What Were They Thinking? When Alfa Romeo Rebadged a Nissan to Create the Arna

When the Nissan Versa was launched in Australia as the Tiida, many automotive watchers were excited by the prospect of blending Renault’s European flair with Nissan’s Japanese reliability. “Here,” they said, “Is a car that’ll please everyone.”

What they got was a narrow-bodied subcompact with so-so styling, a plasticy dashboard, a shocking lack of equipment and an overinflated price tag. Not to mention Kim Cattrall in the TV spots. If this sounds strangely familiar to our older readers, you’re right on the money. Twenty-three years before the crossbred Tiida hit Australian shores, another mongrel was being birthed in Europe.

It was 1983, and Alfa Romeo had just launched the Arna, an acronym for “Alfa Romeo Nissan Autoveicoli”. The Arna was essentially a N12 series Nissan Pulsar / Cherry with the engine, transmission and front suspension from Alfa’s popular if rust-prone Alfasud. Built in Alfa’s new Pratola Serra factory near Naples, the Arna had the mechanical reliability of the Alfasud and all the style and grace of the Cherry.

In other words, it was a dog.

Although it was available with either of Alfa’s 1.2L or 1.5L flat-four boxer engines, the fact remains that it was a dull Japanese hatchback built by the same uncaring, unionized Italian labour force that had built the Alfasud. In one final irony, the Arna was deported exported to Japan as the Nissan Pulsar Milano, probably giving the Japanese peoples their first (and last) taste of ‘80s Italian engineering.

The Arna died a quiet death in 1987, replaced with the Pininfarina-designed Alfa Romeo 33. The 33 was by no means a great car, though after the Arna, many Alfaistas would have welcomed an yearly rail pass with open arms. Nissan continued to sell the Cherry / Pulsar in Europe, though never met great success in Europe’s highly competitive subcompact car market until the launch of the K11 Micra in 1992. For both manufacturers, the Arna was a miserable failure, remembered only by auto watchers such as yours truly.

By Tristan Hankins

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VIDEO: 83 Y.O. Drives Ford F-150 on the Opposite Side of the Highway, Crashes but Survives!

A freaky but luckily non-fatal highway accident that involved an elderly man driving a 2007 Ford F-150 on the opposite side of the road was caught on film last Friday. The incident took place on the Interstate 5 near Camp Pendleton in San Diego when passengers of a vehicle on the other side of the highway noticed the driver of the Ford, who was later identified as 83 year-old Clarence Kinney, going the wrong way at an unknown speed and then suddenly crashing into the median wall.

According to Police reports, the force of the collision was so strong that it tore the pickup truck in two sending the cab of the F-150 into another lane an onto a tractor, while a Land Rover and a Toyota Sienna were also involved in the crash. Amazingly, no one was seriously injured in the incident.

The police reported that the 83 year-old driver of the F-150 was cited for driving the wrong way as well as for driving on a suspended license., adding that his driving privileges will be examined by the DMV.

Via: Signon Sandiego

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The Road Ahead: Two Visions for the Highways of Tomorrow

Cars have come a long way in the past forty years. We’ve seen the introduction of hybrids and hydrogen cars, Head Up Displays (HUDs), adaptive cruise control and in-car navigation. The modern automobile is widely considered to be better built, more fuel efficient and offering a better driving experience than the cars that preceded it just four decades before.

Compare this to the road. In 1861 the first speed limits were introduced in the UK. In 1917, the first highway centerline was painted on the M-15, a road that would one day become part of U.S. Highway 41. Cats eyes appeared in 1935 and the speed camera came in 1971. Since then, not much has changed. Speed limits may have varied and traffic laws may have evolved over the years, but the road itself essentially remains the same.

Scott Brusaw, a 53yo electrical engineer from Idaho, wants to change all that. His Solar Roadways concept is not just unique, it’s damn near Jetson-esque. Imagine driving on a highway made not of asphalt or concrete but of super strong, super durable glass. Beneath the glass would be solar cells that provide power to the embedded heating elements and LED road markings that keep the road clear of snow and visible to drivers in even the harshest of driving conditions.

The roads could even provide enough surplus energy to power homes and businesses on either side. How’s that for environmentally friendly commuting? An alternative to the Solar Roadways is Rajib Mallick’s clever pavement. The Worcester Polytechnic Institute civil engineer is working with his colleagues and a grant from the National Science Foundation and the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative to create pavement that contains thermal-insulating pipes that are constantly heated through summer. Like a giant underground thermos, these pipes retain the heat throughout winter, melting the surface ice (and presumably warming your feet).

To retrofit an existing pavement could cost as little as US$12,500 per fifty metres, with US$1,000 per fifty metres in maintenance costs and provide power to 55 homes. The whole thing could pay for itself in just five years in reductions in energy production and savings, Mallick estimates.

Compare this to Brusaw’s Solar Roadways that could cost as much as US$4.4 million a mile. A big ask, but then they would be more durable than asphalt roads and require less maintenance. And even during peak hour traffic, the solar cells would still being operating at fifty percent. Brusaw is looking for ways to make his Solar Roadways provide as much traction as its less sophisticated equivalents, and to find the optimum temperature for melting snow and ice without simultaneously melting your car tires.

Smarter roads are well within our technological grasp; it’s only a matter of time before our law makers decide to take them from fantasy to reality.

By Tristan Hankins

Photo Credits: Solar Roadways, Via: CNN & CNET

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Classic Ads: Why a Hyundai Excel is as Good as a BMW 325i

If this ad is to be taken seriously, the only difference between a late 1980s E30 BMW 325i and a Hyundai Excel is price and the engine / transmission layout. After all both have, “[A] plush interior, European styling [and] room for five.”

After all, niggling little details like equipment levels, brand image and build quality have never bothered car buyers before, right? Apparently not, as the Excel went on to become one of U.S.’s best selling imports, with 168,000 of the little blighters sold in its first year stateside. That’s a lot of, “Hun-days,” [sic].

So what if it had the looks of a three-year-old Toyota Corolla and was built in a place that wasn’t even a country sixty years ago; it cost just US$5,499 and in salesman speak that’s a damn good deal. There are probably innumerable benefits to owning a 1988 Hyundai Excel. Such as...uh...or maybe...um...and then there’s...oh.

It was cheap, yeah? And cheap is good despite what a certain fictional character may have said to the contrary. That’s true for at least the vast majority of cash-strapped Americans and almost certainly for Hyundai. Yes, it was front wheel drive and sure it had no outstanding qualities other than the price tag. The same could be said for many of the cars sold today, and you don’t see any of them comparing themselves to a German heavyweight.

So watch the ad and reminisce about a simpler time when men wore pinstriped shirts, martini lunches were often followed by cocaine afternoons and a balmy little upstart from the Sea of Japan had the verve to stick its fingers in its ears and stick its tongue out.

By Tristan Hankins

Source: Youtube via NYT

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Ford Sues Ferrari Over F150 Formula 1 Car Moniker, the Italians Hastily Change it to the F150th Italia

In order to celebrate the 150 years that have passed since the unification of Italy, Ferrari recently chose to name its newest Formula 1 car the “F150”. It seems that Ford wasn’t too impressed with the patriotic gesture and sued the Italian maker over the race car's moniker. The Blue Oval claimed that it closely resembled its own F-150 nameplate, thus causing “irreparable harm” to the trademark.

According to the paperwork filed in Detroit, the lawsuit also referred to Ferrari’s www.ferrarif150.com website and accused the Italian company of cyber theft and trademark infringement.

Ford aimed to prevent the use of the F150 name in the United States, and expected Ferrari to give up any revenue and profits earned through the disputed nameplate in the States.

Furthermore, under the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act, which protects against trademark infringement due to the use of confusing Internet domain names, Ford wanted $100,000 in damages.

However, Ferrari reacted quickly and today changed the F1 car's name to the “F150th Italia”, which was first used in a routine Formula 1 test report posted on the Ferrari website.

The report stated that “the first day of testing for Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro got off on the right foot at the Cheste circuit, near Valencia. Before the lunch break, Fernando Alonso completed just over 200 kilometers at the wheel of the Ferrari F150th Italia”.

Later on, Ferrari released an official statement as well, available below.

By Csaba Daradics

[Ferrari Press Release] The name of the new Ferrari Formula 1 car

Maranello, 10th February - On the subject of the name of the new Ferrari Formula 1 car, the Maranello company wishes to point out that it has sent a letter of reply to Ford, underlining the fact that the F150 designation (used as the abbreviated version of the complete name, which is Ferrari F150th Italia) never has, nor ever will be used as the name of a commercially available product – indeed there will definitely not be a production run of single-seaters. In fact, it has always been the case in the history of Scuderia names, that they represent the nomenclature of a racing car project and are linked to a chronological order with a technical basis, or in exceptional cases, to special occasions. This year, the decision was taken to dedicate the car name to a particularly significant event, the 150th anniversary of the Unification of Italy, an event of such great importance that the Italian government has declared, for this year only, a national holiday.

For these reasons, Ferrari believes that its own contender in the forthcoming F1 championship cannot be confused with other types of commercially available vehicle of any sort whatsoever, nor can it give the impression that there is a link to another brand of road-going vehicle. Therefore it is very difficult to understand Ford’s viewpoint on the matter.

Despite this and to further prove it is acting in good faith and that it operates in a completely correct manner, Ferrari has decided to ensure that in all areas of operation, the abbreviated version will be replaced at all times with the full version, Ferrari F150th Italia.

Sources: Ferrari, Detnews & Autoweek

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NYC Beware: 2012 Mercedes CLS 63 AMG Fashion Police Car out to Capture Trendsetters on the Streets

If you happen to be in New York City for the next week or so and consider yourself a trendy person, keep an eye out for a 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS 63 AMG clad in a Fashion Force uniform resembling a police car. To explain, as part of the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week festivities, the German sports saloon will be patrolling the streets of Manhattan to spot "style setters".

Those that fit the description will be pulled over and rewarded with a ride to their next destination and have their picture taken, while several will receive invitations to Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week runway shows as well as to the official fashion force culmination event, hosted by Brad Goreski in the Mercedes-Benz Star Lounge.

"The Mercedes-Benz Fashion Force car is a statement about New York being one of the greatest fashion capitals of the world and the confident approach to individualistic style that people strive to explore throughout this amazing city," said stylist Brad Goreski.

We'd like to assume that picking up trend setters from the streets is not what the AMG division's engineers had in mind when crafting the 2012 CLS 63 AMG, but then again, we doubt that Merc's clientele are your typical speed freaks.

"Mercedes-Benz has a natural affinity with the world of fashion with cars that appeal to those with a strong sense of style," said Lisa Holladay, manager of brand experience for Mercedes-Benz USA. "The 2012 CLS 63 AMG four-door coupe is the perfect vehicle for the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Force initiative with its fascinating design and significant curb appeal."

The Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Fall 2011 will take place in New York, NY at Lincoln Center from February 10-17.

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The Audi A8 Says, "Long Live the T-Shifter!"

When Hyundai launched the i30 small car on the Australian market, it marked the end of not only the Excel/Accent lineage down under but also the end of the automatic T-shifter. The Accent, a subcompact design available in either a four door sedan or five door hatchback body style, was the last car sold here to feature the venerable (if archaic) T-shaped automatic gear stick.

The T-shifter was born in the 1960s, as American automakers moved away from the steering column mounted automatic and towards a system that reduced complexity and design differentiation between its automatic and manual models. As the ‘80s moved into the ‘90s, automakers - for whatever reason - moved away from the T-shift and toward the semi-ubiquitous, upright “drumstick” shifter.

It seems that the T-shifter is back, at least for one car. The new Audi A8’s ergonomically friendly, chunky automatic gear shift has that distinct T-shaped that many of knew and loved from the pre-‘90s. Some bloggers believe that the automotive behemoth’s unique choice of shifter will influence other carmakers to return to the classic T. Personally, I’m not convinced. Feel free to leave your comments below if you disagree, or have some fond T-shifter memories to share.

By Tristan Hankins

Via: WSJ

Hit the Slopes in Style with Audi Carbon Ski

If you're looking to add some style to your winter-time outdoor activities, you may want to take a look at these cool skis from Audi. Initially designed and developed as a concept study at the Audi Concept Design Munich, the Carbon Ski is now heading for production with the Ingolstadt-based automaker estimating that it could be available for sale as early as this year.

As its name implies, the Audi Carbon Ski is made out of carbon fiber for reduced weight as well as optimal stiffness. More precisely, a cab of high-strength carbon fiber encloses layers of aluminum and titanium, as well as a wood core. The result is 170cm-long ski that tips the scales at 1,550 grams. According to Audi, the ski weighs 200 grams less than comparable models.

“As a long-time partner and sponsor of the German Ski Association, a ski produced by Audi is a logical consequence of this partnership. This is how the Audi Carbon Ski concept came about. And the ski’s brilliant handling characteristics have been confirmed by professionals from the sport,” said Wolfgang Egger, Head of Design for the Audi Group. “The serial-production ski was able to borrow from the concept study, and it features outstanding technical properties. At the same time, its minimalist design underscores the technical nature of the carbon.”

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