Archive for the ‘Russia’ Category

Life in Russia comes with its share of hardships: brutal winters, a touch-and-go economy, and a legacy of cultural isolation. (But hey, at least somebody's doing something about that pesky snow.) In a country where things seem to be in transition, and where the divide between rich and poor is vast, armored vehicles are a necessity. That's where the Dartz Prombron Monaco BR6 limited-edition armored SUV comes in. It rolls with an 850 hp engine, six video cameras, twin gas tanks, and numerous...upholstery options. Just in case you're looking for something that says I have too many rubles for my own good. And FYI, you really ought to check the...

Life in Russia comes with its share of hardships: brutal winters, a touch-and-go economy, and a legacy of cultural isolation. (But hey, at least somebody's doing something about that pesky snow.) In a country where things seem to be in transition, and where the divide between rich and poor is vast, armored vehicles are a necessity. That's where the Dartz Prombron Monaco BR6 limited-edition armored SUV comes in. It rolls with an 850 hp engine, six video cameras, twin gas tanks, and numerous...upholstery options. Just in case you're looking for something that says I have too many rubles for my own good. And FYI, you really ought to check the... Read More

Just when you think the auto world is ending in an onslaught of grim grey Korean econoboxes ... life gets better. And sometimes you just can't make this [stuff] up.

Take last Friday's little news item from WardsAuto, for example. A Russian company that was supposed to assemble copies of a Japanese Toyota from Chinese kits has instead been building and selling the little Tiggos itself. Oh, the horror.

We can do no better than to excerpt the salient points of a few sentences that lay out the dastardly deed:

"It has come to our attention that...entities in Russia have been assembling and/or distributing Tiggo vehicles without our...

Just when you think the auto world is ending in an onslaught of grim grey Korean econoboxes ... life gets better. And sometimes you just can't make this [stuff] up. Take last Friday's little news item from WardsAuto, for example. A Russian company that was supposed to assemble copies of a Japanese Toyota from Chinese kits has instead been building and selling the little Tiggos itself. Oh, the horror. We can do no better than to excerpt the salient points of a few sentences that lay out the dastardly deed: "It has come to our attention that...entities in Russia have been assembling and/or distributing Tiggo vehicles without our... Read More

Tinseltown car tech -- Mercedes has launched a new campaign touting its BlueTEC vehicles and the Hollywood types who love 'em. Presumably, said types are happy to drive clean diesel autos, but given Sheryl Crow's expression in that publicity shot, we're not really sure. Please back away from the botulinum, m'am. [MBusa] Headline to follow -- Here's a nifty news bite: "Ford Motor Co. is offering dealers in its development program, who are mainly black or Hispanic, the chance to buy their stores for $1.... In exchange for the $1, Ford will give up its remaining ownership interest in the store and forgive the dealer's capital loans." Expect... Tinseltown car tech -- Mercedes has launched a new campaign touting its BlueTEC vehicles and the Hollywood types who love 'em. Presumably, said types are happy to drive clean diesel autos, but given Sheryl Crow's expression in that publicity shot, we're not really sure. Please back away from the botulinum, m'am. [MBusa] Headline to follow -- Here's a nifty news bite: "Ford Motor Co. is offering dealers in its development program, who are mainly black or Hispanic, the chance to buy their stores for $1.... In exchange for the $1, Ford will give up its remaining ownership interest in the store and forgive the dealer's capital loans." Expect... Read More