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You are in... Forums > General > Heroes & villains > Print The Legend
Joined:
Dec 06
Posts: 1804
car4mh says:
@Batty, you've awakened some repressed memories with that EA Falcon launch story. Thankfully New Zealand's strict biosecurity laws meant that we had a good excuse to leave our coin purses at the venue (the only exemption to importation of scrotum-based souvenirs is for returning rugby teams, an odd tradition but there nonetheless).
I'm reminded also of the unfortunate situation when Holden launched the VU-series Ute. The choice of AC-DC's rock anthem 'Thunderstruck' was designed to tie in to the sound and fury of the Holden's Chevy-sourced V8 engine. However the outbreak of food poisoning which laid waste to the visiting press corps (traced to some incorrectly-prepared prawn cocktails) means that even now there are antipodean motoring writers who can be sent scurrying to the nearest toiled when the tune is played.
A video of the launch advertisement can be seen here - beloved by many Aussie V8 fans who are blissfully unaware of the Holden PR department's drycleaning and imodium bills at the press launch. Thankfully I had the good fortune to have missed the appetisers at lunch, due to being delayed by my freelance photographer insisting that we find some sheep to appear in the photos. Rather difficult in downtown Melbourne. It was the last time I cut costs by collaborating with the Canterbury Farmer's Gazette, but my bowel at least was grateful.
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Jul 10
Posts: 1976
robinstp says:
Joe - maybe you are too young to remember the American love affair with the "woodies" - I can vouch they were the most banal and disgusting of anything automotive! As for the Prius - I think it was a blue rinse lady owner who had a penchant for DIY and tried to kid her husband that it was an expensive mod after she reversed the stupid thing in Electric mode through the garden wall!
time to move over
About 2 years ago Audi beat the market to a new fad of lighting. Actually, thruth will out - they copied it from a Chinese tractor which was used to spot ready rice in the waterlogged paddies. Amazingly the rest could hardly wait to catch up and there come their neighbours Merc and BMW with their very own versions. This has annoyed the Americans and especially GE who claim to have something electrically historic from a football field. So they have now advanced their latest creation which is, I am told in strictest confidence, going to be placed on top of every VOLT which is sold. This is to prove to everyone that the owner is enlightened and has more design about it that Audi!! Sadly it runs off the main 12V battery which is charged by the normal engines and will stay on, whereas if it used the EV mode the thing would have less visibility than a gloworm after 5 km
I was fascinated to read in Luxo the story about a visit to those odd-bods in Zuffenhausen, Porsche. Operating from their home town and building for a small but devoted clientele, they do have some peculiar ideas about engineering a practical motorcar for touring. To read their new chairman Mr Piech's extensive rationale for the sloping rear roofline which aided aerodynamics but limited rear passenger headroom, and the advantages to packaging and traction of positioning the unorthodox horizontally-opposed engine outside the wheelbase almost had me convinced. Almost. But in the end, why would anyone but the wilfully-odd buy their latest '997' series of touring car when one could have an eminently more sensible Bristol, which offers a much more practical and comfortable car for the touring motorist in a hurry? Surely a devotee of the 'boxer' engine could have the comfortable Subaru SVX with added Japanese reliability and technology, and a nice automatic transmission? Is there any benefit in the multitude of options and different widths of body offered, to anyone but the most particular of bespoke vehicle purchasers? Certainly it is a quaint concept that the latest car shares its shape with the 1960s original, and the recent diversion into farmer's vehicles and a saloon-like five-door tourer may well prove more successful than their two-seater open and closed tourer lines. Yet for some strange reason, there is a perverse appeal to these oddly-shaped tourers (one can hardly call the bug-eyed Germanic car 'grand' in the manner of a Lancia or Bristol) parked amongst the sea of Bristols you encounter in the wealthier neighbourhoods of London. I certainly wish the odd and irascible Mr. Piech well, but perhaps his firm is always destined to be a prisoner of their eccentricities and singular viewpoint.
Nov 09
Posts: 3081
gtrslngr says:
robinstp said: Joe - maybe you are too young to remember the American love affair with the "woodies" - I can vouch they were the most banal and disgusting of anything automotive! As for the Prius - I think it was a blue rinse lady owner who had a penchant for DIY and tried to kid her husband that it was an expensive mod after she reversed the stupid thing in Electric mode through the garden wall!
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robinstp
Your above comment on our Woodies is exposing a very distinct lack of knowledge when it comes to American Cars and our love affairs with them . Woodies banal and disgusting ? I rather think not there Old Bean . More like Classic and Joyful . A blast to own . Even more fun to Hot Rod . And most fun when driven with a bevy of beautiful Surf Bunnies by your side . But being English and now living in Russia that all probably goes just a bit over your head now doesn't it ?
Ahhh the things one misses out on when one is born/lives in the wrong country . Bet all the Antipodes here would agree with me
" I Wish They All Could Be California Girls "
Rock On - Drive On - Remain Calm - and Carry On
Feb 09
Posts: 1795
seant says:
Gtrslngr. Don't you have any pictures without the girls? They're stopping me from getting a good view of the hinge details.
seant said: Gtrslngr. Don't you have any pictures without the girls? They're stopping me from getting a good view of the hinge details.
Everybody's a Critic !
Gtrslngr
That's bettter. Now do you have any pictures of them out of their packing crates?
seant said: Gtrslngr That's bettter. Now do you have any pictures of them out of their packing crates?
OK......... now I'm going to have to hurt you
Gtrslngr.
P.S. You're going off topic! It says 'Print The Legend', not 'Print the Log End'.
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