(1960 Chevrolet Corvair, courtesy General Motors). Click photo for larger version.

Once upon a time, all I had to do to see a Corvair was look out the kitchen window. My sister owned two of them in succession in the late 1960s.

Nowadays, you may see one at a local cruise night or car show. But how about 200?

That’s the number organizers expect for the Corvair Society of America’s 42nd annual convention to be held at the Sturbridge Host Hotel from July 25-28.

Forty years ago, reliability wasn’t what it is today. Some of those early Corvairs had a penchant for having fan belts pop off pulleys. Then, as the brand rusted away with age, there was the occasional sight of a Corvair blocking traffic because the engine literally had fallen through its rusted mounts onto the highway.

But the brand was innovative with its rear-engine design, air-cooling, four-wheel independent suspension, unibody construction, balanced braking, flat floor (no driveshaft tunnel or transmission hump), light steering, and a low center of gravity. It also had the neat model names of Monza and Spyder.

Chevrolet produced the Corvair from late 1959 until May 1969, selling more than 1.8 million vehicles, including a van and light truck. The Corvair’s handling became the focus of the book “Unsafe at Any Speed” by consumer crusader Ralph Nader.

Auto-related highlights of the Corvair gathering include a competitive autocross on Wednesday, July 25 followed by a road rally through western Massachusetts on Thursday. On Friday, there’s a judged Concours d’Elegance and technical sessions. But Saturday will be the big day for local car aficionados. That’s the date for a giant Corvair-only car show.

(All photos: Bill Griffith for The Boston Globe). Click photo for larger version.

Today’s test car is the 2012 Toyota Camry, the best-selling car in the United States for the last 10 years (and counting) and 14 of the past 15 years.

The Camry has been totally redesigned for this model year and comes to market with a huge bulls-eye on its back.

Competition in the segment never has been so fierce. Traditionally, the Honda Accord is the Camry’s number one rival. However, Toyota’s seventh-generation Camry already is on the market and getting a running start with the redesigned Accord not due out until the middle of this year.

Q. My car was running terribly so I brought it to the dealership and was told that problem was caused by the air intake plugged with pollen. They cleaned it out and now the car runs fine. Can this be true or did they just find something simple like a hose that fell off but wanted more money for the repair?

Q. I have a 2003 Porsche Carrera with original wheels. The rear tire size is 285/30ZR -18. My question is, can I put 295/35ZR-18 tires and will it affect the accuracy of the speedometer?

Q. We're looking for a car for our college-age son to replace his 1998 Volvo S70. He does cycling and triathlons, so storage/cargo space is important; however, he doesn't want to drive anything as big as my Honda Pilot. All-wheel-drive would be a big plus, reliability is very important, and we're hoping to stay under $27,000. Possibilities include a new Subaru Outback and a '08 Volvo XC 70, but if you have any ideas about other models to consider, we would appreciate it

(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Saab owners protested in Detroit outside General Motors headquarters in January two years ago.

Saab owners’ dedication to the marque is legendary.

Even though it appears the brand won’t be resuming production, Saabs will be rolling down our roads for years to come. If you happen to see a bunch of them this Saturday morning, chances are they’ll be headed to Charles River Saab, the country's oldest Saab dealership, for a gathering of loyalists from 9 to 11 a.m.

The word went out via social media channels (not quite a Flash Mob call) and by early Wednesday more than 150 had confirmed they’d be bringing their Saabs at least one from as far away as Washington D.C.

Charles River Saab is offering refreshments, its venue, and a complimentary “on-the-lift” inspection to all attendees.

Bill Griffith can be reached at WGriffith@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrAutoWriter.

Q. I recently purchased a 2011 Ford Fusion and received a remote starter for Christmas. I asked the Ford dealer about installing it and they told me that I needed to have a ford system installed or I would void the warranty. Is this true?

John Paul is public affairs manager for AAA Southern New England and the "Car Doctor" columnist for The Boston Globe, Providence Journal, Worcester Telegram & Gazette, and AAA Horizons. A certified mechanic, Paul tests dozens of new cars each year and also hosts a radio show on AM 950.

Most of you who are reading this follow the automotive world at least to some extent.

You see the trends: more variations of hybrids, smaller and more efficient gasoline engines, turbochargers, diesels, and electric vehicles. You read about not only the “connected” vehicle but also the research that seems to be leading us to the autonomous “driverless vehicle.”

One thing seems certain: As Village Automotive Group president Ray Ciccolo told me two years ago during the depths of the economic recession: “It will be the automotive industry that drives recovery.”

In the “Old Days,” that industry was big enough domestically to get the job done on its own. Now, with global supply chains and more efficient plans, it probably can’t do it all, but it’s trying hard.

Back at the turn of the century—and that still seems like a strange term—there were 17.3 million vehicle sales annual in the United States. That number dropped to 10.4 million in 2009, rising to 11.6 million last year and to above 12.5 million in 2011, a number that analysts expect would have been higher had it not been for the tsunami and earthquake in Japan and floods in Thailand. Those events seriously curtailed production by Toyota, Honda, and to a lesser degree, Nissan.

The most optimistic forecast for 2012 is for sales to top 14 million units here at home. Scott Corwin and Brian Collie, partners at Booz & Company, a Global management consulting firm, says that consumers will continue to have a big say in the recovery.

Playing it COY

And the envelope please….

The North American Car (and truck) of the Year were named Monday just prior to the opening of the Detroit Auto Show. The Hyundai Accent and Range Rover Evoque were the winners, as selected by the 50 voting members of the Automotive Press Association.

The group last week cut the field to three finalists in each category. The Ford Focus, Hyundai Elantra, and Volkswagen Passat were the Car of the Year choices. The BMW X3, Honda CR-V, and Range Rover Evoque were finalists in the truck category. (We awarded the X3, Evoque, and Focus on our Top Drives for 2012 list).

Those truck choices show that there weren’t any major contenders in the pickup truck or full-sized SUV categories.

For the record, last year's winners were the Chevrolet Volt and Ford Explorer.

(All photos: Chrysler). Click photo for larger version.

Dodge says everything but the name will be new on its upcoming 2013 Dart.

The car, a compact sedan, will be a success if it can approach the run (1960-1976) of its namesake and its sibling, the Plymouth Valiant.

The Dart, introduced Monday at the Detroit Auto Show, is aimed at giving Dodge a solid presence in the compact sedan segment. Based on Fiat’s Alfa Romeo Giulietta, it replaces the entry-level Caliber hatchback and should give Dodge its first viable compact sedan since the Neon.

Q. My 2007 Camry has 115,000 miles on it. When I brought it in for transmission fluid change at 100,000 miles per the owner's manual, the service tech at my dealership told me it wasn't necessary. The technician told me that the transmission fluid was good forever. What do you think?

Q. I'm currently looking at a modern “muscle car” for a year rounder, and yes, I know that doesn’t sound like a smart decision living in the Northeast. I’m not interested in a Japanese or European hot-rod; I’m looking for “American Muscle.” What I’d like to know is if you’ve heard anything about which one might handle best in bad weather conditions. We're not talking about a blizzard, just a couple of inches of snow.

Honda Civics sell in more varieties than supermarket apples. There’s the stripper DX without air conditioning, the step-up LX, the fuel-saving HF, the ultra-fuel-saving Hybrid, the well-equipped EX, the EX with leather, and the high-performance Si. There’s a choice of sedan or coupe, manual or automatic.

I can’t even buy my favorite Pink Lady apples all year. The Civic, however, is the fourth best-selling car in New England. It’s always in stock, despite inventory shortages due to the Japanese earthquake and tsunami.

I’ve driven three 2012 Civics this year and none felt alike. Like many reviewers, I wasn’t impressed with the Civic EX sedan. But when I tried a sleek blue Si coupe, it was entirely different. A 201-horsepower engine never hurts, yet the six-speed manual, upgraded seats and fabrics, and flattering curves went leaps beyond the mundane sedan.

Then there’s the GX, a Civic just as boring as the EX save for one exciting footnote: it runs on compressed natural gas.

(All photos: Chrysler). Click photo for larger version.

Whenever an icon gets updated, I pray it won’t be ruined. In the Jeep Wrangler’s case, I’m worried about the mirrors.

My girlfriend, Eliana, wants to smack me every time I complain about driving her 2002 Wrangler, and I want to show her that power heated mirrors do not make my test 2012 Wrangler a wuss.

(All photos: Bill Griffith for The Boston Globe). Click photo for larger version.

There’s no way this review is going to start off with another of those “This is not your father’s Buick” lines. Anyway, that axiom now is so old it should be “This is not your grandfather’s Buick.”

Nope. Not today. Instead, Mrs. G is stepping up to say, “This is my Buick.”

It started when she spotted today’s test car, a 2012 Buick LaCrosse, in the driveway.

(All photos: Ford). Click photo for larger version.

The full-sized Ford Econoline van was introduced in 1960 and sold as a 1961 model. The Econoline van, bus, and pickup were among the first vehicles built at Ford’s Lorain, Ohio, assembly plant.

The Econoline deserves a better epitaph than this month’s impersonal news release from Ford, one that arrived on Dec. 7 (the 70th anniversary of Pearl Harbor).

The news was that “Ford will migrate its commercial vans around the world to a common, global platform in 2013, when Kansas City begins producing the full-size Transit for North America.”

In other words: Goodbye, Econoline.

We’ll let its successor, the Transit, already the best-selling van in Europe, write its own success (or otherwise) story in coming years.

(All photos: Bill Griffith for The Boston Globe). Click photo for larger version.

In the end, I just couldn’t do it. I wasn’t about to put the first scratch on a brand-new truck bed.

The arrival of the 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 4WD pickup truck seemingly was the answer to my prayers. After all, there was a pile of broken-up small branches, courtesy of the late October Nor’easter, plus 16 bags of leaves and garden debris awaiting transport to the local compost dump.

How often when confronted with such tasks had I lamented: “Wouldn’t it be nice to have a pickup truck this week?” That wish ranks up there with a “Where’s the traffic cop?” when someone blows by you at 95 on the highway or blatantly runs a red light. It’s oft-spoken, rarely seen.

This time, though, it happened. Here’s the truck. Here’s the cargo. What’s the problem?

(All photos except interior, Toyota: Gerry Miles for The Boston Globe). Click photo for larger version.

What do you get if you merge a four-door hatchback, an eco-friendly Prius engine, and radical styling?

Would you believe a Lexus hybrid?

Imagine a stretched version of the Scion xD or Toyota Matrix to provide the requisite number of doors and a hatch; toss a 1.8-liter four-cylinder gas motor and the current Toyota Prius mill under the hood, add a wide-stance and low slung body that’s but 4.6 feet tall, and you’ve got the 2011 Lexus CT 200h.

The resulting car more resembles the departed Dodge Magnum retrofit with aggressive, attractive styling not usually found on a Lexus. The look is more familiar in the Scion tC, on whose platform this offering is based. Remember, one of Scion’s original goals was to create a line for younger buyers who would remain loyal to the brand, matriculate to Toyota, and lounge in a Lexus in the latter years.

It seems the new Lexus and its boy-racer style is designed for the aging, conservative, energy-conscious driver who doesn’t like the Prius look or its pokey but highly economical output.

(GM)

Brake rotors fresh out of the oven in Flint, Mich.

My 1997 Toyota Camry taught me a lesson about rusty brake rotors.

At the time, we lived on a high hill. Every day when I’d head out, I heard this scraping noise from the front wheels. It’d go away after I used the brakes while heading down. After a few days, I realized the discs had accumulated some surface rust overnight, and the brake pads were scouring off that buildup.

So it was interesting to read that General Motors has developed a corrosion protection process that superheats the rotors to 560 degrees Celsius for a day and bonds nitrogen atoms to the rotor surface, hardening and strengthening the rotor for longer life and less corrosion.

So far, the technology is used on the Buick LaCrosse and Regal plus the Chevrolet Malibu, Impala, and Volt.

“Doubling the life expectancy of the brake rotor from 40,000 to 80,000 miles is something we think our customers will appreciate,” says GM technical expert Jim Webster.

The surface treatment, called Ferritic Nitro-Carburizing (FNC), is equivalent to one-tenth the width of a human hair. It allows for sufficient braking friction and effective braking performance while providing corrosion protection.

With so many drivers opting for larger, thin-spoke wheels that show off brake hardware such as bright-colored calipers, the rotors stay shiny and rust-free for a longer period. That early-morning scraping, hopefully, will be a sound of the past.

In one Smart-sized swoop, Rinspeed has solved all of our problems with electric cars, cold pizza, and carpenters.

The Swiss concept automaker has released the first photos of its Dock+Go, a detachable, self-powered storage box that sticks on the back of an electric Smart ForTwo. In one instance, the Dock+Go is a second powertrain that extends the Smart's driving range with a rolling battery, hydrogen fuel cell, or better still, a gasoline engine. Instead of a stubby trailer, Rinspeed describes the Dock+Go as an add-on “pack” since it plugs directly into the car’s rear axle to drive the wheels.

David Rosenberg is a manager and co-founder of Prime Motor Group, a collection of 14 car dealers in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine. He started working in the car business with his father, Ira Rosenberg -- who started the Ira Motor Group and the first Hyundai dealer in Massachusetts -- since he was 10 years old.

(Christine Daniloff/MIT News)

For those of us who have no idea what an algorithm is, we’re told it’s a step-by-step procedure for calculations used in data processing and automated reasoning.

These processes run any number of the “smart” systems in today’s automotive world.

Now MIT researchers have devised one that can predict when an oncoming car is likely to run a red light. It’s an achievement with the potential to save many lives.

(Mazda) Click photo for larger version.

Big things and big sales battles come in small packages.

There’s a heavyweight competition — or should we call it a lightweight title fight? — looming between Honda and Ford in the compact SUV segment. And a third wannabe contender, the Mazda CX-5, is tossing its nameplate into that ring.

All three unveiled their latest, and probably greatest, redesigns at last month’s Los Angeles Auto Show. The CR-V hits showrooms in mid-December with Escape coming at the start of 2012 and CX-5 in February.

(All photos: Clifford Atiyeh/Globe Staff). Click photo for larger version.

A group of Range Rover Evoques take to the Vermont trails right after the freak October snowfall.

Everything you’ve heard about Range Rovers is true. They excel in the freakiest situations, say, when there’s a two-foot-deep rut on one side of the road and some raised rocks on the other, with utmost calm.

When the Ranges hug the highway, they’re as suave as SUVs go. But their air suspensions float on a different planet, a world even farther removed from four-car garages and suburbs like Wellesley. In cities where they’re seen most, Range Rovers feel clumsy, almost goofy, as they chuck nearly three tons on the street. Slow steering with the precision of mashed potatoes? True. Induced headaches from all the body wobble and dive? Also true. Not once have they averaged more than 13 mpg in our tests (when $75 Hess charges appear on my credit card, I remind myself it wasn’t theft, but a Range Rover).

Now, there’s a Range with all the comforts and nearly all the capability of the big brutes, but with the footprint of a compact hatch and a promised 28 mpg. But the zippy, little 2012 Evoque is not a concept. It’s Range Rover’s first model to make complete, rational sense. You know, for people living on this planet.