Indie Auto

Why did American Motors fire Wells Rich and Greene in 1972?

by Steve in Multimedia 6

(EXPANDED FROM 5/14/2024) American Motors and the ad agency Wells Rich and Greene would seem to have been a match made in heaven when they started to work together in 1967. After all, both had a penchant for unorthodox approaches that relied heavily on gimmicks. For example, Wells Rich Greene recommended to then-dowdy Braniff International [...]

Was the 1966 Olds Cutlass Supreme the first mid-sized brougham model?

March 5, 2026 21

(EXPANDED FROM 2/14/2024) This is one of Indie Auto’s more hotly debated stories. Here I question Paul Niedermeyer’s (2024) contention that the 1966-67 Cutlass Supreme brought the “Great Brougham Epoch” to the mid-sized field. “With [...]

Splashy new cars often were the biggest disasters during the postwar period

March 3, 2026 1

One of the biggest assumptions of U.S. automakers in the postwar period was that they desperately needed splashy new cars. Yet when I think about the biggest disasters of that era, they often involved expensive product launches. Here I am [...]

Reader questions Chrysler’s future as it passes 100th anniversary

March 2, 2026 15

Indie Auto reader George Denzinger recently submitted the following letter to the editor. He addresses some important issues, so I appreciate that he took the time to share his thoughts. I know that Stellantis celebrated(?) Chrysler’s [...]

Was the 1967-68 Chevrolet C10 the ‘first modern pickup’?

February 27, 2026 7

Indie Auto doesn’t focus a whole lot on trucks, but I recently photographed a 1968 Chevrolet C10. When researching this article, I came across the argument from Aldan American (2026) that this was the “first modern pickup.” True? The [...]

1941 Studebaker Commander: Ending its big cars on a high note

February 26, 2026 11

(EXPANDED FROM 10/1/2024) The 1941 Studebaker Commander is noteworthy partly because of its lovely art deco styling, but also because it represents close to the last of the automaker’s big premium-priced cars. In 1939 Studebaker [...]

1956 Studebaker Golden Hawk front with hood open

Four lingering questions about Aaron Severson’s take on the 1956 Studebaker Golden Hawk

by Steve in Media Analysis 6

Recently Aaron Severson (2026) raised questions about whether the 1956 Studebaker Golden Hawk weighed more due to its Packard drivetrain. As usual, he offered a thoughtful analysis, but I still come away with four lingering questions. Before proceeding I should emphasize that Severson’s post on his paywalled Ate Up With Motor Patreon website illustrates the [...]