One final festive quiz to round out 2020.
Question 1:
Who are we looking for, and what happened to him in France in 1968? Continue reading “New Year Teaser”
Category: Puzzles and Quizzes
Motor Quizzes, Mystery Car Competitions.
The DTW Bumper Holiday Quiz (Part Two)
DTW wishes you all a very Happy New Year and offers you another opportunity to test out your knowledge of all things automotive. Good luck and no Googling!
The answers will be published in a day or two. Continue reading “The DTW Bumper Holiday Quiz (Part Two)”
Festive Teasers 2020 – Odd Man Out
Four giants of the automotive industry – which is the odd one out, and why?
David Bache (1925-1994) – Styling chief at The Rover Company and BL Cars Continue reading “Festive Teasers 2020 – Odd Man Out”
The DTW Bumper Holiday Quiz – Answers (Part One)
The solutions to our Christmas Day edition of the DTW Bumper Holiday Quiz are as follows…
Continue reading “The DTW Bumper Holiday Quiz – Answers (Part One)”
Festive Teasers 2020 – What’s the Car?
An actor, a small city in Wisconsin, and an item of bespoke door furniture. Together they link to a well-regarded luxury car which spanned three decades of the 20th century.
What’s the car?
Sir Roger Moore, British actor (1927 -2017) Continue reading “Festive Teasers 2020 – What’s the Car?”
The DTW Bumper Holiday Quiz (Part One)
Because there are only so many times you can watch Gone With The Wind or Frozen without losing the will to live, DTW instead offers you an opportunity to test out your knowledge of all things automotive. Good luck and no Googling!
We will Continue reading “The DTW Bumper Holiday Quiz (Part One)”
Maranello Model Mystery
An interest in automotive design history can result in a fair bit of detective work, and occasionally, a surprise ending.
For three years, all the money in the world wouldn’t buy you a brand new Ferrari Gran Turismo. It may appear almost impossible to imagine from today’s perspective, but Maranello’s premier car maker wasn’t always the money printing machine it is nowadays, which would historically entail the odd glitch and hiccup in terms of production planning.
It was for this reason that certain models would outstay their welcome on a somewhat regular basis. But not offering a mainstay product for several years appeared very odd indeed, even before Ferrari evolved from being the maker of enthusiast’s cars to the status of luxury goods purveyors.
From 1989, when production of the long-serving 412i four-seater model finally ceased, until 1992, the year the 456 GT successor was unveiled, anyone looking for a Ferrari that could accommodate not just driver plus wife/mistress, but also the dog and/or kids, would need to go for the unloved Mondial. If this kind of customer was hellbent on a V12 engine under the bonnet, he’d have to Continue reading “Maranello Model Mystery”
New Year Quiz
Three seemingly unrelated photos and illustrations. What’s the car?
The clues are as follows Continue reading “New Year Quiz”
Festive Teaser 4
Three Objects, and three premium saloons.
Link the objects to the cars.
The cars: Continue reading “Festive Teaser 4”
Festive Teaser 3 – What’s the Car?
No, it’s not the opening to a joke, but another festive puzzle.
A politician, a dog, and a gramophone record. Together they link to a significant mid-20th century saloon car. What’s the car? Continue reading “Festive Teaser 3 – What’s the Car?”
Festive Teaser 2 – Mystery Concept
These 1986-1989 drawings were unrealised proposals for the replacement of a multi-million selling small car.
From which manufacturer? Continue reading “Festive Teaser 2 – Mystery Concept”
Festive Teaser 1 – Odd Car Out
Three of these cars have something in common – which is the misfit?
Lloyd Alexander Continue reading “Festive Teaser 1 – Odd Car Out”
Tata Enigma
A mysterious city car concept, allegedly created by Tata Motors, may possibly be the final creation of one of the titans of automotive design. Or could it?
Officially, Marcello Gandini didn’t exactly bow out on a high note. The Stola S86 Diamante’s appearance was challenging for all the wrong reasons: Unveiled in 2005, his second design for Stola looked both clumsy, old-fashioned and rather unaccomplished – one could even be led to say: unprofessional. It marked the final time a car designed by the great Gandini was publicly unveiled.
As an end note to a career that had resulted in shapes which changed the craft of automotive design forever, the Stola S86 Diamante’s sole saving grace was its ability to Continue reading “Tata Enigma”
Match Not Found
A Shanghai Surprise for your Sunday deliberations.
Earlier this week, our German correspondent offered his considered views upon the stylistic progress of the Chinese auto industry, as evidenced by some highly credible concept cars shown at the recent Shanghai show. What’s clear from his report is that China’s carmakers, with some assistance from Western design professionals, are making significant aesthetic strides and that in this arena at least, the so-called developed world’s carmakers have little to feel complacent about.
The standard of many domestic concept cars at Shanghai would have put any European or North American motor show to shame, and while we have yet to Continue reading “Match Not Found”
So Curve The Dark Shadows Of The Wintered Beams
Whoah, Nellie! It’s another Wolseley photo. That means it’s either an article on Wolseley or a Friday quiz challenge.
To make the challenge remotely soluble, I will reveal that the cars in question are the 1975 Alfa Romeo Alfetta GT, the Ford Capri 3000 Ghia and the Audi 100S coupe. So far so good. Many of you may think you may have been able to Continue reading “So Curve The Dark Shadows Of The Wintered Beams”
Mystery Car
Our Leinster correspondent has been out and about and has seen this car (or part of it). It’s todays’ Mystery Car.
Since the DTW readership has shown staggering aptitude at identifying cars I think the difficulty level of this ought to be within the range of your collective abilities. While I am here I might take this opportunity to encourage our Leinster correspondent to post another 500 words, if possible.
A longer item will be along later on today.
Shaking Off The Feeling of Feeling Shakey
Following the rapid arrival at a solution of the last mystery car, I have decided to try again with what I believe might be a slightly harder one.
I suppose it’s fairly obvious that the view is from the rear of the car. It’s remarkably tidy, don’t you think? As ever the solution will be along at some point in the near future and if you Continue reading “Shaking Off The Feeling of Feeling Shakey”
Mystery Car
Today we are having a mystery car competition which is why the headline says “Mystery Car”.
To make it difficult for almost everyone, I am showing the underside of the car and not the usual detail of the exterior. Seeing this car up close came as a pleasant surprise. Just after Christmas day I was driving past a venue in south county Dublin known for meetings of members of the marque club.
I saw no classic cars and drove on disappointed. By chance, ten minutes later saw the whole lot of the club parked up in Dun Laoighaire, by the yacht club. I did a rapid U-turn and drove back to give the fleet a closer gander. I had a chance to talk to some of the members as well and if you are by chance reading this please do not Continue reading “Mystery Car”
DTW Festive Teaser (3)
Another four cars with something unusual in common, and a rogue in the company. Who can spot it?
DTW Festive Teaser (2) – Mystery Car
A neat coupe from a still-operational coachbuilder. Who can identify it?
DTW Festive Teaser – Odd Car Out
Four apparently unrelated cars. What links them and which is the misfit?
If Only Hope and Despair Did Not Live Side By Side
The other day I gently placed a tiny gauntlet at the feet of the readers, a challenge concerning the set of boring parked cars. What had they in common, I inquired softly.
I received some jolly interesting replies ranging from observations about their grilles to their general banality. There was also a good guess about engine displacements. Alas, despite their ingenuity and their not being 100% wrong, none of the replies were precisely, exactly and perfectly what I was looking for. So, in order to lower people’s tension levels I will Continue reading “If Only Hope and Despair Did Not Live Side By Side”
Eyeline to Eyeline
Driven to write offers one of two items today. The first one is a little puzzle.
The second item comes along a little later, just as soon as I have invested two weeks of research into the matter.
For the first item I must ask you to Continue reading “Eyeline to Eyeline”
It Wasn’t Called Porto Seguro When Cabral First Saw It
Driven to Write once again challenges readers with a small and largely harmless puzzle.
The year is 2010. This time I am gathering quotes concerning one manufacturer. Who do you think it might be? If this item does not Continue reading “It Wasn’t Called Porto Seguro When Cabral First Saw It”
Connections: Solutions
Thank you for your patience. Here now is the set of links connecting the 1964 Morris Monaco to the 1960 Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato.
BMC sold the Morris Six in Denmark as the Morris Monaco sometime between 1964 and 1976. You might be intrigued to know that a rear centre arm-rest only became available a month after sales began. More interesting than that is that Pininfarina were involved in mitigating Alex Issigonis’ design intentions. I suppose they tidied things here and there though there is still a very great deal wrong with the shape. For the next connection we must Continue reading “Connections: Solutions”
Mystery Vehicle (solved)
Sunday mornings often kick off with a headache.
Here’s a minor one. What is this vehicle? Either everyone will recognise it or no-one will. I certainly wouldn’t.
If you want another clue you must Continue reading “Mystery Vehicle (solved)”
Mystery Car For Sunday
The last “mystery” car proved entirely unmysterious, partly because DTW’s readership includes ex-owners and people with uncanny memories and powers of observation.
It’s time to take the oven gloves off. All I can say is that it’s rear-drive. I’ll get back when I feel you’ve twisted long enough in the wind.
Mystery Car
This car took the prize for being the most interesting vehicle I saw on a day trip to Mulhouse.
I expect the ink won’t be dry before someone can identify it. Still… what is it? I don’t mean the red car.
