Autoblog

We've seen some dogface cars around here. As a baseline, most of us consider the stock Pontiac Aztek simply indigestible. With that in mind, when this "customized" Pontiac Aztek showed up on eBay last year, a few of us fell over the porcelain fighting to hold down lunch.

Just as our stomachs have finally settled, we came across several pictures of a limousine in the Ukraine. The manufacturer of this calamity obviously didn't know when to stop (in fact, they apparently didn't know where to start either) as every styling, functional, and ergonomic rule has been tossed out the door. There is so much wrong with this disproportioned mess of machinery...

Don't question the six exhaust tips, the narrow trunk opening, or the running boards that don't exactly line up with the doors. Better yet, spend time pondering the aerodynamic hood bulges for the wiper blades, the old-school benefits of 14-inch wheels, and the envious looks you will get for the lavish ornamentation on the door handles. You know, we didn't see any seat belts inside - then again, would you want to be caught with a heartbeat in this thing?

[Source: English Russia]

Click above for gallery of Stadnyk receiving his custom car

Leonid Stadnyk towers 2.58 meters (8' 5") above the earth's surface, making him the world's tallest man. He was officially crowned in 2007 by the Guinness Book of World Records, taking the title away from a Chinese man who is just 7' 9" tall. As you might imagine, many things we take for granted are difficult for this 37-year-old from the Ukraine. Fortunately, ever since becoming the center of attention for his lofty height, good-natured people have provided him with things like custom-fitted clothing, electricity for his home, a giant bicycle, satellite TV and a home computer. Yesterday, however, the Ukrainian government went one step further and gave him keys to his own custom-built Chevy Tacuma van. The car was presented to Stadnyk yesterday by Ukrainian president Viktor Yushchenko outside the presidential office in Kiev. Stadnyk, who has lived with his growth disorder since a brain operation at age 12, had written the president for help after discovering there no vehicles for sale that suited him.

Reports say that the Chevy Tacuma was built by a team of designers from the ZAZ factory in Zaporizhia, which builds a number of Chevy models for the region. Unfortunately, no mention is made of what modifications were used to accommodate Stadnyk's significant stature. According to our images in the gallery below, the small car still looks like a very tight fit. He should come to the U.S., as our ever fattening population has made this market the automotive equivalent of a Big & Tall store.


[Source: Trend News via Motor Authority, Photos by SERGEI SUPINSKY/AFP/Getty]

According to Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. CEO Carlos Ghosn, the automaker is prepping to launch diesel and gasoline variants of its Infiniti models in Western Europe in 2008. The development came as the company announced its 2005 fiscal year financial results. The move comes after Infiniti announced it will be sold in Russia this year and Ukraine and China in 2007. Ghosn said that the Infiniti brand is the fastest-growing luxury nameplate in the United States, though the lack of new models prompted a drop in profits for the 2005 fiscal year.

[Sources: Europa Press via PRNewswire; Nissan]