So you're a customs officer in Beijing, and out of the trailer you're inspecting is hauled a... a what? The Japanese people who have accompanied it, who claim to be from Mazda, also claim that it's a concept car. Frankly, it could also be a submarine, or it might eat people -- or it could be an elaborate ruse for hauling drugs or bombs. So the officials at Beijing airport let the dogs out to sniff for, well, probably everything. Finding nothing, the Taiki was allowed to roll on to the Beijing Auto Show. Nothing in there but coffee grounds, sir, just coffee...
[Source: The Tycho]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Fatoid @ Apr 21st 2008 7:19AM
Industrial espionage has never been so easy.
fatoid @ Apr 21st 2008 7:34AM
Although it's probably just a bunch of car enthusiasts who found a great way to "abuse" their power. If I were working for customs I'd do the same thing. Leash in one hand, camera in the other.
Mobius_1 @ Apr 21st 2008 7:29AM
Reminds me of the guy with the MacBook Air who got held up at some airport.
These people need to read Engadget and Autoblog lol
Niels @ Apr 21st 2008 7:49AM
The dogs are equipped with micro cameras on their heads so they can provide the Chinese with every angle of the car, thus allowing them to create a perfect replica and brand it as another vehicle.
inteller @ Apr 21st 2008 8:03AM
yeah no kidding. Their blatant piracy is dumbfounding.
CamryFan @ Apr 21st 2008 8:54AM
With the extreme looks of that car, they probably had good reason to check the car, just to be sure.
Shawn @ Apr 21st 2008 9:05AM
Yes, obviously if you want to smuggle something into the country, you want to put it into something odd looking and catches attention
CamryFan @ Apr 21st 2008 9:12AM
It was actually more of a joke on the cars looks, You know, the designers being on drugs when the created the radical design.
(I don't think there is anything wrong with the looks)
DesiAuto @ Apr 21st 2008 9:07AM
This is called internal security, something a DHS should be doing inside USA as opposed to invading other countries without any reason. I hope next president would divert funds being wasted in Iraq to to more extensive checks at US airports and other internal place. Let's make this country stronger from inside.
----
Coming back to this concept car, what is Mazda having for breakfast everyday, Ford needs some of it.
Mazda concepts are awesome.
Frank @ Apr 21st 2008 10:49AM
Yea and maybe the next president can seal the porous borders too. Wait a minute, none of them want to do that.
psarhjinian @ Apr 21st 2008 11:35AM
Or, you could, you know, lock the cockpit door. More than any passenger harassment system devised since, locking the damn door does more for security than anything else.
Instead of wasting billions on security and war, why not just pump the money into food. Happy people don't blow themselves up.
Rocketboy @ Apr 21st 2008 12:51PM
Yes they do. With your plan they would be even chunkier = more meat based shrapnel.
Cyx @ Apr 21st 2008 9:17AM
……
Jay @ Apr 21st 2008 10:13AM
I'm amazed they haven't eaten or beaten those dogs to death, because they may have come into contact with another dog who had rabies, yet.
halogenrepublic @ Apr 21st 2008 11:01AM
...and if it doesn't have rabies, they might have eaten it.
tekdemon @ Apr 21st 2008 11:27AM
lol, who would want to counterfeit that thing? It's hideous.
DesiAuto @ Apr 21st 2008 4:16PM
I actaully disagree, some of those terrorists are doctors and engineers. You are underestimating the power of religious brain washing. It happens to everyone who is religious/believer.
Rocketboy @ Apr 21st 2008 12:51PM
Ah! So it's the dogs that have been designing Chinese cars. Well, the ones that are not on the dinner plate that is.
Aki @ Apr 21st 2008 1:14PM
That pic cracks me up, with the security guard pointing at where the dog should inspect the car.
"Rex! Go sniff that wheel well... might be bombz under there!"
xpolarx @ Apr 21st 2008 7:54PM
How did you guys get from commenting on Mazda's new automotive psychotropic to dissecting China's domestic policy and then manage to round out the discussion with the occupational tendencies of religious fundamentalists? What about the car? F***ing odd looking, isn't it? I kind of like it.