Super Car Ramblings

Surfs Up

With a number of people worried at the possible uglyness of the upcoming 09 F1 cars I thought I would post this yesteryear wonder.

   

V power to the people

Royal Dutch Shell's homage advertising to Ferrari

iTV hangs up its F1 hat

After 12 years of F1 broadcasting iTV pass the mantle back to the BBC, they have done a brilliant job from their pre race programmes to their informative, upto date website.  The BBC have a hard act to follow, the below video gives a flavour of the 2008 season.

tritum of solace

Small micro cars are not a new thing of the 21st century, back in the '50's and '60's small kit and compact cars were all the rage. They main function were a cheap bridge between motorcycles and full production cars, most you of them came in some form of kit where you implanted your donor running gear.

In 1963 Tom Karen designed one of the most iconic small cars ever, and it still looks fresh and fun today. Tom was already an awarded winning designer with Hotpoint, when he moved to the famous Ogle Design, after David Ogle was tragically killed in a car accident. Ogle were commisioned in the early sixties to Reliant where they were looking to replace the Regal range, Karen blew life into a project from 1955 and produced two scale models which Reliant Motor Company declined.

In 1967 Reliant revisted this concept as the sports car was in vogue and asked Ogle to bring some fresh ideas. It took another two years of building prootypes when Reliant bought out the Bond car company giving them a dominating position of the three-wheeler market in the UK.

The Bond Bug was created, a classic wedge shape 2 seater with the back sharpley cut off and upward opening canopy to allow better accesss for driver and passenger. The sides were detachable and carried in the small rear boot and the only body colour available was a cheerfull bright tangerine highlighted with bold graphics to give a sponsored racing car image. The Bond Bug was launched in June 1970 and was aimed at the younger market and although not cheap or even pratical it became a cult car from the outset. The 700ES was the range topping model and came with alloy wheels, wing mirrors and an upgraded interior with an F1 style steering wheel and although it cost £629 it became the most popular model.

The last Bug rolled off the production line in 1974 with a total run of 2,268 units, and although they suffered from production, reliability and stability problems the car was received alot of media and public attention where ever it went.

Along with the Bond Bug Tom Karen desined another icon of the '70's the Raleigh Chopper, some people just seem to have it.