Van Gogh-ing Nowhere

I had to register to read this article in Autocar.

It was free but I didn't have to register when I read it at lunchtime.

And now they have my details - I've ticked all the don't send me stuff boxes.

On top of that, do I want an organisation who have produced an article with a massive flaw in it having my details?

For those of you who haven't read the article or don't want to register to read the article, they are stating that UK vehicle production is dramatically down on the same period last year due to a significant drop in commercial vehicle production - 78% in fact.

They state that the SMMT have stated that the fall was "mainly down to work taking place at Stellantis’s Ellesmere Port plant, which is being upgraded to take on extra workload resulting from the closure of the firm's Luton factory."

I think, the fall may actually be down to something alluded to there that happened in March - THE CLOSURE IF THE FIRM'S LUTON FACTORY.

Recalling when Leyland Daf were British

I've done loads of stories about recalls.

Like this one.

And this one.

Then there was this one.

And of course this one.

And this one.

Closely followed by this one.

All of them suitably stupid.

Like today's one from drive.com.au

Remember when LDVs were British?

Well now they are Chinese.

And 932 of them are being recalled due to a faulty Website.

I'm not too sure we should be using the word "recall" every time.  The Tesla one involved a software drop and this one involves owners throwing away any specification sheets obtained from the LDV Automotive website.

We should have Recalls, Patches and Booboos.

This particular Booboo, could result in "increased braking distances and/or reduced braking performance" or "reduced steering response which may lead to the vehicle to rollover."

And apparently, "A reduction or a loss in braking performance, a reduced steering response and/or vehicle rollover could result in a serious accident to the vehicle occupants or other road users that can lead to severe injury or death."

Death by website.

Electric Light Vans

Interesting article on the Autocar site today.  It is about Swindon and the effects of the forthcoming closure of the Honda car plant there.

It seems it won't be completely bleak for the workforce.  The Brexit that caused the closure (despite what they claim) has also left a shortage of workers for other industries so there will be other jobs in the area.

Meanwhile, it's all looking bright for Sunderland.  Nissan's car plant was in similar danger of closure but they have announced an expansion to build electric cars and a new plant building electric vehicle batteries.  The Government have negotiated this a part of a deal involving a large input of public money.  Nobody will admit how large but given that it is in the North of England where the Tories are ingratiating themselves with the voters, we can safely assume that we are putting a huge amount in.

The battery plant will be vitally important for the future of the British car industry - trying to import large numbers of batteries from Europe or elsewhere would be a logistical nightmare.

The other site in danger is (or hopefully "was") Vauxhall's plant down the road from me in Ellesmere Port.  It looks like the "Home of the Astra" will become the "Home of Electric Vans".   Not particularly exciting but a sensible move in the current climate.

More exciting would be building a different electric vehicle.

This I really like:

Although the eyes are a bit scary.

It is an E-Legend EL1 - modelled on the Audi Quattro.  There will only be 30 of them and they will sell for about £1 Million each - shame - it's just out of my price range.

It mustn't be confused with the Honda Legend which, unlike the Civic, Accord, Jazz and CR-V, has never been built at their Swindon plant.

And now, it never will.

Grammar Knows Best

I admit that I am a bit of a Grammar-Nazi. I like my apostrophes to be in the right place.

So I was particularly pleased to read this story out of Associated Press this week.

Basically, an Ohio woman parked her pick-up in a place where a sign stated that certain types of vehicles cannot be parked longer than 24 hours, including "any motor vehicle camper, trailer, farm implement and/or non-motorized vehicle."

She overstayed her 24 hours.

She got a parking ticket.

Note that the sign says "motor vehicle camper" rather than "motor vehicle, camper"

Now, since her vehicle wasn't a "motor vehicle camper", her ticket was overthrown.

Good.

It also gives me an excuse to post this picture of a vehicle that was ten-a-penny when I was little but you don't see any more.

 

It's a Commer Campervan.