The Official Motoring Blog of A.A.Blatch: A specialist supplier bearings, belts & chain based in Parkes, NSW, Australia. Distributors of automotive parts, industrial, agricultural and power transmission products since 1952. www.aablatch.com.au +61(0)26862 2666 Email: industrial@aablatch.com.au
Here's the list of Top 20 cars which hold their value, curtesy of The Telegraph. The VW Fox is the one to buy for resale value, quickly followed by the Hyundai i10
And which cars depreciate the fastest? If you're looking for a bargain used car Click here.
The BBC has reported that three former execs have been arrested for 'aggravated attempts to avoid tax control" in the lead up to Saab's spectacular collapse. Whoa! Read on here.
Look what's coming soon to an industry leader or war-mongering dictator's driveway soon.
This is the 2014 W222 Mercedes Benz S-Class and as we all know, the entire car industry starts and ends with the S-Class.
They're calling it the smartest S-Class of all time and I'm sure it is but I must admit the angle of this spy photo led me to believe the lines and body-styling of the brand new W222 would be slightly more subtle. Naturally this is the M.O. of Mercedes and BMW- they bring out the new flagship which really catches the eye (and sometimes rips it out) and gets everyone talking about it, then a few years later they bring out the update with more flowing, softened front and rear. Who can forget the collective gasp when BMW released this? Only to be updated with the more softly-softly-catchy-monkey version. What's that? This S-Class front end is a natural evolution of the W216 CL's over-pronounced styling? Whatever. Go and write your own blog.
OK so as the stack of new articles are hinting at, I have no doubt that this W222 is years ahead of BMW, Audi and Lexus as is the norm for brand new generation S-Classes. But for my taste the mess of lines, chrome and angles on the front and rear are making me think Mercedes has hired a stack of Korean or Japanese motoring designers. The tail isn't that bad but I hope the triple bottom-lip it has will be smoothed out for the S C-class W222 Marque II. But I'm getting ahead of myself...
Regarding the front, it certainly features an aggressive stance, akin to seeing a highway patrol car in your rear-view mirror. I'm trying to put my finger on what irks me and I think it comes down to the size of the grille and the thickness of the chrome. Remember back in the mid to late 90s lots of clowns would wrap everything on their Merc or Beemer in after-market chrome covers? But, if you're going to spend half a house's worth on a new car (or a whole house in Oz. Or two houses in Singapore) then you're probably going to want everyone to know about. I'll forgive Mercedes for the roller-coaster grille and air-intakes combination.
After all this pedantry, umm, how do I say this...I still love it. Any giant leap in automative advancement is going to be good for all of us, even those who will benefit from this technology in their little Kia in another 10 years time. The front and rear don't spoil it for me because overall it's super hot, and this brings me to the inside. How many superlatives can I throw at this interior? It's mind-blowing. In typical ze-German fashion is looks space-age and doesn't get emotional and nostalgic like the big Brit brands who sometimes try and jam an entire forest into the cabin. Look at the rear centre console! "Ground control to major Tom..."
Lastly, I love the overall beast of a silhouette (which is a bonus if you're only showing people your new car in the dark) and in particular the rear 3/4 angle which reminds me of the Bentley Mulsanne. And in my book, the Mulsanne can do no wrong.
Nice one, Merc. What's next? I can't wait to see the new S-Class with S-Guard. What's S-Guard you say?!! No natural-resource-raping oligarch or part-time-genocide-fancier buys the S without the 'Guard'. Here's a taste of the previous generation's bomb-proof, gas proof, rocket-launcher ridiculing limo. I don't know who made this but I have a feeling The Techno-Viking was a consultant.
I was quite taken with the '64 Silver Cloud Drop-Head MkIII when I first saw one in 'The Family Man' with Nicholas Cage (well worth a watch). I don't often see them come up for sale even in the UK but here is a fixed-head coupe Downunder asking AUD$110,000. It's an interesting shape with the iconic "Chinese Eye" headlights (can you still say that?) and rarer than the common old Corniche. Click here to see the full Unique Cars ad.
Pictured below: the '64 drop-head featured in The Family Man.
A fellow Australian named Rich Wisken is attempting to off-load, off-road. Growing up in the 80s, a Subaru Brumby became a cult farm vehicle and many (like this one) are still in pristine condition. Basically I think the point is- if Chuck Norris was a car, he's be this specific Subie Brumby.
Just a taste of the ad-
"FACTS:
In 1885, this car transported the Statue of Liberty to New York City from Paris.
Cast as KITT in 1982’s Knight Rider TV series, but eventually deemed too intelligent for the role.
Manufactured in 1991, this Brumby was responsible for the Grunge movement. If Kurt Cobain owned one, Nirvana would still be thrashing out tunes.
If this is it, I love it already. The styling is sporty while still majestic and thankfully hey've smoothed out the clunky edges from the pervious model. I'll have to get in to a MB dealership and pick mine up.
I'll just contact Exhaust Pipe Dream's fantasy department.
What do you do when you're a premiere league footballer and your contract states you can't engage in risky activities like go karting? You take your Ferrari to the go kart track instead. Click here to read what went down.
Suse and I went to a wedding recently in out in the English countryside of Epping, Essex. Anyway, the highlight for me was seeing these beauties parked outside. First, I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw them. Then, I couldn't believe my ears when I heard they were both owned by the Groom's Father. The Groom, Steve and his Father, Richard race them in rallies.
Below: MGC Coupe. Note the lovely bonnet bubble with the chrome strip which helps the MGC stand out from all the regular MGBs.
Richard's Jaguar XK140. Note it's had the spats removed so that the easier to replace chrome knock-offs can be used for racing.
We spent the long weekend at Lake Windermere in the Lake District. What an incredible place. If you're visiting the UK you really should visit. Anyway, it's not much of a car lover's mecca but there were some beautiful touring coupes on holiday too so I had plenty to check out. I've never seen so many Audi A5 coupes than traveling around there. A few nice 6-Series too!
Here's the Morris Commercial delivery van of The Cumberland Pencil Company (who make the World famous Derwent pencils).
Please note our Great Dane joining in the photo below:
Car nut James Cobbold sent in this video from Petrolicious. Even if you're not really into cars or even Porsches, Jack Olsen's passion and his suburban double garage are artistic expressions of their own. Enjoy.
Suse and I spotted this Mustang coupe right near the Notre Dame. It was one of the few motors we saw in Paris that didn't have both bumpers smashed in. They certainly have an interesting parking style!
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