The history article this week is about DAF, a truck maker who branched out into car making after thinking about how they use the propulsion methods of their metal working machines. The company was founded in 1928 by Hubert Van Doorne and his brother, Wim, as a metalworking shop and were financed by a local businessman to start manufacturing commercial vehicles. Hubert had … [Read more...]
DAF
Fast Charging with Fast Food
Following on from the article last week about public charging stations to be installed across Greater London, another report popped up in the Motoring Weekly inbox. This is a similar project based in the Netherlands for a company called Nuon and McDonalds, the burger joint. The joint venture is part of McDonalds CSR - Corporate Social Responsibility - plan that aims to … [Read more...]
Spyker
The Spyker name has had three incarnations: Spyker, Spyker Cars and also Spyker F1. Lets start with the original company. Jacobus and Hendrik-Jan Spijker founded Spyker in the Netherlands during 1880 as a coach-building company – in fact they built the coach that the Dutch royal family still use today. Exports became a big business for the company especially to the Dutch … [Read more...]
The Superbus
Over that last few years I have been reading about the “Dubai Superbus” which in reality should be called the “Dutch Superbus” because of where it was designed and the prototype built. The idea was conceived by a Dutch astronaut and physicist, Dr Wubbo Ockels whilst travelling between two cities in Europe. His side became the Superbus, a 23 seater slimline and aerodynamic … [Read more...]
