Chinese blame their notoriously jam-packed streets on all kinds of things, preferably on government-types driving around needlessly in their government-issued cars. This time, it’s different. This traffic jam is caused by young couples who rush to the altar the municipal government building for their nuptials. Why the sudden run on weddings? (Read More…)

In the olden days, you banged your girl, and then got married. In China, as modern as it may be, the big bang is after the wedding ceremony. No Chinese wedding is complete without WWIII – worthy fireworks. The delivery vehicles for the marriage-megatonnage are purpose-converted ‘salute cars.’ As Tycho of Carnewschina tells us, the salute cars “are mostly based on old Beijing-Jeeps, dressed in military style with a big and scary rocket launcher in the back.” (Read More…)

When I called Toyota’s new Aqua / Prius C affordable compact hybrid first a “gamechanger”, then an “engineering feat,” this attracted the attention of self-styled jargon vigilantes. They demanded equal platitudes to be bestowed on domestic models. In the meantime, the Japanese game changer threatens to change Toyota’s best laid plans: It sells ten times better than expected. (Read More…)