A biweekly roundup of automotive news, good, bad and just plain weird:
John Lennon’s monkey for sale
The Honda Monkey bike is one of those delightful Honda products where fun came first and both practical considerations and a sense of personal safety came a distant second, possibly limping. Officially called the Z series, most of them had only about five horsepower, but they were compact and wonderful, and if you looked like a bit of an idiot riding one, then that was only because you were grinning so much.
Monkey bikes are cheap, or at least they should be. However, when celebrity ownership gets involved, look out. This particular machine, owned by one John Lennon, is going to be probably the most expensive Honda Monkey ever sold.
Mr. Lennon bought the Monkey for riding around his country house near Ascot, U.K., at around the same time he picked up the famous psychedelic Rolls-Royce. The latter is still causing headaches for curators in the Royal BC Museum, as it’s too big and heavy to go on permanent display, but you could tuck the Lennon Monkey just about anywhere. The bike is in original condition, covered in patina from a hard day’s night or what-have-you.
If you can’t afford that, or perhaps are a Rolling Stones fan or something, the Honda Grom provides the same amount of fun. Honda also looks likely to bring back a vintage look Monkey 125, which will be more fun than a barrel of John Lennons.
Aston Martin turns a profit, looks for partnership
Aston Martin has long been the Black Knight of the automotive world. No, not some evildoer in an Arthurian tale, but more the Monty Python version, gouting blood from its sales figures. Aston, you’re nearly bankrupt.
“Tis but a scratch!”
Whatever the case, Aston Martin can today celebrate turning a profit for the first time in eight years. That’s long enough that the accountants might have had to go look up profit in the dictionary.
Things could not be rosier. Their DB11 grad tourer is selling well, the initial run of the new V-8 Vantage is pretty much sold out, and there are new models on the horizon. Next year should see the new electric-only RapidE, and an electrified crossover, both of which will suit well-heeled overseas buyers as Europe moves to ban combustion cars from their city centres.
Still, with just more than 5,000 cars sold last year, Aston is hardly in a position to gloat. To their credit, they’re not doing so, and looking to partner with a larger manufacturer for some much needed R&D dollars to keep moving with the times. The Black Knight lives to fight another day – but it’d be helpful if someone was around to sew his legs back on from time to time.
Japanese stink bugs stymie New Zealand imports
I’ve long considered New Zealand to be the Canada of the Southern Hemisphere. Like us, they’ve got a slightly more boisterous neighbour (Australia), a craggy coastline, and more than a few mountains. We’re just a little ahead on total land mass, and overall numbers of bears.
Like Australia, New Zealand’s ecosystem is particularly sensitive to invasive species. Thus, their imports are often screened for any unwanted visitors.
In this particular case, some 10,000 Japanese vehicles were discovered to be completely infested with pesticide-resistant stink bugs. That’s three full cargo ships, stopped at the docks.
The Kiwis love their grey market cars, and import thousands of used vehicles from Japan. This might not put a stop to the process, but will certainly slow things down. From now on, all cars imported from Japan into New Zealand will have to be thoroughly cleaned and inspected. One wonders if Canadian customs agents should be similarly on guard. I suppose the bears would eat anything that got past them.
Fiat-Chrysler design chief puts Jeep into rescue mode
There are any number of reasons to like Ralph Gilles. He’s outspoken, direct, driven, he styled the Chrysler 300 and the current Viper – and he’s a Canadian. Now he’s proven himself to be quick on his feet and resourceful during a crisis.
Early Sunday, Feb. 18, Gilles and his wife came upon the scene of a crash, north of Detroit. A 2013 Ford Edge had crossed the centre line and collided head-on with a 2013 Ford Fiesta. Police would later indicate that alcohol was suspected as a factor on the part of the driver of the Edge.
Gilles hopped out and tried to free the Fiesta’s passengers, but the doors were wedged shut by the crash. Just then, a third vehicle came out of the night, slamming broadside into the Fiesta, and pushing it up against the Edge. The Edge caught fire.
Luckily, Gilles had the presence of mind to hop back in his Jeep, pop it into four-wheel drive, and use his bumper to push the burning Edge to the side of the road. By the time firefighters arrived to extricate the couple from the Fiesta, the situation was at least relatively stable.
However, this is still a story with a sad ending. Despite Gilles’ actions, one of the passengers in the Fiesta later died from her injuries. The driver of the Edge, of course, got away with only minor cuts and bruises. It just makes you think: even when we’re alert and well-prepared, anyone who’s willing to take the risk of driving under the influence can cause the kind of chaos that no heroic actions can undo.
Watch this space for all the best and worst of automotive news, or submit your own auto oddities to [email protected].
