Monday, February 21st
The Rocketman
British car company MINI is unveiling a new, oddly named “Rocketman” model. The car is only ten feet long, has three doors, and seats “three plus one”. Meaning the car can fit three people (depending on size) comfortably by arranging the passenger seats appropriately. If you want to add a fourth, all you have
to do is fold down a backpack attached to the rear seat. (That sounds unrealistic to me, too.) Multiple auto blogs are buzzing about this. And the AutoExpress blog heading and subheading needed to be shared.
Mini MINI revealed
MINI Rocketman exclusively revealed to Auto Express, to star at Geneva and offers bold look in smaller package.
Smaller design is the better choice there.
Tuesday, February 22nd
Rolls-Royce On Electricity
Hold on. Not so fast, because the Rolls-Royce all-electric 102EX is only experimental. The 102EX is a version of the Rolls-Royce Phantom, which retails for $380,000 and gets 11 miles per gallon in the city. But there’s a refrigerator in the back seat. And little silver umbrellas that reveal themselves when opening up the doors. While it is highly unlikely that an experimental Rolls-Royce will come as opulent, would it really surprise you if a Rolls meant for efficiency and eco-friendliness contradicts itself just a little bit? When car companies sell base price models for what it costs to buy a perfectly adequate house, it shouldn’t. (There’s an apartment on the market in East Berlin for $400,000 with one and a half baths.)
How many people actually know someone with a Phantom? But…that’s the point.
Wednesday, February 23rd
Something Ford Owners Should Pay Attention To
Ford will be recalling 144,000 2005-06 F-150s for “a relatively low risk of inadvertent air-bag deployments”. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has been investigating this issue since September of 2009 and originally wanted 1.3 million F-150s from 2004-06 recalled. Ford cited the limited amount of incidents in its decision. These rogue air-bags have been deployed 238 times, with the most extensive injuries being two cases of unconsciousness. Apparently, the warning lights were on well in advance, giving drivers plenty of time to have the problem fixed (another reason for the limited recall).
That’s one warning signal I’d probably have checked out immediately. Chancing an oversized rocket-inflating pillow in my face while driving is something I’d avoid at all costs.
Thursday, February 24th
The Cameras That Spy On You From The Intersection Lights
State-sponsored voyeurism is intrusive, especially when you get nailed with a $400 ticket for rolling through a red light in California, even if you’ve been warned that video cameras “might” be taking mug shots. Luckily we have state-sponsored institutions to protect our rights in case you’ve been nabbed and don’t feel that the video evidence is strong enough to validate the ticket. There have now been four court rulings that have overturned tickets (albeit after lengthy appeal processes). From the state’s perspective, a $400 surprise ticket is an extremely effective means to keep drivers honest without devoting resources (i.e., cops) to monitor motorist safety. It’s blatantly clear what the driver’s perspective is on the issue.
Maybe it’s a worthwhile idea to reduce the fines to the $20-$40 range, increasing the amount of tickets levied, and consequently reducing the hassles for all parties involved (police officers, courts, and defendants). Just a thought.
