If cobalt shortages actually become a real issue, there’s alternative chemistries available that don’t use cobalt at all - LiFePO4 comes to mind, as a lower-density, but proven chemistry. And, lithium-sulfur solid state batteries are a thing that’s in development now, and is where a lot of the industry is trying to go…

If wealthy white men drove taxis, the city would have returned the fee for the medallions.

That’s a funny story indeed. For example Toyota was (and somehow still is) specialised in sewing machines. I also remember my parents making fun of what they thought were knock off of western products. It didn’t take long before people were forced to admit the quality of Japanese products, including cars. There is…

Why?

Nissan/Datsun cloned early engines from Austin of England. To the point of interchangeability of many pieces. Whether it was under licence :) or not, I cannot say. No shame in learning from the best though...

They started improving the cars from the very start though... Renault 4CV was my very 1st car! (Don’t judge, it was Free) On the back you there see two big shiney caps, yes? One is the fuel filler, the other is the radiator cap. My original French example had only the central cap, the radiator cap; the FUEL filler…

I learned this as well when growing up. Undercoat or suffer the consequences.

Yes. Rigidity mostly refers to torsional rigidity (i.e. how much the chassis flexes over rough roads or in corners) whereas crash absorption is a separate concern

Oooh ... I like your thinking. My first thought was “Jaaaaag” given the wheels and spare tyre placement but that air cleaner busts my theory wide open.

A beautiful Iso Rivolta!

They are not copies, but built under license. What we have here is a Hino 4cv, born of a partnership between Hino Motors and Renault in order to create an affordable car to put the average japanese people on the road. It’s interesting to note that they kept the RR layout of the early post war Renault on their in house…

both the car design and engines were based on chevy design. infact toyota used chevy based engines up until the 70's or so.

‘Under that cover lives an 81-horsepower 1776-cc edition of the Lamprey four.’

Hew difficult would it be to source and replace with Eurpoean parts? I think it would make this car that much more enjoyable

I had an EcoDrive for ~10 years before I gave it to my dad (needed something easy to read that he didn’t have to wind). $100, basic “military style” with large numerals, fantastic lume, screw down crown, 200m WR, built like a brick shithouse. Pretty much never left my wrist, even through several years of construction…

I don’t do the feet thing, but practically speaking what you said makes a world of sense over the current shoeie trend

Could be a way of shitting the bed with out actually shitting the bed.

I got this 3 years ago for about $160 and I am still in love with it. Titanium case, sapphire crystal, and WR. I wore out the leather band and now have a cheapo silicone on it. Citizen BM 7080. There were several variants of face color, some with titanium bracelets. The hands and the 2 numbers are lumed.

The only watch an adult who isn’t in the special forces will ever need: