It’s officially winter time in the northern hemisphere. Ski stations are gearing up for their busiest seasons, holiday preparations are in full swing and annoyed commuters are getting ready to fire up the snow blower. What vintage car would you most like to take on a trip to the mountains? What one would you trust … Continue reading
Category Archives: NSU
Ten 1970s concepts that should have been built
A few weeks ago asked our readers what vintage concepts they would have liked to see built. At the time, we suggested the 1501 Coupe designed and built by French coachbuilder Heuliez would have made a great addition to the Simca lineup, though it probably wouldn’t have been enough to save the company. Your responses inspired us … Continue reading
Topical advertising: Rear-engined cars
Rear-engined cars were particularly popular in the 1950s and 1960s because installing the engine behind the rear axle freed up a generous amount of space inside the cabin. This space often came at the expense of cargo capacity and handling, and rear-mounted engines were quickly phased out once automakers started toying around with front-mounted engines … Continue reading
The 2014 Avignon Motor Festival
We recently trekked up to the city of Avignon to attend the Motor Festival, an annual car show and swap meet that stands out as one of the biggest events of its kind in the region. It poured rain during most of the show but that didn’t stop enthusiasts from all over the south of … Continue reading
The 2014 Monte-Carlo Historique rally
The 17th annual Monte-Carlo Historique rally kicked off a little over a week ago and ended yesterday when a Belgian team at the wheel of an orange 1978 Opel Kadett GTE won the event. This year, the participants left from six European cities (Barcelona, Glasgow, Monte-Carlo, Oslo, Reims and Stockholm) and the common stages took … Continue reading
Topical advertising: Snow
It’s officially winter time in the northern hemisphere. Ski stations are gearing up for their busiest seasons, holiday preparations are in full swing and annoyed commuters are getting ready to fire up the snow blower. What vintage car would you rather drive through the snow? What one would you trust the least? Continue reading
Color-coded advertising: Red
The early Range Rover we wrote about yesterday got us thinking about red cars. While red is typically associated with high-value, high-speed models from the likes of Ferrari, Alfa Romeo and Lamborghini, it is a bold color that transcends market segments and works well on many types of cars regardless of style or size. The … Continue reading
Ran When Parked visits the Zeithaus museum in Wolfsburg, Germany
Following our visit to the Volkswagen brand museum in Wolfsburg, Germany, we trekked over to Autostadt in the center of the city to visit the museum there. Autostadt (a name that literally translates to “car city” in German) is a Volkswagen-themed visitor attraction that houses a museum, a pavilion for the SEAT, Škoda, Audi and … Continue reading
Topical advertising: Racing
For decades, automakers from all around the world have used racing to prove their cars’ technical superiority and boost their overall brand image. A well-orchestrated victory in a televised race like the Paris – Dakar can draw more customers into showrooms than a clever advertising campaign or financial incentives, especially several decades ago when the … Continue reading
A quick look at the Volkswagen K70
NSU found itself in deep trouble in the late 1960s because the Wankel engines that it had spent a significant amount of time and money developing had a hard time catching on for a multitude of reasons and cost the company an astronomical amount of money. Its lineup consisted mostly of small, rear-engined cars that … Continue reading