Crazy Cars

We've had a look at MSN's list of crazy cars from around the world and picked out the 20 best ones from their list of 75. These are the ones we have selected for their uniqueness, creativity and inspiring/crazy images.

This car was built in 1966 and is supposed to give a brick effect, why? because that was what all the cool kids in the 60's were doing back then didn't you know?...

Two vehicles welded together on opposite ends... because that's a practical idea.

Car constructor Edd China literally takes work home with him - in his office car, named "The Hot Desk". In 2003, he actually drove it 900 miles from London to Cannes for charity.

Who needs good old-fashioned 4x4 wheels when you've got these bad boys to carry you through deep snow? This is a Subaru Impreza STI rally car with caterpillar tracks. Thumbs up from us!

Only in America would a limousine and a all-wheel-drive pick-up be a combination worth thinking about, which is exactly what Paul Emery from Massachusetts thought to do. This particular combination was based on a 1981 Cadillac DeVille Limousine. Why not drive in style?!

It's like a lounge in a car! How awesome is that! This is one of Jay Ohrberg's creations.

This three-seater three-wheeler was built in 1954 by Egon Bruetsch, he obviously needed room for more than two people on his travels! He certainly looks very happy in this picture! The lightweight plastic that the car was made from is actually starting to come into use for today's cars.

This Hairy Car was photographed in Stuttgart, Germany. Unfortunately the hairy car look didn't catch on, I imagine it must be quite expensive to shampoo not to mention how long that would take to blow dry... 

Forget caravans, imagine being stuck behind this!!! a 17th century thatched cottage!!!

Another creation from Jay Ohrberg.

I imagine this is quite hard to drive...and see.

Perry Watkins designed this car - dining table...we're not quite sure why, but it certainly gives a lasting impression. Pictured in August 2010, Perry would later attempt the record for the world's fastest furniture at Santa Pod raceway in Northamptonshire. The 'Stig' pictured here is actually a dummy and neither Perry or the original Stig from BBC's Top Gear.

This car was created and designed by William Burge of Houston, Texas. The machine was built from a 1968 Volkswagen beetle and is all different kinds of crazy, just look at those gargoyles! Not sure we'd be too happy driving with that on our tail on a cold dark night! The vehicle is aptly named "Phantoms" and could have been inspired by the gargoyle-spotted façade of a Gothic cathedral.

Crazy creation by Jay Ohrberg again...

Why have we never thought about doing this before? A shoe.. that drives! Genius. Actually, I think crazy is probably the better word in this instance. This car was created in China and is an electrically powered one-off that when pushing pedal to the metal can do up to 30 kilometres an hour and travel 400 kilometres on a single charge.

And to top off this list we have another creation from Jay Ohrberg which was been created for The King himself, Elvis. Shame he would never get to witness this beaut created just for him. I'm sure he'd be impressed! 

For the whole list of Crazy Cars featured by MSN, you can view them all here.

July's Photo Competition Winner - MondeoSTOC.com

Mondeo Spares Ltd are club sponsors of Mondeo ST Owners Club forum and have been helping to choose winners for the photo competition that the forum runs on a monthly basis.

In July, the competition was to send in a photograph of your Mondeo with the theme 'Car Parks' in mind.

Thanks to everyone who entered this month!

We'd like to congratulate Gareth Kidman (Burbojack) who won this months competition. 

Here is the winning photo:

The picture was taken in the pay and display carpark under the Magdalen Street flyover, Norwich.

Some details about Gareth's Mondeo:

Ford Mondeo ST220 (03 Reg);

Miltex Exhaust;

Dreamscience Remap.

Good with a camera???

Don't forget to enter next month's competition for August. 

Go to www.mondeostoc.com to find out what the theme is for this month and you could win yourself some free Mondeo Spares goodies!!!

5 Used Cars to Avoid And The Alternatives

MoneyWatch have recently looked at car owner surveys and put together a list of vehicles that have the poorest reliability records based on five categories. The year 2008 was chosen  for three reasons:

1. This particular year means that most vehicles will have had already gone through the depreciation period, so you will not have to worry too much about losing money. (New cars lose value every year).

2. The year 2008 ranked in the latest dependability study from J.D. Power and Associates.

3. The cost of used car prices have risen so significantly over this past year and used cars can make worse financial sense than new.

Small Car 

From the 'Small Car' category, the first car selected is the Volkswagen Beetle.

2008 Volkswagen Beetle

According to MoneyWatch, although the Beetle's cute and all-around appeal is enticing to some, it doesn't save it from being on the least reliable list. Owners of the 2008 model told Consumer Reports that they had trouble with the climate control system and power equipment - both are very costly and expensive to repair. 

Alternative : Hyundai Elantra

2008 Hyundai Elantra 

The Hyundai Elantra got the maximum of five circles in the J.D Power reliability ratings and is ranked an above-average used car by Consumer Reports, where survey respondents reported no major problems. Hyundai not only make top quality cars but they are also offering consumers a 10-year, 100,000 mile powertrain warranty.

Medium Car

For "The medium car" category, the car selected is the Volkswagen Passat, picture below;

2008 Volkswagen Passat

Volkswagen despite being praised by reviewers when new, the passat gets the minimum J.D two circles and a below-average rating from Consumer Reports. Readers there report problems with the fuel, power equipment and electrical and climate systems.

Alternative: Ford Fusion

2008 Ford Fusion

Ford's first real contender in years against mid-size leaders Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, the Fusion won the reliability award in this year's J.D. Power Survey. Consumer Reports gives it a top Much Above Average used car rating. Readers there reported no major problems with their 2008 Ford Fusions.

Mid-size SUV

For "The Mid-Size SUV" category, GMC Acadia has been chosen pictured below:

2008 GMC Acadia 

Though its quality has improved in recent models, the 2008 Acadia is a repeat loser in this category. With the minimum two circles in the J.D Power survey, it gets a worse than average used car ranking from Consumer Reports. Readers there reported problems with the suspension and audio system.

Alternative: Toyota 4 Runner

Toyota 4 Runner

This 2008 Toyota won the J.D Power reliability award and is rated much better than average as a used car in the Consumer Reports ratings, where readers reported no serious problems. Reviewers praises its capability both on the highway and off-road.

Mid-size SUV

For "Large SUV" Category - Ford Expedition has been chosen, picture below:

Even if you need large-capacity hauling and can ignore the lame mileage number (the Expedition is rated at 12 mpg in city driving) look elsewhere. The Ford SUV line, which strangely all start with the letter 'E', has received the minimum two circles from J.D Power and a worse-than-average Consumer Reports rating, where readers report problems with the transmission and the audio system.

Alternative: Toyota Sequoia

2008 Toyota Sequoia

In a category with no clear winner, the Toyota entry again looks like the best bet. It gets four out of five circles in the J.D Power rating and an above-average rating from Consumer Reports. Reviewers praise its roomy seating and comfortable ride for long trips.

Minivan

For "minivan" Category - Chrysler Town & Country

2008 Chrysler Town & Country

Chrysler originated the minivan and in most years has sold more than other companies. But sometime around 2008, manufacturing quality began to lag.

This Chrysler van got the minimum two circles from J.D. Power and a much-worse-than-average used-car rating from Consumer Reports. Readers there reported problems with the suspension, brakes, climate system and power equipment. 

Alternative: Toyota Sienna

2008 Toyota Sienna

As it did last year, the Sienna wins the reliability award for minivans from J.D. Power, and it gets a better-than-average rating from Consumer Reports. Reviewers praise its comfort and seating; it holds up to eight people. 

     Despite Toyota’s recent recall problems and lagging sales this year, its dominance of numerous categories in three-year-old used cars is a reminder of what a strong record of reliability it has achieved. Domestic companies certainly should not count out Toyota as a strong competitor.

Going Abroad This Summer? Be Prepared UK Drivers!

The AA has put together a list of things you should have organised before you go abroad with your vehicle. We know you will find this useful and will also help to make your summer holiday as stress-free as possible!

Be Prepared!

Traffic & Speeding regulations:

Are you aware of the road and traffic regulations of the country you are visiting? Some countries use the KM speed limit rather than the MPH that we are so used to in this country, don't get caught speeding due to unawareness! 

Example of Speed signs abroad:
(This is in Km's not Mph!)

If you do get caught speeding, in many countries the penalties can be both tough and instant. If you are actually stopped for a motoring offence by police you are likely to be required to pay an on-the-spot fine and most police will accept credit or debit cards. If you don't pay, your car could be impounded. If you have been flashed by an enforcement camera, the fine will follow you home and you will be forced to pay via a UK court. Take note that also some motorways as well as urban highways measure average speed between cameras. Speed limits can vary depending on weather too, for instance in France the speed is reduced when it is raining. Knowing this kind of information before you travel can be invaluable and can also save you a lot of money and bother.

Traffic signs and signals:

Most traffic signs and signals for different countries are very similar - or at least you can normally take a guess at what it means. However, there are some that can be quite confusing or unclear what they are asking of you, to avoid any accidents, arguments with the wife or mental breakdowns, we recommend familiarising yourself with these signs before commencing your journey.

Don't drink and drive: 

Most European countries have a lower limit to what is acceptable in the UK for drinking and driving regulations. It really isn't worth the risk, our advice is to avoid all alcohol if driving.

Driving License:  

Although a fairly obvious one, make sure to bring your driving license with you on holiday including the paper counterpart that is included.

Towing a Caravan?:

If you are taking a caravan with you on your holiday your caravan's insurance will need to extend to the countries you are visiting. Most do, but it is always better to check before-hand. 

Breakdown Cover:

Make sure you bring your European Breakdown Cover documents with you, if you don't have these before you start your journey, you might be left high and dry if anything happens to your vehicle - it could cost you over the earth to get your vehicle fixed and back up and running without these documents.

Vehicle Registration Document:  

Take your vehicle registration document with you so that you can prove that you are the owner of the vehicle in your possession.

Health Insurance: 

It is always better to go to Europe with your health in mind, including the thought that if anything goes wrong, you are covered. The health insurance card used to be called the E111 card, however this has recently changed to the EHIC (European Health Insurance Card). Please note, that EHIC is not a replacement for travel insurance and it does not necessarily mean that treatment will be free. More info on the EHIC card can be found here.

Travel Insurance:

You will certainly need travel insurance if you do not have it already. If your home insurance covers your personal property outside the home anywhere in the world: you won't need baggage cover on your travel insurance - ask for this to be excluded and for the premium to be reduced accordingly. The AA offers travel insurance which can be found here.

Passport and tickets please!:

Don't forget your passport and ticket before travelling. It is amazing how many people get to the ferry/Eurotunnel and find they have left them behind.

EU Driving Kits:  

Depending on the country you are visiting, will depend on what car equipment you need to take with you. Some countries require you to have high-vis jackets, warning triangles, first aid kits and wheel jacks. Most countries will require you to purchase a set of headlight beam convertors and a magnetic GB plate - this is a legal requirement. 

You can double check any items that you may have missed as a requirement by purchasing a very useful European Driver's Handbook which will contain all of the information that you need to know and any documents it recommends for you to take. You can also pick up Atlas' and road maps to help you get to where you need to go (or buy a European Sat Nav!).  

Ford Galaxy Chosen for Sussex Police

Sussex Police Department have ordered three extensively modified versions of the latest Ford Galaxy for their Forensic Collision Investigation and Reconstruction Unit due to extreme demands placed on its crash investigation vehicles. The conversions were carried out by Ford's Special Vehicle Preparations (SVP) team.

Sussex Police Department are combining high performance and stability with fuel savings - by switching to diesel. The vehicles can attend a scene for up to eight hours with engines constantly running to power various systems, so fuel efficiency is an important consideration.

Working closely with Sussex Police technical engineer Neil Neve, SVP installed a bespoke racking and storage system, police livery and public-warning equipment.

"Visually the new vehicles have a greater presence on the road, which is a plus in terms of public awareness but also for the safety of the officers using them," said senior collision investigator Sergeant Colin O'Neill. "They are well-appointed and everyone is very pleased with them in terms of stability and performance.

The vehicles will be used for five years, covering more than 125,000 miles. The 163PS Ford Galaxy Titanium is powered by a 2.0 Duratorq TDCi engine with six-speed manual transmission and returns 49.6mpg combined, accelerates from 0-60mph in 9.5sec and has CO2 emissions of 152g/km.

Source: Fleetnews

The Most Unreliable Car Ever

This car, aptly named 'Monster' is made up of parts from some of the most unreliable cars on sale in Britain including Renault Megane and MG TF. 

The Monster Mk1 was created using the UK-based warranty company - Warranty Direct's -database of 50,000 policies on cars that were an average of five years old.

Here is the breakdown of the parts used on the car:

Engine - MG TF Engine

Renault Megane - Electrics

Gearbox - Land Rover Freelander

Suspension - BMW M3

Brakes - Audio A8

Air Con / Heating / Cooling - Seat

Steering - Volvo V70

And here is the result...

The reason this vehicle has been named 'Monster' is because according to Warranty Direct, this car is likely to break down every other month and cost an average of £2,050 to fix each year. Warranty Direct compiled the list of the worst-performing cars in various categories from its data of what cars suffer which faults and which parts are normally to blame. Warranty Direct says that 'monster' is five times more likely to break down than the average car based on their reliability index which measures car reliability by considering the average cost of repair, frequency of failure, age and mileage.

Overall, the index shows that 4 out of 10 vehicles require a trip to a garage each year and some models can cost up to £7,000 a time to repair. 

Duncan McClure Fisher, the Managing Director at Warranty Direct said that "The wide range of cars included in our special blend highlights how mostly reliable cars can be dragged down by one problem part."

Results from the company's claim records show that almost 40 per cent of BMW M3s require repairs to axle and suspension components alone each year, while the same proportion of Renault Meganes suffer an electrical fault.

About a quarter of MG TF's will experience engine troubles, while more than one in eight Seat Ahlambras will need their air-con fixed during a typical year. One in five Land Rover Freelanders have transmission glitches, while the same number of Audi A8s will need repairs to their braking systems.

Kate Middleton's Used Car On Ebay

A few years ago before marriage and a royal life were on the cards for the young Kate Middleton, Prince William and her had dated for a while but broke up for a short time. Kate wanted to get rid of anything that reminded her of the Prince, including her used Volkswagen Golf. This was a car that she and the Prince spent much time in and it is now for sale on the auction website eBay to buy.

Sonny Brazil with the Duchess of Cambridge's used Volkswagen Golf.
Picture from The Daily Mail.

The first owner of the car was the future Queen of England's and it has been authenticated on the official car report. The Middleton's traded in the Indigo Blue Volkswagen Golf in 2009 and the car is reportedly still in good shape. The owner of the car lot, who took the car as a trade-in, gave the car to his son, Sonny Brazil. Brazil got the car from his father but decided to put the car on eBay last weekend, according to the Daily Mail. The car lot owner bought the car from the Middleton's in 2009 for £1,400, when they had originally bought it in 2001 for £10,818. Now the price of the car could fetch up to £30,000 according to auction houses that have assessed the car, all because the Duchess of Cambridge's name is on the log book. Another added bonus to purchasing this car from eBay is that inside the car were found a pair of silver cufflinks, whether these could belong to any of the Princes of the Royal Family it is still uncertain, but these will be included in the price of the car. The cufflinks are estimated to be worth £30,000 +. 

Source: The Daily Mail.

World's Most Exciting Roads

In February 2011, AutoEvolution ran a feature exploring some of the world's most exciting roads. If you happened to miss it, it really is worth a look, here they are again:

ATLANTIC OCEAN ROAD – NORWAY

Known to the locals as Atlanterhavsveien, the Atlantic Ocean Road is part of the Norweigian national road 64 and links the villages of Karvag and Averoy with Vevang in Eide.

Currently, the Atlantic Road ranks at the top of the list for tourists going in the region and is recommended by almost all the travel agencies as a worth remembering road trip experience. At the same time, the road has been voted Norwegian Construction of the Century.

Pictures below: Atlantic Ocean Road - Norway

The construction of the road begun in 1983, taking the builders six years to complete the 8.3 km (5.2 miles) stretch of road. During this time, the construction site was hit by no less than 10 severe storms.The road uses small rocky islands as support, giving it one feature you don't easily find with other roads; as you travel along, you can feast your eyes on the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The fact the road has been built to include fjords and mountains adds to the dramatic effect.

JEBEL HAFEET MOUNTAIN ROAD – UNITED ARAB EMIRATES


From the icy waters of the Atlantic Ocean to the scorching heat of the desert... As with most of the gargantuan engineering projects in the oil rich Gulf region, the Jebel Hafeet Mountain Road is a more recent accomplishment, having been constructed to help motorists climb the mountain wearing the same name. Jebel Hafeet Mountain is the highest peak in the United Arab Emirates, rising 1,249 meters above sea level and overseeing the city of Al Ain.

Pictures below: Jebel Hafeet Mountain Road

The road, which stretches for 11.7 km (7.3 miles), as everything constructed using oil money, comes close to perfection. The 60 bends and corners that animate it mean nothing for a well-balanced car, which travels on the perfectly flat tarmac. 

SEVEN MILE BRIDGE – FLORIDA KEYS, US

Considered by some the most exhilarating road in the world, the Seven Mile Bridge is a... nearly seven-miles-long bridge. It links Knight's Key to Little Duck Key over the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The bridge, the longest segmental bridge in the world when it was finished in 1982, rises 65 feet above the water (20 meters) to allow boats to pass underneath it and has been built to withstand winds of up to 200 mph.

Considered a wonder of the engineering world, the current bridge builds on an older one, the Knights Key-Pigeon Key-Moser Channel-Pacet Channel Bridge, erected in between 1909 – 1912 and nearly destroyed by a hurricane in 1935. Parts of the original bridge are currently used as fishing piers and access to Pigeon Key.

Pictures below: Seven Mile Bridge - Florida Keys, U.S.

The popularity of the bridge is so big that each April it is closed on a Saturday for 2.5 hours to allow scores of people to take part in what has come to be known as the fun run (or Seven Mile Bridge Run), an annual event meant to celebrate the building of the bridge.

GROSSGLOCKNER HIGH ALPINE ROAD - AUSTRIA

Austrian road in between mountains links the state of Salzburg with the state of Carinthia, taking tourists into some of the country's most respected and highly regarded natural wonders, the Hohe Tauern National Park, the Grossglockner mountain (the highest in Austria, 3,798 meters) and its glacier, the Pasterze. 

Pictures below: Grossglockner High Alpine Road - Austria

The Grossglockner High Alpine road stretches for 48 km (30 miles), bringing the tourists and passer-bys through 36 bends and all the way to an altitude of 2,504 meters (8,215 feet). During the trip, drivers and riders will encounter anything and everything from alpine meadows, mountain forests, massive cliffs and, of course, tons of ice.

TIMGAD – ALGERIA

Proof that, at times, the ancients were way ahead of some of the nations currently considering themselves as part of the modern age can be found in Algeria, in the former Roman town of Timgad.
Built by Emperor Trajan in 100 AD at the convergence point for no less than six major roads in the region, the ancient city has been erected with respect to all the city building principles in use today.

Pictures below: Timgad - Algeria

At the centre of the town lies the 12-metre-high triumphal arch, called Trajan's Arch, underneath which the main road of the city passes. As a witness to the engineering capabilities of the Romans, the road has survived pretty much in its original condition to this day.

TRANSFAGARASAN -ROMANIA

In between the Carpathian Mountains, where Dracula is said to have been born, lies a 90 km-long piece of road (56 miles) that is surely going to give you nausea. The road is called the Transfagarasan and it passes through the tallest section of the Carpathians.

Caught in between the two highest peaks in the country, Moldoveanu and Negoiu, the road connects Transylvania to the cities of Sibiu and Pitesti, on the outside of the mountain arch.

Pictures below: Transfagarasan - Romania

The road is full of twists and bends, climbing to an altitude of 2,034 metres (6,673 deet) and taking the tourists not only through a wide range of landscapes, but also from summer at the bottom of the road to all out winter at its highest point.

So there you have it! Do you have any suggestions? please feel free to comment below!

For credit for each stunning picture and content please visit the original AutoEvolution article.