Beijing’s war on the ICE notwithstanding, auto sales in China rose by 5.36 percent in March. That is the headline from a Sunday afternoon press conference held by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM). More than 60 journalists were poised to report that for the first time any of them could remember, the Chinese market did sink. But it went the other way. Still up. (Read More…)
Chevrolet do Brasil has shown pictures of its updated S10. In what has become somewhat of a norm for this market, the truck will be debuted at the Thailand Auto Show (according to Brazilian ehthusiast site webmotors.com.br). Once in Brazil, the new S10 will substitute both the South American and the Asian model (known as Colorado).
GM targets its more expensive rivals this time. (Read More…)
China’s Chery has sent an intercontinental missile to pop the Brazilian market’s cherry. Though so for some glitch not available at the dealer in my city, the QQ is already on sale in São Paulo and Rio. To keep dealers well stocked (according to the Brazilian enthusiast site webcars.com.br), another shipment of one thousand cars is on the high seas, and on a fast vector towards the Brazilian coast. (Read More…)
Some nutcase on a big wheel trike beat a bus in a mile-long race in midtown Manhattan—by an absolutely incredible two minutes and 38 seconds.Meshugina Mark Malkoff, the comedian best known for living in the Ikea off the New Jersey Turnpike between exits 13 and 14 for an entire week; for visiting all 171 skcubratS in Manhattan in less than 24 hours, and buying something from each, and eating or drinking it; and for disappointing his mother by refusing even to apply to medical school (I made that last up, but logic dictates that it had to have happened) accomplished this feat on a Razor Rip Rider 360, obeying all traffic signals, and averaging 4.7 mph. The bus averaged 3.8 mph, which, as Mark pointed out in the video, is slower than a brisk walker, a skate boarder, someone on a pogo stick, or a snail riding on the back of a turtle. Not to name-drop, but Malkoff just happens to be my sister-in-law, Alison’s first cousin once removed. Which makes him my first cousin-in-law, once removed. (Read More…)
New Jersey Motorsports Park has a very fast road course that lets most LeMons drivers keep the hammer down much of the time… and that means stuff is going to break. Lots of stuff. (Read More…)
The weather went from rainy to nice, and the high speeds seen at New Jersey Motorsports Park took their toll on the field-O-hoopties today. The engine carnage was overwhelming (more on that later), but some cars kept all their connecting rods where they belonged; at the end of the day, the Team Pro-Crass-Duh-Nation Alfa Romeo Milano held the lead. A pair of BMW E30s lurks close behind the Alfa, so there ought to be plenty of excitement when the green flag waves on Sunday morning. (Read More…)
It’s long form Saturday! Most of you probably thought you would never see the day Bertel writes a fiery manifesto for the Electric Car. Today is your day.
Yesterday, we were first to run with the story that Beijing most likely will become EV capital of the world. Not because Beijing scientists have developed the miracle battery. Not because Chinese EVs suddenly go 400 miles on a single charge. Physics did not change. Beijing changes. Months ago, new car buyers in Beijing stopped dreaming about buying a new car.That dream was shattered. Now suddenly, an EV has become the only car a new car buyer can buy and drive tomorrow. Or on Monday. If one would be on sale. Here is what happened: (Read More…)
I was four the first time I rode across the country, from Menlo Park to Cambridge, sharing the back of the 1950 Studebaker with my older brother, Tom, and Mab, the 75 pound Airedale. Mab sometimes stretched across the back seat, pushing us onto the floor, but I digress, partly because I want the reader to know that I actually remember that trip. I also remember the aneurism in the tire, in Utah, and my fear as we approached the Holland tunnel, which my father had explained went under water, and my amazement as we sped dry through that marvel.
Other automotive firsts…
This is the first in an infrequent series of pieces that take a step back from breathless blogging. They look at a phenomenon over the longer term, they have more in-depth research, they are hence a bit longer. We will run them on weekends, when some may have the time for 1,200 or more words.
Imagine, if you dare, you live in China’s capital, Beijing. It’s a nice place, actually. The population of Australia crammed into one sprawling city. Good food. Nice people. Great nightlife. As cities go, it covers a lot of space. Beijing proper is a bit less the size of Kuwait.
Now imagine you have your eyes set on a new car. Chery QQ, Chevy Escalade, whatever. What do you have to do to get behind the wheel? You have to win the lottery. Not to buy the car, a QQ goes for a few grand. You need to win the lottery for the same thing that keeps felons employed back home: A small piece of blue and white tin, a license plate.
Your chances of winning are rotten. Imagine you go to Vegas, you put a chip on a single number. If that number comes up on the first spin of the wheel, you may buy a car. If not: Better luck next month, ta-dah!
Next! (Read More…)
When we come to LeMons races in the Northeast, we can count on seeing plenty of rusty race cars, and on seeing numerous dudes in maybe-not-so-ironic wifebeater shirts. Never before, however, have we seen so many ridiculous engine swaps in one race. During the BS Inspection, which serves to punish cars deemed to have blown past the $500 spending limit, we saw a (very) poor man’s TR8, a supercharged GM 3800 in a Bradley GT, a couple of Camry V6-powered MR2s, and much more! (Read More…)
The sun is shining into the shrouded windows here at TTAC HQ, seriously tempting me away from the computer for the first time since Oregon’s long, grey winter set in. In celebration of the fine weather and the impending weekend, we continue our March sales coverage by taking a look at the cars we call “weekend toys.” There’s no real rhyme or reason to this “segment,” as it spans a variety of sizes and price points. So rather than seeing this as a segment of directly-competing models, just think of it as an update on the world of (relatively) irrational vehicle purchases. The chart above represents the most popular vehicles that we think qualify as sufficiently irrational… hit the jump for an extended chart, including the higher-priced, lower-volume models.
Saab’s inability to pay suppliers led it to request a release of some of its debt collateral by Sweden’s National Debt Office, reports Reuters. The NDO has loaned Saab €400m, but with its Russian backer Vladimir Antonov still unable to inject cash into the company, Saab was forced to ask for some of its NDO loan collateral in order to cover its supplier debts. But, according to another Reuters report, NDO spokesfolks say
It is clear what the problem is and everyone possible is trying to solve the problem… a solution to the problem had seemed in sight, but that in the end it did not work out.
The NDO says it will keep working with Saab, and the automaker predicts a resolution by next week (without offering any further details). After a year of independence from GM, the Swedish brand could well be reaching the end of the line.
When I was car shopping back in 2006 the Lexus IS350 found its way to the top of my spreadsheet, and I do mean spreadsheet. With anal resolve I had evaluated 8 vehicles, scored them, photographed them, ranked them and the IS350 came in second. What was first? A Volvo V70R (apples and oranges, I […]
Better get used to this: Barely had Toyota announced that it will reopen its Japanese plants, then Toyota U.S.A. chimes in and says: “We are shutting down.” Welcome to the supply chain gang. Toyota is running its N.A. vehicle plants on what they call “a reduced schedule.”
Meaning: (Read More…)
If there’s one factor that most dims enthusiasm for cars, it’s probably traffic. The frustration, misanthropy and waste engendered by traffic are such that it would come as no surprise to learn that traffic-related stress causes a number of health problems. But, according to a study by the World Health Organization [PDF here], you don’t even need to be stuck in traffic to be negatively affected by it. According to a WHO press release,
Traffic-related noise accounts for over 1 million healthy years of life lost annually to ill health, disability or early death in the western countries in the WHO European Region. This is the main conclusion of the first report assessing the burden of disease from environmental noise in Europe, released today by WHO/Europe. Noise causes or contributes to not only annoyance and sleep disturbance but also heart attacks, learning disabilities and tinnitus.
Traffic: the not-so-silent killer?
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