The Volkswagen, Part 5
How do you sell a car that is smaller and less powerful than pretty much all of its competitors? How do you sell a car that always looks the same? How do you sell a car…
The Volkswagen, Part 4
I wonder how it would be for someone in North Korea to openly refuse to do what the “Dear Leader” Kim Jong Un wanted them to do? When we live in a reasonably free country we…
The Volkswagen, Part 3
The curious thing about the creation of the Volkswagen is that it was not just the brainchild of one man. Most creations are not the result of one person having a “eureka” moment. Typically they are…
The Volkswagen, Part 2
Dr. Ferdinand Porsche’s design for the Volkswagen, Hitler’s “People’s Car” was imaginative, in fact it was brilliant. He incorporated what he knew about creating a performance car into designing a car that was intended to be…
The Volkswagen, Part 1
The Volkswagen was not created simply as a commercial product. It was created for consumers, but it was created because of a political and social vision, not just a commercial one, and its that political and…
Donald Healey’s 1953 Austin-Healey Coupé
When Donald Healey’s personal Austin-Healey was advertised for sale after he had enjoyed it for around ten years the newspaper advertisement described the car as follows: I suspect that no-one reading that advertisement at that time…
IMZ Ural Motorcycles
Some people who enjoy motorcycles are born with a significant measure of lemming blood. This is evidenced by the suicidal power levels of the motorbikes they spend their hard earned cash on. Others of us who…
1950 Sunbeam S8
The Sunbeam S7 and S8 motorcycles are sometimes called “The Rolls Royce of motorcycles” because of their design, and the excellence of their manufacture. They are also motorcycles with an interesting history. The S7 and S8…
Gama Goat. Vietnam War 6×6
One of the interesting items that appeared for sale on eBay over the last week was a Vietnam War era ex US military M561 “Gama Goat” 6×6 semi amphibious vehicle. The Gama Goat is another one…
Longevity and the Toyota Crown Comfort
When I first moved to Hong Kong over two decades ago the taxi we rode in from the old Kai Tak airport was a Toyota Crown Comfort. On various visits to Japan the taxis were, you…