Rusty: "The Godfather"

As I mentioned before, I am a huge fan of Mike Burrough's BMW E28 "Rusty". Check out Mike's latest modifikations. If you dare.

Never Mind the Motorkultur

When we went to Las Vegas earlier this year, we met Klaus Rasch. Klaus is the mastermind behind race-deZert.com und introduced us to the wide world of Desert Racing. In the meantime Klaus became a very good friend and we often share thoughts about the differences between "Motorkultur" in Germany and "Motor Culture" in the States. It is good to discuss those topics with somebody who understands how both cultures are working. 

Klaus just passed me some thoughts he hacked together on his iPad last night, after he just had survived the Oktoberfest. I think his thoughts are definitely worth to share, although they are truly some kind of alarmingly for us Germans. We invented Motorkultur, but act kinda philistine and passionless. Hmm, I think Germany is well known for its cultural background, but what happened to its wheeled culture? Is it too dirty? Embarrassing? Traumatized? It is time for a change. Life is too short for ugly cars.

Enough said. Let me hand over to Klaus.

There is no motor culture in Germany. Obviously a bolt and somewhat false statement but let me explain my thought process further.

I live in Southern California for the last 17 years but grew up in Germany. I'm currently spending the last three weeks in the old Vaterland and get reminded of one of the reasons I left this place nearly two decades ago. The automobile.

Gas costs 3-4 times more then currently in the US. Car registration is based on it environmental impact. The TÜV makes it impossible to keep an older car in operation. It appears that 98% of all cars on the streets are built within the last ten years. New exotic sports cars are rare on the streets. Speed limits are set unrealistically low at some places.

How is all this possible when after all Germany invented the car, they make without a doubt the best cars money can buy? Every major innovation in the automotive world can be traced back to right here. How can they come up with all this go-fast stuff but not have it embraced by it's citizens. Yes the Autobahn in principle has no speed limit and it's perfectly legal to open up going 250km/h in between all the 80km/h construction zones. Yes the roads are far smoother then many roads I have seen all over the planet but how come so many people drive such boring cars?

Kids don't tune their cars and meet every Friday in every city for a little show & tell street racing? There are no local drag strips or local stock car race tracks where you can race on a budget. Nobody lifts their trucks or lowers their sports car nor installs the latest in wheels, paints or decals their car in search of the latest craze. Cars are small 1.x liter 4 cylinder machines mixed up with the 3.0TDI station wagon in between. All bone stock, silver or black and look like they are fresh of the showroom floor. Boring.

I know that there is car culture. I read the German car blogs and magazines. Car culture is not dead it's just hidden, not out in the open. What I like to see is American muscle cars, fast Audi, BMW and Porsche products on the street all the time utilizing all gears, spinning wheels and making noise. Low riders scraping the pavement, Asian imports fast and furious style and Italian sports cars cruising the streets.

There is little public imagination in car culture but then those few that do express their love for the car in public do it well. A revolution is needed that makes me believe that "Fahrvergnügen" is truly a German word.

I want to be Max Rockatansky

I would like to assume that the majority of gearheads, who are nonstop mulling over of how they could modify their jalopy, have one thing in common: They love (post-)apocalyptic movies like Mad Max, Escape from New York (“Die Klapperschlange”), Death Race 2000 or Battletruck.

When I got my first car in the early 90s, a VW Scirocco MK1, the first thing I had to do was to paint it matt black. I didn’t mind it was raining when I painted that car. Au contraire—the pimpled paint was even more authentic in my eyes. And if you know the German police and TÜV, you probably can imagine how much fun it was to drive around in a wannabe Mad Max veedub.

To be honest, I am not sure what exactly went wrong with me, that I am addicted to those life negating and destructive movies. But “I am the last survivor” stories and post-nuke sagas have always inspired me and will ever do. More than that, this interest evolved into a secret code, which helps me identifying soulmates. It simply separates those, who are more interested in polishing their industry standard iron to death from those, who have got enough cojones to start something new.

Why am I telling this? I just flipped through my site referrers and stumbled upon an address: Futuro Finale 2088AD. So, if you love Max Rockatansky or Snake Plissken as much as I do, head over! Futuro Finale 2088AD is a marvelous paradise for the "Last Days".

In the meantime I will call up Mr. Thomsen that he has to pick me up in his Falcon. Now. Or in his Cortina. Or with his Kawa ...

Jo Fischer: Ford GT

Jo Fischer just passed me some beautiful shots he did last week. Damn, Jo, you should shoot more cars! Btw, I love your snpahot of Mrs. Fuel ...

KLE's Passat Pirat

One of the reasons, why I started Chromjuwelen.com five years ago, was to show unusual cars and the people behind them. One of them, who doesn't give a rip about what others say, is KLE. KLE has a preference for oddball German cars, especially the stuffy Volkswagen Passat. Today I had the pleasue to meet up with KLE—who paid Hamburg a visit—and his latest creation, the "Pirat". Though I don't like every detail on KLE's cars, I think his jalopies are some kind of lowbrow art cars.

Please make sure you visit KLE's blog, he keeps a very painstakingly record about every modification. Btw, the other car—a badly modified Ford Granada—belongs to Helge Thomsen.

1955 "Gauloises" Citroën 2CV

The presentation of this tasty luxury Snail is long overdue. When Björn Gerdes (Imagency Hamburg) got in touch with me early summer 2009, he was searching for a Citroën 2CV to carry on the legendary tradition in building special Gauloises 2CV. The car should combine both: French nonchalance and latest entertainment electronics.

Fortunately we could help Björn. Or to be precise: Oliver Kaps, Style Deluxe Hamburg, was able to help him. Oliver not only found this beautiful 1955 Citroën 2CV, but also did the customizing. The upholstery has been done by Peter Theobold. Well, with it's new dress this simple daily transport car—which was a revolution in the segment of small cars—isn't any longer able to enter a Concours d'Elegance, but it is much more laid-back instead.

For more photos just hit one of the images.

Leningrad Cowboys Go Mexico

I am green with envy. 2009 Mr. Pixeleye went to Mexico and accompanied the Leningrad Cowboys when they raced the legendary La Carrera Panamericana. Slideshow!

"La cucaracha, la cucaracha,

Ya no puede caminar;

Porque no tiene, porque le falta

Marihuana pa' fumar"

Sneak Preview: Bernie Dexter by Carlos Kellá

Carlos Kellá just sent me some pictures of his shooting with Bernie Dexter at Style Deluxe. Sweet cars!

Make sure you order one of his upcoming calenders.

La Despedida: Two Stroke Insanity

What a trip! Carlos Pinto intends to travel from Hamburg, Germany, to Braga, Portugal - in a two stroke Piaggio Ape TM 703. His tour will start July, 3rd. Join his masochistic self-discovering journey here or here. Bon Yoyage, Carlos!