Some people say that Wales is 25 years behind the rest of Great Britain

How dare they!? As a proud Welshman I find that very offensive.

Anyway, I wandered into the Mercedes dealership in Swansea yesterday and I saw this:Interesting eh? It was built in 1986 in South Africa, two years after they ceased production in Stuttgart. It is when the E-Class was known as the xxxE where the xxx actually signified the engine size rather than some random number to make the car look faster.

The car was shipped under armed guard to Cape Town and then on to the UK where an elderly lady had ordered it. It was then “professionally stored” until last year. There is no news on the old lady but given that we are talking 1986 I don’t fancy her chances.

It comes complete with “thistle green” metallic paint and a Becker electronic Radio Cassette Player – not to mention original Mercedes-Benz rubber mats.

I have to say that the car looked beautiful and was most definitely the most interesting item in the place. Even more so than the 2009 SLKs going for under £19000 and this SLS Soft-Top:And even more so than this house nearby that looks like Hitler.

Volvo Model Is a Ford Escort?

There are so many puns and jokes in this story it's almost too difficult to know where to start.

A model called Carolyn Giles, who used to work for Ford Models (which has nothing to do with The Ford Motor Co.) is upset that some photos taken of her for a Volvo campaign (Volvo would have been owned by the Ford Motor Co. at the time) is being used in an advert that she claims implies that she is some sort of escort (a car built by the Ford Motor Co.)

Here is the offending (offensive?) ad:Not sure it implies that myself - not when you read it anyway. It might imply that she is a single 30 year old Australian looking for love. She wouldn't have reached 30 when those photos were taken so maybe that's why she doesn't like it. I don't believe she is Australian so maybe that's why she doesn't like it. The advert seems to advocate having a drink and then going for a test-drive so maybe that's why she doesn't like it.

Or maybe she wants a big money payout or loads of publicity - she's certainly getting the latter - not that many people read my Blog.

I don't belive that she will have much chance on the former though, most people find that they don't even own their own Wedding Photos, let alone one they've been paid to sit for.

Actually, reading that ad again, it might be suggesting a bit of Dogging - maybe that's why she doesn't like it.

The word "Gullible" isn't in the Dictionary

I wish I didn't have to keep reading the Online versions of The Mail, The Telegraph and Fox News - trouble is they often have quite interesting articles in their motoring sections.

This Mail story though, is just in the ordinary news section - it isn't really news - not even motoring or business - I guess they were getting desperate while Parliament is shut and the Olympics are over. At least it bears some truth - there are a lot of gullible/superstitious people out there - and many will read The Mail. Their story I picked up on last week was just nonsense.

anyway, back to this week's nonsense. They claim that people will be reluctant to buy a new car next March because it will have a "13" number plate and 13 is an unlucky number. If people are that superstitious, then they should just buy the car in February or wait until September for the 63-Plates or shell out and get a Private Plate - maybe CRA5H.I'll be looking forward to picking up a 13-Reg bargain a few years down the line - like most people born under the sign of Virgo, I don't go for all this bad luck/astrology bunkum. If you don't believe me, check out my home address:

More Olympic Mindgames

Don't know what the The Daily Mail and its online version are up to. They seem to be trying to undermine the British Olympic athletes and make up new ones at the same time.

Last week, they were having a go at Zara Philips for only coming second! - the paper's front page was worse and that was after attacking the Opening Ceremony. One of my Facebook friends found that - I bet Fox News were having similar thoughts - another odious, right-wing, propaganda-and-half-truths media organisation.

Next, although admittedly (presumably) with her consent (to promote her autobiography), they've got Victoria Pendleton down as some sort of scheming, womanising, ruthless person.

Today, however, they have a story about another Olympic Gold Medal winner - 30 year-old Elizabeth ‘Betty’ Haig, or, more specifically, her 1.5 litre Singer Le Mans sports car - were you worried that this post wasn't getting car-related?That's not her in the photo, by the way, that's some woman who works for The Savoy - it is the car, though.

The story tells of how they crossed Europe battling border-guards to win the Motor-Rally Gold - beating those nasty BMWs into the bargain - it doesn't actually say that last bit but that is definitely what the writer is thinking.

Anyway, quite an interesting story.

Pity I don't believe it.

I can't find any evidence of a Motor Rally Gold medal at the 1936 Olympic Games. Even the official Olympic Website doesn't mention it - Britain only won four Golds that year - not like this year eh!?

Apparently, motorsport was a demonstration event in the 1900 Olympics - maybe they should reinstate it - Britain does particularly well at sports where you compete sitting down.

They did have some "Art" Gold Medals in 1936. Maybe that is where the Mail is getting confused, although it was an Italian, not a Brit who won gold for his "Sulky Driver":That is a statue of a man driving a two-wheeled cart called a "Sulky" - it's not an Audi driver who has got a gob on.

Like the Mail story I commented on last month, this Mail story also goes on to shoot off at a tangent. Last month's went off on a rant about BMWs, this one's gone with Sat-Navs.

Maybe they should try for a shooting Gold.

Built From e-Bay

Far ahead in the most-clicked-upon stories chart for my Blog is my bit about the American Hot-Rod Reality TV Show that I discovered back in January 2011. I wish there had been more episodes of it.

I have discovered, though, a short Web series that is half-way through its run and captures the mood and modifications of American Hot-Rod.

It’s called “Built From e-Bay” and covers a competition between four Hot-Rod Builders to produce vehicles entirely from stuff bought on e-Bay. The four very different projects are a Chevy Van, a Chevy El Camino, a Porsche 911 and a Jeepster. The whole show is sponsored by e-Bay so look out for a mention in each episode about how they find it useful.

Already, different characters are emerging, especially in the Porsche-building team who have a guy with an English accent who seems to always be at odds with the rest of what his team want. Maybe there’s the basis for a reality TV show there?

This show utilises Web TV which is something I’m definitely warming to after watching Seinfeld’s new show with Larry David last week and I’m looking forward to a new episode with Ricky Gervais tomorrow – even if it does bear quite a similarity to Carpool which I discovered back in November 2010.

Now’s where’s that camcorder? It must be time for Metro TV.