URal Russian Motorcycles

I wonder if the sidecar could be fitted with a toddler's car seat, because it is so much cooler than a Smart car.
URal Retro, $13,999.

Car Show

For everybody who enjoyed Friday's post about the car. This is the boyfriend's beloved 1932 Ford Victoria. Here are better photos. We went to a car show this weekend, and I took a ton of pictures. More pictures below.

The Man Cave

There is a car show this weekend so my boyfriend is spending his free time getting his beloved 1932 Ford Victoria ready for the first real show of the season. (Yes, there is a car show season. Who knew?)He has the whole man cave thing going on, complete with coveralls that have his name embroidered on the front. So clearly he is into the car thing.

I was teasing him about using bottled water to wash his car, when he informed me that the only water that ever touches his car is rain. And then it is only accidental.

I'm starting to realize that I don't have to worry about other women. The other woman in his life is over 75, has her original body, and is green.

Why I Love Living In The Ghetto

I live in a working class neighborhood surrounded by ghettos. And while there is the occasional murder, there are perks. Like when my beloved station wagon just up and died on me, timing belt worn to bits. Every decent working class neighborhood has a driveway mechanic. Unfortunately mine was too sick to work on my car, but he had a friend. Now here is the perk, my neighbor's friend fixed the timing belt, a feat that involves removing the front of the motor, in less than eight hours. And the grand total was $200 in labor and less than $20 in parts. How much would a garage charge for same day service? I don't even want to imagine.

It's worth the danger in my book.

Mini Crossman Concept

I wanted to like the Mini Crossman Concept. It's cute, and small. All the bell and whistle car show features more than likely won't make it into the production model.

But a crossover that comes in at just around 12 feet, would be the perfect family car. When I first looked at the photos I even had hopes of a tiny third row. Except that Mini continues to deny the fact that maybe families would want to buy their cars. I have 2 kids and 2 old people to drive around, I need seats. Even a family of four ends up hauling around an extra kid once and a while. Who designs a crossover with just 4 seats? It even has a full sized passenger door to tease families into thinking they could place a car seat easily in the rear seat.

This is what Mini writes about the Crossman:

The MINI Crossover Concept is a new model variant for the first time measuring more than four metres in length, with four drive wheels, four doors and four single seats. These features alone place the new car right in the line of vision of new target groups seeking to combine the individual style of the brand with enhanced versatility within the interior and innovative functionality throughout.

A universal, multifunction fastening rail, the MINI Center Rail, extending between the seats on the centre console of the MINI Crossover Concept, offers not only offers unconventional storage options, but also provides a consistent link between the front row of seats and the rear.

Four metres in length - more calibre, more options.

As a consistent enhancement of the MINI model family, the MINI Crossover Concept offers new calibre and new format in every respect. This is the first MINI to measure more than four metres in length. And measuring 1,830 millimetres/72.0" in width as well as 1,598 millimetres/62.9" in height, the MINI Crossover Concept goes beyond the existing production models from MINI also in this respect. Wheelbase, finally, is 2,606 millimetres/102.6", again ensuring an even more powerful stance on the road.

These exterior dimensions of the Concept Car are a clear symbol of the quest for additional options in driving the car and in the new, enhanced driving experience.

The MINI Crossover Concept offers extra space and mobility at the rear as well as a capacity to transport never seen before in a MINI. Added to all this, there is enhanced flexibility in splitting up the interior space, catering for all individual wishes and demands.

Yeah but they still don't want to cater to families.
Also of Interest:
Cadillac CTS Wagon
Ford Flex
source

Cadillac CTS Wagon

I am on the hunt for a new station wagon. Every time I fall in love with a car, I discover that it gets considerably less mileage than the 25mpg city that I'm getting with the rust bucket. And why don't they make station wagons that seat 7 anymore? But the Cadillac CTS is lovely. It will be available in the Spring.

CTS SPORT WAGON PRELIMINARY SPECIFICATIONS

Vehicle type:	four-door, five-passenger rear-wheel-drive/all-wheel-drive wagon
Wheelbase (in / mm):	113.4 / 2880
Length (in / mm):	191.3 / 4859
Width (in / mm):	72.6 / 1842
Height (in / mm):	59.1 / 1502
Track (in / mm):	61.8 / 1570 (front); 62 / 1575 (rear)
Engines:	3.6L VVT V-6 (263 hp / 196 kW) 3.6L V-6 VVT DI (304 hp / 227 kW)
Transmissions:	Aisin six-speed manual or Hydra-Matic 6L50 six-speed automatic
Suspension:	four-wheel independent: MacPherson strut front; multilink rear, progressive rate coil springs, monotube shock absorbers
Steering:	variable-assist rack-and-pinion
Brakes:	four-wheel disc; aluminum or iron dual-piston front calipers; aluminum or iron single-piston rear calipers
Wheels:	17-inch, 18-inch or 19-inch aluminum
EPA luggage capacity (cu ft / L):	25 / 720 (behind rear seats)
EPA total volume (cu ft / L):	121.9 / 3452

Also of Interest:
Ford Flex
source

Ford Flex

I need a bigger, newer car. I drive an old station wagon that seat just five. The problem is that sometimes I need space for six. I really like the looks of the Ford Flex. I don't know why because it is a kind of big, ugly box. But I am really drawn to it. It starts at just $28,295, so the price is even right. What is the problem? It only gets 17 mpg city. Is Ford smoking crack? I'm paying almost $5 a gallon for gas, $4.43 a gallon to be exact. This would have been a great hybrid. They may call it a crossover (fancy talk for station wagon), but this thing is a SUV. Maybe next year they will come out with a hybrid version.

Break Free From The Tyrant Big Oil

The Think City will be coming to the United States in 2009. The electric car will be able to go up to 110 miles of a full charge, and will cost less than $25,000. The bad news is that it has just 4 seats. But there is great news, they are looking to build the car here instead of importing them. That's work for unemployed auto workers.
Source Wall Street Journal and Inhabitat

Mega City Electric Car

If you live in the UK you can get an electric car that goes 40mph. The MegaCity even has a cushy interior. And you get free parking in London, and the knowledge that it is 100% recyclable. Around 11,000 GBP.

Dynasty It Electric Cars

Somebody should tell the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that people don't drive 25mph. I tried for a week on roads marked 35 and felt like I was creeping along. Which is to bad, because I so wanted to buy one of these little electric cars. I especially love the little truck. The interior isn't so great, but for buzzing around the neighborhood who cares. I could use it to drop my oldest off at school, or for late night trips to the grocery (the speed limit is 40). If the NHTSA increased the speed by even 5mph I think more people could use LSVs (low speed vehicles). $19,000-$25,000