We've no idea why he started with the Continental, but we do know he ended up with a vehicle supposedly equipped with machine guns (no word on whether or not they work), but definitely has rear-view video cameras, height-adjustable bodywork, a plasma screen TV, voice recognition controls, satellite navigation and a DVD player. [via PopSci]

Just click on any of the thumbnails below to jump to the original post about that car.

1937 Beardmore	1953 Citroën	1956 Morris	1959 Morris
1960 Peugeot	1960 Triumph	1961 Morris	1963 Land Rover
1965 Austin	1965 Alfa Romeo	1966 Jaguar	1966 Lancia
1966 Volvo	1969 MG	1969 Volvo	1969 Volvo
1969 Citroën	1970 Volvo	1971 Volvo	1971 MG
1972 Triumph	1972 Steyr	1973 Volvo	1973 MG
1974 Jensen-Healey	1975 Citroën	1975 MG	1977 Fiat
1977 Volvo	1978 Jaguar	1978 Saab	1980 Volvo
1981 Fiat	1982 Fiat	1984 Jaguar	1985 Alfa Romeo
1985 Saab	1985 Peugeot	1986 Jaguar	1988 Renault
1988 Peugeot	1989 Ferrari	1989 Alfa Romeo	1991 Peugeot
1991 Alfa Romeo	1991 Rolls-Royce

Naturally, we'd like to see an American band based on a Fordson or IHC tractor. It could be the next big thing! Thanks to Novaload for the tip.

Wired's article immediately goes for the gut punch with a well told tale we all know and love depicting, in detail, that one fateful day in Malibu. While it wasn't Stefan's only feck up, it's definitely his most famous, at least in the halls of the Jalopnik campus. He was also known for his failed and mafia-tied Gizmondo handheld gaming platform and later his fraudulent exportation of multiple super cars to the U.S. The recently jailed Fat Steffe is likely going to be laughing all the way to the bank if this ever does come to fruition, which forces us to once again put this out there: Save The Enzos!

Here's an excerpt from Wired's original article:

THE BUMP IN THE ROAD that ended Bo Stefan Eriksson's fantastic ride is practically invisible. From 10 feet away, all you can see is the ragged edge of a tar-seamed crack in an otherwise smooth sheet of pavement. Only the location is impressive - a sweet stretch of straightaway on California's Pacific Coast Highway near El Pescador state beach, just past the eucalyptus-shaded mansions of the Malibu hills. On that patch of broken asphalt, there's barely enough lip to stub a toe. Of course, when you hit it at close to 200 miles per hour, as police say Eriksson did in the predawn light last February 21, while behind the wheel of a 660-horsepower Ferrari Enzo, consequences magnify.

The Enzo has less than 6 inches of ground clearance, and at that speed, it took only a slight scrape under the front bumper to launch the vehicle. The airborne Ferrari landed in a skid that in a blink became a sidelong drift. Tires shredding, the car bounced over the shoulder onto a grassy slope wet with dew. All Eriksson could do was hold on as the slithering, swiveling Enzo again achieved liftoff, then slammed broadside into a wooden power pole.

The crash became an instant media sensation. In Los Angeles, the destruction of the rare million-dollar Ferrari - and the strange story that rose from the wreckage - dominated local radio talk shows and TV newscasts for days. For most, it was just another diversion, the newest twist on the high-speed-chase formula the city loves. But the public attention would spell disaster for a handful of people connected to Eriksson, many of them fellow participants in one of the biggest debacles in the history of the videogame industry: the epic meltdown of Gizmondo Europe, Eriksson's former company.

[Gizmodo via Robert Capps via Wired]

Eriksson, also known as Fat Steffe, was arrested along with two suspected associates, on suspicion of theft, assault and extortion. This is almost a year after he was released from prison and deported to Sweden. We guess some people never learn.

[LA Times]

The news comes just two weeks after we reported GM's unable to find a buyer for its quirky Swedish brand. Both companies are said to be excited about the deal, GM because it wants rid of the brand as it moves towards a more slimmed-down, government-sanctioned product portfolio and Saab because it’ll finally be able to develop its own new products free of GM’s badge engineering.

Those new products are still a ways off, however. The first step towards independence would see Saab moving production of the forthcoming 2010 Saab 9-5 from the Opel factory in Russelsheim, Germany to its headquarters in Trollhattan. While excessively expensive — requiring $100 million, some of which would come from the Swedish Government — the move is seen as key to reestablishing Saab as a Swedish brand made in Sweden. The Trollhattan facility is also currently operating at only around half its 170,000 cars-per-year capacity, so the move would be an economic stimulus for the Swedish economy.

9-3 Convertible production would also return to Sweden from Magna Steyr in Austria, but the upcoming Saab 9-4X SUV will still be produced in Mexico. A sensible move given its US-biased sales.

So what? You’re probably asking yourself. GM-based Saab’s are hardly the stuff of a reborn from jets brand. We agree with you, but a return to domestic ownership and the ability to conduct its own R&D and design future products like the long overdue 9-3 replacement are exactly what the brand needs. Whether or not it can spin an injection of capitol from the government together with a partially refreshed product portfolio to survive long enough to actually develop all-new products remains to be seen.
[via Autocar and Trollhattan Saab]

We see Saabs Gone Wild at just about every single LeMons race; apparently SGW is a global conspiracy of some sort. Even though Saabs nearly always break down at LeMons races, the teams show true Scandinavian stoicism- if that's the word- and keep coming back for more! This car managed 131 laps, good for an 84th-place finish… but check out that 1:38.682 best lap. Turbo, baby!


We're disappointed that the Bernal Dads still haven't done anything with the B23 we pulled from the Black Metal V8olvo and sold to them, but their '84 245 wagon still looked good in its 4th LeMons race. Looks like a few penalties- including the dreaded Max Mosley- slowed them down a bit, but they still came in a respectable 56th.


This really is a Volvo 244! The Flakes, obviously a bunch of bodywork wizards, have created a 1957 Chevolvo using junk parts around the shop. They didn't put much work into adding performance to their slushbox-equipped Swede- which is apparent from their placid 1:47.750 best lap time- but they stayed out of trouble and stayed on the track, and they get a staggeringly good 15th-place finish to show for it!


After teammate Court Summerfield passed away after having a heart attack behind the wheel at the SF '08 race, the Alameda-based Cant Am guys were initially too heartbroken to contemplate returning to LeMons in another Gulf-paint-scheme Volvo 242. Then they realized that Court probably wouldn't have wanted to give up on the turbocharged Volvo dream, and they built a recreation of the old car, this time with a turbo motor out of a 740. It was quick, with a best time of 1:38.566, but seemed to have some fuel-delivery problems on the track.


This car finished 10th at the SF '08 race, and the Box Wrench 900 Turbo came in 5th. There you have it- proof that Saabs don't always break at LeMons races! Unfortunately, that fine Swedish machinery wasn't working up to its full potential this time around, and Team 60 came in 89th.


You're all familiar with the car I helped build by now, so I won't go into tedious detail about its innards. The Black Metal V8olvo came in 29th this time, the lack of a top-5 spot almost entirely due to a nearly-hour-long penalty I earned when I took the exit to the forbidden, closed-off part of Thunderhill instead of the pit road exit. I'll write up the details of that little bonehead move later on, when I finally get around to my long-postponed "What's It Like To Race In LeMons?" piece; for now, you other Swedish-car racers can envy our Detroit-assisted 1:38.299 best lap time.

[Stilism]
Hat tip to Tio!

The Swedish government passed a $3.4 billion (28 billion kronor) support package including credit guarantees and rescue loans for Volvo, Saab and the rest of Sweden's not-so-huge automotive industry. This came mere hours after the US approved their own "bankruptcy lite" aid package (would we call this "bailout lite"?), just passed by whatever body it is that passes such things in Sweden, consists of a maximum of 20 billion kronor in credit guarantees to automotive companies and up to 5 billion kronor in rescue loans to bail out companies in crisis.

The government said Thursday it also will earmark 3 billion kronor in R&D monies in the automotive sector — we're assuming that's like their version of the R&D fund passed by Congress what seems like eons ago. Carmakers Volvo and Saab have been appealing to the government for support because of the financial woes of their US owners, Ford and GM. [via Detroit News]

Photo Credit: Worth1000

As promised a while back! Some shots of some Detroit steel as found on the streets of Gotland, Sweden....a great big island in the middle of the Baltic. Maybe there's something here you wanna post...maybe not.

Here's the shots of a god awful Hummer H2. Who in their right mind pays to gas that thing up at $10 + / gallon? I can't even imagine with all the great european cars out there. There's a word for it but I'll skip the potty mouth. Imagine that! I mean check out the freaking chromed machine gunnies on the hood (and note the playboy chick on the hood too!). And for the piece de resistance we have the American Flag door pulls....I risked life and limb getting that shot. Who knows where the muscle head was.....

And then this old Mustang fastback? 1974? 1975? I love the racing stripes and the rust....racing to its end!

And finally the Monte Carlo....huh???? I mean of ALL cars.....

How about this for a brain bender: After the shrinking mid-sized cars, they're talking about taking the future entry-level Saab 9-1 and basing it on the popular-in-Europe Opel Corsa! My, my, Saab, how you'll be shrinking.

Jalopnik Snap Judgment: We like this idea. Saabs have always been quirky, pocket-sized cars that go against the grain and win admiration for it. Monster-sized Saabrolets like the 9-7X just aren't right. For a brand that embodies European sensibilities, this seems like a choice that should have been made from the get-go. [Auto News Sub. Req]

Auto Motor & Sport, by way of Motor Authority, reported yesterday on a joint effort between the energy departments of two august establishments of hybrid research — the United States' Argonne National Laboratory and Sweden's Lindholmen Science Park. The $37 million program will work on developing new plug-in hybrid technology. Also, a better meatball! [Motor Authority]

The car was already blue, so that meant that we just needed to put some yellow bars on the roof. Yes, we have other worries (cooling system problems and a garbooned oil pump during our test driving at a Volvo club meet at Thunderhill last week), but we might as well not even bother showing up if we have no Swedish Rebel Flag!


I'm sure my Swedish immigrant ancestors would shed a few tears if they could just see this. Of course, they left Sweden, so maybe not.


But we're the Dukes of Göteborg! We need stars!


13 stars, to be exact. I'll write more about our all-weekend engine-and-cooling-system thrash session in the days to come, and of course you'll get to see the full paint job soon.

The future of refuse handling is already here

Due to its productive personality, the Volvo FE has been recognized as a cost effective truck for city distribution and refuse handling. In 2009, the Volvo FE will be offered with a hybrid solution adding two main benefits: increased fuel efficiency and decreased emissions.

From a driver's perspective, the hybrid is also more pleasant to operate with excellent drivability characteristics and reduced noise levels.

A perfect fit for "stop and go" applications
Like the Volvo FM Hybrid, the Volvo FE Hybrid is equipped with a diesel engine and an electric motor. The latter powers the truck from startup and up to 20 km/h. At higher speeds, the diesel engine kicks in.

When the vehicles stops, the diesel engine automatically shuts down to avoid unnecessary idling.

Since braking energy is used to charge the lithium-ion batteries powering the electric motor, the greatest fuel saving potential is in applications with a lot of "stop and go" driving:
— up to 20% for refuse handling (up to 30% if the superstructure also rely on the electric motor)
— between 15-20% for city distribution

Low on emissions and close to noiseless
Any savings in fuel means equal savings in CO2 emissions, meaning that the Volvo FE Hybrid will contribute some 15 - 30% less to global warming.

The emissions of NOx and particulates are at zero level when the truck is operated in electric drive - and it is a very silent truck when accelerating and idling. These are both strong benefits when operating in sensitive urban areas.

Field test with customers
During 2008 and 2009, two Volvo FE Hybrids will run in daily refuse collection operations with the help of two Swedish companies.

The field test trucks are both prototype vehicles of the Volvo FE Hybrid that will be the commercial offer in 2009.

Volvo FE Hybrid Concept - Technical data
— Volvo FE with I-SAM (Integrated Starter Alternator Motor)
— Power 120 kW
— 7-litre diesel engine
— Volvo I-Shift gearbox

This weekend it has been a major sport car show in Malmö in south of Sweden. Anyway. This tape was recorded after closing time when a Ferrari F50 was followed by some young twats in Beemers, Ricers and Porsches. SWEDES ARE HEARBY BANNED TO DRIVE ONE OF A KIND FERRARIS."