Motorama Lafayette 2012 photos

First, an apology.  The show started at 9 a.m.  I got to a really slow start.  By the time I got to the show, it was 2:30 p.m. and more than half the cars were already gone.  Still, there were quite a few interesting cars left.

This Maserati Ghibli came all the way from Carmel.

This Maserati Sebring wasn't too shabby either.

Little Nash Metropolitan.

Old Cord and newish Alfa Romeo 8C.

At first, I thought this was an Italian roadster, but it's actually an MG Midget.

Cute Morris Minor 1000 Traveller Woodie.  It was purchased new from Tunnel Motors in Walnut Creek.

I've seen this Esprit before at another local show, but not the engine bay.

This 1967 Lotus Seven was one of the last 2nd generation Sevens made.  It's a 1962.

I don't know much about motorbikes, but this looked intriguing.  It's a 1970 OSSA Pioneer Enduro from Spain.  Ozmac and others: Can you shed some light on this?

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Just finished watching F1 qualifying.  Grosjean is the man!  And it looks like Red Bulls' dominance is finally over.

Massive car brochure collection

Much more here.

Over 100 years of Chicago Auto Show pictures!

This is the mother lode, ladies and germs.  Pictures from every single Chicago Auto Show.  The following is just a small sampling from the 1985 show.  It was someone's job to sift through boxes of old photographs, scan them, and caption them. 

Corruption in China, a case study

Chinese sanitation worker pay stub.  Monthly net income: 1,061.08 RMB = $168.14.  Source.

Chinese government and Communist Party officials are a bit extravagant with their car purchases.  For example,

• a $560,000 chocolate-colored Bentley registered in Beijing to the CCP,
• the People's Liberation Army has a $330,000 black Maserati, and
• about 20,000 Audi A6s are owned by government officials.

So the well-meaning central government wants to curb excessive spending by limiting the cost of the cars and their engine sizes.  So what happens as a result?  There is a run on "2.0 liter" badges to downgrade the luxury cars.  And what's worse?  The corrupt officials demand inflated receipts on these badge purchases to pad their expense accounts.  Un-f'ing-believable.

Source.