Review written on 8/1964.
Several months ago I thought to my self. "Calboni should really make a Shooting Brake that is better than the Arrow." Someone at Calboni must of been reading my mind because I got my hands on the latest Arrow and gave it a test spin. I hope it's not as bad as the 469 but the real question is: "How far behind does it lag to the Arrow?"
The first stop with the Calboni Arrow was the track. Where this Shooting Brake performed rather well. We found its 184 hp @ 4560RPMs 4976 cc V4 engine to give a decent response without being overly powerful. Although it's not class leading the Arrow is better than most of its competition on the track. We were able to get the Arrow up to a top speed of 92 mph and hit a 19.073s 0 to 60 mph time. When we hooked it up to our test trailer the 170 lb-ft of torque was able to move 22 lbs. Which was very good for a its class. When it comes right down to it, the Arrow is for good or worse, average, well maybe slightly above average for a Shooting Brake. In the real world the Calboni Arrow could not even handle a U-turn, let alone our beloved test track. Why the hell would engineers at Calboni even put a steering wheel on this train? This has to be one of the worst handling Shooting Brake I have ever driven.
While the Calboni Arrow won't win any awards, It won't turn heads, and it certainly doesn't have a wow factor. The Arrow does have a very well design interior. It may not be top end, but it is more than enough for long trips and everyday drivers. It makes you feel good about life. Without feeling pompous.
The Calboni Arrow gives you a sense of home away from home. With 59 cu-ft of cargo and passenger space the Arrow feels like a second living room. Which was what Calboni was probably thinking when they made this vehicle. "Lets make a vehicle that people could live in." Well Calboni thank you, because after my wife threw me out, this is my new home. And let me tell you, it rocks!
'Spare no expense!' and 'Perfection!' are known to be mottos of Calboni. And they show this off in their Arrow. The build quality is no short of perfectly amazing. Hats off to their hard work.
If you're looking for a car to put on cinder blocks in your front yard, the Calboni Arrow is the vehicle for you. It is that unreliable.
Here is a pro-stock tip. If the Calboni Arrow sells any meaningful number of vehicles, be sure to buy fuel stocks! It's that bad! The Arrow gets an abysmal 14.5 mpg! This is not the vehicle for trying to save money on fuel expenses.
While being safe is important, Calboni did not believe it was a priority in the Arrow. The vehicle does provide enough safety features to be consider average for its class. It does not add anything more than that however.
Some may be able to point to other Shooting Brake and say this is better. This is prettier. This is the best Shooting Brake. But they would be wrong. Because beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Behold the Calboni Arrow it may not be everything for everyone. But it is certainly something for someone.