Automotive bull5hit facts thread

[vulgalour]

3 hours ago, JeeExEll said:

In 1980, in a desperate attempt to cut costs, BL renamed the car 'Ital' to save on royalty expenses

This does a lot to debunk the other reason given that Ital is two letters shorter than Marina so BL could save on the cost of letters, especially when you consider that about the same time they bumped Princess up by two letters to Ambassador.  Nice to get some real facts on these things.

[anonymous user]

1 hour ago, vulgalour said:

This does a lot to debunk the other reason given that Ital is two letters shorter than Marina so BL could save on the cost of letters, especially when you consider that about the same time they bumped Princess up by two letters to Ambassador.  Nice to get some real facts on these things.

BL made money by dropping the Ital from the range. The Ital design studio originally negotiated what they thought was a good deal, for doing the set square remodel on the Marina; however they regretted it later and felt that they had damaged their brand. To try to save face, they allegedly returned the design fee, plus a bonus, on the promise that BL would stop making it.

[inconsistant]

Tina Arena’s full name is Cortina Arena. Her sister Reenie Arena’s full name is Marina Arena. 
 

edit to add, previous comments about the meaning of the song ‘chains’ are wrong. Listen to the first verse and it’s clear the song is about the first time Tina got caught out and had to fit snowchains:

‘Your boot is warm but they make me feel,
As if they're made of cold, cold steel,
A simple fit like a turnin' key,
A little click and the lock's on me.
 

But in snow, baby
I'm in chains
I'm in chains“

 

[Parky]

8 hours ago, inconsistant said:

Tina Arena’s full name is Cortina Arena. Her sister Reenie Arena’s full name is Marina Arena. 
 

edit to add, previous comments about the meaning of the song ‘chains’ are wrong. Listen to the first verse and it’s clear the song is about the first time Tina got caught out and had to fit snowchains:

‘Your boot is warm but they make me feel,
As if they're made of cold, cold steel,
A simple fit like a turnin' key,
A little click and the lock's on me.
 

But in snow, baby
I'm in chains
I'm in chains“

 

You forgot her other sister, Wembley.  She was a huge fan of Desmodronic valves eliminating both belts and chains

[Formula Autos]

When the Maestro was delayed yet again in 1981, BL ended up with a crate of voice synthesiser microchips lying around. These had been bought in advance of Maestro production as the same chip was used in the BBC Micro computer; BL feared that if that became a sales success they would struggle to source the chips required for top of the range Maestros.
 

The Allegro was still in production at this point, so a plan was hatched to launch a special edition Allegro Micro, using the chips and their speech capability, and using the owl logo that the BBC were using to promote the Micro as the logo for this special edition. The interior plastics of the car were to be in the same off-white plastic as the Micro computer, with black instrument surrounds and a smattering of red buttons - to ape the colour scheme of the computer. Owners were also to be given a money-off voucher to buy a discounted BBC micro with, and an owners manual was also to be supplied on a data cassette that could be viewed via a BBC Micro. 

The voice chip was to have the dulcit tones of Ian McNaught-Davis, who at the time was presenting The Computer Programme, where the BBC Micro was being promoted.
 

External paint colours would have been limited to off-white, black or red, and a choice of one of the other colours as a contrasting front grille. 
 

The BBC refused to license the owl logo and name though, so this idea was only ever realised in three prototypes (all were four door versions - though two door and estate versions would have been available had this edition reached production). The bugs in the Maestro’s speech chip were worked out in these cars, which were used by lower management as pool cars/test hacks, and their use led to additional features like seatbelt warnings being tried and tested by the time of the Maestro’s eventual launch.

[Formula Autos]

On 2/16/2021 at 10:55 AM, JeeExEll said:

In 1969 Roy Haynes was working for Morris designing a Escort Mk1 rival.  Haynes had a fascination with one particular Gerry Anderson tv series around at the time and wanted to call the new car the 'Morris Stingray'.  Both Gerry Anderson and General Motors strongly objected.

He suggested an alternative, the dynamic sounding 'Morris Troy-Tempest', but this met with similar objections, particularly from GM Pontiac.

The 'Morris Anderson' suggestion failed to raise much interest.

Eventually Haynes found a compromise and Morris ended up paying 5p to Gerry Anderson for every one of the new models made.

 

In 1980, in a desperate attempt to cut costs, BL renamed the car 'Ital' to save on royalty expenses, and life for Gerry Anderson was never quite the same after that.  He was allowed to keep his 1979 coupe forever though, previously part of a new-car-every-year concession agreed in 1971.

The model sat in the Marina is Ayshea Brough, is it not? 
 

She appeared in Gerry Anderson’s series UFO (in fact it’s her arse that is pervily lingered on in the title sequence as she walks away from camera, down a corridor of SHADO’s base). 
 

This just further backs up the Gerry Anderson/Marina/Ital connection. 
 

Rumour also has it that the self-driving colour-changing car in Terrahawks, known as Hudson, was originally to have been an Austin Montego. The car was set to be launched around the same time as the series was due to go on air in the UK, and a cross-promotion deal to include the Montego in the show was being worked out with Gerry Anderson’s co-producer Christopher Burr.  Gerry was so incensed with Austin-Rover/BL’s antics in the past though that he tore up the agreement, and so Hudson became a Rolls-Royce.

[chaseracer]

On 17/02/2021 at 07:41, Parky said:

You forgot her other sister, Wembley.  She was a huge fan of Desmodronic valves eliminating both belts and chains

There was another French/German Arena sister, Opel - but she was a bit 'square'...

[Parky]

And Cousin Commerzbank, but he just got a regular job in Frankfurt and keeps himself to himself

[dozeydustman]

Alexandra Stan’s Eurobeat hit ‘Mr Saxobeat’, contrary to popular belief was not written in tribute to the smooth woodwind player, but the rhythmic knock her then boyfriend’s small Citroen made when it threw a big end

[DavidB]

As stated in the owner's handbook, the interior of a Smart Roadster must be filled up with 5 gallons of water before driving.

Smart installed handy filling points on several parts of the roof, and also several at the base of the windscreen for those who have difficulty reaching.

Smart also was the first car manufacturer to install a water cooled ECU - extra cooling is provided by it's close proximity to the windscreen drainage panel, which is directly above it.

All Smart Cars were wet weather tested in the Sahara.

[sheffcortinacentre]

I thought the mx5 had the first watercooled ECU mounted in the passenger footwell?

[chaseracer]

Nah m8, that was the B5 Pisshat.

[dozeydustman]

In late 1950s the need to replace the MGA was strong, and work started on it replacement using the floorpan of a J4 van. The resulting sports car was so dull to drive George Harriman was delighted as it would only scare conservative buyers with its sexy line, but behind the wheel they’ll love the porridge-like handling and said “we’ll produce this until it’s even more out of date than it is at launch, 17-18 years should do it, and we’ll sell this car as the MG Boring”

In all marketing promotions the car’s full name was contracted to MGB

[New POD]

9 minutes ago, dozeydustman said:

In late 1950s the need to replace the MGA was strong, and work started on it replacement using the floorpan of a J4 van. The resulting sports car was so dull to drive George Harriman was delighted as it would only scare conservative buyers with its sexy line, but behind the wheel they’ll love the porridge-like handling and said “we’ll produce this until it’s even more out of date than it is at launch, 17-18 years should do it, and we’ll sell this car as the MG Boring”

In all marketing promotions the car’s full name was contracted to MGB

Truth is always funnier than fiction. 

[anonymous user]

So presumably the C in MGC was short for the expletive yelled by the driver as the front heavy version went through hedges rather than corners 

[ProgRocker]

In 1986 Bill Gates of Microsoft fame lost a court case. He had to pay Lotus Cars royalties for use of the name 'Excel'. 

[dozeydustman]

In 1962 Ford were looking to name their new replacement for the Consul Classic; the designer was inspired by a merkin his wife used, hense Ford Coarse-hair

[martc]

21 hours ago, ProgRocker said:

In 1986 Bill Gates of Microsoft fame lost a court case. He had to pay Lotus Cars royalties for use of the name 'Excel'. 

Lotus, of course, already had experience with dealing with software companies lawyers  as they were being kept afloat at the time by the royalties received from IBM and their Excel rival 'Lotus 1-2-3'.

It's a shame that both the Lotus 'Facebook' (1997) and Lotus 'Twitter' (2001) were both abandoned at the prototype stage otherwise Lotus would now be a major rival to Porsche.

Speaking of which, rather than generating money from making Beetles faster rather than safer, Porsche are in fact kept afloat by the American emergency services who have to pay Porsche 1c every time someone rings 911 (fact Porsches profits have declined since Trump lost the election). BT are looking forward to the introduction of the Porsche 999, as they have already bagged the 3 digits.

[Parky]

Austin Rovers voice synth system for the Maestro was voiced by Kiwi Nicolette McKenzie as AR had intended to sweep the NZ market.  Herbie Hancock originally developed the system alongside AR engineers and the prototype was used to record  his “Sunlight” album in 1978 featuring the classic track “I thought it was you”.  Nicolette provided backing vocals and Trumpet as part of a studio sharing arrangement.  Anyway....

As well as the hatch, there was a planned Maestro estate available with 2wd and 4wd, a two door ute and a 4 door double cab arrangement which resembled a L200 with scalloped sides and had a separate chassis so different body styles could be adapted.  The NZ military were keen on ordering the 4wd estate which had superior off road performance to anything in the world at that time which created some tension with Land Rover.

Sadly The bean counters got in the way again.  Whilst it was believed the NZ market of 300 million people supported the investment it was only when Noel Edmonds pointed out that there were only 3m people in NZ did the firm realise they had the decimal point in the wrong place.  In order to justify the investment, AR realised they would have to sell everyone in New Zealand at least seven cars each to break even.  Offering the cars to Australia was discounted as there was no way the average late 1970’s Australian driver would accept instructions from a New Zealand woman and AR were fearful of warranty issues.

”Low oil.  Please top up when convenient”

”Don’t you fuckin’ tell ME what to do!”

The estate design was sold to Toyota where it became the Tercel estate.  The Ute was picked up by Holden where it became the Maloo and the four door double cab arrangement is today made by Isuzu.  Incredibly all still use the same rear window demister fuses as the original Maestro!

[Parky]

The American built Amphicat had a long career and incredible flexibility having been popularised by The Banana Splits.  In fact when Gerry Anderson needed a Moon Buggy design for Space 1999, a Saturday morning in front of kids TV provided the answer.  

Fun fact - Bingo taught Martin Landau how to drive an Amphicat and they ended up racing together at LeMans in 1979.  Sadly the 20mph top speed of the Amphicat proved uncompetitive

[Parky]

Like stealth aircraft, cars painted Matt black are invisible to Gatso’s.

[Noel Tidybeard]

On 29/01/2021 at 11:50, dozeydustman said:

Dennis produced a special version of their SS fire appliance in pink paint and Denise on the front of the cab.

...and in a show of solidarity they did a blue eagle dustcart with Denephew on its front

[Noel Tidybeard]

On 15/02/2021 at 06:41, Parky said:

Erique Bristeau.  That’s just absolute genius.  Always enjoyed watching him play Jean L’eau

shirley you mean Jean Faible

[martc]

'Volvo' is Swedish for 'Scotland'.

[Parky]

Italian spies infiltrated the Soviet Union and actually stole the plans for a four door saloon the Russians were working on.  In a rush to build it before the Soviets, the Italian government handed the plans to Fiat who lashed up a quick build programme using thin poor quality materials and released the vehicle as the Fiat 124 in 1966.

The Russians, impressed by this audacious act, named their car factory Togliatti after the codename of the spy who obtained the plans.  Undeterred they went ahead with their durable high quality saloon and released the VAZ 2105 in 1979.  The long delay was caused by meticulous quality control, an extensive durability regime, and thousands of Nurburgring laps by none other than Mario Andretti in order to produce the perfect vehicle.

Evidence?  The ex Soviet countries are full of the Russian built cars, but you don’t see any Fiat 124’s on the streets of the Ukraine do you?

[New POD]

Que the Tesla Yodel app on any I phone 14 and above that yodels for you, in a constant loop

[Parky]

We know Fuzz Townsend was the drummer in Pop Will Eat Itself, but he isn’t the only Car based TV presenter with a musical past.  

Mike Brewers first gig after catering college was as a session musician for Swing Out Sister.  He played the triangle on “Breakout”.  He first met Edd China on Top of the Pops in 1987 when Edd was an electrician for Matt Bianco.  Wayne Carini was a founding member of Steely Dan, and Tony Mason was the keyboard player for the Brotherhood of Man.

 

 

[Cord Fourteener]

'Audi!' is the Latin imperative for 'Get out of my way!'

[Cord Fourteener]

Breaking News: Newly-formed Stellantis have announced a merger with GM, Volkswagen Group, Tata, Nissan, Ford, Fuji Heavy Industries, Honda, Samsung, Mercedes-Benz and BMW to form a conglomerate called 'One Car'.

They will make one shared platform upon which all non-Communist and non-weirdo cars will be now based.

A chairperson said earlier "We aim control every facet of your miserable existence".

Google responded by saying "Oi, no you don't, that's our job".

[Parky]

James Hunt was the most boring man in the world and all the stories of his drinking and sexual conquests were made up by Marlboro And Texaco in order to make fags and 20/50 Multigrade sexy.