I’m not a fan of the guy- but it’s a pretty cool spot.
Category: cars
When is original equipment not quite so original?
Had to share.
Just unboxed a recent order of parts that arrived from China. It happened to be a couple of Volkswagen items- disregard the fact I don’t own a Volksawagen. Anywho…
Very cheap, free shipping, wasn’t expecting much- they’re not critical parts or anything that would cause an accident should they fail. While examining the parts and hardware I noticed the package was clearly marked “Made in Germany.”
Huh?
I pulled the box out of the recyling bin and checked the label. Hmmm, the origin of the contents was marked China on the label.
So I guess the seller either lied about the origin of the parts or they’re counterfeits marked as genuine VW product. I guess this shouldn’t surprise me. After all, they were a quarter of the price quoted by the dealer. But blatantly shipping them with an OEM parts tag from Deutschland just seems wrong.
Fiat Abarth 500 Unveiled
The newest U.S. version of the Fiat 500 debuted at the Los Angeles Auto Show today. A turbocharged version of the 1.4 liter MultiAir engine now offers up 160 HP. The Abarth is slated to arrive at dealers in March 2012.
According to Chrysler’s press release the 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth is:
Staying faithful to the performance principles that made the Abarth name a success, the new Fiat 500 Abarth continues the brand’s motorsport traditions, including:
- Everyday Performance Car
- Track-ready capability, high horsepower-per-liter engine, combined with the quality, efficiency and refinement expected in a world-class small car
- Competitive
- Benchmark levels of performance, track-proven reliability and durability
- Aggressive
- Purposeful and functional performance design, Abarth-tuned powertrain control module (PCM) and performance-tuned exhaust with menacing sound
- Attainable
- State-of-the-art powertrain and chassis technology once limited to premium-priced performance cars
- Racing Heritage
- More than 60 years of performance and competition tuning, including active international series races today
Top Ten Movie Cars?
Winding Road recently published a blurb about the most influential cars in movies. Not “car movies” mind you, but cars in a movie. I clicked the link expecting to see iconic automobiles, which I did.
Along with a couple of head-scratchers. A BMW 5-series from Ronin?
But most noticeable was what the list was lacking.
No mention of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang or Herbie the Love Bug? I’d dare say the Model T from Grapes of Wrath should muster an honorable mention.
In all fairness, they did hit the mark on Vanishing Point and the Mustang from Bullitt. Have a look and see what you think of their list of the Ten Greatest Movie Cars.
Italian Renaissance
Fiat Returns to America
or Everything Old is Nuova Again
It’s no secret. I’m a gearhead, a certified lifer.
My first bicycle was a compilation of parts I’d gathered from neighborhood junk piles. I took apart a Lawn Boy engine at the age of 9. And my first motorcycle was delivered to me on my 14th birthday. In three boxes (turned out Dad had accepted it as payment for back rent from a deadbeat tenant). It took me a few weeks, but I managed to put it back together with a little help from a neighbor with an arc welder.
Turning wrenches, getting greasy or adding needless accessories occupied our spare time. It was the Seventies and that was what teenage boys did.
Continue reading Italian Renaissance