk2 Cortina would be a track day darling with definitive British style

I realise I’m destroying a stereotype here, but Project 95 is shaping up to be a surprisingly fun machine despite being a mostly stock 5.0 five-speed. And since I haven't careened into a crowd of people yet, it means I need more horsepower

Having a low budget doesn’t automatically mean living with low horsepower.

The biggest problem with Top Gear USA is that people refuse to separate it from Top Gear UK. When you do that, you see it’s actually good fun

Every automotive era has design successes and failures. These are some that will hopefully disappear soon

There’s nothing wrong with customising your car. But for some people, there are things that just go too far...

They’re not fast and they were never extremely popular, but these convertibles deliver open-air 1980s nostalgia in a big way

I swapped my Infiniti I35 for a slow Mustang. And it’s pure ‘Murican V8 RWD tomfoolery! Thinking of buying one for yourself? Here's what you need to know...

In a world of wings, stickers and stance life, it's nice to see a Civic purpose-built to just kick the crap out of every other car.

You know about America’s love affair with the car. Roads like these helped make that happen

Thanks to the 25-year import rule, a new Japanese automotive invasion of U.S. markets is definitely underway. And it’s only going to get better from here.

The newest ultra-amazing, hyperspace-capable Bugatti is mind blowing in its performance. It’s also mind-blowingly expensive, which begs the question: If you had money to burn, would you buy just one car or enough cars to start your own museum?

Sometimes one of the greatest driving joys you can experience is driving slow. As Ferris Bueller once said, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it”

High-speed polishing wheels can literally burn the paint off a car if you’re not careful, but they can also turn you into a bona-fide detailing superhero. Everyone likes a superhero

The right engine note can make even the toughest petrolhead quiver like jelly. Remove the roof and it’s pretty much an instant eargasm

There are plenty of rat rods for sale these days, but is the real joy in this automotive niche owning one, or building one?

America created the muscle car, but even in those glory days of the original muscle car era, the concept was truly global

One of the worst American cars of the 1970s somehow became a highly sought-after ride that’s actually cool. But is it $22,900 cool?

Today’s slew of electronic automotive wizardry is neat enough, but the potential drawbacks on some of these options are deal breakers for me.

Manual transmissions will always have a place in the enthusiast world, and rightfully so. But it’s time we moved past the stereotype that all automatics are soulless machines driven by mindless commuting zombies.

XJ-S prices in the United States have been low for some time. Should I give into the temptation and become a V12 Jag owner?

The performance gap between exotic supercars and less exotic everyday performers narrowed significantly through the 1990s. These are the cars that made it happen