2018 is very nearly over and in many ways it was another dreary waste of all our time. The only thing to be said for 2018 is that it wasn’t as bad as whatever 2019 will bring.
In previous years I have provided our readers with a run-down of new car launches and a digest of the year just gone. Simon A. Kearne has informed me that the considerable time and vermouth required to do this is not justified by the dismal expected viewing figures.
So this year I will just open a bottle of Marsala* and invite readers to struggle to remember what was launched. I remembered three for certain: the Ford Focus, the Suzuki Jimny and Rolls Royce Cullinan. I had a look around for a definitive list of new cars and did not find one that I believed was able to satisfy my need for certainty that it could be about the cars of 2018 and only about the cars of 2018. Perhaps you will fare better with your search machines.
So, I will come back a little later with a list of 2018’s new cars. In the meantime, what cars stand out for you and, indeed, why?
* The Marsala is Curatolo Arini’s reserve, the secco, or dry version. It is not dry in sherry terms – nothing is – but it stands a long way from the syrupiness of sweet (“dolce”) marsala. It is also sweeter than a medium sherry. It is also lighter in mouthfeel despite a similar alcohol content. It is an interesting drink in that that is is neither clearly an aperatif nor a digestiv. It has a gentle nose, with a hint of raisins. They add heated grape juice to the wine to add depth. This sounds a bit odd but it works. Remember that madeira is also slowly heated, albeit ambiently.
Like Sherry, Port and Madeira, Marsala is a fortified wine and of the four, the least known and most marginal. I don’t think this Marsala, the reserve, is as heavy a hitter as a port wine and that is its saving grace. You can enjoy a half a glass of it without feeling like you’ve had a full meal. Wine Searcher calls it a desert wine, “lush and balanced”. Yes, I suppose it could be a desert wine, with light cakes or ice-cream.
This was what Cellar Tracker said “spicy nose and some caramel and oranges, tangy, some length, lots of nuts, nice stuff, lacking a little in oomph but I liked it.” I can’t say more than that, other than after more than six months without sampling a Marsala I realised how much I like this form of wine and am sorry it is so hard to find.
Driven To Write 
The biggest news for us in 2018 here in Canada was GM announcing the closing all assembly plants next year. GM’s two Oshawa plants currently assemble full size pickups, and Buicks and SUVs for China.
I guess the same happened to Australia last year – total shutdown of Holden vehicle assembly.
According to GM, it is closing the Oshawa plants and four others to “focus on electric and autonomous vehicles”.
ie. GM is closing plants producing profitable vehicles in order to concentrate on vehicles that NO-ONE yet has figured out how to make money producing !
Brilliant !
It seems like many different vehicle makers have their own unique kamikaze strategies for self destruction.
According to insideevs.com which keeps a running tally of worldwide EV sales 2018 saw 1,476.404 sales so someone has figured out how to make money from them and it seems GM and others are just realising this. This figure has increased every year since 2010 ( 21,575) and doesn’t include numerous obscure makes sold in other countries.
I think we are witnessing a major change in personal transport akin to previous moves in the aviation industry when they switched from “recip” to turbines, the change is inevitable.
D Gatewood. World vehicle output is 90 million + per year.
Two percent of that may be EVs but every manufacturer is losing money on every single EV they sell.
Richard, ever considered driventodrink.com?
I’d offer to head the coffee section.
Regarding the new Jimny, I cannot remember a new car with such old-school door-handles for many years. The first generation of the Citroen C1 was the last car i noticed that kind of handles with a less-solid feel.
Yesterday’s supermarket sweep garnered an oloroso which has been sampled today. The initial mouthfeel is thin, only to be led into a world of warmth, raisin and chocolate tones with a delightful and long aftertaste. Recommended. The mother in law does like her Harvey’s Bristol Cream but I think I maybe able to persuade a change of bottle.
The shelf labelled amontadillo was empty and I have never seen a masala for sale there. I shall take this up with customer services on the next trawl