The oil-mafia plans increase in fuel-prices

The oil-mafia, OPEC, are having a meeting in Vienna on the 24th of October, discussing the "critical decline" in oil price (oh no, it's only increased by 45% over the last 1,5 years - from 50 to 70 dollars!!!), and how to cut production to stabilize the price at 90-100 dollars/barrel, the presumed sweet-spot where the demand will remain high, and we will still have to pay through our nose for the petrol.

This is just another brilliant example of why this kind of cartel should be illegal, like it is in every other business on this planet. It's also a reminder that although the prices are down to 70 dollars/barrel, half of what they were at their peak only months ago, the problems with price and supply will remain, and we should focus all our energy (literally) on finding replacements for oil. We simply can't be held hostage by corrupt, instable regimes, dictators, dirty oil companies and such any more.

So, car-manufacturers, where are those damn biogas-cars? Ethanol-cars? Electric cars? Hydrogen? Air?

UK goes Big Brother

The UK is getting ready to subject all car drivers in the country to a surveillance of proportions that would make George Orwell shit in his pants: Cameras will track each and every car on all primary roads in the UK - 24/7. It's basically a nightmare you can't escape, and it's all in the name of money. Personal integrity is, apparently, not worth a thing.

The commission estimated that new SPECS3 cameras could monitor every driver on 31,136 miles of principal rural and urban roads at a cost of £443,687,656 (US $769,693,415). While the initial investment appears substantial, the commission noted that "enforcing the 70 MPH limit using SPECS would pay for itself within around two years."

The original SPECS cameras were found to be quite successful. Between 2000 and 2005, a single camera in Nottinghamshire generated 76,000 tickets worth £4.2 million (US $7.2 million). London's entire SPECS network generated as many citations in just three weeks. London camera officials did admit, however, that 5600 tickets were sent to motorists who were completely innocent.

There you go. If you're a motorist and want to continue being one without being subjected to these kinds of horrific assaults on your personal integrity, get off this bizarre island. Now.

A Porsche for the future

Porsche tuner RUF have presented a concept car based on the 997. This is not your ordinary tuned Porshce though, but a battery powered, zero emission one! The 0-100 acceleration of 7 seconds is ok, the top-speed of 225 km/h is decent but not impressive, however the range of 250-300 kilometers is promising indeed.

Let's hope this is a glimpse of what the future holds for sports cars: Politically correct, environmentally friendly, yet fun and good looking.

Lexus IS 250C - where's the H?

Yes, the new Lexus IS 250 convertible is a nice looking car. But what on earth happened to Lexus' ambitions as a hybrid car manufacturer? In this day and age you would expect a company that already has hybrid-versions of most of their cars (unfortunately not the IS-series) would equip any new models with the same technology.

Instead, the IS 250C is powered by a 2,5 liter V6 petrol engine producing 208 hp. We can only hope that Lexus will come to their senses and offer an IS 250Ch at one point, with more power and less fuel-consumtion.