Jump to content

Near Misses and Other Misc News


Carbon82
 Share

Recommended Posts

Come across many near misses online, as well as misc automotive related news all the while, but don't feel right to create a thread for every single article. Thus starting this thread for all forumers to share their interesting read.

 

For a start, these are what I deemed as near miss or news to be shared here.

 

Massive WW2 Bomb Found Under Greek Gas Station Forcing 50,000 People Out Of Their Homes

One of the things you don’t want to find when digging a hole in the ground is a massive 250kg / 550-lbs unexploded bomb from WW2, especially if you’re digging next to a gas station.

This unbelievable discovery happened in Greece, when construction workers were digging to install a new tank for the gas station and according to local Voria they were able to stop the works just 4mm shy from hitting the bomb.

The local authorities had to stop the original deactivation procedure as the bomb was much larger than initially anticipated, weighing 250kg in total (550lbs), and now are planning a massive evacuation in a 1.2-mile radius before they attempt one more time.

The bomb was found at Thessaloniki in a densely populated area and the evacuation plan involves moving more than 50,000 people away from their homes this Sunday, February 12th.

It’s been reported that the explosive weapon is an aerial bomb dropped from a plane during WW2 that didn’t explode when employed.

 

 

 

Massive 700-Car Collection Liquidating In Ohio Includes Studebakers & DeLoreans, Tractors & Trucks

 

There are lots of people who collect cars. Some amass more than others, but we've never seen anything quite this big. It's the Hackenberger collection, and it's going up for auction – all 700 cars, trucks, tractors, and motorcycles.

The collection is the life's work of Ron and Eunice Hackenberger based out Norwalk, Ohio – about halfway between Cleveland and Toledo. Ron bought his first Studebaker at 15 years old with money borrowed from his grandpa, and set about a lifetime of expanding his collection after marrying Eunice. The rest, as they, is history.

Hackenberger ran a trucking company before expanding into real estate, hospitality, and even cattle ranching, crisscrossing the country and picking up any and every type of unusual wheeled vehicle he came across along the way. Sometimes he would even take an empty car transporter out to the West Coast and bring it back packed with motorized oddities.

At this point the collection has swelled to over 700 vehicles. There's some 250 Studebakers, reflecting his lifelong passion, with the rest of the collection including everything from European micro cars to John Deere tractors. There are some 1940s motorcycles, a series of mid-60s muscle cars, and even some Checker limousines – all in various conditions. There's even a DeLorean, Bricklin, Porsche, a couple of Jaguars, some Citroëns, and a Cadillac ambulance that looks straight out of Ghostbusters.

It's all still being catalogued, but what's clear already is that the breadth and scope of it all is staggering. And it's all going up for auction over the course of one long weekend. Apparently Ron had planned to restore it all, but having reached this late stage in his life, realized it was too much to undertake.

Everything will be up for grabs, with no reserve prices on anything when VanDerBrink Auctions handles its liquidation this coming July 14-16. Check out some of the highlights in the gallery below, or visit the auctioneer's website for more.

 

002.jpeg008.jpeg0100.jpeg

 

 

Best Speeding Excuse Ever? Driver Tells Cop “Wind Was Pushing Me”

 

Just when you think you've heard it all, an Australian driver finds the airiest excuse ever to get out of a speeding ticket.

After being pulled over by the cops for allegedly speeding 17km/h or 10mph over the limit (127km/h or 79 mph in a 110km/h or 68mph zone), the unnamed man from Western Australia told the police “The wind was pushing me”.

No, seriously, that’s what he said and it went on record with the Three Springs Police department sharing the citation on their Twitter account with the humorous caption ‘And the excuse of the day goes to…’.

As you’d expect, the cops didn’t buy the excuse and handed the driver a AU$200 fine while also deducting two demerit points on Monday.

 

Tick5.jpg

 

 

Canadian Driver Masterfully Avoids Four Moose On Snow-Covered Road

 

It seems that the driver of this car had a pretty good idea about what to do when he confronted a small herd of moose.

According to the description of the video, once the driver saw the moose ahead, he started braking and the car kept sliding, which is when he cleverly lifted his foot of the brake in an attempt to steer around the animals.

Thankfully, everything turned out OK for everybody involved. Seeing animals get hurt is always horrible, though from the driver's perspective, a direct hit with a moose would have probably been the end of the road for that vehicle, as these animals can weigh anywhere between 380 (837 lbs) to almost 700 kg (1,543 lbs).

During the evasive maneuvers, the Canadian managed to steer his vehicle right in-between the animals, which at that point were simply trying to get away from the incoming projectile's path.

By the way, is it us or does the guy's laughter sound a lot like he's saying "Ho Ho Ho?"

 

 

 

A Mustang Almost Caused A Train Crash, Was Pushed Away Seconds Before Locomotive Rolled Through

 

Four men helped prevent a disastrous situation when a Ford Mustang got stuck on a railway crossing in Portland, Oregon, on Friday morning.

According to reports, bad weather conditions led several cars getting stuck in ruts crossing MAX lines along NE 99th and East Burnside, but the red second-generation Mustang got stranded just as a MAX train was approaching the crossing.

“We saw a red mustang coming down the road. It was fishtailing a little bit. It got to that stop light up there. It went to go across those max tracks and got stuck,” said Andrew Rasmussen, a physical therapy student who followed the scene with his mentors at Laurelhurst Physical Therapy, KATU reported. “Rear wheel drive, real low sports car, yeah probably not the best to be on these kind of roads,” he said.

A news helicopter flying from above captured the moment on film, when four men ran to help the Mustang driver.  “About four or five people rocked the car to get it off the tracks in about 10 to 15 seconds before the max came by,” Rasmussen explained.

Fortunately, no one was hurt, and the pony car will have another chance in making it to this year’s Top Mustang Crashes – see last year’s here.  

If there’s a lesson to be learned here it’s that, drivers should use common sense, and avoid things like, you know, heading out with a rear-wheel drive sports car, especially without appropriate tires, when the roads are covered in snow.

 

trRAIN-mUSTANG.jpg

Edited by Carbon82
↡ Advertisement
  • Praise 19
  • Dislike 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

BMW Nabs Former Bugatti Veyron And Skoda Chief Designer Jozef Kaban

The BMW Group announced on Wednesday that 44-year-old Slovakian Jozef Kaban will replace Karim Habib as the BMW brand’s chief designer.

 

Kaban comes to BMW after holding various positions in the Volkswagen Group, including the head of Audi’s exterior design in 2006, before being promoted to chief designer at Skoda in early 2008, a position he held until today, overseeing the modernization of the Czech brand’s products.

 

A graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava, Slovakia, Kaban has been credited for penning the exterior design of two very diverse vehicles, the VW Group’s most expensive car before the Chiron, the original Bugatti Veyron EB16.4, and one of its most affordable, the VW Lupo and Seat Arosa twins.

 

The German company said that Karim Habib, who was responsible for BMW brand design since 2012, left the company “of his own accord” without explaining further. “We naturally respect Karim Habib’s decision and wish him every success in his new business endeavours,” commented BMW Group Chief Designer, Adrian van Hooydonk.

 

As part of BMW’s design division shake up, the company promoted 41-year old Domagoj Dukec to lead the BMW “M” and “i” sub-brands. Dukec has been with the BMW Group since 2010 having being responsible for the exterior design of the BMW brand and, most recently, BMW i design.

 

Both Kaban and Dukec will work under the direction of Adrian van Hooydonk. “I am looking forward to this strengthening of the BMW Group design team,” said van Hooydonk. “Both Jozef Kabaň and Domagoj Dukec bring the experience, talent and vision we need for the future direction of our design.”

BMWH2.jpgBMWH10.jpg

  • Praise 8
Link to post
Share on other sites

VW Chairman Admits That Engine Downsizing Is Over

 

Volkswagen chairman Herbert Diess has admitted that the trend of downsizing engines has come to an end.

 

In October 2016, a report from Reuters revealed that VW, General Motors and Renault would start to increase the size of their engines due to the higher emissions produced by small-capacity three- and four-cylinder units.

 

Now, in an interview with the Telegraph, Diess said that the German automaker won’t produce engines smaller than its 1.0-liter three-cylinder petrol and that its future diesel engines won’t shrink below 1.6-liters.

 

“The trend of downsizing is over. Emissions tend to go up as engines get smaller.

 

“Small diesels are just not economic. The Polo is currently 30 per cent diesel, but as diesel gets more expensive [to meet real-world emissions tests], it will not be as popular."

 

Typically, small engines often result in their turbochargers overheating. Consequently, automakers develop engines to inject excess fuel to prevent these overheating issues. This results in higher levels of unburnt hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and fine particles.

 

fix5.jpg

 

 

VW Launches Electric Vehicle Subsidiary As Part Of Dieselgate Punishment

 

Volkswagen’s U.S. division has announced a subsidiary to manage $2 billion in investments in zero emission vehicles as part of a court settlement of the diesel emissions scandal.

 

Dubbed Electrify America, the company will make four $500 million investments every 30 months and will be required to get approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and California Air Resources Board for all spending.

 

Based in Virginia, Electrify America will initially employ between 40 and 50 people and remains separate from VW’s automobile brands.

 

Volkswagen says the new unit will install more than 500 charging stations across the United States, 300 of which will be in 15 metro areas while the other 200 will help to form a cross-country network of charging stations.

 

Part of the effort will also include a plan to sell more than three million electric cars in the U.S. by 2025, and a "Green City" in which testing and development of zero-emissions vehicles and infrastructure will take place.

 

Additionally, Electrify America will test a number of pilot programs in a select Californian city, testing things like an EV-based car-sharing program and a ZEV-based shuttle service.

  • Praise 6
Link to post
Share on other sites

Official: PSA Group In Talks With GM Over Acquiring Opel

 

General Motors is currently negotiating the sale of its European operations, which include the Opel and Vauxhall brands, with PSA Group as confirmed from both companies earlier today.

 

"PSA Group confirms that, together with General Motors, it is exploring numerous strategic initiatives aiming at improving its profitability and operational efficiency, including a potential acquisition of Opel," PSA said in their statement.

 

Earlier reports talked about that the talks between GM and PSA could lead to a merger of Opel with PSA, with the deal to be announced even within days.

 

General Motors and PSA already work together on some of their minivan and SUV models, as the two companies had tried to strike a merger deal unsuccessfully back in 2013 .

 

Merging Opel with PSA’s Peugeot, Citroen and DS would create the second-biggest auto group in Europe after VW, with about 16 percent of the European car market.

 

If the deal does happen, then GM will get the clean exit from Europe they want, especially after the UK’s decision to leave the EU which took a toll on their profits. On the other hand PSA sees the takeover as a good opportunity to become bigger and take advantage of Opel’s engineering.

Edited by Carbon82
  • Praise 9
Link to post
Share on other sites

Kudos to the Tesla driver! [thumbsup] [thumbsup] [thumbsup]  Will you do the same if you are in his shoe??

 

Heroic Driver Sacrifices His Tesla To Save Unconscious Man In Runaway Volkswagen

 

tmqdyzhj8nvylyuka1sx.pngkklilvdauu3z9gaav0zs.png

 

Near Munich, Germany, a man in a Tesla Model S saw a Volkswagen Passat swerving erratically on the Autobahn, slamming against a guardrail multiple times. When he noticed that the person behind the wheel was unconscious, the Tesla driver sprung into action.

 

Muenchner Merkur reports that this “action” involved the 41 year-old driver in the Tesla calling the fire department, and then pulling his Model S in front of the out-of-control Passat.

 

He then tapped the brakes so the Passat was contacting his rear bumper, and slowly, the two cars came to a halt. Shortly thereafter, the fire department came to assist the unconscious driver, who, the German daily newspaper says, likely suffered a stroke.

 

It’s an act of total heroism. Not only did the Tesla driver have to sacrifice his own car (the newspaper says that his Tesla and the Passat suffered about 10,000 Euro in combined damage), but he had to do something that Germans are programmed from birth never to do: pass in the right lane—a crime right up there with theft, wasting good beer, and putting bacon on Jaegerschnitzel.

 

But he managed to conquer those genetic predispositions, and because of that, the newspaper reports, he likely saved the 47 year-old Passat driver’s life.

 

 

Edited by Carbon82
  • Praise 10
Link to post
Share on other sites

Kudos to the Tesla driver! [thumbsup] [thumbsup] [thumbsup]  Will you do the same if you are in his shoe??

 

Heroic Driver Sacrifices His Tesla To Save Unconscious Man In Runaway Volkswagen

 

tmqdyzhj8nvylyuka1sx.pngkklilvdauu3z9gaav0zs.png

 

Near Munich, Germany, a man in a Tesla Model S saw a Volkswagen Passat swerving erratically on the Autobahn, slamming against a guardrail multiple times. When he noticed that the person behind the wheel was unconscious, the Tesla driver sprung into action.

 

Muenchner Merkur reports that this “action” involved the 41 year-old driver in the Tesla calling the fire department, and then pulling his Model S in front of the out-of-control Passat.

 

He then tapped the brakes so the Passat was contacting his rear bumper, and slowly, the two cars came to a halt. Shortly thereafter, the fire department came to assist the unconscious driver, who, the German daily newspaper says, likely suffered a stroke.

 

It’s an act of total heroism. Not only did the Tesla driver have to sacrifice his own car (the newspaper says that his Tesla and the Passat suffered about 10,000 Euro in combined damage), but he had to do something that Germans are programmed from birth never to do: pass in the right lane—a crime right up there with theft, wasting good beer, and putting bacon on Jaegerschnitzel.

 

But he managed to conquer those genetic predispositions, and because of that, the newspaper reports, he likely saved the 47 year-old Passat driver’s life.

 

Thankfully, it wasn't a VW Phaeton.  Well done by the Tesla driver.  I hope the 47 year-old driver is ok. 

  • Praise 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

 

It’s an act of total heroism. Not only did the Tesla driver have to sacrifice his own car (the newspaper says that his Tesla and the Passat suffered about 10,000 Euro in combined damage), but he had to do something that Germans are programmed from birth never to do: pass in the right lane—a crime right up there with theft, wasting good beer, and putting bacon on Jaegerschnitzel.

 

But he managed to conquer those genetic predispositions, and because of that, the newspaper reports, he likely saved the 47 year-old Passat driver’s life.

Well done Tesla driver.

 

 

Yes, they are absolutely right.

They never tailgate and will overtake safely, but very very fast.

Once, was driving small station wagon peugeot, at certain part of unrestricted areas at the autobahn, cruising at 170km/hr, saw black saloon far behind me, following at a distance, changed lane to the right and this saloon just accelerate super fast, overtake me in seconds.....and just disappeared (as if i am stationary).

Link to post
Share on other sites

Kudos to the Tesla driver! [thumbsup] [thumbsup] [thumbsup]  Will you do the same if you are in his shoe??

 

 

 

mine is an old car, it is just metal and plastics that is worthless after 10 year expiry date is up.

born without it, can't bring when i passed. so... to answer you... i may just do the same. you never know. Instinct reaction, i may just do that.

  • Praise 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Well done Tesla driver.

 

 

Yes, they are absolutely right.

They never tailgate and will overtake safely, but very very fast.

Once, was driving small station wagon peugeot, at certain part of unrestricted areas at the autobahn, cruising at 170km/hr, saw black saloon far behind me, following at a distance, changed lane to the right and this saloon just accelerate super fast, overtake me in seconds.....and just disappeared (as if i am stationary).

 

 

more importantly, what make/model was the black car ?

Link to post
Share on other sites

more importantly, what make/model was the black car ?

hehe, think you know the answer or can make an educated guess  - Audi, Merc, BM, or Porsche

But many small cars too eg VW, Opel.

Sports car like lambo/ferrari quite rare - maybe I am not lucky.

  • Praise 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

If Your Mercedes Doesn't Start, Don't Push It As It Might Cause A Fire; 1 Million Cars Recalled

 

Is your modern Mercedes-Benz taking a long time to start its engine? Then don’t push it, as it could start a fire.

 

We kid you not, this is an actual problem, and AutoNews points out that 51 fires were reported from a defective fuse, although nobody was injured or killed as a result.

 

Mercedes-Benz's parent company Daimler AG is aware of this condition that covers certain C-Class, E-Class, CLA, GLA and GLC, from 2015 to 2017MY, and a recall campaign is just around the corner.

 

Approximately 1 million vehicles are affected by this issue, worldwide, including 307,629 in the United States, which originated in the moments when the engine doesn’t start. It has been found that the starting current limiter can overheat due to multiple attempts of starting the engine and melt some nearby parts, increasing the risk of a fire.

 

US customers of the aforementioned cars will be notified by the automaker starting in late March, and they won't be reimbursed, as these remain covered by the warranty.

 

In the meantime, the company has come up with a fix for vehicles that are in production, while those that remain on dealer lots will be fixed with an additional fuse, before being sold.

 

Below you can find the list of the exact models affected by this recall:

 

Mercedes-Benz C 300, C300 4Matic, C300 4Matic Coupe, C 300 4Matic Cabrio, C 300 Coupe, C 350e, C 450 4Matic AMG Sport, CLA 250, CLA 250 4Matic, CLA 45 AMG, E 300, E 300 4Matic, E 300 4Matic Wagon, E 43 AMG 4Matic, GLA 250, GLA 250 4Matic, GLC 300, GLC 300 4Matic, GLC 300 4Matic Coupe.

 

All of these vehicles were produced between February 1, 2014, and February 1, 2017.

  • Praise 12
Link to post
Share on other sites

Official: PSA Group In Talks With GM Over Acquiring Opel

 

General Motors is currently negotiating the sale of its European operations, which include the Opel and Vauxhall brands, with PSA Group as confirmed from both companies earlier today.

 

"PSA Group confirms that, together with General Motors, it is exploring numerous strategic initiatives aiming at improving its profitability and operational efficiency, including a potential acquisition of Opel," PSA said in their statement.

 

Earlier reports talked about that the talks between GM and PSA could lead to a merger of Opel with PSA, with the deal to be announced even within days.

 

General Motors and PSA already work together on some of their minivan and SUV models, as the two companies had tried to strike a merger deal unsuccessfully back in 2013 .

 

Merging Opel with PSA’s Peugeot, Citroen and DS would create the second-biggest auto group in Europe after VW, with about 16 percent of the European car market.

 

If the deal does happen, then GM will get the clean exit from Europe they want, especially after the UK’s decision to leave the EU which took a toll on their profits. On the other hand PSA sees the takeover as a good opportunity to become bigger and take advantage of Opel’s engineering.

 

Done deal. Some insight to the deal for your bed time reading.

 

http://www.straitstimes.com/business/companies-markets/peugeot-maker-psa-to-buy-gms-opel-in-22b-euros-deal

 

http://www.autonews.com/article/20170306/OEM/170309866/why-gm-decided-to-sell-opel-to-psa

 

http://www.topgear.com/car-news/geneva-motor-show/opinion-why-psas-takeover-opelvauxhall-risky

 

  • Praise 9
Link to post
Share on other sites

(edited)

I am wondering if to post this here, or in the jokes for everyone thread... Speed limit of 3Km/h?! What is the point of driving than, since almost everyone can walk much faster than that! :omg:

 

This Arnold Benz quadrupled the speed limit in 1896

 

1896-arnold-benz-motor-carriage.jpg

 

The Concours of Elegance 2017 will be bringing a very special piece of history to Hampton Court Palace this September; the first ever car to receive a speeding ticket. The 1896 Arnold Benz Motor Carriage was travelling at four times the speed limit, at a heady 8mph (13Kmh), before being pulled over by a policeman on a bicycle.

 

The law at the time required all cars stick to a limit of 2mph (3Kmh) and that they be led by a man on foot waving a red flag at all times. But Walter Arnold, driving through Paddock Green in Kent, was doing neither. As a result Walter was convicted of speeding and forced to pay a shilling fine plus costs.

 

It was in late 1896, with the advent of the Locomotives Act, that the need for a red flag bearer and 2mph speed limit were abolished and the limit raised to 14mph. In celebration, cars raced from London to Brighton in a so-called Emancipation Run, during which Walter Arnold actually competed.

 

The run still exists to this day, in the form of the Royal Automobile Club’s annual Veteran Car Run, in which pre-1905 cars recreate the journey from London to Brighton. A parade of these cars will also be arriving at the Concours of Elegance in September, allowing visitors to experience the sights and sounds of the earliest motoring pioneers.

Edited by Carbon82
  • Praise 8
Link to post
Share on other sites

(edited)

British sports car maker Lotus bought by China's Geely

 

Lotus, the British sports car maker, is being bought by China's Geely.

 

The purchase is part of a deal by Geely to buy a 49.9% stake in Malaysian carmaker Proton, which owns Lotus.

 

Geely, which also owns the London Taxi Company and Sweden's Volvo Car Group, will take a 51% stake in Lotus.

 

Jean-Marc Gales, who became Lotus chief executive in 2014, has been trying to return the Norwich-based company to consistent profit after two decades in the red.

 

It was effectively locked out of United States in 2015 when its airbags failed to comply with new car safety regulations, but Lotus returned to the American market last summer.

 

While the Lotus car company has not been involved in Formula 1 racing since the 1990s it runs an engineering consultancy selling sports car technology.

 

Geely is expected to use its research in composite materials and lightweight technology to help it comply with increasingly demanding emission regulations in China.

 

Proton decline

 

The stake in Proton is expected to give Geely access to the south-east Asian market, where it wants to use Volvo technologies to reclaim market share.

 

James Chao, of consultancy IHS Markit Automotive, said: "Geely has validated the model of using their Volvo technology platform to create good products. That should be the same for Proton."

Proton also gives Geely access to right-hand-drive markets around the world, including Malaysia, the UK, India and Australia.

 

Proton was founded in 1983 by former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, but its fortunes have dwindled from national champion to being a minor player even in its own domestic market.

 

It will continue to be majority owned by the Malaysian DRB-HICOM group.

The Malaysian government gave Proton 1.5bn ringgit ($364m) in financial aid last year on condition that it find a foreign partner.

 

Malaysia's second finance minister, Johari Abdul Ghani, said: "Proton will always remain a national car and a source of pride. Our very own much-loved brand now has a real chance in making a comeback."

 

Geely aims to produce three million cars by 2020 across all its operations.

 

 

 

Lotus has a new Chinese owner

 

One of Britain's most historic automakers will soon be Chinese-owned.

Control of Lotus will pass from Malaysia's Proton to China's Geely as part of a tie-up between the two Asian automakers.

 

Geely, which already owns the Swedish brand Volvo, confirmed Wednesday that it is buying a 49.9% stake in Proton and a controlling 51% stake in its subsidiary Lotus. The financial terms were not disclosed.

 

Lotus is best known for its Formula One racing pedigree and its continued production of sports cars that appeal to driving enthusiasts.

 

The automaker, which has produced several iconic models including the Esprit and Elise, has long struggled to turn a profit. It was purchased by Proton in 1996, and its previous owners include General Motors (GM) and Kia.

 

Its engineering division, which specializes in design and lightweight auto architecture, could prove especially useful to Geely as it seeks to expand its operations and expertise.

 

Geely, one of China's largest automakers, has snapped up a series of struggling foreign firms in recent years. It bought Volvo from Ford in 2010, and it purchased London black cab maker Manganese Bronze out of administration in 2013.

 

It has since changed the name of the cab producer to the London Taxi Co., and opened a solar-powered factory near Coventry that will produce an all-electric version of the iconic taxi.

France's PSA Group, which makes Peugeot and Citroën cars, had also submitted a bid for Proton.

 

 

Moral of the story: CASH is KING! For those that have seen the quality of the very first Geely that landed on our shore, well you should be shaking your head like me, wondering how can such 3rd grade auto manufacturer be buying Volvo and Lotus... Sorry I am not biased but I still can not picture these brand together.

Edited by Carbon82
↡ Advertisement
  • Praise 12
Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...