Section: History
Written By: Winding Road Staff
May 15th, 2008 3:30 PM
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In the Bricklin v. Delorean battle of the ages, another round of cannon shots has cut through the cold internet air, begging us once again to pick sides for our favorite non-Mercedes gull wing supercar. While Bricklin and Delorean fans have long accused the other of inferiority, rarely have officials of the companies ever weighed in…until now.
Let’s review:
• Copycat claims: The Bricklin SV-1 debuted in 1974 and went south in 1976. While Delorean was designing his car around the same time, it didn’t go on sale until 1981, giving Bricklin fans the opportunity to claim copycat. Both cars had gull wing doors, positioned themselves as supreme safety exercises, and were mostly government-funded. But, the Bricklin has its engine in the front while the Delorean’s is mounted in the back.
• Delorean’s rebuttal: Delorean privately and publicly denied any connection between the DMC-12 and the Bricklin (or the Lotus Espirit, for that matter). He died in 2005, though, so we’re going to have to think that he’d still call bullshit on Bricklin even today.
• Bricklin openly claims DMC-12 is clone: Malcolm Bricklin gives an interview wherein he claims John Delorean bought the original SV1 prototype after Bricklin’s self-titled car company went into bankruptcy. “He wanted to copy it in every way….John Delorean’s car is the exact car that I rejected and still have that prototype that was designed in 1972.”
Watch the interview after the jump
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Written By: Seyth Miersma
May 15th, 2008 10:35 AM
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Toyota announced today that worldwide sales of its Prius hybrid have passed the 1 million mark, with 1,028,000 examples of the iconic car sold as of the end of April 2008.
Launched in Japan in 1997 with global sales beginning in 2000, the Prius really only started to become a major hit for Toyota when the drastically revised second-generation car went on sale in 2003. The Japanese automaker speculates that, when compared with gasoline powered vehicles of the same size and class, the Prius has spared the world from an extra 4.5 million tons of CO2 emitted into the atmosphere.
The popularity of the car, in concert with a rapidly changing automotive marketplace, has helped to revolutionize how automakers approach the idea of “green” vehicles. Prius was the world’s first mass-produced gas-electric hybrid vehicle; a class in which almost every major automaker today can claim to produce a product in.
(Click through the jump for Toyota’s official press release or on the thumbnails below for a few different imaginings of the Prius.)
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Written By: Seyth Miersma
May 14th, 2008 12:30 PM
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Though there’s not a lot to write about here, just that the good stewards at Japanese Nostalgic Car (a must-read for the JDM obsessed) have provided a wealth of succulent photos from the recent Bangkok Nostalgic Car Show. The stunning Skyline GT-R in our lead photo is just a taste of what lies within the huge gallery below; sure to please any fan of vintage Japanese metal, or fender-mounted side-view mirrors. Indulge and then tell us which is your favorite, in comments.
+ Japanese Nostalgic Car
Written By: Seyth Miersma
May 8th, 2008 12:30 PM
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Whether or not you’re stirred by Hyundai’s new Genesis sedan, or more probably the rear-drive Genesis Coupe, it hard to argue that the company hasn’t made massive strides in a relatively short period of time.
While holding court with a group of journalists at a lunch in Namyang, South Korea, Hyundai President of Research and Development, Dr. Hyun-Soon Lee, reflected on the company’s origins and its future. Lee pointed out that when Hyundai was young it relied on Mitsubishi to supply it with basic four-cylinder powerplants for its vehicles. These days however, the Korean automaker actually supplies engine technology for the 2.0-liter and 2.4-liter units of both Mitsubishi and Chrysler, building around 1.7 million such in 2007.
Interestingly Lee also told a story about a meeting with Dr. Dieter Zetsche of Mercedes-Benz, at this year’s Beijing Auto Show. Zetsche had announced that he would like the prestigious three-pointed star to partner with Hyundai for four-cylinder engines. Reflecting Lee said, “I am not sure we want to share our technology.” And the world turns.
+ Automobile: Hyundai: from borrowing engines from Mitsubishi to providing them for Mercedes-Benz
If you’ve got an idea for Question of the Day, a funny photo for Caption It, or just want to share a news tip, let us know at windingroadtips@gmail.com
Written By: Winding Road Staff
May 8th, 2008 11:20 AM
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Spring mornings don’t start out much better than this. Nevermind the persistent April drizzle and the mist rising from Michigan’s Huron River. We’ve just been handed the keys to a mint 1990 Porsche 928 S4 with marching orders from a very understanding classic car owner.
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Written By: Seyth Miersma
May 1st, 2008 9:40 AM
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Massimo Vignelli designed a diagram of the New York City subway system in 1972 that has been almost universally recognized as a classic and beautiful piece of civic design. Using simplified train paths running in only 45- and 90-degree angles, vibrant colors, and Helvetica type, the NYC map became the a trend setter for urban planners worldwide.
Now Vignelli has redesigned his seminal work, taking into account three-decade’s worth of change around the Big Apple. Fans of design, public transportation, or those who just really heart NYC, can celebrate the new map as well, with a limited edition 36” x 45” version that’s suitable for display. The maps run $500 but are going to be limited to only 500 copies, and are signed by the designer himself.
Check out the redesign of the subway map below the jump (that’s the original up top) and let us know which you prefer, in comments.
+ Uncrate: New York City Subway Diagram 2008
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Written By: Seyth Miersma
April 30th, 2008 5:28 PM
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1966 Chevrolet (Shhh, it’s really a GMC) Dale Earnhardt Tribute Van, complete with:
- Advanced checkered flag theme
- Three Intimidator murals, A Portrait of Dale, The Crash, and The Big Oval In The Sky
- Extra creepy Jesus head
- Several platitudes
- American flag topper
- Two-tone Pergo flooring with Chevy “bow tie” inset
- Carpeted walls
- Wall of NASCAR with twin speakers
- A thousand tiny reminders that life is sad, glorious, and ultimately too short
- “Only going up in value”
+ eBay Motors: 1966 Chevy Other
Written By: Seyth Miersma
April 30th, 2008 2:00 PM
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Everyone’s favorite British off-road brand, Land Rover, celebrates its 60th birthday today. The company has come a long way from war wagons, to icons of social status, to a new chapter under Indian owners. We thought we’d help kick off the diamond anniversary party for the storied marque with a few gratuitous Landie galleries. Enjoy them below!
Written By: Seyth Miersma
April 27th, 2008 4:40 PM
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BMW has officially released some images of its new super car concept that draws on the heritage of the legendary M1, appropriately dubbed the M1 Homage.
The Homage trades heavily on the iconic features of the original M1, while still incorporating enough new shapes and modern hotness to avoid looking even a bit “retro” (okay, maybe the louvered rear window is a little bit of a throwback, but you get the idea). BMW has done an especially nice job with the translation of the double kidney grille, incorporating it with the headlights and front intake in a blacked-out fascia that looks decidedly evil. We’re also huge fans of the new wave “cheese grater” wheels and the double roundels at the rear corners.
Have a look at the M1 Homage below and leave us your thoughts, in comments.
+ Autoblog: Modern Retro: BMW M1 Homage officially revealed
If you’ve got an idea for Question of the Day, a funny photo for Caption It, or just want to share a news tip, let us know at windingroadtips@gmail.com
Written By: David Yang
April 25th, 2008 2:30 PM
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Streetcars, the predominant mode of public transportation in Beijing from the 1920s to 1960s, will be back on track starting May 1st. The Beijing municipal government recently decided to kick off a streetcar line in the Qianmen, or the “Front Gate” area right before the Olympics, a move apparently aiming to attract visitors.
“I remember the ticket price was only 3 cents,” said Bai Yuzhen, a retired senior Beijinger, “We call them Diang Diang car at the time, as it runs with the crunching “diang diang” sound. The capital of China used to have seven trolley lines, all in the center of the city. The last line died in the May of 1966 during the Cultural Revolution. “The new trolleys are apparently not for people like me,” Bai noted, “They [the government] demolished almost all the old Gates of Beijing and have rebuilt them in recent years. It’s good that they trying to recover what’s been lost, but what’s the point of destroying them at the beginning? I hope they can focus more on those disappearing old Hutongs (alley ways) and Siheyuans (courtyards) in the city. It’s ridiculous to ignore those old architectures being demolished now and have them rebuilt years later.”
Old streetcars can now still be found in Dalian, Chang Chun and a few other cities in China’s northeast area, which presumably can attract more tourists than their newborn siblings.
If you’ve got an idea for Question of the Day, a funny photo for Caption It, or just want to share a news tip, let us know at windingroadtips@gmail.com
Written By: Winding Road Staff
April 24th, 2008 12:00 PM
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Lime Rock Park is to motorsport fans what Wrigley Field is to lovers of stick-and-ball sport: a monument to a time when all eyes were surely trained on the prize, but before over-the-top commercialism reared its ugly head.
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Written By: Seyth Miersma
April 23rd, 2008 1:00 PM
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The new Jaguar XF, a gift from Ford to the luxury carmaker’s next owner, finally cracks the code of a suitable style for future cars from the leaping cat. We take an inside look at Jaguar’s past and present design techniques.
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Next >
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