Fins & Fenders

High Oil Prices Gave Birth to Brooklands Car Then Stalled Production

This automobile and two others were featured at the State Historical Building in Des Moines, Iowa last year in a showcase called Running on Empty.  The display included fuel efficient (such as this Brooklands prototype) and alternative fuel vehicles.

From a Historical Society press release:

Michael Bogardus Prototype – “The Brooklands”

The gasoline shortages and rising oil prices of the 1970s encouraged Bogardus to design and construct his own fuel efficient vehicle. He unveiled his prototype in 1980 as a two passenger, three-wheeled economy car. Powered by a 500cc Honda engine, it claimed high gas mileage and a thrill to drive. Small and fuel efficient, Bogardus had hoped to market the vehicle to the fuel conscious public. But the 1980s brought stability to the oil market and less opportunity for the vehicle. “The Brooklands” is from the Historical Museum’s permanent collection.

 

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Daryl Hannah's Biodiesel El Camino to Be Auctioned on eBay

You may have heard that Daryl Hannah's way cool biodiesel El Camino (a.k.a BIOBEAST) is for sale.

What you may not have heard is that it will be listed for auction on eBay beginning January 7, 2008.

On her website, Hannah says the car is one of a few hundred factory-built diesel El Caminos, and that the car/truck runs on "...B100 sustainably sourced biodiesel."

Included in the deal is a B100 biodiesel pump and home-fueling station.

All that, and exhaust that smells like popcorn. : )

Little Smart Car is Big on...Parking Options

I'm quite sure than when Mr. Trace, keener than most persons, thinks about small cars, he wonders (perhaps out loud) about safety.  I know I do. But the makers of the new Smart car have already anticipated our concerns and they have crafted an ingenious response in words and pictures (I especially liked the pictures).

This clever car doesn't actually exist...yet...in America.  At least, you can't buy one...yet  But you can "reserve" one with $99 via their website.  A very shrewd idea indeed.

At 9 feet long and about 5 feet wide and 5 feet tall, it's half the length of my old 1966 Chrysler New Yorker and not much larger than my first cell phone.  Canny Europeans have enjoyed them since 1998 and brainy buyers in 36 countries may already have one in, I guess, very tiny Barbie doll-sized garages.

The Smart company is owned by DaimlerChrysler and they project gas mileage to be 40 mpg for combined city and highway driving.  Somehow I expected it to be higher, since it's so...small...and astute.  We once got 44 mpg on the highway with our Ford Festiva when it was nearly new.  Come to think of it, it wasn't much bigger than this car.  I guess I was "smart" way back in 1988.  But, I digress.

Smart offers three wise models with base prices ranging from $11,590-16,590, and my favorite is the clever Cabriolet shown below (both photos are Smart publicity shots).

Now, where do I put the subwoofer?