Motor Trend Classic magazine for the Fall 2010 issue features a "Loving Look Back" drive of my '73 Vega GT, a '72 Pinto Runabout and a '71 Gremlin X:
My Vega was petitioned for the retrospective comparison in April 2010. The Pinto & Gremlin were then searched for close by on the east coast, and The University of Massachusetts was chosen as the photo-shoot site for its 70's building architecture. The meet-up took place June 12, 2010. Frank Markus, Technical Director of Motor Trend wrote of the Vega: "After a few gentle miles, I begin to understand how this car won its awards and comparison tests."
He closes the article agreeing with MT's initial assessment of the Vega and how it fared compared to its domestic competition; he wrote- "Chevrolet spun the Vega as a more American, upscale car. And let’s face it, the car looked hot. So can you blame us for falling hook, line, and sinker for the Vega and naming it 1971’s Car of the Year? Surviving Vegas are like a fossil record of everything that was wrong with the American auto industry circa 1970, but well-maintained examples are also great looking, nice-driving, economical classics—like Baltic Ave. with a Hotel, the best ones can be had for $10K or less. Emotionally, Jim Brokaw summed it up in January 1972: Gremlin has power, but Pinto has the price, and a much quieter ride. Which car is best? Vega."
Image: My photo here, similar to MT's shot used for the double-page introduction.
LINK: Motor Trend Classic.com - article preview and wallpaper