Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Ukranian class warfare apparently leads to toasted Chevrolet Corvette]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/16/ukranian-class-warfare-apparently-leads-to-toasted-chevrolet-cor/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/16/ukranian-class-warfare-apparently-leads-to-toasted-chevrolet-cor/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/16/ukranian-class-warfare-apparently-leads-to-toasted-chevrolet-cor/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Torched Corvette in the Ukraine - Click above for a gallery of images

Judging by these photographs, someone in the Ukraine didn't like this Extra-Crispy Chevrolet Corvette. And although the melted plastic lump is being been blamed on "class warfare," it could have been an insurance scam, a tryst gone bad, or some hardcore Grand Theft Auto: Streets of Kiev payback - who knows.

The precedents point to any number of reasons, like the Viper that was flambéed perhaps because of The Mark, or the 14 foreign cars that were torched in Moscow for no reason that anyone could guess. But the result here is still a shame: a charbroiled C6. Tip your hat to a fallen comrade, and check out the gallery of photos below.


Gallery: Torched Ukraine Vette


[Source: English Russia]

Ukranian class warfare apparently leads to toasted Chevrolet Corvette originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 16 Apr 2009 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>burnedchevroletchevycorvetteetcfirerussiaukraineukranianThu, 16 Apr 2009 16:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Ukraine lays claim to the mother of all potholes]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/02/ukraine-lays-claim-to-the-mother-of-all-potholes/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/02/ukraine-lays-claim-to-the-mother-of-all-potholes/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/02/ukraine-lays-claim-to-the-mother-of-all-potholes/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Click above for a gallery of the VW Golf that was swallowed by a pothole in Ukraine

Think the roads are bad in your neck of the woods? Growing up just a bit south of Detroit before moving to the sunnier climes of Arizona, this particular blogger has always assumed that Michigan's harsh winters and heavy traffic conspire to make the frost heaved and potholed highways of the Motor City the worst in the world. Apparently, that's not the case, and it's not even close.

The dubious distinction of the world's worst pothole must go out to our friends in Ukraine. The story accompanies the set of photos seen below explains that an underground water pipe may have burst, which created a sinkhole large enough to swallow an entire Volkswagen Golf whole. Fortunately, the car's occupants were able to escape out the back window, which was just about the only portion of the hatchback that wasn't covered by a few tons of dirt and asphalt.


Gallery: Ukrainian pothole swallows VW Golf


[Source: English Russia]

Ukraine lays claim to the mother of all potholes originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Apr 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Golfikraine sinkholeIkraineSinkholepotholepotholesRabbitrussiarussian potholerussian sinkholeRussianPotholeRussianSinkholesinkholeukraineukraine potholeUkrainePotholeVolkswagenVolkswagen GolfVolkswagenGolfVW GolfVW RabbitVwGolfVwRabbitThu, 02 Apr 2009 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Suzuki's Hungarian production halts due to Russia/Ukraine gas dispute ]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/07/suzukis-hungarian-production-halts-due-to-russia-ukraine-gas-di/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/07/suzukis-hungarian-production-halts-due-to-russia-ukraine-gas-di/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/07/suzukis-hungarian-production-halts-due-to-russia-ukraine-gas-di/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Suzuki SplashRussia and Ukraine are presently in the midst of a natural gas pricing dispute. Russia wants Ukraine to pay closer to market price for the commodity. Ukraine says that Russia should pay more for the use of its pipelines, through which the bulk of the EU's Russia-sourced natural gas flows. Russia has escalated matters by cutting off its gas shipments via Ukrainian pipelines completely, and the EU is scrambling as it deals with shortages. Obviously, there's zero love lost between Russia and Ukraine, and political finger-pointing continues apace. Pricing negotiations resume tomorrow, and EU monitors are likely to get involved.

In the meantime, the effect is already being felt in the European industrial sector. Hungarian government restrictions on industrial gas usage have forced Magyar Suzuki to cease production entirely. The automaker's Esztergom plant, located around 30 miles outside Budapest, produces the Suzuki Swift; the Suxuki SX4 and Fiat Sedici; and the Suzuki Splash / Opel Agila twins. Suzuki hopes to get Esztergom back online this coming Monday.

[Sources: WaPo, WSJ, Reuters]

Suzuki's Hungarian production halts due to Russia/Ukraine gas dispute originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 Jan 2009 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hungarynatural gasNaturalGasrussiasuzukiukraineWed, 07 Jan 2009 16:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Ukrainian limousine leaves nothing to the imagination]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/08/ukrainian-limousine-leaves-nothing-to-the-imagination/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/08/ukrainian-limousine-leaves-nothing-to-the-imagination/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/08/ukrainian-limousine-leaves-nothing-to-the-imagination/#commentsFiled under: ,

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?

Gallery: Ukraine Limo

[Source: English Russia]

Ukrainian limousine leaves nothing to the imagination originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 08 Apr 2008 20:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>limoLimoulimousinelimousinesukraineTue, 08 Apr 2008 20:05:00 EST<![CDATA[World's tallest man presented keys to custom built car]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/25/worlds-tallest-man-presented-keys-to-custom-built-car/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/25/worlds-tallest-man-presented-keys-to-custom-built-car/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/25/worlds-tallest-man-presented-keys-to-custom-built-car/#commentsFiled under: , ,


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.

Gallery: World's tallest man gets custom car


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

World's tallest man presented keys to custom built car originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 25 Mar 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chevy tacumaChevyTacumaLeonid Stadnykleonid stadnyk custom carLeonidStadnykLeonidStadnykCustomCarukraineViktor YushchenkoViktorYushchenkoworld's tallest manWorld'sTallestManTue, 25 Mar 2008 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Nissan to launch Infiniti in Western Europe]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/04/26/nissan-to-launch-infiniti-brand-in-western-europe/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/04/26/nissan-to-launch-infiniti-brand-in-western-europe/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/04/26/nissan-to-launch-infiniti-brand-in-western-europe/#commentsFiled under: , ,

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]

Nissan to launch Infiniti in Western Europe originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 Apr 2006 09:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audibmwchinadieselgasgasonlineghosninfinitilexusnissanukraineWed, 26 Apr 2006 09:57:00 EST