By David Menzies

Just about every business needs a gimmick to stand out from the crowd these days. And in the taxicab world, Harpreet Dev sure has a whopper.
 
The 30-year old Indian taxi operator is now a celebrity in his home state of Punjab thanks to his driving skills. Actually, make that one sensational albeit baffling driving skill – Dev has the ability to pilot his cab backwards. As in everywhere.

According to legend, Dev began transporting people in backwards mode awhile back when he found his cab stuck in reverse gear. Most hacks would’ve called a tow truck. Not Dev. He just fixated his eyes upon his cab’s rearview mirrors and zipped down the road taillights first.

And apparently, he’s quite good at it. In fact, Dev now uses his reverse driving technique as a marketing tactic. He’s painted “Back Gear Champian” on his Fiat Padmini and has redesigned the car’s gearbox so that it now boasts four reverse gears and just one forward gear.

Can you say “Bizarro Superman”?

By David Menzies

Who’d have guessed the Chevrolet Malibu has a trunk so voluminous it can transport barnyard livestock?

Well, it’s true. Just ask James Prusci. The Winona, Minn. auto mechanic was startled when he heard a shrill crying noise emanating from the rear end of a broken down Malibu he was working on recently. The Chevy had just been dropped off at his shop by a woman passing through town.

Fearing the worst, Prusci popped open the trunk. The mechanic was greeted by the sight of a live goat stuffed inside

What’s more, the goat’s fur was painted purple and gold (the Minnesota Vikings’ colours.) The goat also had Brett Favre’s No. 4 shaved into its side. (The “semi-retired” Favre is attempting another comeback with the Vikings.)

Evidently, the owner of the Malibu was planning to butcher the animal in St. Paul. Passing through Winona, her car gave up the ghost (but not the goat) and required repairs.

The unnamed woman, who was accompanied by a man and child, left the shop as Prusci and some coworkers began fixing the Malibu, whereupon they heard crying noises.

 “We cracked open the trunk, you know, so it could breathe,” Prusci told the Winona Daily News. “And sure enough, there it was. It kind of poked its head up.”

By David Menzies

Forget about putting the horse before the cart. Hadi Mirhejazi has actually put the horse within the cart. And as a result, he claims his Naturmobil is the greenest vehicle on the planet.

If anything, the Naturmobil almost defies description given that it appears as though it has been lifted from the pages of a Dr. Seuss book. On second thought, it’s doubtful that even Theodor Geisel could’ve dreamed up a contraption as outlandish as this vehicle.

Here’s the deal: the Naturmobil – which externally resembles a greenhouse on wheels – contains within it an industrial-strength treadmill. This treadmill is designed to accommodate a horse. The horse is meant to trot on the treadmill; this action allegedly powers the wheels via a 20-gear drivetrain.

This treadmill action also keeps the Naturmobil’s batteries charged. Top speed: 45 km/h (which isn’t too shabby for a large vehicle with a 1-horsepower “engine”.)

By David Menzies
Full disclosure: I love practical jokes. I think Just For Laughs Gags is perhaps the funniest show on TV. But there’s a time-honoured caveat when it comes to practical joking: nobody (or no thing) should be physically harmed (or damaged) in the process. Otherwise, that’s not a prank – that’s just maliciousness. Nothing funny about that.

That said, here’s hoping that so-called “Smart Car tipping” is a very short-lived fad indeed. And that would-be “tippers” have enough grey matter to realize that knocking a small, lightweight car onto its side isn’t a creative stunt – it’s merely garden-variety vandalism.

The blogosphere has been abuzz for several weeks about pranksters pushing Smart Cars into Amsterdam canals. (Apparently cows are hard to come by in urban environments.) So, the thinking goes, why not tip a Smart Car over as an hilarious demonstration of strength and science?

Unfortunately, the madness, like an ugly virus, has spread to Canada. Last week, a fortysomething man was charged with mischief for allegedly tipping over a Smart Car on Edmonton’s Whyte Avenue.
As you might imagine, a tipped-over Smart Car makes for a damaged Smart Car. The Edmonton vehicle endured smashed exterior mirrors and windows as well as dented panels. Wow... I’m in stitches! Look out Seinfeld!

By David Menzies

With the arrival of summer and in honour of that beloved bittersweet beverage, lemonade, from now until fall, we shall present a look back at some of the most memorable lemons of yesteryear on a weekly basis. We’re talking design disasters, marketing misfits, engineering errors and aesthetic abominations.

This week, the disgrace that was the Ford Pinto.

If there’s a textbook example of how to handle damage control, it’s surely the “Tainted Tylenol” tragedy of 1982.

At the time, observers said that due to seven people dying in the Chicago-area thanks to consuming Tylenol tablets laced with poison, Tylenol was a “doomed brand.”

But they were wrong. Parent company Johnson & Johnson responded to the crisis by quickly recalling and destroying millions of containers of perfectly-fine Tylenol. As well, the company was completely transparent in dealing with the public and the media. In fact, the public perception of the time was that Johnson & Johnson was itself a victim due to the actions of some unhinged maniac.

By Justin Couture

Stylish. Sporty. Hybrid. Pick two. Actually, you can’t do that because neither a sporty hybrid nor a stylish hybrid technically currently exists (you can, however, buy a stylish and sporty car, but that's nothing new.) But the automotive world might not be out of luck for that much longer as Peugeot is currently developing such a vehicle. It’s previewing its efforts in Frankfurt with the RCZ HYbrid4 concept.
 
Although it’s technically being called a concept, the components used to make this vehicle aren’t concept-like at all. The car itself is based on the RCZ, which is also making its debut in Frankfurt, while the entire drivetrain, from its 2.0-litre diesel engine to its rear-axle-driving electric motor and battery pack have been pilfered from the 3008 HYbrid4, which will be on sale in Europe starting Spring 2011.

By Justin Couture

A couple of days ago, I made posted something on the Devon GTX, which has been described as America’s latest supercar. Unfortunately, Devon’s time in the spotlight is short lived as another manufacturer has just unveiled a supercar in a similar vein with even more astonishing performance.

This time around, the brand isn’t American, it’s British. The company that makes this car, Noble, also isn’t new, although it has had a lengthy hiatus from building cars after founder Lee Noble left.

Flat, wedgy and similar in appearance to the stillborn Noble M15, the M600 features a tubular steel chassis and stainless steel chassis tub that’s clothed in angular carbon fibre body panels. And while the baby blue paint might not appeal to everyone, the power certainly will.

By Justin Couture

Taking a break from the H1N1 flu pandemic, AIDS and malaria, the World Health Organization has just issued its first comprehensive report on global road safety. At some 287 pages in length, it covers 98 per cent of the world’s population, and is filled with interesting facts that includes info on police enforcement for drinking and driving, speeding and fatality rates. 

While on-road fatalities have always been a concern - for certain age groups, particularly those between 15 - 44, it’s one of the biggest killers in the Western world - they will become a much bigger problem as more countries industrialize and modernize. 

It’s estimated by 2030, traffic deaths will be the fifth biggest killer of people around the world, taking 3.6 per cent of lives, outpacing lung disease, diabetes, and HIV/AIDS, up from ninth position in 2004. Currently, the WHO estimates that 1.4 million people die on the world’s roads each year. 

By Justin Couture

As far as track-oriented Porsches go, there’s no better 911 than the GT3 RS, and in Porsche’s history, few have been more honed and focused than this latest model. Set to debut at this year’s Frankfurt motor show in September, it builds on the 2010 GT3 which was introduced earlier this year. 

Further tuned, the RS’ engine now produces 450 horsepower, up 15 from the standard GT3. New internal components also allow the engine to rev at speeds of up to 8,500 rpm, while the advanced new active engine mounts are standard equipment.

By Justin Couture

Over the past while, the rumour mill has hinted at the development of a compact Lexus hatchback, something to compete with the likes of the Audi A3, Mercedes-Benz B-Class and BMW 1 Series. These rumours have effectively been confirmed as Lexus has just released the first sketch of a new compact hatchback concept.

Dubbed the CT Hybrid, it will take aim at the established premium compact segment. Judging by its name, it’ll be powered by the company's Hybrid Synergy Drive System - perhaps the setup found in the HS 250h, or perhaps by the hybrid system found in the Toyota Prius. While Lexus hasn't confirmed any details, it's also likely to be front-wheel drive.