motorchrome

I have not posted since September. Yes, I know I am lazy. There is just too much to post about, it makes my head hurt. I plan to scale this site down and post mainly about the world of BMWs and automotive products and gadgetry that I have the pleasure of owning or using.

Bye.

I ran across this article at Edmunds Inside Line about a 1964 Volkswagen Microbus that had been converted into electric as well as being treated to a host of other updates including keyless entry, LED lights, and what apears to be a really cool nav screen incorporated into the speedometer (it is kind of like a Chrysler Pacifica only so retro I feel a little stoned). As a general rule, I go for sporty cars or quirky/technology showcase cars - this obviously being one of the latter. It really is a cool update to a classic.


The project was a joint (get it) effort between The Volkswager Electronics Research Laboratory in Palo Alto, CA and Hybrid Technlogies. I have always had a thing for the VW bus, especially in 23 window delux trim. Then I awake from a frightening dream of merging into traffic from an on-ramp counting down through the 20-odd second trip to 60-mph.

I read this morning on Autoblog that BMW is dropping what has to be one of the most storied and appropriate taglines ever created for a automobile brand: "BMW. The Ultimate Driving Machine". In its place, we now will be looking to buy our 3ers from "A Company of Ideas". A company of ideas? Duh! As if BMW had to ever make a statement to ensure anyone that they had original thoughts. This has to rank up there with 'The Caddy that Ziggs" or maybe the Edsel. Kenmore is a "Company of Ideas" too - they make an awesome convection oven. What I am more afraid of is that is signaling a changing wind at BMW. I can get past some of the strange Chris Bangle designs, overlook the foray into SUVs, and even secretly like the iDrive. The one thing, though, that I depend on like my alarm clock is that BMW is the go-to guy for the benchmark in sporty driving dynamics. Benchmark sport sedans sounds like only a coincidence for a company with moto like "A Company of Ideas".

This morning I wrote BMW USA a letter. I am sure I will get some type of automated response thanking me for my interest and telling me to have a Teutonic day. Part of me still holds hope that they will tell me that this is all a strange joke - like some Sprockets skit gone awry.

"To whom it may concern:

I just read the rumor this morning that BMW will abandon one of the longest lived and most appropriate tagline in the history of automobiles - "The Ultimate Driving Machine". As a BMW owner, I must say that I am truly disappointed in the company. The new "Company of Ideas" could just as well be selling me a washing machine or maybe an electric belt sander. The willingness to abandon something that was a direct statement about the intent and soul of the cars you sell tells me that perhaps your focus has changed. This is a true shame and I hope I fear that this is the mouth of a dark path that will send me looking somewhere else for my "Ultimate Driving Machine". "

Gosh darn, I hate it when this happens. Apparantly a 19-year old Detroit girl found a body wedged up in her undercarriage (not in a good way, if you know what I'm sayin'), making it difficult to steer. Difficult to steer? You think? Anyway, she is not going to jail because the body had alread been hit. I guess no one is concerned about the fact that we have a 19 year old girl that is driving around that hit a 43-year old corpse and does not really recall it.

Chec out the insanity here.

Here is a little tidbit of information that I was surprise to find that most people do not know. You know that symbol? The three diamonds? That is a propeller, folks. Yep, you and Troy McClure might remeber Mistubishi from such films as "The Zero Fighter Plane Attacks Pearl Harbor" and "Kamikaze:Too Young to Die?". Mistubishi, the one and only.
Mitsubishi used to be a force in the budding sport compact craze in the 80's. The early Eclipses, particularly in turbo charged/AWD for were tremendous cars in most regards. Unfortunately they became characatures of themselves with giant hoop-style wings. Then they became emasculated V6 cruisers with little sporting potential. The flat-spin that was created meant that no one bought the blah cars and there was no money to sink into improving them. It always seems to me that the vehicles in any given class are about a generation behind the competitors - even the American car companies. Couple that with the fact that DaimlerChrysler (Chrysler has a long standing parternship with Mitsubishi) has all but retreated. The rally-bred Mistsubishi Lancer Evo VIII is the only stand-out car these days - and only for the fact that it is just a demonic terror on the road. It's sheer brute force overshadows any other shortcomings.

I was trying to think of some positive things that they have done over the years, and one little-known car comes to mind. The 3000GT was a great sports car in AWD/turbo form. Few know, however, the Mitsubishi was one of the pioneers in the now chic folding-hardtop game. The Mitsu 300GT VR-4 Spyder was one of the very first. It was a good looking car too. In fact, the spyder is probably my favorite Mitsubishi product of all time (even beating the Zero) and would be a dark-horse if I went on a senseless used car buying frenzy. It was definitely exotic even by today's standards. It featured 320 HP, all wheel drive, all wheel steering, adjustable suspension and featured the previously mentioned a one-button retractable hard top convertible make the Spyder a world-class exotic.Check some pictures below and more about the car at this site:

My friend uncle Renndog sent me an interesting little tutorial on how to hack the Honda/Acura Alpine-based navigation system, allowing it to display custom images. While this may be of little utility to many, there are a select few out there that have been asking themselves "how do I get a picture of myself in a kilt to my nav system". One would also presume other images can be used, such as you in a garter or maybe a full gimp suit. One can dream.
My next car may in fact be a honda product just so I can do this. If you are one of the four people reading this and have a Honda navigation system (and a killer sense of style), check out this page.

You might be a German Redneck (roter Hals?) if...