Stalking

Something I have said on more than one occasion is, "If your Audi starts with a Q, then I'm not interested."

But that's because they are stupid cross-over SUVs.

Like the Q3.

Here's the new one:

It just looks like all of the other ordinary, bog-standard, stupid, cross-over SUVs.

And here is the Auto Express report on it.

Which I normally wouldn't have bothered to read.

Except, their headline involved the phrase, 

New Audi Q3 reinvents the indicator stalk

Another Tesla-type cock-up?

No, this might actually work...

It's basically a thumb-wheel.  It might actually work - and it's different!

And, because it isn't a BMW, it may get used.

You probably have to go into the menus though to find the toggle for tailgating.

Twits

I enjoy a Twix.

And I enjoy driving.

Doubt if I've ever enjoyed both at the same time.

Like the chap in this German advert from a couple of months ago.

Silly but fun.

And I don't have the slightest urge to try that for real (even assuming it was possible - which it isn't)

So Mars decided to show if in the UK.

And it was banned - BBC story here.

Who says the Germans have no sense of humour?

Nearly one less China Girl.

But fortunately not the case.

This looks scary...

The full story is here - make sure you watch it and you will see why it is so scary.

Although the full story doesn't give the full story.  For starters, it isn't a cabin scooter.

If it were a cabin scooter it wouldn't have four seats and four doors.

And what the hell was the driver up to?  There's also someone sat in the back.

I've tried to identify the vehicle involved.

The nearest (and it isn't one of these) seems to be a Lingbao Box - which is, according to this advert, a "Mini Taxi New Energy Vehicle for Ladies."

Can't tell whether or not this example is being driven by a lady.

And if it was being a taxi then I suspect no tip.

Suspended Sentence

 Andy Wilman is going to be slightly inconvenienced for six months.

Some Car+Driver readers think it's the beginning of the end of the world.

They've been commenting on this story about him having his licence suspended for driving at 24 in a 20 zone.

Except that is not why he was banned for driving for six months.

He was banned because he accrued 12 penalty points on his licence.  It's true that the last 3 points were down do him driving at 24 in a 20 zone - but if he didn't already have 9 points, he'd have got away with a speed awareness course.

It is clearly stated in the article what has happened here.

Although it does go on to say, "Speeding fines in the U.K. are calculated based on income" - this includes a link to this UK Government site which clearly states the exact opposite.

Anyway, there is much shit lost by the American commenters about all aspects of this including the existence of speed cameras.

And one adds, "And if Wilman posts a mean tweet about the fiasco he'll likely get six months in jail."

No he won't pal, this isn't America.

Old Favorits

This year's Festival of the Unexceptional is being held on July 26th.

If it was a bit nearer to me geographically, I'd have quite fancied going along.

But it isn't.

It celebrates cars that used to be all over the place in the '70s, '80s and '90s - not special - just quite common.

They aren't interested in vintage cars either.

So it is cars that people a bit older than me and people a bit younger than me will remember - sometimes fondly.

And Renault in particular have been tapping in to this - and doing a very good job with the new electric Renaults 5 and 4.

Mini have been at it for a quarter of a century now.

So now it looks like Skoda might want a piece of the action.

The story is here of a reimagination of the Favorit:

Only there's no indication that they would actually put this in to production.

So maybe Vauxhall should take note: