Renault B110 Is the French Unimog?

While watching BBC's coverage of the rioting in Guadeloupe, I could not help but notice the weird blue trucks and vans used by the French gendarmerie. They have the high ground clearance and general demeanor of a Unimog, but it's French? What is it?

It's the Renault B110. It's the military version of the Renault Messenger. Here are a few in action, courtesy of France 24. I was not able to find too much information on the B110. So to the French readers out there: any links, photos, videos, or insight into these vehicles would be appreciated.

CKY

James May On I-80

On tonight's Top Gear on BBC America, the boys take a road trip from San Francisco to Utah. It's surreal to see the presenters driving through my neck of the woods. Here is a shot of James May, my favorite of the triumvirate, driving a CTS-V eastbound on I-80 between the Bay Area and Sacramento.

CKY

San Francisco Ferrari Store A Bust

Over the weekend, we strolled through Union Square and discovered that a Ferrari Store replaced the short-lived Cody's Books outpost.

I'm not a Ferrari fanatic, but I admire the car, the team, and the culture enough to walk in and take a peek. What a disappointment.

At the front window is a replica of an F1 car. I'm a huge F1 fan and the car was underwhelming and disappointing.

Despite it being a weekend, the small first floor showroom was empty, aside from the greeter at the door. He looked bored. The first floor had the cheap stuff for the tourists: notepads, refrigerator magnets, etc.

Downstairs, one can find clothing and a small selection of books. The F1 shirts are shoddily made and sell for $120. The books are straight out of the bargain bin at Barnes & Noble.

As we climbed back upstairs to leave, the owner (or franchisee) condescendingly told a family of tourists that he is against discount prices. I don't think he can sell anything, even with discount prices.

CKY

Carspotting (9): Ford Maverick Grabber

I'm not a big fan of Mavericks, but this one caught my eye. The sharp two tone red and white paint, the spoiler, and the rims look sharp. I had to squint to see the logo behind the front wheel well. It said, in groovy 70s font: GRABBER.

I've got the resolution part down on my crappy cell phone camera. Now I just need to work on the lighting issue. My apologies.

CKY

Facebook's 25 Random Things: Auto Edition

This Facebook 25 Random Things meme is all about self-absorbed, egotistical, narcissism. I mean, who cares if you have a fear of chihuahuas, secretly love the movie Three Men And A Baby, or did not know what a bagel was until age 27?

But then again, anyone who blogs is, to a certain degree, self-absorbed, egotistical, and narcissistic. Who cares what I ate on my last vacation or what I thought about a 10 year old Danish movie I rented last week?

So indulge me. Here are 25 Random Things about Me, the Auto Edition.

1. Despite Audi and Mercedes' abysmal reliability and BMW's controversial designs, I still think that Germans build the best cars in the world.
2. Until middle school, I thought the sign "Ped Xing" was pronounced pedestrian shing.
3. Despite being a liberal environmentalist, I hate carpooling.
4. My secret dream car is a red 1990 Camaro with the 5.7 liter engine.
5. I once timed a 0 to 60 run in a Ford Mustang GT 5.0 with a Mickey Mouse watch.
6. I become irrationally scared of driving whenever it is below freezing outside.
7. My biggest automotive regret is passing on a 1972 Alfa Romeo Sypder selling for $750.
8. I don't think I will ever own an American car, no matter how great it is.
9. I drive more aggressively after watching a Formula One race.
10. I miss bench seats.
11. I was shocked to learn from my New Mexican friend that he often drank a beer while he drove.
12. I own a red Porsche trucker hat.
13. I failed my driving test because I did not know how to parallel park.
14. I got a 100% on the written portion of the test.
15. My dying wish is a lap around the Nurburgring.
16. I think a car with over 500 horsepower is just too much.
17. I used to watch Motorweek religiously.
18. My high school auto shop teacher called everyone Bagel.
19. I wish I took better care of my car's interior.
20. I have never received a speeding ticket.
21. Whenever my car's engine gets close to the redline, I fear that it is going to explode.
22. I was once obsessive-compulsive about filling up my car's windshield wiper fluid reservoir.
23. I don't know anything about cars.
24. I have never done a donut with a car.
25. The most irritating sound in the world is when a car bottoms out over a speed bump.

CKY

Random Geneva Taxis

When I arrived at the Geneva airport, I saw the strangest thing. It was the first Honda Accord Euro wagon I had ever seen. Stranger yet, it was a taxi cab!

W126 cab

Geneva has got to have the most diverse taxi cab inventory in the world. No two cabs are alike.

Eagle/Chrysler Vision?!

Photos courtesy Orange Volvo Bus Driver.

CKY

Fool's Paradise By Dale Walker

I am about to start reading Fool's Paradise by Dale Walker. It's about Saudi Arabia. The cover is hilarious. It's of a Toyota pick-up truck carrying a camel. I learned how to drive a stick shift in a Toyota like the one in the picture.

CKY

Mexican Bus Tire Pressure Sensor

Somewhere east of Oaxaca, the bus stops at a desolate eatery for dinner. While riding on buses, I have been avoiding all hot meals like the plague, as I did not want to suffer Montezuma's revenge while on the bus. But with this stop in the middle of nowhere, I had no choice but to eat the only entree offered-- chicken and rice. The two pieces of chicken were stringy and tiny. But I never got sick.

After dinner, we pick our teeth out in the parking lot while an attendant washes the bus's windows with a small bucket of dirty water. I chat with two fellow passengers.

One is returning home to Honduras. He is broad shouldered, fairly tall, and seems Americanized. He speaks English with virtually no accent. He had been working in construction in Colorado. He was successful and even bought himself a brand new Nissan Titan. But then, the housing market collapsed and he lost his job. He is moving back to Honduras, indefinitely. He's letting his friend in Colorado use his truck, for now.

The second guy is returning home to Guatemala. He is short, stout, and not very confident with his English. There is no more work for him in the States. He will cross the border into Guatemala and take a "combi" back to his home village. I think this is the first time I have heard the word "combi" used in a regular conversation.

As we stand in a small circle next to the bus, I notice these metal rods connected to the hub of the wheels. What the heck are they? The amiable bus driver comes up, having eaten four pieces of chicken and two helpings of rice, and tells me that they are tire pressure gauges.

Pictures courtesy Mexico Woods.

CKY

Volver's Blood Red Ford Granada Ranchera 2.3 GL

I just finished watching Volver. It is definitely not Almodovar's best work but it was still very good. What captured my attention throughout the movie was Sole's red Ford wagon. The color's richness and intensity, especially in contrast to the dull, gray backgrounds, made it leap out of the screen.

CKY

Jaguar Versus Greyhound

Today's New York Times has a piece about our new Plan B. Before the market crash, one's Plan B may be to retire early and to open a modest book store. After the crash, Plan B may be taking a minimum wage job working at the discount book section of Walmart.

The top of said article had a great juxtaposition of two famous logos-- Jaguar and Greyhound. Artist Ji Lee cleverly reversed the Jaguar and turned the Greyhound counterclockwise by a few degrees, and voila, you've got the picture above. It's absolutely brilliant.

Diversity of experiences, that is one of the key themes of this blog. I've written about my fascination with rare Jaguars and cheap long distance buses. We need to ask ourselves, is riding Greyhound always worse than driving a Jag? Just because something is more expensive, is it necessarily better?

Once, I drove a borrowed X-Type for a long, leisurely drive. Except for the seats, which had no side bolsters, the interior was exquisite for a compact sedan. But the driving dynamics, brakes, steering, and transmission were more Dearborn than Coventry. The all wheel drive set up did nothing but add weight to the car and increase fuel consumption. The car, if anything, took away from an otherwise beautiful experience.

My Greyhound trip a few years back was challenging but rewarding. I met people from all walks of life-- German tourists, disabled grandmothers visiting their new grandchildren, a scary guy who wore sunglasses all the time (I later learned, ashamedly, that he was blind), migrant workers, and a guy who sat upside down (feet on headrest, head near floor) and farted. Each bus stop was a glimpse into American and Canadian life-- the misery of skid row in Seattle and Portland, the vibrancy of Vancouver, the desolation of every little outpost from Weed to Whitehorse. And the scenery can't be beat. All that, for less than a nickle a mile.

If the new Plan B is Greyhound, it may not necessarily be a bad thing.

CKY