Only two examples of the DKW Elektro-Wagen are known to still exist and Audi estimates that DKW only built around 100 of them between 1956 and 1962.
To make the Elektro-Wagen (which is simply one of the best names for an electric car ever), DKW took its standard Schnellaster delivery van and jammed a whole bunch of lead-acid batteries and an electric motor in place of the tiny two-stroke engine that previously propelled it.
The electric motor produced a massive 5kW and could never be accused of being fast, with a top speed of 40km/h and a range of around 80km.
Actually, Audi should forget the "e-tron" naming it uses for its current electric cars and just call them "Elektro-Wagen" again. That would be so much cooler ...
We are the world
• The president of Turkmenistan seems to have quietly banned black cars. Last September president Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov swapped his black state limo for a white one, then advised his government officials to do the same. Now it is being reported that importers are unable to get black cars inspected or cleared and vehicle inspection centres are refusing black cars. The president likes white now. So do you.
• Taxi drivers in the South Korean capital of Seoul are apparently facing a literal flood of vomit and are, rather understandably, getting a bit fed up with it. Apparently drunk passengers are vomiting in taxis at an alarming rate in Seoul, so much so that the city's two taxi associations are now charging a city-approved 150,000 won ($187.36) "clean up" charge to any passengers letting loose a technicolour yawn in the back of a cab.
Every surfer's dream
Ron Berry's zany creation called Surf Seeker is more a car-toon than a car.
For some things in life, their ability to make us smile is reason enough for their existence.
And that is very much the case for this rather wonderful creation by a complete genius in the US called Ron Berry.
He calls it the Surf Seeker. The Good Oil calls it the pinnacle of human technical achievement.
We don't really think that is a bold claim. After all, the Surf Seeker, rather obviously modelled after a VW Type II (or Kombi) is a real life cartoon car.
While Ron made the body himself out of steel (no taking the easier, lighter, more convenient fibreglass way out for dear old Ron, it seems), the Surf Seeker sits on the front suspension of an original Type II, but that is about it.
However, sitting up the back in the usual place is the expected flat-four engine, although this one is 2175cc and has a supercharger bolted to it, making it good for around 150kW.
Clearly deciding to just go all out for this one, Ron also made access to the driver's seat via a BMW Isetta-like hinged front section, while the freakishly small wheelbase is somewhat offset by some utterly brilliant retractable skateboard design wheelie bars.
English, but not as we know it
Russian auto makers Dartz left us bamboozled by the marketing blurb for their customised child car seats.
Normally it takes a bit of work for The Good Oil to ferret out all the silliness in the car industry and make fun of it, but sometimes all the work is already done for us.
This is the case when a press release from our favourite Crazy Russians at Dartz lands in our inbox.
Normally we would merely take the funniest, most mangled phrasing and make fun of it, but with this press release for their foray into custom child car seats, we just have to let you see the mental spacing, atrocious spelling, surprising punctuation in this excerpt. We tried to run the whole thing but Driven's editor said it used all of Good Oil's exclamation mark quota for the year.
Read and be stunned.
"So dear parents You got an uber car and You are happy. Let's forget about
"extenders"competition as< yep, BABY ON BOARD!Your l'enfant who also share space in Your car.And can you answer Yourself - what I did for my "baby on board"? Yep, You spend kilo-thousands to buy car, you add tens of thousands to spoil(er) and carbonize this car, but ... But, how do You think will drive your baby?You think You bought him two hundred Euro seat and Your "parents debt"is fully paid? You who fully changed car interior, but Your own child still piss in standart fabric seat?Hope You are already shamed and ready to call DARTZ for "excuses"to Your baby!New line of DARTZ Grupa product united under label l'Enfante Terrible is dedicated to Golden Boys and Girls. To those who born with golden spoon in their mouths, to those who "drive"Rolls-Royces, Ferrari's or just Mercedes's from first minutes of their birth.Yes, DARTZ starts skyrocketing baby seats!As this is place where Young generation of zillionaires move their asses from zero till twelve ages, and DARTZ don't see any reason why in €100k+ car have to be less then €0,5k seat.isn't it nonsense? Yes, it is!Using Luxpel Tailmade Ferrari Red leather which is originally used for Ferrari we did our First l'Enfant terrible seat! Here You are. What's next? Using Kolonial Touch line from Luxpel - bizzare automotive leather. You can make Your baby seat covered with shark, crocodile."
Comedy gold. We almost want a crocodile or shark leather-trimmed child car seat now.
Number Crunching
4 BRANDS
DKW, with Audi, Horch and Wanderer combined to form Auto Union in 1932.
51 YEARS
Since VW acquired Auto Union from Daimler AG in 1964.
49 YEARS
Since the last DKW-badged car was built in 1966.
30 YEARS
Since Auto Union disappeared to become Audi AG in 1985.
