There are few things that can be said with certainty about the automotive industry. Prime on the extremely short list of truisms is one unfailing axiom: It’s always unpredictable. Over the past 50 years, in particular, this business has become increasingly more volatile as development costs have skyrocketed, competitive pressures have risen, and time windows have been relentlessly compressed. On the following pages, we’ve compiled a cross-section of memorable cases in point: highlights, lowlights, and in some instances, no-lights, drawn from throughout the annals of modern autodom. They reflect the fact that, in life, there are no sure bets.
70 DATSUN 240Z
Its timeless shape, classic powertrain layout, solid performance, and affordable price proved an unbeatable combo for the gang who now markets its hardware under the Nissan name. Back…