The Austin Maestro was one of the first cars with a talking digital dash. The company had actress Nicolette Mackenzie read out warnings, like low oil pressure or the brakes need servicing. For some markets (like Spain and Germany), Austin-Rover gave the car a male voice, presumably because it didn't think Germans or Spaniards wanted to take orders from a woman.

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Suggested By: AndyJF, Photo Credit: Austin-Rover

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4.) You Can Play Pong With A Saab

With all of the computers in cars these days, you'd assume that engineers would sneak some fun hidden-away pieces of code in there. The Swedish nutsos at Saab left us with our new favorite, explains Highball.

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When using the GM Tech II on a Saab 9-3 SS (I believe this works on 2003-2007 cars) if you go into the Airbag/SRS system submenu, there is a easter egg that allows the tech to play Pong on the Tech II.

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Suggested By: Highball, Photo Credit: Highball


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3.) The McLaren F1 Gearbox Prototype Used A Chevy V8

McLaren needed an engine to test the gearbox for the F1. The motor needed to have enough torque to replicate what they expected from their eventual production unit, so they picked a good ol' Chevy 454 big block. Fuck yeah!

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Suggested By: sammyjay, Photo Credit: McLaren

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2.) If A Car In Malaysia Is Too Successful, Competitors Can Have That Car's Price Raised

America has a fairly open car market, which we can't quite say about the growing car market in Malaysia, which is dominated by Toyota. BobbyAng points out the country's strangest automotive regulation.

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When a certain car is selling too well within a segment in Malaysia, competitors can actually file a complaint to the authorities and the authorities will them hike up the price of that vehicle (forcefully) to 'level' competition-ship. Case in point, the Passat CC was given a hike of $10,000 from $80,000 USD to $90,000. And the VW Polo GTI also experienced this, going from $46,000 to $56,000 last year.

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Suggested By: BobbyAng, Photo Credit: VW Malaysia


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1.) An Egyptian President Helped Build An Arab Car Called The ‘Frisky'

There have been all kinds of thoroughly unhinged ideas to develop the Middle East, but one of the most unlikely was a proposed all-Arab automobile, built from a British microcar called the Frisky, as reader His Highness, the most Ramblin of Rovers explains.

President Nasser of Egypt once was involved in a plan to create an "All-Arab People's Car" out of a British microcar called the Frisky.

The deal to recreate it as the "Ramses" fell through, and the Ramses ended up as a disguised NSU. President Kouatly of Syria also had a Frisky.
The owner's organization estimates only 75 Friskys of all types remain worldwide.

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You can find more information on the hard-to-believe project at MeadowsFrisky.co.uk.

Suggested By: His Highness, the most Ramblin of Rovers, Photo Credit: MeadowsFrisky.co.uk