Import Central
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Parallel Parking
Mach 1 For The 21st Century?
20 hours ago
Growing Up Geauga
Is the attraction to cars and speed genetic, or can it be influenced by events in your life? I grew up in Aurora, Ohio, home to Geauga Lake Park, one of the oldest amusement parks around (founded in 1888). My parents would get season passes, and we would go almost every weekend in the summer. I spent much of my youth riding the Double Loop, the Corkscrew, and the Big Dipper.
Just how much of my passion for cars is owed to these great roller coasters? More on Geauga Lake here, here, and here.
Just how much of my passion for cars is owed to these great roller coasters? More on Geauga Lake here, here, and here.
Video Sunday
Since it's sunday, we'll take a trip down memory lane courtesy of YouTube. First up is an old Toyota commercial from 1985.
Again from 1985, it's the commercial that introduced the MR2.
It's the Punch it Margeret! Camry commercial. We still say this today in my family whenever my Mom gets on the gas!
Nissan had some great commercials for the Z, here's two of the best.
Acura did a better job promoting the Integra as a sports car than a luxury car, and the tradition continues with the RSX>
One of my all-time favorites, it's the Nissan Maxima Top Gun pigeons, from the 1997 Superbowl!
And finally, something not car related, but it is relevant to this website. The Dreamcast was the machine that first connected me to the internet.
Again from 1985, it's the commercial that introduced the MR2.
It's the Punch it Margeret! Camry commercial. We still say this today in my family whenever my Mom gets on the gas!
Nissan had some great commercials for the Z, here's two of the best.
Acura did a better job promoting the Integra as a sports car than a luxury car, and the tradition continues with the RSX>
One of my all-time favorites, it's the Nissan Maxima Top Gun pigeons, from the 1997 Superbowl!
And finally, something not car related, but it is relevant to this website. The Dreamcast was the machine that first connected me to the internet.
Office Scoot
The Scooter Scoop brings us a look at some gorgeous lamps created by artist Leopardi Maurizio.
There's a gallery here of more lamps. Of course, $1200 for a lamp is pushing it a little, even if it is art.
There's a gallery here of more lamps. Of course, $1200 for a lamp is pushing it a little, even if it is art.
Impalier
Take a look at the photo. Looks like an Isuzu Impulse with a Chevy badge on the front, but a closer inspection shows something more.
It's a Cavalier with an Impulse front end, and it's done quite well. Check out the owner's CarDomain site.
It's a Cavalier with an Impulse front end, and it's done quite well. Check out the owner's CarDomain site.
Did Bangle Get Hired By Lexus?
One of the distinguishing features of Lexus has been their near perfect dashes over the years. Always elegantly understated, never trendy or gimmicked, but I don't know what to make of the dash on the new ES350.
It just looks wrong, like something you would see in a Daewoo, not a Lexus. I like the previous version a hell of a lot more.
I know Lexus is trying to put more passion into their designs, but this cockpit is a mistake.
It just looks wrong, like something you would see in a Daewoo, not a Lexus. I like the previous version a hell of a lot more.
I know Lexus is trying to put more passion into their designs, but this cockpit is a mistake.
Factory Flag
Toyota factory workers in England made a giant flag from 400 Toyota Yaris's (Yarii??) to encourage their Team to win the World Cup.
Bosses at the plant were 100% behind the idea, not only juggling teams and shifts to make sure the flag was ready but also so that their workers can watch the big game.
The UAW is up in arms! Workers and management cooperating, that's not how it's supposed to happen!!
Bosses at the plant were 100% behind the idea, not only juggling teams and shifts to make sure the flag was ready but also so that their workers can watch the big game.
The UAW is up in arms! Workers and management cooperating, that's not how it's supposed to happen!!
The Sexy Buick?
Finally, after God knows how many years, Buick shows us something sexy! Take a look at the new Enclave.
Autoblog has some interior shots, or you can just go to the official website. First the Solstice, now the Enclave, GM's management may not be in crisis mode, but it looks like the designers and engineers are starting to get the mesage. Let's hope it's not too late.
Autoblog has some interior shots, or you can just go to the official website. First the Solstice, now the Enclave, GM's management may not be in crisis mode, but it looks like the designers and engineers are starting to get the mesage. Let's hope it's not too late.
Your Kung Fu Is Strong
CARkeys has an article on Feng Shui for cars.
Negative energy inside the car can be countered by singing, clapping your hands or playing music "to make a statement that it is now your cleared space and will go forward refreshed and free from past events" (but be careful about playing music through a Bluetooth connection, obviously).
That just about sums it up.
Negative energy inside the car can be countered by singing, clapping your hands or playing music "to make a statement that it is now your cleared space and will go forward refreshed and free from past events" (but be careful about playing music through a Bluetooth connection, obviously).
That just about sums it up.
No Hybrids?
The reviews are coming in for cars, so let the weirdness begin. Manohla Dargis at the New York Times reviewed the film, and came away disappointed. Why? Because there nothing actually alive in the film.
Welcome to Weirdsville, Cartoonland, where automobiles race — and rule — in a world that, save for a thicket of tall pines and an occasional scrubby bush, is freakishly absent any organic matter. Here, even the bugs singeing their wings on the porch light look like itty-bitty Volkswagen beetles.
In fact, Manohla even compares the film to The Terminator!!!
An animated fable about happy cars might have made sense before gas hit three bucks a gallon, but even an earlier sticker date couldn't shake the story's underlying creepiness, which comes down to the fact that there's nothing alive here: nada, zip. In this respect, the film can't help but bring to mind James Cameron's dystopic masterpiece, "The Terminator," which hinges on the violent war of the machine world on its human masters.
Apparently a world ruled by cars is scary to some people, and they feel the need to attack it. Never mind that the vast majority of people feel that their cars are "alive", endowing them with personalities and even names. My recommendation? Go see the movie and enjoy. Unless you're a tree hugging enviromentalist, then go see Who Killed The Electric Car.
Welcome to Weirdsville, Cartoonland, where automobiles race — and rule — in a world that, save for a thicket of tall pines and an occasional scrubby bush, is freakishly absent any organic matter. Here, even the bugs singeing their wings on the porch light look like itty-bitty Volkswagen beetles.
In fact, Manohla even compares the film to The Terminator!!!
An animated fable about happy cars might have made sense before gas hit three bucks a gallon, but even an earlier sticker date couldn't shake the story's underlying creepiness, which comes down to the fact that there's nothing alive here: nada, zip. In this respect, the film can't help but bring to mind James Cameron's dystopic masterpiece, "The Terminator," which hinges on the violent war of the machine world on its human masters.
Apparently a world ruled by cars is scary to some people, and they feel the need to attack it. Never mind that the vast majority of people feel that their cars are "alive", endowing them with personalities and even names. My recommendation? Go see the movie and enjoy. Unless you're a tree hugging enviromentalist, then go see Who Killed The Electric Car.
Gimme More Brands
It's often said that GM has too many brands. Watching the History Channel today, I saw a program on the history of Buick. In the show they mentioned a GM brand called Oakland, so I had to look it up. Turns out that GM has had many brands over the years, including Oakland. There was LaSalle, Marquette, and Viking. Looks like the current crisis isn't the only time that GM has faced the possibility of shedding some brands.
New Paradigm
By now everyone's heard the news about Hyundai's excellent ranking on the latest JD Power quality survey. It used to be that the powerhouses of the sedan world were the Accord, Camry, and Taurus. Now, it's shifted to Accord, Camry, Sonata. Amazing that Hyundai could come from the bottom and work their way to the top.
It took Hyundai only 20 years, shorter than the over 30 years the big three have been trying (and failing). Doh!
It took Hyundai only 20 years, shorter than the over 30 years the big three have been trying (and failing). Doh!
Badge Engineering
World Car Fans has a short article on the origin of the Subaru logo. I knew it represented the Pleiades, but I didn't know Subaru meant unite. Interesting!
