Cars – Page 13 – Splendid Isolation

Wrongly Blamed

February 8, 2024 Kim du Toit Drive Time, Eco-Crap

Rowan Atkinson has been blamed by the House of Lords for the plunge in sales of electric cars. The Mr Bean actor, 69, described the green machines as ‘a bit soulless’ in a comment piece he penned in June last year.
The Lord’s environment and climate change committee has since been told the actor was partly to blame for ‘damaging’ public opinions on electric vehicles (EVs).

Not that the opinions of the House of Lords should be taken seriously — on just about any topic — but it’s ridiculous to blame Atkinson for a sales slump of cars that are manifestly not fit for purpose (in so many ways).

“Soulless” is the least of the reasons why not to buy a fucking Duracell car, and most certainly so when one recalls Mr. Bean’s habitual choice of vehicle:

And lest we forget, he was also an “early adopter” of the EV type:

…and by the way, it was to this thing he was referring.

No man should. Not even Mr. Bean.

Looker

February 2, 2024 Kim du Toit Drive Time

Reader George K. writes:

“When I was in high school, the scion of one of the wealthy industrial families in my hometown returned from heading the European division with a Mercedes 190SL roadster in British Racing Green. I still think it is one of the sexiest cars I have ever seen.
The 190SL doesn’t get the love it deserves because most people have never seen one (I don’t think that many were sold in the U.S.), plus it was always overshadowed by its 300SL big brother.”

The only knock on the 190SL was that it was underpowered — certainly true when compared to the 300SL. But like Reader George, I love its looks:

Also, unlike most sports cars, the 190’s trunk is large enough to hold several rifle cases (or golf clubs, if you’re of that persuasion).

Want.

Half-Century

January 31, 2024 Kim du Toit Drive Time

Here’s an interesting question posed by Jalopnik (no link, fuck ’em, the woke assholes):

We’re talking (say) 1970-1974 here, and no extensions either way. Fortunately, the average age of my Readers being 75+, the early ’70s should be easily remembered, assuming of course that we can actually remember that time and not have lapsed into total senility (like me).

Early 70s… oh yeah,in my case that would be the last two years of high school and the first two years of college failure. Easy-peasy.

And if you can’t remember what cars were available back then, here’s a little list which might help. (Remember: cut-off date is 1974.)

Remember: “daily drive” means it can’t fall to pieces after 10 miles (which should rule out most Fiats, Alfa Romeos and pretty much all British Leyland cars). Assume they’re brand new off the showroom floor, in the standard configuration of the time, unmodified. And to make things more interesting, you get to pick three: one for you, one for your wife and a weekend / “date” car. (Yeah, I’ve bent the rules a little. Whatever.)

Here are mine:

Quote Of The Day

January 29, 2024 Kim du Toit QOTD

…on the topic of EVs (especially trucks), in Knuckledragger’s Comments section:

“These pieces of shit are nothing more than virtue-signaling tools for Liberal assholes. It’s all bullshit thrown out to control the ignorant masses. Fuck the planet. Live for today and go out to buy a 5-liter high-octane V8 powered rig.”

Works for me.

In (my) Comments today: which “5-liter high-octane V8 powered rig” would y’all recommend right now?

Auction Results

January 27, 2024 Kim du Toit Beauty, Drive Time

I know that everyone will be curious to see the results of last Thursday’s Sotheby’s Arizona 2024 auction (as referenced here) in Scottsdale.

My big boo-hoo:

Some bastard stole my car from me. Shit. (I wonder whether I’d have bid on the beautiful thing, had I won the lottery earlier…)

See what your pick would have set you back — here are the final auction sales.

All-American Road Trip

January 27, 2024 Kim du Toit Drive Time, Gratuitous Chick Pics

I think I’ve tortured everybody enough with my various dream road trips whether in France, Italy or Western Europe in general. There’s only been one in the U.S., but even that involved furrin cars and -women.

So am I going to quit? Hell, no!

Today’s trip is going to be All-American, in that the choice of car and female companion will feature no foreign entanglements* of any kind.

The trip?

Actually, you have a choice there too: U.S. 1 (and 1A where available) along the East Coast, from Miami – Bar Harbor ME:

…and U.S. 101 (the Pacific Coast Highway/PCH) along the West Coast from San Diego to Seattle:

The East Coast trip is nearly 400 miles longer, and if you wish, you could skirt NYFC (or add to your pain by doing a loop around Long Island).

You can do the trip north – south or vice-versa (please specify which), and at a time of year which suits you (do tell). The only hard and fast rule is to avoid interstate highways wherever possible. The goal is to keep the shoreline on the side of the car as much as you can. You may go through any of the cities you wish, but you can also skirt those which would make you homicidal with rage (NYFC, LA, Boston etc.) while trying to deal with the traffic and congestion.

As always with these scenarios, assume you’ll have trouble-free motoring en route, and a (shall we say) willing partner of the female persuasion in the passenger seat, and she will be as pictured. Also assume that you are of an age which would do the driving and overnight stops, so to speak, justice.

Now the fun part: the cars and companions. I’ve tried to avoid listing any of the cars and the women in earlier posts, which has made it quite difficult. Here we go, and remember: no substitutions.

1. 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz and Angie Harmon