Comments on: Mashing the Montego

Mashing the Montego

QuietDesperation — Sat, 11 Dec 2004 23:25:40 -0800

The sign of a good specialist writer is the ability to amuse those who aren't specialists, or even enthusiasts, of their particular field. Dan Neil of LA Times is probably the most entertaining automotive writing around. Here, regarding the Montego, he asks the Mercury people, "What were you thinking?" (Registration might be necessary). He's also funny when doing positive reviews, as when drooling over the Acura. No particular car lust required.

By: TwelveTwo

TwelveTwo — Sun, 12 Dec 2004 02:21:13 -0800

Cars go vroom.

By: Turtles all the way down

Turtles all the way down — Sun, 12 Dec 2004 03:23:39 -0800

Oh, man, that's some clever funny writing. Thanks! /my father had a sort of milky lime-green montego in the early 70's. It doesn't sound as though they've improved much.

By: HuronBob

HuronBob — Sun, 12 Dec 2004 03:53:28 -0800

Best car review ever! This guy is good! Ford might as well just shut down the production line!

By: Enron Hubbard

Enron Hubbard — Sun, 12 Dec 2004 04:31:09 -0800

I like writers with style. I would bet that I could pick an article by Neil out of an anonymous bunch of reviews after only being introduced to him by this FPP. Thanks,QD!

By: kahboom

kahboom — Sun, 12 Dec 2004 06:01:44 -0800

As for the Montego, I don't understand how this lamentable rentable got out of the barn. The web is an odd place. It can make me go off and read things like car reviews for fun. Good fun, this. I'm going to read some of his other screeds now. Rumble Seat by Dan Neil

By: Zonker

Zonker — Sun, 12 Dec 2004 07:16:22 -0800

That was fun -- thanks for the link. Another good source for smart, funny car reviews is Giles Smith in the Guardian's "Wheels" section. I loved their take on the BMW 7 series:

"[T]o unlock the car by remote control in the dark is to initiate a small but moving tribute to the final stages of Close Encounters of the Third Kind. The interior lights fade up with awe-inspiring grandeur, and small, white pearls of light beam out from under the door handles, guiding you home to the mother-ship. How dark would it have to be that you could find the car but not the door handles? I'm not sure, but those little lights are certainly cute."

By: Zonker

Zonker — Sun, 12 Dec 2004 07:19:16 -0800

~~their~~ his. D'oh.

By: clevershark

clevershark — Sun, 12 Dec 2004 07:20:32 -0800

Overall, the car has a profoundly geriatric feeling about it, like it was built with a swollen prostate. To drive this car is to feel the icy hand of death upon you, or at least the icy hand of Hertz, because it simply screams rental. Priceless!

By: Turtles all the way down

Turtles all the way down — Sun, 12 Dec 2004 08:01:42 -0800

That was also great, Zonker--thanks! Both writers make me remember how this style of writing--funny, smart, irreverent--seems to be a staple of British newspapers, while being rarely seen on this side of the Atlantic (save for humour columns like Dave Barry's that are classified as such).

By: enrevanche

enrevanche — Sun, 12 Dec 2004 09:55:33 -0800

Dan Neil is, as far as I know, the only auto writer ever to win a Pulitzer Prize for criticism. Back when I lived in North Carolina, I used to read his stuff in the Raleigh News and Observer. The N&O fired him in 1997 after he wrote a review of the Ford Expedition that included a description of screwing his fiancee in the (ever so roomy) back seat.

By: mr_crash_davis

mr_crash_davis — Sun, 12 Dec 2004 09:56:54 -0800

"There is no soul to this car, and it's about as sexy as going through your mother's underwear drawer." Wait, going through mom's underwear drawer isn't sexy? Why doesn't anyone tell me these things?

By: Faint of Butt

Faint of Butt — Sun, 12 Dec 2004 10:56:21 -0800

That's a well written review. It conveys the feel of driving the vehicle while not skimping on the basic technical information. Why can't we seem to get the same balance in video game reviews?

By: Johnny Assay

Johnny Assay — Sun, 12 Dec 2004 11:05:33 -0800

I especially like the phrase "loaded like a drunken Shriner" from the Acura review. And as for the Montego review, well-phrased insults are always entertaining. Grazie, QuietDesperation.

By: five fresh fish

five fresh fish — Sun, 12 Dec 2004 12:45:28 -0800

There was a review of the Escalanche/Avapade/whatever that was hilarious. Very cutting.

By: CunningLinguist

CunningLinguist — Sun, 12 Dec 2004 13:32:13 -0800

Not being interested in cars, I would never have seen this. Thanks QD.

By: rooftop secrets

rooftop secrets — Sun, 12 Dec 2004 18:30:01 -0800

My favorite part was the last word: Final thoughts: Hipster-proof Heh. This is more of a positive than one might think...

By: Four Flavors

Four Flavors — Mon, 13 Dec 2004 12:26:08 -0800

About the second review: There is no Milli nor Vanilli in Milli Vanilli. Only Rob and Fab. I like his style.