December 20: Santa's new ride?

Some blogs are worth repeating, so today I'll share with you once again a Christmas blog from several years ago........

 Ah, the traditional pic of Santa Claus, wending his way across the globe, dropping off his cherished gifts to all the good little boys and girls. But as you all know, I'm a car guy, so I like to think that, I can provide Santa with a much better ride, at least in my imagination. When re-imagining the old sleigh, one has to be practical, since the old fellow has to carry millions of toys in the back. How he gets them in his sack, I have no idea. Do you think that, he keeps shuttling back and forth to the North Pole, whenever he runs out? Or maybe the elves, like Amazon, have warehouses strategically placed around the globe? Either way, we put our thinking caps on. The result? My buddy, the Car Modelling Cat (CMC), and I have come up with an idea. Actually, we built Santa's new ride for him.

First off, we had to give this some serious thought. Here is the CMC mulling over the route we would take during the building process, in order to give Santa his ultimate (in our opinion) ride..........

What would work best, keeping in mind that the reindeer were aging and might not be able to pull that old sleigh for too much longer? Anyone who thinks that, we take this on lightly, should think again. Something practical, something fast, something traditional and of course, something red. So with this in mind, we present to you the 2014 Santa Rod...........

Very red and being a panel truck, there is all the room needed for those millions of toys. Speed? Of course, a little magic helps, but it is no doubt aided by a big block, high horsepower motor under that classic hood.

Traditional? Sure, check out that classic wood paneling, carefully and lovingly applied, panel by panel. The CMC leaves this detail work to me, as she dislikes getting paint on her paws (can you blame her?).

What jolly ol' guy wouldn't love to get in this ride on Christmas eve, crank it up and head out, loaded with good cheer and tons of toys? One more thing, it's enclosed, so Santa can keep warm and no more noxious gases coming from the hind quarters of those hard working geriatric reindeer.

 This is just our idea, but to legitimize it, we actually needed to consult ol' St. Nick himself, to see what he would think of his re-imagined Christmas eve ride. After the CMC and I explained the concept, we received this hardy endorsement..........

Now, really, does it get any better than this?

Thank you for reading my blogs over the past year. I hope that you have enjoyed them, as much as I have enjoyed writing them. Now is the time for me to take a Christmas break until January 8th (someone, somewhere is breathing a sigh of relief).

Wherever you are, all the best for the holiday season.

Until January 8th........

December 18: Back to the past

The words Meaty, Beaty, Big and Bouncy (with apologies to The Who), might well describe this Lincoln Continental from way back in 1960, the relative Stone Age for cars. Heck, these days, a couple of year old car is technically out of date, but I digress. Lines and angles all over the place, a dying gasp to the design excesses of the late 1950's.

So how do you follow up, one of the biggest and most outrageous cars to ever come out of Detroit? Would you think to go in the exact opposite direction? Most of us wouldn't.

What did the folks at Lincoln do? Behold.......

Not a line out of place and much smaller than it's predecessor. Quite the transformation. But it's remembered for a significant design feature, that in today's market only Rolls-Royce still uses, suicide doors.......

The benefit? I guess they make entry and exit into the back seat a little easier. Anyway, the reason I bring this up, is because Lincoln has just announced an extremely limited edition for 2019, the 80th Anniversary Coach Door Edition Continental. I sure hope that it is spelled out in chrome somewhere on this latest Lincoln land yacht. What makes it so special? Any guesses?

Suicide doors. Absolutely! That one was too easy. This is Lincoln's throw back to the by gone glory days of the early '60's, when presidents rode in (and died in) new Lincolns.

Although this type of door was only used for nine years, it created an image of very distinguished Lincolns, that apparently has lingered until the present day, fifty years further on. They might as well do this, as there is little else to bring back from the past. The vinyl roof? The spare tire hump (Google it, please)?

Of course, this new 80th ACDEC has the prerequisite gorgeous interior, fit for a budding rap star, as Toronto's own, superstar rapper Drake wouldn't stoop to buy something this inexpensive.......

Which brings us to a few small details. How many will they make? Word is that only 80 will be produced as 2019's and maybe 2020's. As an aside, how many optometrists will wait to buy a 2020 vehicle? Moving right along...........Ford hasn't yet released a price, but considering that it is a bigger car than the current Continental, has had a major reworking and only eighty will be built, it has to be considerably more than the "regular" Connie. Guesses? Heck, it's only a Lincoln, so I'd say $100k CDN dollars. Remember this day and that estimate.

 And in case you were wondering, the suspension has three settings........normal, sport and comfort. I could make all sorts of comments, but I'll just leave it at sport??? in a Continental? Maybe the chauffeur has aspirations?

 No question that the Continental is an attractive car and its design does sort of harken back to days gone by, but maybe they should have treated an suv to this feature? Maybe they will.

But while we wait, those with the cash and the desire to have the very latest Lincoln Continental (there must be 80 somewhere) can leave a deposit at their local dealer. And please no fighting in line.

Until next time......

December 14: Hearts were broken

Please say it ain't so, Joe. Please, please tell me that this is all a bad dream. Please, please, please ease my aching heart.

This sleek and angular rear engined Corvette has been delayed. I blogged about this much anticipated new, and for Corvette, revolutionary model last year. Everyone expected that this new direction model would be introduced at the 2018 Detroit auto show. Then possibly New York, but more informed pundits, expected it might be overseas, in order to give this car international cred. Then the spotlight shone on Detroit for 2019. It had been seen numerous times in testing guise, so it had to be right around the corner.

Why the anticipation? Obviously because front engined sportscars are a vanishing breed, so to keep up with the competition, rear or mid-engine is the way to go. Corvette has come a very long way, to the point where most unbiased testers rank it among the best performing supercars on our little blue planet. Time to take the next step.

Corvette has had some history playing around with this engine placement for over fifty(!!!) years. Sometimes we thought a new model would be close, only to be pulled back at the last minute or maybe never actually even intended for production. Tease us, we love it!

A brief history in pictures......

Recognize the famous grey haired gent in the middle? 

All of these could have made it into production (except maybe that sauna inducing red bubble top). The point being, Corvette has played around with this concept forever, but only as a concept until recently.

Now the folks at Chevrolet are serious. They have the bit in their teeth and are going after a real production model, that would raise Corvette's stature yet again. The camo'd model was even seen testing at the famed Nurburgring. Only a matter of time we said. We hoped.

And that still might be  the case, but after a couple of years of testing, the engineers have found a problem. Something to do with the electrical system. Gee, only after a couple of years of running what seem to be near production models, this arises? Now the intro has been delayed. No Detroit. No Geneva. No New York. Detroit 2020?

Is it possible that the delay might be forever? Maybe this is all we'll ever see of this long hoped for new model.........

Say it ain't so, Joe. And keep those fingers crossed. Oh, and if you know anything about cars' electrical systems, please give Chevrolet a call.

Until next time.......

December 11: Blame Tesla!

Blame that dam upstart Tesla for the proliferation of companies planning to bring an electric vehicle to market. Why? Because for years no one had started a new car company. No, that's incorrect. Several had tried to start a new car company and failed. No one seemed to realize that once you've raised more than enough money to begin mass production, you'll need even more and then even more. Tesla, the ambitious outlier, has run into these money issues. Even after several years of selling thousands upon thousands of cars and suvs, Tesla has yet to be able to take money to the bank as opposed to taking it from the bank.

Which brings us to the latest new EV introduction at the recent LA Auto Show, the Rivian. What and who are these Rivian folks? Basically they are a tech company in Michigan employing about 600 people, which might be a tenth of what they'll need in the short term. So being ambitious and as smart (or smarter) than Tesla, Rivian showed their two new rides (supposedly) due out in a couple of years........

R1T

R1S

Learning from the pros, that a snappy and unforgettable name is not necessary, they astutely are calling their new vehicles the R1T and R1S. Give me a friggin' break. I can hear the conversation now........."So, Alexa, is that your new R1T?"........."No, it's the R1S". Let's hope they don't plan on a entire line of alphabet soup cars.

Back to these electric adventure vehicles (Rivian's description, not mine). These good looking pieces are priced in the sweet spot, so that the well off can buy them rather than a Tesla and still have cache'. Both are supposed to start around $70k USD give or take a thousand or three. Production is two years away, so we'll wait anxiously for the real prices. Often the initial figures are dope smokin' numbers.

Where else would one find an electric adventure vehicle, but frolicking off road. Off the grid, but not so far off of it, that the R1T will run out of juice.

Being electric, the pick-up doesn't need that traditional longer front end, so along with the suv, this will be for additional carrying capacity under a power operated hood (just like the tailgates). And check out that neat pass thru for your golf clubs, your cat or a body. Rivian is trying to think of everything.

Like all electrics, the Rivians are faster than an insulting Donald Trump tweet and considerably more useful. Style is always subjective, but you won't mistake the snoot of either of these Rivians for anything else on or off the road........

Different for the sake of being different? Reminds me of a toy, but hey, I'm not their clientele.

So, back to blaming Tesla. Let's make a note on our 2020 calendars to check back with Rivian to see how they are progressing. Will they still be in the hunt, or like Lucid Motors, slowly and painfully grinding to a halt in Never-Never Land?

Until next time........

December 7: Electrifying - part 87

It's drop dead gorgeous. See one go by and I always pause to check it out. Even that hideous gold chrome wrapped one, that I see way too often. More lines on this thing than a 3rd grader can count, but they all work. And it's electric......

BMW i8 - stunning

Just goes to show you that BMW designers know how to put pencil (remember them?) to paper or whatever they use these days. Their electric creation gives the lovely Tesla S a run for it's money in the electric car beauty contest. But does lightning strike twice? Take a look at the i3, which was introduced at the same time and let me know.......

BMW i3 - stunned

Again with more lines than that 3rd grader can count, but in this case they go all over the darn place. A confession.......my dear wife thinks it looks cute. A Miss Congeniality winner for sure.

Like all the car companies, the electric flood gates are opening, which means more new products that can avoid gas stations, except when they need a wash. BMW has called upon those i3 designers to work their black magic on the next addition to their electric line up, the appropriately named iNext........

Smart that it is an suv. The design? Well, it's different. Looks like those i3 boys have a fondness for lines which are, hey, let's be kind and just say that they are unconventional. Is that good or bad? You decide, sister, after all it will be your money.

And to a self acknowledged automotive historian like yours truly, it bears a passing resemblance to this well known and unfortunate blast from the past.........

Have the i3 guys been checking the history books?

BMW is a bit of an enigma. They pull beautiful designs like the i8 and the new 8 Series out of their hat, then they drop something like the iNext on an unsuspecting and unprepared public. Good ol' BMW, what are they thinking (or smoking)?

Until next time.......

December 4: Another season ends

Cliche' of the day.......how things have changed.

Case in point..........all is quiet on the major F1 tracks of the world, as another championship season draws to a close and those huge car haulers carry their race cars back home to prepare for 2019. Each team has several of these purpose built behemoths, that will now be cleaned up and readied for yet another grueling race season starting in a few short months.

As you might expect it wasn't always like this, although the very best teams did have their own custom made haulers, while the lesser ones made due with what they could afford "off the shelf".

Looking back to some earlier carriers, first from Porsche.........

 While the cars are loaded up top, the oily bits are stored below, so everything can get to the track in one neat package. The drivers back in the day, weren't jetting around from track to track, like they are today. Back then, some might actually have driven the team truck (try that Lewis Hamilton). Contrast this to the huge carriers being used today, with as many as four trucks per team. Of course, the teams' money is now cubic.

Compare this '50's Fiat hauler built for Ferrari to the ones above, quelle difference?

Restored

If you have a good memory, you'll recall this famous Scottish racing team........

 ......who put Jaguars on the track back in the '50's for a variety of famous drivers, including that wee Scotsman, Jackie Stewart. Slick looking car carrier, but those valuable cars were still exposed to the elements.

BRM had that covered, since their cars were, well, covered.........

A few of these old custom haulers are still around and have been restored, such as this one built for BRM, the Ferrari truck and also Ecurie Ecosse's.

Interesting stuff, but the best one of all, goes back to Mercedes in the '50's. Unusual, as you can see and often referred to as the Blue Wonder........

Not quite restored, as the original has been long gone for years, but with the benefit of the original factory specs, drawings and tons of modern day coin, this brand new old transporter was built again. The original had a Mercedes sportscar motor, that could propel this oddity to its top speed of 106 mph. Like to attempt that with a race car attached?

How things have changed. 

Until next time........

November 30: Really Toyota?

Anyone familiar with racing knows these initials and knows that they stand for Toyota Racing Development. These are the guys that get involved in Toyota's NASCAR effort, off roading, Le Mans and anywhere else where Toyota puts rubber to the road in anger. After a few years of racing successes, the TRD name has real street cred among enthusiasts.

TRD is pretty exciting stuff, so imagine my surprise, when I see that they are doing up a Camry for 2019 to further enhance this car line's well known sporting reputation......

Of course, the Camry has no sporting reputation, except in NASCAR, where a generic body has Camry decals added over a tube chassis. But hey, give Toyota marks for trying to move this model into an area where those wanting a bit more spirited driving can consider the Camry, along with the Accord or Mazda6. And to be fair, the sport model of the '18 Camry was far far better than any past model had ever been. So TRD was the next logical step.

But that's not the really big announcement from Toyota and TRD. Wait for it............recognize this corner carving machine from the Toyota stables?

I can see the head scratching going on, as you wonder how you've missed identifying this wunderkar from across the Pacific. Do these pictures help a bit........

Of course, it's that famous seniors' dream ride, the Avalon. Known for its size, its comfort, its reliability (it's a Toyota after all) and its ability to handle any corner at walking speed. And now TRD has added it to their roster of hotted up models.

Come on guys, get serious. 

Is there one even person on this planet who has ever requested a performance Avalon? And just how popular is the Avalon even among its target market? In Canada, up to the end of October of this year, each of the 285 Toyota dealers in Canada sold a grand total of 1.89 Avalons. Not each month, but in total. They couldn't even sell a total of two! Maybe this massaging by TRD can push those sales per dealer to 2.2 or even 2.5. Wow, it boggles the mind.

So folks, if you were wondering what it would be like to put wheels on your sofa and tune it up a touch, your ride is ready. Please don't knock over any seniors in your rush to be first in line.

Until next time.......

November 27: Reach for the sky!

Appropriate that after being in Florida for a few days with its sun, sand and lots of old cars, that this blog should be about one of those vintage classics.

Reach for the sky! A weary old phrase, that was uttered in more than a few old western movies from times gone by, but it might also have referred to those appendages rising from the rear fenders of all the cars from the late 1950's. Another history lesson, Barry? Not quite, but an introduction to the Car Modeling Cat's (CMC) and my latest scale build, this 1959 Cadillac Eldorado coupe........

The absolute maximum fin, that literally reached for the sky. Cadillac was obviously proud of what they had wrought and featured it prominently in their ads........

 Big, bold and brassy, the ultimate expression of a short lived '50's styling trend, since within a mere twenty four months, those fins were shaved off of most cars. Cadillac held onto theirs for a few more years, but that's another story for another time.

This over the top design appealed to the CMC and me, since we love those 1950 and 1960 designs, as you have probably noticed from earlier blogs showing our handy work. Ah, nothing gets the creative juices flowing like big fins and lots of chrome.

You can see her below pondering her next move, as our build progresses.

What a cat!

Longtime readers will know that we try to duplicate exactly the full size car, but in 1/24th scale. Not always easy when our dreamboat is loaded with chrome and those wild appendages, but this comparison shows that we come very, very close......

Hard to believe that this top of the line Caddy actually showed restraint in the designers' ladling on of chrome.

Is it real or Memorex?

Do we long for the good old days? Ha! Not a chance. Those big boats would have been hard to park, hard to control and used gas like we had our own personal oil well. What I do miss is product identity. Back then not one car resembled another. These days, of course, design cues get copied from car to car, manufacturer to manufacturer with no apologies. Such is life.

On the edge of your seat wondering about our next build? Doubtful, but we are moving forward with a leap into the early '70's. Stay tuned.

Until next time......