Jalopnik
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caption this
German Prince Disappointed With His New Corvette ZR1’s Interior
German Prince Albert von Thurn und Taxis just took delivery of a 2009 Corvette ZR1. Why the sad face? Don't worry, you'll forget about the interior the first time you hit the Autobahn. [Corvette Blogger]
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By Wes SilerComment by Leeeeena - 1000 Club: That name can't possibly be for real. Can it? 18 Responses | Other threads
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LOLCars
German Motorway Closed By Flying Cash
A German motorway was closed after wind blew $31,000 out of a motorist's convertible during a test drive. Police blocked the motorway in both directions for half-an-hour, helping the man collect his money. More »
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By Ray WertComment by Ash78: "Just some papers. You know, papers. Business papers." I hate to be cynical, but in the US, a 23-year-old with all... 14 Responses | Other threads
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down on the street bonus edition
Ho Hum, Just Another Pagani Zonda Parked On The Frankfurt Street
This is Down On The Street Bonus Edition, where we check out interesting street-parked cars in places other than the Island That Rust Forgot. Ever seen one of these parked on the street? Vega has! More »
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Comment by invictus13: did top gear test this one? I seem to remember it being high on the stig track times 9 Responses | Other threads
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moment of zen
Ze Germans Vill Race Anything!
Competitors speed down a street during the second German office chair racing championship in the village of Bad Koenig-Zell April 25. More »
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By Ray WertComment by Anh Tu Nguyen: Frst! Bt bck n tpc, thght tht t wld b prcy, hgh-nd chrs nstd f $99 ffc Mx. 23 Responses | Other threads
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motorsports
When The Germans Came to Formula One
Brawn GP's inaugural 1–2 victory in Melbourne was no stranger to their engine supplier Mercedes-Benz: it was exactly the same fashion as how they debuted in Formula One in 1954 with their epic W196. More »
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By Peter OroszComment by X-Zambian: "No vultures were encountered on the Autobahn...". Excellent line. Road legal 300SLR? Awesome. What would that be worth if it was still around... 4 Responses | Other threads
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Carpocalypse
BMW, Daimler to Opel: It’s a Dog-Eat-Dog-Eat-Automaker World
Opel is dying and the heads of BMW and Daimler would like the German state to keep its hands out of the process. More » -
Carpocalypse Now
Opel Not Too Big to Fail?
Like the Renaissance Center mothership, GM's European subsidiary Opel is also in a heap of trouble. The company has said it needs €3.3 billion ($4.1B) to survive. More » -
classic ad watch
The 1980 Porsche 924: Kicks Ass At Le Mans, Hauls Your Scuba Gear
Here's what appears to be a late-night German infomercial for the 1980 Porsche 924 and 924 Turbo. Outdoorsy young Porsche owners, dedicated Porsche factory workers, and Porsche Le Mans racers all make appearances.
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Comment by jduffy13: Agreed, it's the S or no 924 at all. Even then, timing belt replacement is like $3,000 in these things. 2 Responses | Other threads
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Automaker Death Match
German Automaker Museum Design Showdown: Porsche Vs. BMW
It's a whole heap-load of historical German precision as Fast Company sticks the design of the BMW museum and the new Porsche museum into a steel cage. Two Bruce enter, one Bruce leave! [Fast Company]
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By Ray WertComment by engineerd: They were still building the BMW Museum when I was in Munich last time and the old BMW museum was... 6 Responses | Other threads
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geneva motor show
Opel Ampera: New Electric Car Features "Voltec" Technology
The Voltec-equipped Opel Ampera electric car will be revealed at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show, bringing GM's electric car technology to a grateful Europe. More »
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Comment by TechnoDestructo: Seeing if I can wring out a little more detail. 9 Responses | Other threads
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hoon of the day
German Man Fires His Skoda Octavia Into Church Roof
A German man was likely filled with the spirit, or at least spirits, when he lost control of his Skoda Octavia at high speeds, launching his car onto the roof of a church. More » -
novelties
"Ultimate" Nürburgring T-Shirt Forgets Hottest Part
Nordschleife.us has just released their idea of the best Nürburgring Nordschleife loop shirt ever envisioned by man. We're wondering what Sabine Schmitz, celebrity Nürburgringer, has to say about that.
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Comment by Ash78: Things I think of when I see that outline: 1. A pig's head2. West Virginia3. Nurburgring 13 Responses | Other threads
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nice price or crack pipe
Nice Price Or Crack Pipe: Perfect 1966 Citroën DS21 Chapron Palm Beach For $300,000?
The $67K '94 Supra Turbo we saw yesterday earned an 80% Crack Pipe rating from the readers; cool car, but the price was just too high. Today we're going to look at an even cooler car, in fact one of the coolest cars ever manufactured… but the price? £200,000, aka about $300,000. What do you say?
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Comment by c0de: imho, no french car should be sold at 300k, no matter how exclusive, i don't even care if charles de... 17 Responses | Other threads
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custom cars
Mirror-Finished Bugatti Veyron Blindingly Ushers in New Autostadt
Autostadt, the Volkswagen theme park surrounding the automaker's factory in Wolfsburg, Germany, reopened at the end of October with a stunning new centerpiece. The "Premium Clubhouse," showcasing Volkswagen's new multi-brand luxury division, features a flawless mirror-finished Bugatti Veyron situated in a similarly reflective pavilion. Disorientation and vertigo aside, the exhibit promises an unrivaled experience as the spectator's reflections become part of the artwork. Eat your heart out, Chromed McLaren SLR! We've got the press release below the jump and click here for a high-resolution image of this beauty. More »
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Comment by FutureCarDesigner: Wow, how many custom variations of the Veyron will be made.1.Veyron Pur Sang2.Veyron Fbg Pur Hermes (Version I)3.Veyron Fbg Pur... 16 Responses | Other threads
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classic ad watch
Opel GT: No Room For Your Strudel-Fed Butt, Old Man!
Opel's German marketers apparently figured that the German target market for the GT had to be skinny Teutonic Manson Family followers, so it made sense to show how fat, well-heeled, vaguely perved-out old car geeks would be kept away from the GT by itshopelessly crampedsporty small size. Here we see a grizzled Stalingrad survivor, wishing only for a brief moment of happiness to distract him from the waking nightmare that has been his life since 1942... happiness DENIED!
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Comment by DoctorNine's D9 Cat: This is one of those cars that make me think about really learning the english wheel, and buying a lot... 3 Responses | Other threads
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classic ad watch
1981 BMW 315: 15,850 Deutsche Marks To Econo-Glory
We couldn't get the gas-sipping BMW 315 over here in Nordamerika; instead, we had to make do with the thirsty 320i version of the E21 platform. Over in Germany, however, the money saved on gas by the 315 facilitated drive-by Quaalude deals between wholesome-looking tennis players… or whatever the hell is going on in this ad. Key swapping?
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Comment by layabout returns: I remember my dad having a E21 323i Alpina when i was a kid,followed by an M535i then a 633csi,they... 3 Responses | Other threads
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classic ad watch
Hang-Gliding German Swingers Prefer The Ford Capri!
When you're jumping off a cliff while strapped in your German-flag-colored hang glider and clad in the finest of polyester duds, you don't want your special lady to pick you up in some jive-ass tape-striped Opel. You want her to roar down the mountain in a high-performance Ford Capri! Thanks once again to Franzouse for the tip.
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Comment by Froggmann: "Reluctantly crouched at the starting line..." 7 Responses | Other threads
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classic ad watch
The 1982 Ford Granada Makes It Easy For The Germans To Steal France's Women
Now, you might think German men would be at a disadvantage when trying to score with the ladies in Paris, but she'll be saying "Ja, ja!" when Hans rolls into town in a brand-new Ford Granada. No, not this kind of Granada- we mean the European Granada; Ford thought the name was so good that they needed to assign it to two totally different vehicles. Paris-based Franzouse gets the credit for sharing this one with us; we can assume he's now heading to Berlin to see what kind of effect his Mehari will have on the women there.
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Comment by not4one: Anyone got a shot of the earlier Euro model from the late 70's? Happy memories of a long ago UK... 2 Responses | Other threads
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classic ad watch
Swingin' Opels Consume Germany's Entire Output Of Tape Stripes
Nobody swings quite as hard as German employees of General Motors- in fact, these Opel cats are wailing! Just take the early-70s Kadett, Manta, and Ascona, apply about 50 pounds of decals and stripes per car, and watch the cars fly off the showroom floors. Thanks to Franzouse for the tip!
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Comment by Number_Six: These guys later found fame as The Scorpions. 2 Responses | Other threads
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classic ad watch
Princess: Car Of Choice For Off-Roading Germans
You can forget everything you've heard about the utterly execrable build quality of British Leyland's nadir, the Princess. Turns out that front-wheel-drive setup, Hydragas suspension, and weight savings from all the parts that fell off during normal operation made for excellent off-road performance!
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Comment by loquaciousmusic: Search on YouTube and you'll find the "Top Gear" segment. It's hysterical. more » | Other threads
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ze germans
Top Ten Videos Of German Uber-Precise Car Manufacturing
Though we sarcastically joke about the self-proclaimed precision of German car makers, it turns out they actually have some pretty impressive facilities. The guys at Oobject took a closer look at the big, shiny factories of ze Germans, and came up with a top ten list of the most impressive videos of Deutschland's most futuristic-looking manufacturing centers in action. [oobject]
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By Mark ArnoldComment by Fej - it's not good, it's extreme good.: @Jeb_Hoge: Screw that, I'd go over there and build the car myself :) Seriously though, how awesome would it be to... more » | Other threads
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classic ad watch
Opel GT: Choice Of Screaming German Hippies!
Not speaking German, we're probably more frightened by this ad that might be warranted. Perhaps the target market of the Opel GT wasn't really German-style Manson Families looking for some quick, sporty wheels with which to hunt victims in preparation for the final days of Hëltër Schkëltër. Maybe it was all about good, wholesome autobahn hijinks. Thanks to Franzouse for the tip!
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Comment by rustylink: Shouldn't they show the repeated broken motor mounts and the headlights that won't flip over to these Groovy hippies! more » | Other threads
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choose your eternity
PCH, Franco-Prussian War Rematch Edition: Citroen CX 2000 or Porsche 928?
In a stunning upset, the Borgward Hansa wagon handed Germany a one-sided victory over the Peugeot 304 in our most recent Choose Your Eternity poll. With France long reigning as the world's lone HyperGalactic PCH OmniPower, we would be remiss if we didn't give the French a shot at prying the oil-leaking, stripped-fastener-thread PCH CryptoChampion trophy from the Germans, in order to prove that the Borgward's victory wasn't just some one-shot fluke. That's why we're rolling out some Hell Project heavy artillery today, with a pair of undeniably cool- yet just as undeniably nightmarish- machines vying for long-term residency in your Garage Of Torture. More »
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Comment by HUMONGUS: The Citroen, hands down. It might have potential once you get past the task of building an entire subframe to... more » | Other threads
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news
Unnamed German Luxury Automaker Creates Digital Factory System
A "luxury car manufacturer" from southern Stuttgart has invested a lot of money into something that isn't even real. We're thinking it was the brainchild of Dr. Z., but the unnamed company has picked up six of the ridiculously expensive Christie HD8K 1080p DLP high definition projectors that creates virtual factory floors and production plants to maximize production efficiency. It's quite the elaborate setup as individuals have to don special 3D goggles to get the full, stomach churning experience. More » -
found on ebay
Europe Fires Caminoization Salvo: 500SEpage, Silver Shadowamino!
The Murfreesboro Vanden Plaschero inspired a lot of discussion about the pros/cons of Americans hacking up fine European machinery in order to add pick-em-up truck beds. Don't forget, though, that Europe itself has a fine tradition of Caminoization stretching back for many decades. Take, for example, this pair of fine Old World cartrucks. We've got a 1982 Mercedes-Benz 500SE with pickup bed from Germany and a 1977 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow on a Dodge truck chassis from the Netherlands. Which would you drive? Make the jump and do the voting thing! Thanks to Martjin and Sasho for the tips. More »
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Comment by cats4rent: you could pick up three or four fat chicks at a time with the rolls. i wonder if they could... more » | Other threads
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industry news
Volkswagen's Command Center Is Like Minority Report, Minus The Cool
Recently installed at VW's Wolfsburg, Germany headquarters is this massive video wall that will help the IT control center manage all of VW's world-wide network. Remember in Minority Report when Tom Cruise is rocking that video wall with the awesome glove? Well, this system is kind of like that, but less technological and less cool. It does get the job done, apparently. The wall consists of tons of LCD displays and will ensures that stability of VW's worldwide networks across suppliers, importers, dealers, service partners, customers, manufacturers and more. What happened to being environmentally friendly, VW? We're sure this command center doesn't skimp on the power usage. [Carscoop]
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Comment by mjgolli: I wish my datacenter was like that...but I do all my admin stuff through VNC and SSH sessions. If it... more » | Other threads
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novelties
Think You've Got It All? How About A Gold Porsche?
We were born with an inability to trust salespeople, the fact they're trying to sell something you probably don't need is more than likely the root of this distrust. Fresh from Germany is a perfectly good example of something totally ludicrously ridiculous. The watch, jewelery, and interior decoration company of Schmuckwelten in Pforzheim, Germany has come up with a way to make a duo of Porsches seem utterly undesirable - cover them in gold and tchachkies. Is there something about an old 911 or a new Boxster that just screams "cover me with gold leaf" or "bedazzle my exhaust tip"? You'd think this kind of thing would be a hangin' offense in Germany. [Schmuckwelten via Minhaselecao] More »
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By Ben WojdylaComment by Shprocket: Shows again: having a lot of money doesn't necessarily imply having a lot of good taste. more » | Other threads
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custom cars
German Confounds Us With Pontiac LeSupra
The immediate reaction to this article sent to us by The Bouncer was an indignant cry of 'blasphemy!' What you see above is no ordinary 1972 Pontiac LeMans, indeed this dark horse has a dirty little secret. Tucked away under that sleek hood there lies no V8 engine, not even a V6, in fact, the engine wasn't even born in Detroit. It was plucked from none other than a Toyota Supra. More »
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By Ben WojdylaComment by my406cid80fbe: We all know what the ponchos sound like, but if this THING sounds like it looks, I'd be looking over... more » | Other threads
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junkyard find
Junkyard Find: Opel GT
Seems every time I go to a certain East Oakland self-service junkyard, I find something old and unusual on its way to steelyard reincarnation. Last time it was the 1969 Jaguar XJ-6; now it's a very-well-picked-over 1973 Opel GT. These things were never plentiful in North America, and I don't think I've seen one on the street for a decade. Yet, somehow, one has survived long enough to make it to the junkyard. Make the jump for even more gallery shots. More »
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Comment by freeride53: lol i go there alot. at the end of hegenburger, on san leandro st. it the pick n pull go there alot, since... more » | Other threads
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novelties
The Old Elbe River Tunnel
See, this is why we love Germany, no, it's not just for the beer. The city of Hamburg is situated on the Elbe river, with the dockyards situated on an island in the river. In the heady shipping days of Hamburg, workers on the busy port island had to travel by ferry to get to their jobs. In an effort to reduce river traffic and improve the commute, a tunnel was constructed to address the issue. Being Germans though, the tunnel couldn't just be a hole in the ground for people to pass through. Nope, this tunnel stretches out for 1,398 ft under the river, and is punctuated by huge freight elevators on both sides. More »
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By Ben WojdylaComment by Euromobile: @camp6ell: As it says, the tunnel was shut years ago, but the Rotundas are still there. Unfortunately the South Rotunda... more » | Other threads
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offbeat news
Parking Lot Saves German History
Parking lots don't always pave paradise, sometimes the pave over cellars. German archaeologists have discovered a 12th century cellar buried under a car park in Berlin. The find dates the founding of the city to a period roughly 45 years earlier than previous estimates. What makes the discovery remarkable isn't so much it's age, but that it has survived through centuries of construction as well as the Allied bombardment in the second world war. More »
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By Ben WojdylaComment by CEman: @Novaload: The MythBusters could not find him... [mythbusters-wiki.discovery.com] more » | Other threads
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offbeat news
Gaddafi's Offspring's Ferrari Seized In Germany For Being Too Loud
The War on Terror-izingly Loud Autos claimed another victim as German police towed away Muammar Gaddafi's son's Ferrari 430. Seif al-Arab, son of the Libyan leader, is studying something in Munich and, like most students, gets by on a mixture of Ramen Noodles, Ultimate Frisbee and Italian sports cars. Police report that the car's exhaust emitted 110.5 decibels, over the 98 decibel limit. More » -
german christmas
Match Made in Heaven: Skoda Delivery Fun
You didn't think we could actually make it through any trip without bringing you local Camino action did you? Here's a bitchin' Skoda Felicia Fun doing its duty as a pizza delivery truck/car in Schesslitz. Way more dignified than the last Fun we brought you. Could there be a better match? Pizza delivery, Camino-ness, fuel economy, plenty of room for cases of bier in the back... it's perfect! There's something so right about that missing hubcap too. Ristorante bei Peppo Skoda-camino driver, today's real Bavarian hero. More »
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By bwojdylaComment by biminitwst: @ccc40821: See, I TOLD you thats why they put the handle on the rear! more » | Other threads
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german christmas
Akl Shows Off 1974 BMW 2000Tii Touring
Earlier we introduced you to Akl's garage, now we're going to show you Akl's daily driver. Parked right in front of that bitching treasure chest is a 1974 BMW 2000Tii Touring. That's right the BMW boys built a touring model of the uber-tossable little sedan - sort of the German version of a shooting brake. While there are probably only about a hundred of these in all of Germany, Akl puts twenty thousand clicks on his, thumbing his nose at the namby pamby preservationist sissies. Putting on all those K's would seem like a tedious business given the stop-go and heavy truck traffic of the modern, EU border crossing free Autobahn. That's were Akl has a clever little trick up his sleeve. He has equipped it a 1600E Becker Mexico vintage modern stereo system. Yep, the one that looks old, but hides the CF and SD reader built into it. We can't help but wonder if this was the inspiration for that M Coupe that's perrenially on our list to Santa. Dig that copper paint job. More » -
german christmas
More German Garage Pr0n
Alexander "Akl" Z. is a man living what many of us would consider "the dream." He has a nice big house in the German countryside, not one, but two, two lift garages, a positive pressure paint booth, and more automotive treasures than you can shake a schweinebraten at. Keeping messy garages full of cool cars must be a German national pastime. Under the vintage black Mercedes is a competition ready BMW 2002 set up for hill climb racing. Against the back wall is an E21 set up for cup racing. Under the mint condition BMW 3.0 CSi is an old Escort destined for rally time. Another something sits in the middle of it all after a fresh paint job. It looks French, but that's highly doubtful in Germany, anybody know what that is? We especially dig the palm trees littering the garage, it makes things feel so exotic. We're used to the girly posters and smelly old dogs, but this works too. More » -
german christmas
Dieter Lets Us Peek Behind the Barn Door
A man like Dieter is never content with just one barn full of cars and tools and gadgets. Less than a kilometer away from his shop, Dieter has his treasure barn. From the road it's so unassuming that you'd never know it could contain an 850Ci and a 440 Duster. In addition to those, there's at least an ancient Tatra, a pumped up BMW 2002, the skeletal (and really cool) remains of an Opel Speedster and a rack of about 50 various hoods for some reason. This is also where Dieter keeps the molds for a BMW M1 that's he's recreating. Oh yeah, that wooden frame upside down on the red car, that's the body frame for the BMW 328 we told you about earlier. This level of chaos in our own garage would drive us bonkers, but damn, this place is awesome.
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By bwojdylaComment by the good dr zero: @Armand4: Geminis are the earliest cars that I remember, the folks had a bright orange one when I was rather... more » | Other threads
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german christmas
Legendary Project Car: 1937 BMW 328
Our German buddy, The Bouncer, was a garage rat growing up. We could clog the tubes with his stories of Deutschland hoonage in hypermodified BMWs and mythical Porsches. As a result of this, we've got the inside track on some of Bavaria's most respected garages and their automeisters. This particular fellow is Dieter W. His full name and location will remain anonymous for reasons that will become evident shortly. Dieter is a BMW guy. His garage services only the steel of the Bayerische Motoren Werk and he's got an unbelievable little secret in one of his work bays. More »
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By bwojdylaComment by Shapeshifter: @Dr.Danger: If by "fun" you mean "project car hell with a car where components are impossible to find and too expensive... more » | Other threads
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german christmas
VW Golf Country Makes Tiguan Look Like Sissymobile
Oh sweet Christkindle, we've found VW's best car ever and it's called the VW Golf Country. Just as we werebeing raped at the gas pumpfilling up, the traffic cleared and this came into view across the street. You all should have been there to see the frantic scramble for the camera as we raced against the owners' intent to scramble with our new found love. Even though these picture make us feel like half private eye, half stalker, we can't help it; seeing this super rare, four wheel drive, Mark 2 Golf is like catching Sasquatch riding the Loch Ness monster like a big wet pony. We're loving the high res shots showing the bashed front fascia and busted up fender flares, the field repairs on the wiring, the chintzy 80's style decals, oh my, it's almost too much. More »
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By bwojdylaComment by jojowasher: I want one soooo bad!! There is one on sale on eBay all the time in BC north of Vancouver,... more » | Other threads
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german christmas
DOTS Germany: Supermini Substop Delivery Truck
Job one when we made our way into Bamberg on the first day was to replace the anemic and poorly appointed Mercedes B-Class rental (seriously, how does that thing wear a star?) with a far more capable and comfortable Audi A4 mit 2.0 TDi. While we were on this mission, we came across this spectacular beauty. Making kei-cars look like my Lincoln, this "Substop" delivery truck was like manna from bizarro heaven. We're pretty sure that it's worn as a backpack during delivery runs. The utter hoonage that could result from matching this with a Hayabusa mill and cheater slicks is unfathomable. They should be distributed in pairs, one for each pocket. More »
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By bwojdylaComment by Hyman Decent: @tocsa120ls: We may have a misunderstanding due to the fact I wrote "Europe." The tipping rules probably differ by country;... more » | Other threads
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german christmas
Jalopnik in Germany for Fun, Not Shows
While Jonny was being such a crybaby about the hanging out in lousy old California in Saturday's QOTD, I decided to go to Germany to escape the thirteen inches of snow that fell in good old D-town. You'll find the reasoning here is solid; After years of half-assed jokes about Germans and their preoccupation with automotive perfection, (as well as myriad poorly spelled jokes about various aluminum und schteel loving brands) it was decided that the time had come to check the place out in person. Sure, we've been all over the übershow that is Frankfurt, and we've shown you what comes out of Essen, but we've never really gotten to know Germany. It was mostly just a relationship of convenience where we never called the next day. This time we're serious, we're committed, we want to know all of Germany's friends and hang out in the cold drinking Gluhwein at the Weihnacht's Markt. Oh yeah, and completely geek out over the cars. Stay tuned for Deutschland-centric craziness.
germany
Detroit, 3:30 PM
Sat Jul 11
26 posts in the last 24 hours
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