The silver SUV apparently backed out into the street so fast that it struck and flipped the blue car, then mounted it. Nobody appears to have been seriously hurt, so we all have a guilt-free pass to mock the, um, compromising situation.

Found in Paula Wirth’s photo stream.

After all my agitating for small, cheap, fuel efficient cars (and automotive metaphors), I figured I had to post this picture (and a few others) from the demolition derby at the Hopkinton Fair a couple weeks ago. My video of the four-cylinder event is at YouTube.

Extra: I don’t know where it fits in your stereotype of the demolition derby audience, but I was happy to find somebody wearing a css_descramble.c T-shirt.

derby, demolition derby, smashup derby, smashitup, fair, hopkinton fair, car, cars, demolition, video, photos

I’m looking for a new car, but I’m finding that the market for cheap and fuel efficient cars is no better now than it was in 2005.

I drive about 140 miles round trip to work (all highway), so I’m looking for the best available highway fuel economy. I can drive a standard, but Sandee can’t, so we’ll need automatic. I like small cars, but no so much that I want to pay a lot for one. The only luxury items I’m hoping for are a decent stereo with some form of iPod integration (a line-in will work), and cruise control (improves fuel economy, helps me avoid getting tickets). I’m avoiding hybrids because I’m concerned about what happens when the batteries need to be replaced (and disposed of) and because the batteries do little to improve highway mileage.

The Toyota Yaris meets most of my requirements (the liftback isn’t available with cruise control), and the 40 MPG sticker on the 2007 model looks good compared to other available cars. It also helps that it’s cheap.

The Honda Fit is along similar lines, and the sport version has cruise control, but the fuel economy drops to 37 MPG (lower, in fact, than the Civic) and it’s a bit pricier (not much more, but the idea of paying more for less efficiency kills me).

The Mini scores 37 MPG. Cruise control and dozens of other features are options, and it’s available in so many cute colors, but it also demands a premium price.

The Smart Fortwo (a Daimler/Mercedes Benz brand) is coming to the US early next year (previously imported by Zap). The version Americanized by Zap was rated for 40 MPG, and the Smart site claims “the vehicle is designed to achieve 40 plus mpg under normal driving conditions and current standards.” We’ll have to wait to get the finalized details, but Daimler is claiming it’ll cost less than $12,000 for the base model. (All mileage ratings above were for highway/automatic.)

There are other cars, but, but the EPA’s list of the most efficient cars is pretty slim. The worst realization from that list, however, is that there’s really no super efficient, cheap economy box that we can point at any more (even considering the new EPA formula). In 1995 Honda offered a 50 MPG Civic hatchback and a 1990 Geo Metro scored 51 highway MPG (Pete comments that his 93 Metro is still getting 50 MPG).

Sure our cars are generally getting bigger and heavier, but what else is at work? Why don’t we see those little cheap cars anymore? (It’s not like they’re not making them in Japan.)

cars, car, fuel efficient, econo box, cheap, fuel economy, Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris

If the DeLorean looks at all like a Lotus Esprit, it should. Both of them were designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, and much of the engineering work was done by Lotus founder Colin–to add speed, add lightness–Chapman. Amusingly, John De Lorean also owned a company that manufactured snowcats under the DMC name.

Owners and wannabes can join the fun at the DeLorean Motor Company open house, being held June 8 — 10 in Humble, Texas.

We have rented the Houston Motorsports Park and their 3/8 mile banked oval track… Attendees will have the opportunity to take their DeLoreans on the track and race against the clock for bragging rights. Time permitting, and drivers willing, we may be able to arrange some head-to-head competitions, as well.

I somehow doubt this monster DeLorean will be there, but you might get a chance to see one of the Back To The Future mods (check the license plate: OUTATIME).

Those interested in buying one of the gullwinged, stainless steel retro-cool status symbols can pick up a used (yeah, they’re all used) model for $20,000 to $60,000 or (cough) a newly rebuilt model starting at about $40,000 and rising to just under $60,000 with most of the options selected.

Creator John De Lorean died in 2005, but Tamir Ardon caught up with the man at his New Jersey home in 1999. In strangely familiar language, he described his plans for a new car:

He told me that the car would be made out of a special lightweight plastic and would have the signature DeLorean gull-wing doors. The performance aspect of the car would have zero to sixty times in the low three second range and the car would cost around $18,000.

Unfortunately, the only plastic DeLoreans I’ve been able to find are made out of Legos (and there are a lot of them: one, two, three, four, more), but you can make a paper DeLorean now (free if you print at work).

Colin Chapman, DMC, De Lorean, DeLorean, DeLorean Motor Cars, Giorgetto Giugiaro, John De Lorean, Lotus Esprit, car, cars, gullwing doors, outatime, sales

I pointed out this Jet Turbine Powered Toyota MR2 a year ago, but now I’ve discovered Ron Patrick’s Jet Powered VW Beatle. The story is well told in a San Francisco Gate article from April (with bonus video), which describes the builder:

Patrick is a 48-year-old Stanford-trained (Ph.D.) engineer who owns ECM (Engine Control and Monitoring), a Sunnyvale firm that makes electronic instruments used by auto manufacturers to calibrate their engines for performance, fuel economy and emissions. He knows cars. He knows how they work. He’s an animated man who has a seasoned sense of humor, a wry view of the world, mixed with a dash of the absurd and an absolute passion for things like, well, jet-powered cars. (Link added –Casey)

Toyotas, Volkswagons, heck, even wheelchairs, shopping carts, and scooters have seen jet or rocket powered mods (but could that picture look more ridiculous?). Bruce Simpson features a few such contraptions at his site, and a 1995 Darwin Award went to a story about a fool putting JATO rockets on his 1967 Chevy Impala. That story turned out false, but it formed the genesis of this unverified story by a supposed biology teacher, son of junkyard operator, and curious guy with a JATO rocket and crazy friends.

In a little over 25,000 words, the author neatly describes the discovery of the key ingredient (the rockets), the construction of the vehicle (a 1957 Impala body on rails), the event (car runs down rails, big mess), and the aftermath (run, run, run, tell nobody for many years). That the story may wrap up a little too neatly may trouble some, but if I can’t link to rumors or outright fiction at this site, what can I do?

Besides, I’m much more interested in the notion of Patrick’s proposed jet powered scooter.

Aside: the ideal powerplant for projects like this appears to be a General Electric T58 turbine, developed in 1953 and often pulled from helicopters. The Toyota and Volkswagen here both use them. Other options include the JFS 100, as used by Patrick for his scooter and this modified Honda Z Car (hmm, amusing cars, even without jetmods). Finally, let us not forget the excitement of an entirely homemade pulse jet.

, afterburner, car, cars, fireworks, flame, General Electric T58, go fast, jet, jet car, jet powered, jet powered bug, jet powered Volkswagen, jet turbine, jetcar, mod, Ron Patrick, speed, turbine, Volkswagen Bug

I got a slot car set for Christmas when I was about eight years old. I ran the cars until the contact pads wore out, then I pretty much gave up on them.

But Simon Jansen is just getting into the action, and he’s doing it at a time when compact and cheap electronics afford (potentially) more interactivity. See, Jansen taped his cellie on one of his cars and started recording the action with the built-in camera.

The video is worth a look. About adults with toys, Jansen says this:

and to all those who think it is childish for a grown man to be buying a toy like this all I have to say to you is NAAA, NAA, NAAA, NAAAA, NAAAAARRR!!!! :p

Found via Jalopnik.

tags: cameraphone, car set, cars, cellphone, cheap electronics, simon jansen, slot car, toy, toys, track, video, videocamera

People looking for oversized pickups, ridiculously large Russian Army trucks, even jet powered speedsters have it easy. But what about people who have some understanding of the Hubbert peak and don’t want SUVs? 50+ MPG cars have been available in Japan for 30 years now, and can be bought used in Canada for under$5000. But US law forbids importing them to the US! Heck, the Smart, the super-efficient line from DaimlerChrysler, has been available in Europe (and now Canada) for about ten years now, but it too can only be imported with a lot of restrictions. Don’t talk to me about Priuses, either. They’re selling on ebay for almost $30,000.

Face it, there just aren’t any affordable fuel efficient vehicles in the US.

fuel efficient, cars

Mike Whelan posted the above photo to his Flickr photostream recently.

Back in April, when gas prices were still well below the $3-per-gallon mark, it looked like sales of SUVs were starting to slow. Interestingly, we’ve crossed the threshold Keith Bradsher quotes in High and Mighty, his book detailing how the US auto industry became so dependent on SUVs and how common sense has been powerless against them. The threshold was the point at which gas prices would begin having the same effect on current car purchases as the 1970s oil crisis did.

Oil prices are rising as oil reserves are declining. Where will you be when we find ourselves on the far side of the Hubbert Peak?

tags: auto industry, automobiles, car purchases, cars, crisis, empty gas tanks, energy, energy crisis, energy prices, gas, gas prices, hubbert peak, oil, oil crisis, oil prices, oil reserves, peak oil, powerless, suvs