MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS TURBO
ALL THE teams are using new engines in Formula 1 this season, turbocharged direct-injected 1.6-liter V-6s. But innovative packaging of familiar technology is putting the Mercedes AMG Petronas team at … Continue reading
MAZDA MIATA AT QUARTER CENTURY
MAZDA IS celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Miata at the New York International Auto Show, taking place April 18 – 27, 2014. Given my personal involvement with Miatas, it’s … Continue reading
ENGLAND AT WAR: TWO NOTEWORTHY BOOKS
MY PRIMARY source for yesterday’s SimanaitisSays item on the Jane comics (http://wp.me/p2ETap-23p) is the book Little Friends. Plus, Go To It! is another worthy book in a similar genre. The … Continue reading
JANE’S WARTIME ADVENTURES
WINSTON CHURCHILL called her “Britain’s secret weapon” and, indeed, her marriage became one of World War II’s better kept secrets. I’m talking about Jane, the leggy, curvaceous blonde scatterbrain seen … Continue reading
THE HECK, YOU SAY
THE GERMAN term Heckmotor (rear engine) is usually reserved for Porsche and Volkswagen. However, in the 1930s, Mercedes-Benz preceded Volkswagen in offering rear-engine passenger cars to the public. And, as you … Continue reading
MY FAVORITE ENGLISH DETECTIVE
PAUL TEMPLE is my favorite fictional English detective—as opposed to the tantalizingly real Sherlock Holmes. We have Dr. John H. Watson to thank for chronicling Holmes’ exploits. We can thank … Continue reading
$AVE THROUGH FONT$
ONE OBSERVANT 14-yer-old could save the federal government roughly $234 million a year—by suggesting a standardization of type font. His research made “News of the Week” in the March 14, … Continue reading
TRIPOLI TANGLES, 1933
GOOD STORIES often get better—or at least more convoluted—in retelling. Such is the case with the 1933 Gran Primio di Tripoli. The original plan was bizarre enough: I Lotteria di … Continue reading
JUNKERS G-38
Passengers in today’s jumbo jets travel encapsulated in alloy tubes, but those in the 1930’s Junkers G-38 had more interesting choices: Eleven sat in upper or lower levels, four had … Continue reading
ROUND, BLACK, STICKY—AND ARTFUL
AUTOMOTIVE TIRES are said to be “round, black and sticky,” yet they’re also objet d’art, especially when portrayed by some of the world’s greatest poster artists. What’s more, Bruce Halle, … Continue reading
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