2023

26 December 2023, Boxing Day: Start of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht race.

25 December 2023: Christmas Day.

1 December 2023, .au: "... Australia has been experiencing an eighth wave of COVID-19 cases in the past month. The number of new confirmed cases was increasing but not at the same highs we saw earlier in the pandemic. ..." — [abc].

30 November - 12 December 2023: COP28, Dubai [www].

30 November 2023,.au: "The Bureau's summer long-range forecast shows a high chance of warmer than usual days and nights across Australia, below average rainfall is likely for much of the tropics and Western Australia, and a more neutral rainfall signal for the rest of the continent. ..." — [bom].

30 November 2023: Tesla announced that deliveries of the long anticipated 'Cybertruck' would start soon: "est. us$68,890 all wheel drive in 2024", and 'Cyberbeast' "est. us$96,390 in 2024", cnbc [www].

29 November 2023: "Homes inundated, power outages and rescues amid widespread flooding in NSW ..." — [abc]. Also see NSW [www] and Vic [www] roads.

26 November 2023 (#22/22): Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix.

Results: 1. Max Verstappen [Red Bull]; 2. Charles Leclerc [Ferrari]; 3. George Russell [Mercedes]. (Also see the FIA [www] and the [bbc].)

25 November 2023: Bonhams On the Grid, the Abu Dhabi Auction [www] including lot 8P a 2006 McLaren-Mercedes F1 MP4/21, naturally aspirated 2.4-litre V8, chassis #MP4/21-2 (sold us$2,760,000).

26 November 2023, .au: "New crime data shows worrying divide between regional and metropolitan areas in Queensland ..." — [abc].

24-26 November 2023: Geelong Revival Motoring Festival [www].

24 November 2023: 21 months since Vladimir Putin started the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

24 November 2023: "... Nissan accelerates the switch to full electric ... announces second and third new electric vehicles for UK production ... All-electric future versions of flagship Nissan Qashqai, JUKE and LEAF models confirmed ..." — Nissan [www].

23 November 2023: "Perth bushfire rages through northern suburbs ..." — [abc]. Also see WA [www] fire.

November 2023: .uk Exploring the relationship between car brands and risky driving, A. Tapp et al, J. of Social Marketing, 13(3), [www] (7/'23) points the finger at BMW, Porsche and Subaru drivers.
And, .usa "... Percentage of [usa] drivers with a prior at-fault accident on record ... 1. Audi S4 11.7% ... 10. Subaru Impreza 10.3% ... average 7.6% ..." — insurify (13/6/'23) [www].

21 November 2023: "Northvolt today announced a state-of-the-art sodium-ion battery ... over 160 watt-hours per kilogram ... Northvolt's 1st generation of sodium-ion cell is designed primarily for energy storage, with subsequent generations delivering higher energy density opening opportunities to enable cost-efficient electric mobility solutions ..." — Northvolt [www]. (Li-ion is "100-265 Wh/kg" [wikip] but there are recent claims of 700 Wh/kg in the lab.)

20 November 2023: "Rain is falling across fire affected parts of Queensland ..." — [abc]. Also see Qld [www] roads.

19 November 2023, .au: 31st Historic & Classic Rob Roy Hill Climb, Smiths Gully, Vic. [www].

18 November 2023 (Sat., #21/22): Las Vegas F1 Grand Prix.

Results: 1. Max Verstappen [Red Bull]; 2. Charles Leclerc [Ferrari]; 3. Sergio Perez (Red Bull). (Also see the FIA [www] and the [bbc].)

17 November 2023: RM Sothebys Las Vegas GP Auction [www] including lot 13 a 2013 Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 W04, naturally aspirated 2.4-litre V8, chassis #F1W04-04 (sold us$18,815,000); lot 17 a 2008 Bugatti Veyron 16.4, chassis #VF9SA25C78M795066 (sold us$1,600,000); lot 38 a 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR roadster (open), chassis #WDB2973971Y000034 (sold us$10,235,000, although lot 19 a 1999 coupe, chassis #WDB2973971Y000018, failed to sell. "20 CLK GTR coupes" and "six roadster[s]" were built to homologate the corresponding race-car).

17-26 November 2023: LA Auto Show, Los Angeles [www].

16 November 2023, .uk: BRM Reawakening, "... In celebration of BRM's 70th anniversary, the Owen family commissioned the build of an authentic new BRM Type 15 Mk 1 V16 Chassis IV, based on the design of the original 1950s race car ..." — Brooklands Museum [www].

13 November 2023: "Isis sugar mill [Qld] plans to use wastewater to grow algae for human food and fuel ..." — [abc]. For a long time now researchers have been trying to find an economic way to use algae for fuel, e.g., Hanon et al, 'Biofuels from algae: challenges and potential', Biofuels, 1(5), pp.763-784, 2010 [www] or [www]; also see wikip [www].

12 November 2023: "... The total road toll in Victoria now stands at 256, the highest figure since 2008 ..." — [abc]. (Also see S.A., 18 October below.)

12 November 2023, .au: The Gippsland Vehicle Collection (see museums), Maffra, Victoria opens a new display, Working Wheels, cars that moved people.

11-12 November 2023: Bendigo Swap Meet [www].

11 November 2023: Remembrance Day, e.g., [abc].

10-12 November 2023: Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham, uk [www].

10 November 2023, .uk: "RAC patrols dealt with record number of pothole breakdowns this summer ... July-Sept 5,978 ..." — RAC [www].

9 November 2023: "Cruise [GM] recalls all [950] self-driving cars after grisly accident and California ban ..." — The G [www]. (Also see 30 Oct. below.)

9 November 2023: "Can solid-state batteries commercialize by 2030? ..." — SAE [www]. Such batteries would be lighter, quicker to charge, and safer than present Li-ion batteries if they can be commercialised. Toyota hopes to achieve this by 2028.

9 November 2023, .au: Subaru's electric (BEV) Solterra SUV can be pre-ordered from au$84K, 71kWh, claimed range of 414km (~260 miles) [www]. It is a joint venture with Toyota ~ the Toyota bZ4X.

8 November 2023, .uk: "'Bloodhound Land Speed Record Driver Search' is an exciting and captivating campaign aimed at finding a new driver for the iconic Bloodhound Land Speed Record car. ... How much funding do you need? Approximately £12m to set a new LSR. ..." — Bloodhound LSR [www]. Also see 16 November 2019, but the project, i.e., the money, stalled under covid-19,

7 November 2023: "Cargo fire risks continue to rise ... the prevalence of Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries poses a growing risk for both container shipping and car carrier vessels. ..." — Allianz [www][5/2023].

7 November 2023 (Tues.): The Melbourne Cup. 1. Without a Fight.

5 November 2023 (#20/22): Sao Paulo F1 Grand Prix, Interlagos, Brazil.

Results: 1. Max Verstappen [Red Bull]; 2. Lando Norris [McLaren]; 3. Fernando Alonso [Aston Martin]. Verstappen also won Saturday's sprint race. Aston Martin seemed to have their mojo back, and Mercedes to have lost theirs. (Also see the FIA [www] and the [abc].)

5 November 2023 (Sun.): London to Brighton Veteran Car Run [www].

4 November 2023 (Sat.): Regents Street Motor Show, London [www]. ?Is it on?
4 November 2023: St James's International Concours [www].

4 November 2023: RM Sotheby's London Auction [www] including lot 220 a 1929 Bentley 4¹/2-litre supercharged Le Mans Tourer in the style of Vanden Plas, chassis #DS3573, engine #UK V5 (sold £815,000); lot 242 a 1993 Ferrari 512 TR Spider (open), chassis #ZFFLA4C000097310, engine #35505 (sold £2,226,875).

3 November 2023: "Dozens of fires continue to burn across Queensland ..." — [abc]. Also see Qld [www] fire.

3 November 2023, .uk: "A third (32%) of drivers are unaware of or choose to ignore the two-second rule according to research by AA Accident Assist. ... Statistics by the Dept of Transport support this finding, show that a fifth of car drivers are driving unsafely and irresponsibly by ignoring the Highway Code's two-second rule for a safe distance between cars ..." — the AA [www].

3 November 2023, .au: "The Ipswich Connected Vehicle Pilot (ICVP) was the largest on-road trial of connected vehicle technology [CVT] in Australia. ... 355 privately-owned vehicles were outfitted with CVT and driven for 9 months ... Overall, participants were generally positive towards the system ..." — D. Rodwell et al, 'In their own words: A qualitative study of users' acceptance of connected vehicle technology after nine months of experience with the technology,' Transportation Research Part F Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, vol.97, pp.73-93, Aug. 2023 [www].

2 November 2023: Honda put the folding Motocompacto electric scooter on sale for us$995, "foldable design, a maximum speed of 15mph and zero-emissions range of up to 12 miles ..." — Honda [www]. It folds to 94mm x 536mm x 742mm and weighs 18.7kg.

1 November 2023: "COVID cases are rising across Australia. ..." — [abc]. About 6,000 new cases per week [27/10].

31 October - 3 November 2023: SEMA show, Las Vegas [www].

30 October - 11 November 2023, .au: Donington Porsche Tractor Auction [www], e.g., lot 2 a 1959 Porsche Standard Star 238, serial #238 1249 (sold au$68,000). "The Porsche name is synonymous with the world's most famous sports cars, but few people realise that the company's founder, Dr Ferdinand Porsche, also built tractors."

30 October 2023: "... The AV [Autonomous V.] sector was stunned by ... the California Department of Motor Vehicles suspended robotaxi developer Cruise's permits for deployment and testing of driverless vehicles. ..." — SAE [www]. (Also see 9 Nov.)

29 October 2023 (#19/22): Mexican F1 Grand Prix.

Results: 1. Max Verstappen [Red Bull]; 2. Lewis Hamilton [Mercedes]; 3. Charles Leclerc [Ferrari]. (Also see the FIA [www] and the [bbc].)

28 October - 5 November 2023: Japan Mobility Show [www] (was the Tokyo Motor Show). Mazda showed the 'ICONIC SP' concept, a series-hybrid with a twin-rotor rotary engine [www].

28 October 2023: "Exhausted Queensland fire crews battle 420 bushfires in a week amid warnings of worst fire season in 70 years ..." — [abc] and [30/10]. Also see Qld [www] fire.

27 October, 2023 recall #REC-005802: "Range Rover Velar and Defender, 2022-2023 ... Due to a software issue, the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) may not activate as intended. As a result, the internal combustion engine will not start when required ..." — .gov.au [www].

27 October, 2023 .uk:: "What happens after a nuclear power station [Hinkley Point B] is closed? ..." — [bbc]. (It takes 70+ years for the site, and then some.)

25 October 2023: "Stellantis Australia, the importer and distributor of Jeep vehicles in Australia, has undertaken to address ACCC concerns about the way it has handled complaints by consumers who have experienced problems with their Jeep vehicles, in a court-enforceable undertaking accepted by the ACCC. ..." — ACCC [www].

25 October 2023: "One person dead as southern Queensland bushfires threaten properties in tinderbox conditions ..." — [abc] and [27 Oct.]. "Extreme bushfire warning for northern NSW and the Hunter as BOM forecasts near-record heat ..." [abc]. Also see Qld [www] and NSW [www] fire.
IPCC Sixth Assessment Report — IPCC [www]. The World Energy Outlook 2023, "... We are on track to see all fossil fuels peak before 2030 ..." — IEA [www].

23 October 2023, recall #REC-005799: "Mercedes-Benz EQS 53, EQS 450, EQS 500, 2021-2022 ... Due to a software issue, the electric vehicle (EV) Drivetrain system may deactivate resulting in a loss of motive power. ..." — .gov.au [www].

22-29 October 2023, .au: World Solar Challenge Darwin-Adelaide [www].

22 October 2023 (#18/22): USA F1 Grand Prix.

Results: 1. Max Verstappen [Red Bull]; 2. Lando Norris [McLaren]; 3. Carlos Sainz [Ferrari]. Verstappen also won Saturday's sprint race. In the GP Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) finished second and Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) finished fourth but both were disqualified for excessive wear on the "skid blocks". (Also see the FIA [www] and the [bbc].)

22 October 2023, .au: Bay to Birdwood, SA [www].

18 October 2023: South Australia's "road toll [is] 93 compared to 57 at the same time last year. ..." — [abc]. (Also see Vic., 12 November above.)

18 October 2-23: Toyota and 'Overdrive Racing' plan to enter a hydrogen-powered (998cc ICE) 'HySE' in the Jan. 2024 Dakar. See Toyota [www].

14 October 2023, .au: Referendum on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 'Voice to Parliament', e.g., see [abc][30/8]. The result was 'no', about 6:4 nationally.

14 October 2023: "Driverless taxi chaos in San Francisco erodes public trust in autonomous technology ..." — [abc].

13 October 2023, qld: "Carnarvon Gorge bushfire burns through thousands of hectares, closing national park for further two weeks ..." — [abc]. Also see Qld [www] parks.

8-9 October 2023: Bonhams Zoute Sale (auction) [www] including lot 115 a 1994 Bugatti EB110 GT, chassis #ZA9AB01SORCD39071, engine #094 (sold €1,150,000); lot 120P the Ex-Rene Durey, Count Jean de Rochechouart de Mortemart, Louis Bleriot 1929 Bugatti type 37 Grand Prix two-seater, chassis #37383, engine #286 (sold €1,150,000).

8 October 2023 (#17/22): Qatar F1 Grand Prix. 1. Max Verstappen [Red Bull]; 2. Oscar Piastri [McLaren]; 3. Lando Norris (McLaren). Verstappen sealed his third F1 Drivers' World Championship by finishing second in Saturday's sprint race which Piastri won. (Also see the FIA [www] and the [bbc].)

8 October 2023, .au: Bathurst 1000, NSW. 1. Shane van Gisbergen and Richie Stanaway (GM Chev Camaro); 2. Brodie Kostecki and David Russell (GM Chev Camaro); 3. Anton De Pasquale and Tony D'Alberto (Ford Mustang). There was no car with a Holden badge.

6-8 October 2023: Motorclassica, Royal Exhibition Building, Mebourne [www]. Cancelled.

5-14 October 2023: "Geneva" International Motor Show [www] held in Qatar (note F1 GP on 8 Oct.); the show will return to Geneva in 2024.

5 October 2023: "Consumers urged to use and store lithium-ion batteries safely to prevent deadly fires ..." — acc.gov.au [www].

5 October 2023: "Unprecedented temperature anomalies; 2023 on track to be the warmest year on record ... [Sept.] with an average surface air temperature of 16.38°C ... The month as a whole was around 1.75°C warmer than the September average for 1850-1900, the preindustrial reference period. ..." — copernicus.eu [www].

4 October 2023, .au: "Widespread rain and thunderstorms, carrying the risk of flash flooding, have begun pouring over parts of Victoria and New South Wales ..." — [abc]. Also see NSW [www] and Vic [www] roads.

1 October 2023, .au: "Three fires burn out of control in Gippsland, residents and campers flee ..." — [abc] and [2/10]. Also see Vic.[www] fire.

1 October 2023, .au: Reported covid-19 deaths are running at about 40 per week, e.g., see health.gov.au [www], abs.gov.au [www] and [29/9]. There may be more unreported.

1 October 2023, Sun., .au: Daylight saving time begins where applicable (ACT, NSW, SA, Tas., Vic.) 2am→3am.

29-30 October 2023 (Fri., Sat.): Deniliquin Ute Muster [www].

27 September 2023: "Battery recycling experts at the 2023 Battery Show North America indicate a sustainable recycling business model is coming into focus. [amen] ... American Battery Technology Company (ABTC) [has] a system to recover the individual minerals in lithium-ion batteries. ... panelists had a dim view of the potential for so-called 'second-life' use of entire EV batteries once those batteries become too depleted for effective use in a vehicles. ..." — SAE [www].

24 September 2023 (#16/22): Japanese F1 Grand Prix, Suzuka.

Results: 1. Max Verstappen [Red Bull]; 2. Lando Norris [McLaren]; 3. Oscar Piastri (McLaren). Red Bull sealed the Formula One Constructors' World Championship. (Also see the FIA [www] and the [bbc].)

21 September - 1 October 2023: The Royal Show, Melbourne [www].

21 September 2023, .uk: "Rishi Sunak [PM] delays petrol car ban in major shift on green policies ..." — [bbc]. I.e., new petrol and diesel cars can be sold in the UK until 2035.

20 September 2023: "The Bureau declares El Nino and positive Indian Ocean Dipole events ... Warmer and drier conditions will be more likely over spring and summer for parts of Australia ..." — [bom]. "'Extreme' fire danger warnings for Sydney, Hunter regions as hot and dry weather conditions to persist across NSW ..." — [abc]. "Queensland braces for high temperatures, threat of bushfires ..." — [2]. "Victorian fire crews respond to bushfires a day after El Nino declaration ..." — [3]. Also see NSW [www], Qld [www] and Vic [www] fire.

17 September 2023 (#15/22): Singapore F1 Grand Prix, Marina Bay. The FIA issued TD018 a "technical directive" about "bodywork flexibility", "... any design which uses the relative motion between adjacent components of mechanisms in order to maximise aerodynamic deformation to be in breach of Article 3.2.2 ...".

Results: 1. Carlos Sainz [Ferrari] 2. Lando Norris [McLaren]; 3. Lewis Hamilton [Mercedes]. The track did not suit the Red Bulls and they finished 5th and 8th. (Also see the FIA [www] and the [bbc].)

15 September 2023: RM Sothebys St Moritz auction [www], including lot 196 a 1976 Volvo C303 4x4, chassis #C03-4X4-000-131 (sold chf.34,500 ~ au$59,774).

14 September 2023: "August 2023 was Earth's hottest August in NOAA's 174-year climate record. ..." — NOAA [www]. (7 Aug.: "Exceptionally Low Antarctic Sea Ice ..." — NASA [www].) Also see the [bbc].

13-24 September 2023: North American International Auto Show (NAIAS, Detroit) [www] (13th media, 14th industry, 15th charity, 16-24 public).

12 September 2023, .au: "Average retail diesel prices in Australia's five largest cities ... continued to decrease during the June quarter 2023 ..." — ACCC [www]. But lately, "Surging oil price fuels fresh inflation fears as petrol stays above $2 per litre ..." — [abc]

12 September 2023: "Electric vehicle battery causes fire at Sydney Airport, destroys five cars ... spread from a detached(?) lithium-ion battery ..." — [abc]. (Was someone stealing the battery?)

11 September 2023: "RACV's Annual Car Running Costs Survey ... Victoria's cheapest car to own and operate is the MG3 Core light Hatch ... with monthly costs of au$746.01 ... based on private ownership ... 15,000km/y ..." — RACV [www]. The cheapest electric car to run, the MG ZS Excite Std Range RWD Wagon, costs 50% more, $1,172.76/month. (The biggest cost component is depreciation.)

11 September 2023, .nt: "Tennant Creek residents urged to prepare as major Barkly bushfire burns closer ..." — [abc]. Also see NT [fire] and NT [roads].

11 September 2023: "2023 on track to be world's hottest year on record ..." — [abc].

11 September 2023: "... £600m investment for all-electric MINI production in the UK. ... [will] build two new all-electric MINI models from 2026, the MINI Cooper 3-door and the compact crossover MINI Aceman. ..." — BMW [www]. There had been plans to bulid them only in China. Is this a sign of Europe reducing its reliance on China?

8-10 September 2023: Goodwood Revival [www].

9-10 September 2023: Bonhams Goodwood Revival auction [www] including lot 234 a 1986 Aston Martin Virage Coupe 2-door prototype, chassis #DP2034, engine #P/V/585/2034, reg #D972 MKX (sold £287,500); lot 253 a 1952 Land Rover/Minerva series I 4x4 ambulance, chassis #36131351, reg #307 YUW (sold £16,675); lot 269 a 1967 Toyota 2000GT Coupe, chassis #MF10-10129, reg #FND 459F (sold £799,000); lot 306P a 1943 Vickers Supermarine Spitfire mark IX single-seat fighter, chassis #MH415 (not sold).

8 September 2023, .au: "A cold front which brought thunder, lightning and damaging winds to parts of eastern and southeast Australia yesterday and overnight is moving out to sea. ..." — [bom].

7 September 2023: "Emeya is the new electric grand tourer (GT) from Lotus ..." — Lotus [www].

5-10 September 2023: IAA Mobility show, Munich [www].

3 September 2023 (#14/22): Italian F1 Grand Prix, Monza.

Results: 1. Max Verstappen [Red Bull]; 2. Sergio Perez (Red Bull); 3. Carlos Sainz [Ferrari]. (Also see the FIA [www] and the [bbc].)

1-2 September 2023, .au: Birdsville Races [www].

1 September 2023: Gooding and Company's London Auction [www] including lot 2 a 1927 Bentley 3-litre Red Label Speed Model sports, chassis #AX1673, engine #ML1506 (sold £263,200); lot 17 a 1952 Land-Rover series-1, chassis #26105545, engine #26109971 (sold £17,920); lot 32 a 1931 Bentley eight-litre folding-head coupe, chassis #YX 5123, engine #YX5124 (sold £775,000).

1 September 2023, .fr: "Paris says au revoir to rental e-scooters ..." — [bbc].

1 September 2023, .au: Spring.

31 August 2023, .au: "For Sept. to Nov., below median rainfall is likely to very likely (60% to greater than 80% chance) for most of Australia. ... above median maximum temperatures are very likely (greater than 80% chance) for almost all of Australia. ..." — [bom].

31 August 2023: "The ACCC today launched action in the Federal Court of Australia alleging Qantas Airways (QAN) engaged in false, misleading or deceptive conduct, by advertising tickets for more than 8,000 flights that it had already cancelled but not removed from sale. ..." — ACCC [www].

30 August - 2 September 2023, .uk: Salon Prive, Blenheim Palace [www].

29 August 2023, recall #REC-005759: "Ford Ranger and Everest 2021-2023 ... Due to a software issue, under certain circumstances if the battery level drops below a critical threshold, the transmission may shift into Park when the vehicle is travelling at speeds below 6km/h. This may cause a sudden stop without the rear brake lamps illuminating as intended. ..." — .gov.au [www].

27 August 2023 (#13/22): Dutch F1 Grand Prix, Zandvoort.

Results: 1. Max Verstappen [Red Bull]; 2. Fernando Alonso [Aston Martin]; 3. Pierre Gasly [Alpine]. There was rain immediately after the start and more heavily with 8 laps to go, the latter causing a red flag and delay. (Also see the FIA [www] and the [bbc].)

25-27 August 2023: Silverstone Festival [www].

24 August 2023: 18 months since Vladimir Putin started the Russian invasion of Ukraine. And, "Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin has reportedly died in a plane crash ..." — [abc]. (See 24 June below.)

23 August 2023: "Large parts of Australia put on high alert for significant bushfires in spring ..." — [abc].  .usa: "Before and after photos show impact of flooding in California caused by Tropical Storm Hilary ..." — [abc].  .ca: "'Unprecedented' Canadian wildfires made worse by climate change ..." — [abc].

23 August 2023, .au: Terminal gate prices, ULP Brisbane. $1.88.3/l, ..., Hobart $1.92.9/l; diesel Perth $1.98.3/l, ..., Hobart $2.05.1/l — AIP [www].

20 August 2023: Pebble Beach, Concours d'Elegance [www].

18-19 August 2023: Gooding's Pebble Beach auction [www]. including lot 20 a Lamborghini Muira P400, chassis #5066, engine #30728 (sold us$3,250,000); lot 106 a 1980 BMW M1, chassis #WBS59910004301442, 3,455cc I6 (sold us$430,000); lot 113 a 1965 Land-Rover series IIA station wagon, chassis #25106362B, (converted to a Chevrolet LS3 V8 engine etc., sold us$140,000).
18 August 2023: Bonhams Quail Auction [www] including lot 67P the Maranello Concessionaires, ex-Richard Attwood, Lucien Bianchi, Piers Courage, David Piper, Jo Siffert 1967 racing Ferrari 412P Berlinetta, chassis #0854, engine #0854 (sold us$30,255,000).
17-19 August 2023: RM Sothebys's Monterey auction [www] including lot 351 a 1957 Jaguar XKSS, chassis #XKSS 707, engine #E 2066-9 (sold us$13,205,000); lot 366 a 1988 Porsche 959 Komfort, engine #65H00306, chassis #WP0ZZZ95ZJS900247 (sold us$1,710,00).

19 August 2023 (Sat.): Henley on Todd "Regatta", Alice Springs, NT, .au [www].

18-20 August 2023, .au: National 4x4 Show Melbourne Showgrounds [www].

17-20 August 2023, .uk: British Motor Show, Farnborough [www].

15 August 2023: "The Bureau remains at El Nino Alert in latest Climate Driver Update ... Higher than usual maximum temperatures are very likely (greater than 80% chance) for almost all of Australia. ..." — [bom].

15 August 2023: "Electric car sales almost double in Tasmania in a year, to about 1 in 10 car purchases ..." — [abc]. Makes sense, T is the smallest state.

14 August 2023: "Record shattering: Earth had its hottest July in 174 years ... average global surface temperature in July was 2.02°F (1.12°C) above average ... Antarctic sea ice coverage ranked lowest on record for a third-consecutive month ..." — NOAA [www].

10 August 2023, .au: "Government abandons plan to dump nuclear waste near Kimba [SA], sparking new hunt for dump site ..." — [abc]. Also see 19 Feb. 2018.

10 August 2023: In the first half of 2023, "Order book grew to approximately 17,000 vehicles worldwide for the Eletre, Lotus' first electric lifestyle hyper-SUV, and Emira, a mid-engine sports car. ..." — Lotus (Geely) [www].

8 August 2023: "... data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) show that July 2023 was the hottest month on record globally and broke several records within the month. ..." — copernicus.eu [www].

4 August 2023: "Australia thaws in mid-winter warmth – is winter over? ..." — [abc]. 3/8: "South America sweats under high temps - in the middle of winter ..." — phys.org [www].

3 August 2023: "Road deaths in South Australia [72] exceed last year's total [71] ..." — [abc].

3 August 2023, .au: "... Passenger vehicles now represent 17.7% of the market in July while the SUV category now sits at 58.9% ... The Ford Ranger was the top selling vehicle recording 5,143 sales. It was followed by Toyota Hi-Lux (4,670), MG ZS (3,852), Tesla Model Y (3,330) and Toyota RAV4 (2,750)." — FCAI [www].

2 August 2023: Toyota announced a new LandCruiser '250' model and an updated '70' — Toyota [www].

1 August 2023, .au: Deaths from covid-19 were running at about 120 per week (6,000 p.a.), e.g., see the [abc][28/7].

31 July 2023, recall #REC-005734: "Range Rover and Range Rover Sport 2023 ... Due to a software issue, the headlamps may not operate as intended. This may result in a loss of headlights, front position lamps, daytime running lights and direction indicator functions ..." — .gov.au [www].

30 July 2023 (#12/22): Belgian F1 Grand Prix, Spa-Francorchamps.

Results: 1. Max Verstappen [Red Bull]; 2. Sergio Perez (Red Bull); 3. Charles Leclerc [Ferrari]. There was a sprint race on Saturday in which Oscar Piastri [McLaren] finished second to Verstappen but he retired after a first-corner collision in the GP. (Also see the FIA [www] and the [bbc].)

27 July 2023, recall #REC-005730: "Nissan ZE1 Leaf 2018-2023 ... Due to a software issue, the Cruise Control function may not operate as intended and could cause unintentional acceleration when deactivated. — .gov.au [www].

27 July 2023, .au: "Looking to buy a used EV? Here's why they're so expensive - and when they'll be more affordable ..." — [abc]. FYI the prediction is around 2030.

26 July 2023: Mitsubishi "premiered the fully redesigned Triton one-ton pickup truck [ute] in Bangkok ... 2.4-litre turbo diesel [110kW, 135kW or 150kW] ... Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) ... ladder frame [chassis] ... six-speed automatic [or] six-speed manual transmission with shift-by-wire ..." — Mistsubishi [www].

25-29 July 2023: The War and Peace Revival, Kent, uk [www]. This event has been cancelled, again.

24 July 2024: "July heat records could reach 50-year high as Europe, US and Asia continue to swelter ..." — [abc].

23 July 2023 (#11/22): Hungarian F1 Grand Prix. Daniel Ricciardo returned to F1, replacing Nyck de Vries at Alpha Tauri, e.g., see [bbc][11/7].

Results: 1. Max Verstappen [Red Bull]; 2. Lando Norris [McLaren]; 3. Sergio Perez (Red Bull). Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) started on pole but had to settle for 4th in the race. (Also see the FIA [www]. and the [bbc].)

20 July 2023, .br: "Eve Air Mobility ... and Embraer announced today that the first electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL) production facility will be located in the city of Taubate, ... Sao Paulo, Brazil ..." — Embraer [www]. Also see the [bbc].

18 July 2023: "Simultaneous heatwaves hit northern hemisphere in summer of extremes ..." — WMO [www]. "How El Nino, climate change and warming oceans could combine to supercharge the world's weather ..." — [abc][16/7]. "Europe heatwaves: Wildfires rage in Greece as temperatures soar ..." — [bbc].

14-16 July 2023, .au: National 4x4 Show Sydney Showground [www].

13-16 July 2023: Goodwood Festival of Speed [www].

14 July 2023: Bonhams Goodwood Festival of Speed auction [www] including lot 218 a 1954 Porsche 356 'Pre-A' 1500 Cabriolet, chassis #60597, engine #33104 (sold £287,500); lot 255 the 2007 Koenigsegg CCGT GT1 Competition Coupe (sold £3,319,000).

13 July 2023, .uk: Peak fast and rapid charging costs fall by 19% ... domestic 34p/kWh ... 7.64p/mile; ... rapid 68p/kWh ... 15.28p/mile; v. petrol ... 13.74p/mile ..." — AA [www].

12 July 2023, .au: "Australia will provide 30 additional Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicles to Ukraine ..." — .gov.au [www].

12 July 2023: "Key factors associated with parents' illegal engagement with their smartphones while driving their children", S. Kopel et al, Accident Analysis & Prevention, vol.189, 2023 [www]. (It seems that 'nomophobia' is the the fear of being without a mobile phone.)

10 July 2023, .au: The Government agreed to an "export deal with Germany, signing an in-principle agreement for Australia to supply [to Germany] more than 100 Boxer Heavy Weapon Carrier vehicles, built in Brisbane. ..." — .pm.gov.au [www].

9 July 2023 (#10/22): British F1 Grand Prix, Silverstone.

Results: 1. Max Verstappen [Red Bull]; 2. Lando Norris [McLaren]; 3. Lewis Hamilton [Mercedes]. McLaren found some pace, qualifying 2nd and 3rd (Oscar Piastri) and might have finished thus but for a safety car. (Also see the FIA [www] and the [bbc].)

8 July 2023: "Antarctic ice deficit grows to size of Western Australia as 2023 shatters more climate records ..." — [abc]. And, 7/7: "World records hottest day for third time in a week ..." — [bbc].

6 July 2023: "Record North Atlantic warmth – Hottest June on record globally ... just over 0.5°C above the 1991-2020 average, exceeding June 2019 – the previous record – by a substantial margin ..." — copernicus.eu [www].

6 July 2023, .au: "Plug-in hybrids [PHEVs] once dominated EV sales. Now their market share is tanking ..." — [abc]. Sales of BEVs are up: "... Battery electric vehicles accounted for 8.8% of June sales and make up 7.4% of new vehicle sales during the first half 2023. The Tesla Model Y recorded 5,560 [June] sales, making it the second highest selling vehicle behind the Toyota Hi-Lux (6,142). ..." — FCAI [www].

5 July 2023: The 2024 F1 calendar was released; see the FIA [www]. 24 GPs are planned.

4-6 July 2023: Birdsville Big Red Bash Music Festival [www]. 3/7: Many outback roads remained closed after last week's rain; see WA [www], NT [www], Qld [www], SA [www] and NSW [www] roads. 5/7: Some roads reopened.

3 July 2023: "According to provisional Met Office figures, the average mean temperature of 15.8°C for June 2023 in the UK is the highest in a series since 1884 ..." — [metoffice].

2 July 2023 (#9/22): Austrian F1 Grand Prix.

Results: 1. Max Verstappen [Red Bull]; 2. Charles Leclerc [Ferrari]; 3. Sergio Perez (Red Bull). (Also see the FIA [www] and the [bbc].)

1 July 2023, covid-19: Cases are running at about 200 covid-19 deaths per week in Australia — [abc].

28 June 2023: "One of the ten 1951-vintage Scammell trucks deployed to the original Snowy Mountains Scheme has been returned home to the alpine region after more than 45 years. ..." — [abc]. At the Snowy Mountains Scheme Museum, NSW.

28 June 2023, recall #REC-005702: "Jaguar I-Pace 2017-2023 ... Due to a software issue, some vehicles may experience a thermal overload. If this occurs, vehicle occupants may identify smoke or fire emanating from underneath the vehicle." — .gov.au [www].

28 June 2023: Joby Aviation "has received a Special Airworthiness Certificate for the first aircraft built at its Pilot Production Line in Marina, CA, allowing flight testing to begin ..." — [www], Joby [www]. That's for in eVTOL "air taxi" sized craft.

27 June 2023, .au: "Rare dry season downpours begin across Australian outback ..." — [abc] (& [30/6]). The Gibb River Road (WA) was closed, waterfalls came to life on Uluru (Ayers Rock, NT) and the Birdsville Track (SA) was closed. Also see WA [www], NT [www], Qld [www], SA [www] and NSW [www] roads.

25 June 2023: Pikes Peak International Hill Climb [www]. "Robin Shute sent his Wolf TSC-FS to the summit in a sizzling 08:40.080, claiming first in the Unlimited division and earning his fourth King of the Mountain crown." — PPIHC

24 June 2023: Sixteen months since Russia invaded Ukraine and then...
Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the 'Wagner' mercenary group fighting for Russia, called Vladimir Putin's justification for the war "a lie" and sent his men on a "march for justice" towards Moscow. Putin labelled this a mutiny and a stab in the back. Later, Prigozhin called his action off and left for Belarus where he "will not face criminal charges" (but maybe will fall out of a window? See 24 Aug. above). See, e.g., the [abc] and [bbc].

23-25 June 2023: Tankfest 2023, Tank Museum, Bovington, uk [www].

22 June 2023, .au: Ford is to cut 400 jobs (22%), mostly in Geelong. Ford stopped producing cars in Australia in 2016 but kept a design centre in .au. One wonders for how much longer?

20 June 2023, .au: "Polar air mass brings widespread frost to south-eastern Australia ..." — [abc].

19-25 June 2023, .fr: Paris Air Show [www].

18 June 2023 (#8/22): Canadian F1 Grand Prix.

Results: 1. Max Verstappen [Red Bull]; 2. Fernando Alonso [Aston Martin]; 3. Lewis Hamilton [Mercedes]. (Also see the FIA [www] and the [bbc].)

18 June 2023: Bonhams Bonmont Sale (auction), Cheserex, Switzerland [www] including lot 104 a 1986 Citroen 2CV6 Club, chassis #VF7AZKA00KA155894 (sold chf18,400); lot 132 a 1929 Bugatti Type 44, chassis #44380, engine #121 (sold chf483,000).

June 2023: Coryton has released 'Sustain Classic', a fuel aimed at classic cars. 'Super 80' "contains at least 80% sustainable content. ... Ethanol free (<1%) ... ≥98 octane ..." — Coryton [www]. (Not cheap.)

13 June 2023, .au: "NT government concedes 'soft start' to tourism season, downplays impact of crime on visitation during parliamentary estimates ..." — [abc].

12 June 2023, Monday: King's birthday (NSW, SA, Tas., Vic.).

10-11 June 2023: The 91st 24 Hours of Le Mans [www], also the centenary of the race. (The 'Hypercar' class replaced the 'LMP1' class in 2021). "... At this year's race all 62 cars, including the many privateer entries, run on a sustainable fuel made from vineyard grape skin waste. ..." — [bbc].

Results: 1. Ferrari 499P (hybrid), James Calado, Antonio Giovinazzi, Alessandro Pier Guidi (342 laps), 2. Toyota GR010 hybrid, Sebastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryo Hirakawa (342 laps, +1m22s), 3. Cadillac V-Series.R, Earl Bamber, Alex Lynn, Richard Westbrook (341 laps). Ferrari last entered a team in 1973 and last won in 1965.

9 June 2023: Sotheby's Le Mans auction [www] including lot 117 a 1958 Lister-Jaguar 'Knobbly', chassis #BHL 105 (sold €1,551,875); lot 123 a 1955 Ferrari 121 LM Spider by Scaglietti, chassis #0546 LM, engine #0546 LM (sold €5,742,500).

9-12 June 2019 .au: Finke Desert Race [www].

9 June 2023: "Toyota ... revealed for the first time the hydrogen engine [ICE] vehicle prototype 'GR H2' Racing Concept. ... spurred by ... the organizer of Le Mans 24 Hours [announcing] that it would allow hydrogen-engine vehicles to compete – in addition to fuel cell electric vehicles – in the race's hydrogen [H2] category. ... [T has been racing a] hydrogen-engine Corolla in the Super Taikyu Series since Round 3 of the 2021 season ..." — Toyota [www].

6 June 2023: "The Bureau of Meteorology issues an El Nino alert ... there is around a 70% chance of an El Nino developing this year. ..." — [bom].

4 June 2023 (#7/22): Spanish F1 Grand Prix.

Results: 1. Max Verstappen [Red Bull]; 2. Lewis Hamilton [Mercedes]; 3. George Russell (Mercedes). (Also see the FIA [www] and the [bbc].)

1 June 2023, .au: The start of winter.

29 May - 10 June 2023 (Mon.-Sat.), .uk: Isle of Man TT Races [www].

28 May 2023 (#6/22): Monaco F1 Grand Prix.

Results: 1. Max Verstappen [Red Bull]; 2. Fernando Alonso [Aston Martin]; 3. Esteban Ocon [Alpine]. (Also see the FIA [www] and the [bbc].)

28 May 2023 (Sun.): 107th Indianapolis 500 [www].

27-28 May 2023: Historic Winton, Vic., .au [www].

21 May 2023: Emilia Romagna F1 Grand Prix, Italy. Cancelled due to heavy rain and flooding in the region.

20 May 2023: RM Sotheby's Villa Erba auction (.it) [www] including lot 122 a 1977 Lamborghini Countach LP400 'Periscopio' by Bertone chassis #1120262 (sold €989,375); lot 140 a 1972 Ferrari 312 PB racing, chassis #0886, engine #001/11 N42 (sold €12,042,500); lot 146 a 1956 Ferrari 500 TR Spider by Scaglietti, chassis #0610 MDTR, engine #0610 MDTR (sold €3,717,500).

19-21 May 2023 (Fri.–Sun.): Concorso d'Elegance, Villa d'Este [www].

12-19 May 2023: The Gibb Challenge, WA, [www] – the Gibb River road by bicycle!

8 May 2023: recall #REC-005670: "Peugeot 3008, 508 ..., 2021-2022. Due to a software program error, the Battery Management System software may cause the high voltage battery to overheat and/or emit smoke." — .gov.au [www].

8 May 2023, .au: The [bom] reported snow down to 700m. "Cold front delivers snow, hail to large parts of Australia with more cold weather to come ..." — [abc].

7 May 2023 (#5/22): Miami F1 Grand Prix.

Results: 1. Max Verstappen [Red Bull]; 2. Sergio Perez (Red Bull); 3. Fernando Alonso [Aston Martin]. (Also see the FIA [www] and the [bbc].)

6 May 2023, .uk: Coronation of King Charles III. (And a bank holiday on Monday, 8th.)

2 May 2023, .au: "Police officer becomes victim of crime in Kimberley [WA], cuts holiday plans short ..." — [abc].

2 May 2023: "Daimler launches new EV truck brand [Rizon] for U.S. market ... initially will offer three cabover model variants, the e18L, e16L and the e16M, ... the Class 4 and 5 BEVs range from 15,995 to 17,995 lbs. in GVW ... Expected driving range is 110-160 miles (177-257 km) for 124-kWh 'L' models with three battery packs ..." — SAE [www].

1 May 2023: It was estimated that India's population (1,425,775,850) passed that of China e.g., [bbc].)

1 May 2023, covid-19: Worldwide total confirmed cases 764,474,387, total deaths 6,915,286 — WHO [www]. And on 5 May The WHO offered the view that "COVID-19 is now an established and ongoing health issue which no longer constitutes a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC)." Note "established and ongoing", e.g., in .au there are still 25,000 to 30,000 new confirmed cases of covid-19 per week and about 100 deaths per week (see [abc]) – four or five times the national road toll.

30 April 2023 (#4/22): Azerbaijan F1 Grand Prix. In a new format, a 17-lap sprint race on Saturday had no effect on the grid positions for Sunday's GP. In the sprint race: 1. Sergio Perez 8pts [Red Bull]; 2. Charles Leclerc 7pts [Ferrari]; 3. Max Verstappen 6pts (Red Bull); and in the GP...

Results: 1. Sergio Perez [Red Bull]; 2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull); 3. Charles Leclerc [Ferrari]. (Also see the FIA [www] and the [bbc].)

29-30 April 2023 (Sat., Sun.): Donington Historic [www].

29 April 2023: "ExxonMobil reports record first-quarter profits of $11.4bn ..." — [bbc].

26 April 2023: "... more than 10 million electric cars [14%] were sold worldwide in 2022 ... set to increase further to 18% [of car sales] this year ..." — IEA [www]. 27/4: Also see, "... less than 4% in Australia ..." — [abc].

25 April 2023: "Nikola producing battery-electric trucks, fuel-cell EVs coming ... Nikola's FCEV has five 700-bar (10,150psi) hydrogen tanks for a total of 70kg (154 lbs.) of usable hydrogen. The net power output is up to 200kW (268hp). ..." — SAE [www].

25 April 2023 (Tues.), .au: Anzac Day.

24 April 2023: 14 months since Russia invaded Ukraine.

22 April 2023: "Australian stage and screen icon Barry Humphries [Dame Edna Everage, Sir Les Patterson, ...] has died aged 89 ..." — [abc]. Also see Miriam Margolyes [23/4].

19 May 2023, .au: Father Bob Maguire died. He did much good. E.g., see the [abc].

17 April 2023: "... from 1971 to 2020. This is equivalent to a heating rate (i.e., the EEI) of 0.48±0.1Wm^-2. ... Over the most recent period (2006-2020), the EEI amounts to 0.76±0.2Wm^-2 ...", in 'Heat stored in the Earth system 1960-2020: where does the energy go?', K. von Schuckmann et al, Copernicus, Earth Sys. Sci. Data, 15(4), pp 1675-1709, 2023 [www]. That is, recently the oceans are warming up more quickly than they were.

17 April 2023: "ACCC calls for united front as scammers steal over $3bn from Australians ..." — ACCC #36/23 [www] (including a new report).

16 April 2023: Chinese F1 Grand Prix. 12/'22: Cancelled due to covid-19 restriction.

14 April 2023, .uk: "Ford launches hands-free driving on UK motorways ..." — [bbc]. This is at the SAE's 'level 2' partial automation. 'BlueCruise' has been available in N. America since 2021; see 14 April 2021.

13 April 2023, .au: "Severe Tropical Cyclone Ilsa is now at category 5 intensity. It will cross the coast between Port Hedland and Wallal Downs [WA] later tonight or early on Friday [14th] morning. ..." — [bom]. Also see the [abc], "... there had been extreme wind gusts of up to 274kph ..." [14/4] , and WA [www], NT [www] & SA [www] roads.

12-16 April 2023: TechnoClassica, Essen [www].

11 April 2023: "Medium-duty electric trucks dominate at NTEA [www] show ... Mack MD Electric ... Blue Arc Crew Cab ... Isuzu N-Series EV ... Hino M5e and L6e EVs ..." — SAE [www].

10 April 2023: "Cold snap sweeping the east coast of Australia expected to linger ..." — [abc]. There was snow in the alps.
And, "The tropical low developing slowly off the Kimberley coast [WA] is expected to reach tropical cyclone strength during Tuesday [11th] afternoon or evening. Severe coastal impact likely late in the week. ..." — [bom]. And 11/4: TC Ilsa declared, expected to cross the coast between Port Hedland and Broome on the 13th or 14th.

10 April 2023: Easter Monday.

  9 April 2023: Easter Sunday.

  7 April 2023: Good Friday

7-16 April 2023: New York Auto Show [www].

2 April 2023 (#3/22): Australian F1 Grand Prix.

Results: 1. Max Verstappen [Red Bull]; 2. Lewis Hamilton [Mercedes]; 3. Fernando Alonso [Aston Martin]. It was a race of many incidents. (Also see the FIA [www] and the [bbc].)

2 April 2023, Sun., .au: Daylight saving time ends where applicable (ACT, NSW, SA, Tas., Vic.) 3am→2am.

30 March 2023, .au: "For April to June, below median rainfall is likely to very likely (60% to greater than 80% chance) for the majority of Australia [and] maximum temperatures are very likely (greater than 80% chance) to be warmer than median for most of Australia. ..." — [bom].

29 March 2023: "New cars sold in EU must be zero-emission from 2035 ... The EU will say how sales of e-fuel-only cars can continue later this year. ..." — [bbc]. Also see 15 Feb. below.

26 March 2023, .au: Booleroo Rally, Steam and Traction Engine Preservation Society, Booleroo Centre, SA 5482 [www]. (Also see museums.)

25-26 March 2023, .au: Clunes Book Town Festival [www] Vic..

25 March 2023, .au: "International factors kept diesel prices significantly higher than petrol prices ... Quarterly average retail petrol prices in the five largest cities (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth) were 182.7cpl, an increase of 5.0cpl from the September quarter 2022. Average retail diesel prices were 222.9cpl in the quarter, more than 40.0cpl higher than average petrol prices. ... due to the higher international refined diesel prices since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. ..." — ACCC [www].

24-26 March 2023, .uk: Practical Classics Classic Car & Restoration Show, NEC, Birmingham [www].

March 2023, .au: The FCAI [www] released a report on Zero and Low Emission Vehicles [www] including sales figures for 2022, Electric: Tesla Model 3 10,877, Model Y 8,727, ...; PHEV: MG HS 1,554, Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross 926, ...; Hybrid: Toyota RAV4 hybrid 26,547, Corolla hybrid 17,585, .... Just over one million vehicles were sold in 2022 – see 5 Jan. below.

20 March 2023: 6th Assessment Report, "Urgent climate action can secure a liveable future for all ..." — IPCC [www] and other reports [www]. Also see the [bbc].

19 March 2023 (#2/22): Saudi Arabian F1 Grand Prix.

Results: 1. Sergio Perez [Red Bull]; 2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull); 3. Fernando Alonso [Aston Martin]. The Mercedes were 4th and 5th. (Also see the FIA [www] and the [bbc].)

17-19 March 2023, .au: National 4x4 Outdoors Show Brisbane Showgrounds [www].

15 March 2023, .au: "Flooding emergency leaves north-west Queensland evacuees stranded far from home ..." — [abc]. Also see Qld [www] roads.

14 March 2023: "Australian nuclear submarine program to cost up to $368b [over 30 years] as AUKUS details unveiled in the US ..." — [abc]. Should that be "at least" rather than "up to"?

13-19 March 2023, .au: Corowa Swim In, 'Year of the Heavy Metal and Military Kit,' [www].

13 March 2023:i, .au: "Right to repair changes floated as frustrated farmers count cost of harvest delays ..." — [abc]. The situation with private cars improved with the 'The Competition and Consumer Amendment (Motor Vehicle Service and Repair Information Sharing Scheme) Bill 2021' – see 18 June 2021 – and farmers want the same or similar for farm machinery.

13 March 2023: "Saudi Arabia oil giant Aramco records historic $US161 billion profit ..." — [abc].

13 March 2023 (Mon.): Labour Day, Vic..

11-13 March 2023: Steamfest, National Steam Centre, Scoresby, Melbourne, Vic. [www].

10-13 March 2023 (Fri-Mon): Port Fairy Folk Festival [www].

9 March 2013, .uk: "Snow and travel delays expected as Arctic blast hits UK ..." — [bbc].

9 March 2013, .au: "Unprecedented flooding sparks evacuations in north-west Queensland, Gulf of Carpentaria ..." — [abc]. Also see Qld [www] roads.

9 March 2023, .au: "2023 'Drive' Car of the Year revealed ..." — The Age [www]. It was a 'ute' for the first time, and not the Toyota Hilux but rather the Ford Ranger (made in Thailand).

8 March 2023: "Tesla's FSD recall impacts AV industry. The automaker's recall of its Full Self Driving Beta leaves a significant dent in automated driving's credibility. ..." — SAE [www].

6 March 2023, .au: "Hyzon Motors unveiled today its heavy rigid truck platform, an Australian locally designed and built hydrogen fuel cell electric truck. ..." — RACV [www].

5 March 2023 (#1/22): Bahrain F1 Grand Prix.

Results: 1. Max Verstappen [Red Bull]; 2. Sergio Perez (Red Bull); 3. Fernando Alonso [Aston Martin]. Over winter it seems that Red Bull have maintained their superiority from 2022, Aston-Martin have improved, Ferrari and Mercedes have trodden water and McLaren has gone backwards. (Also see the FIA [www] and the [bbc].)

3 March 2023, .au: Terminal gate prices, ULP $1.71/l (Perth) to $1.78/l (Hobart), diesel $1.78/l (Perth) to $1.86/l (Hobart) — AIP [www]. (Diesel has been seen, at the pump, slightly cheaper than ULP, very occasionally.)

2-5 March 2023 (Thurs.-Sun.): Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance Amelia Island FL US [www].

4 March 2023: RM Sotheby's Amelia Island auction [www] including lot 120 a 1965 Aston Martin DB5, chassis #DB5/2270/L, engine #400/2321 (sold us$1,352,500); lot 135 a 1931 Duesenberg Model J 'Disappearing Top' Convertible Coupe by Murphy, chassis #2414, engine #J-395J (sold us$4,295,000); lot 149 a 1934 Tatra T77, chassis #23014 (sold us$390,000).

2-3 March 2023: Goodings Amelia Island Auction [www], including lot 22 a 1953 Ferrari 250 MM Spider (open) ser.2, 2,953cc V12, chassis #0274MM, engine #0274MM (sold us$3,525,000); lot 25 a 1990 Ferrari F40 (US spec.), chassis #ZFFMN34A0L0086620 (sold us$3,085,000); lot 118 a 1937 Cord 812/S Cabriolet 'Sportsman', chassis #31950F, engine #FC3008 (sold us$412,000).

2 March 2023: Bonhams Amelia Island Auction [www], including lot 174 a 1959 Lister-Jaguar Sports racing two-seater, chassis #BHL 125, 3,781cc I6 (sold us$775,000).

2 March 2023: "A dry autumn forecast for most of Australia ..." — [bom].

1 March 2023, .de: "The new [2nd gen.] Volkswagen ID.3" [www] "16.0-15.3kWh/100km" — VW.

1 March 2023: "Electric ute arrives in Australia ..." — [abc]. The LDV (.cn) eT60 is a dual-cab 2WD ute with a claimed 330km range, au$92,990.

28 February - 5 March 2023, .au: Airshow 2023, Avalon, Geelong, Vic., public 3-5 March [www].

28 February 2023, .au: "Two people dead, truck driver arrested after collision on Wimmera Highway ..." — [abc].

26 February 2023: British & European Motoring show, Caribbean Park, Ferntree Gully Road, Melb., Vic., .au [www].

24-26 February 2023, .uk: Race Retro historic motorsport show, Stoneleigh Park [www].

24th: Silverstone Auctions, [www] including lot 429 a 1998 Subaru Impreza 22B STi, chassis #GC806949 (sold £140,625); lot 447 a 2016 Land Rover 90 TDCi Heritage Hardtop, chassis #SALLDWNP7GA487792, engine #1511170823929DT224, one of 400, less than 30 miles from new (sold £90,000); lot 496 a 1981 DeLorean DMC-12, chassis #SCEDT26T1BD003707, engine #3387 (not sold).

24-25 February 2023: Ballarat Swap Meet [www]. But, 11/2022: "... due to a range of factors, the Board of the Rotary Ballarat Swap Meet Incorporated sadly advises that the 2023 Swap Meet has been cancelled ...".

24 February 2023: One year since Russia invaded Ukraine.

23-25 February 2023: F1 pre-season testing, Bahrain (only test period). (First GP Bahrain 5th March.)
Drivers and teams for the 2023 F1 season: Valterri Bottas, Guanyu Zhou [Alfa Romeo]; Nyck de Vries, Yuki Tsunoda [Alpha Tauri]; Esteban Ocon, Pierre Gasly [Alpine]; Lance Stroll, Fernando Alonso [Aston Martin]; Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz [Ferrari]; Kevin Magnusson, Nico Hulkenberg, [Haas]; Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris [McLaren]; Lewis Hamilton, George Russell [Mercedes]; Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez [Red Bull]; Alexander Albon, Logan Sargeant [Williams]. Alfa Romeo, Ferrari and Haas use Ferrari engines; Aston-Martin, McLaren, Mercedes and Williams use Mercedes engines; Alpha Tauri and Red Bull use Red-Bull/Honda engines; Alpine uses Renault engines.

23 February 2023, .vic: "... Watch and Act message is being issued for Flowerdale, Strath Creek, Break O'Day. ... The grassfire at Spring Valley Rd, Flowerdale has spread to nearby bushland and forest, where it has been burning for several days and is not yet under control. ..." — Vic. [www] fire 10.14am 23/2.

22 February 2023, world water speed record: "... Ken Warby, the fastest man on water [317mph, 510.2kph], dies aged 84 ..." — [abc].

19 February 2023 (Sun.), .au: Victorian 4WD Show, Lardner Park, Victoria 3821 [www].

19 February 2023 (Sun.): Historic Commercial Vehicle Display Day, Yarra Glen racecourse, Vic., HCVC [www].

17 February 2023: "Heat continues across southern, eastern and western Australia as monsoonal weather impacts the tropical north ..." — [bom].

17 February 2022: H2 Green Steel plans to produce 5 million tonnes of steel p.a. by 2030, at Boden, Northern Sweden, using "green" hydrogen produced by electricity from hydro-power and wind-farms to "reduce" iron ore, [www]. Steel making accounts for about 7% of our CO₂ emissions. The World Steel Association [www] reports that 1,832 million tonnes of steel were produced in 2022. Also see, "The race across Europe to build green steel plants ..." — [bbc].

15 February 2023: "Kia, Hyundai offer fix after TikTok car theft trend ..." — [bbc].

15 February 2023: "EU lawmakers approve effective 2035 ban on new fossil fuel cars ... also set a 55% cut in CO2 emissions for new cars sold from 2030 versus 2021 levels ..." — Reuters [www].
And 14/2: "... by 2030, we require that [trucks] emit 45% less compared to 2019, in 2035 this will have to be 65% less, and in 2040 it will be 90% less than in 2019. ..." — EU [www].
But 4/3: Germany and Italy wanted internal combustion cars running on CO2-neutral 'e-fuels' to be allowed; a final vote was delayed.
And 29/3: Passed, with e-fuels allowed.

14 February 2023: "Antarctic sea ice extent sets a new record low ... 1.91 million square kilometers [v.] 1.92 million square kilometers Feb. 2022 ... only the second year [it] has fallen below 2 million square kilometers" — NSIDC [www].

12 February 2023, .au: "Evacuations at Montrose, north-west of Brisbane, as 50 bushfires burn across Queensland after scorching day ..." — [abc].

13 February 2023: "[Ex-]Cyclone Gabrielle lashes Auckland [NZ] ..." — [abc], and [18/2].

12 February 2023, .uk: "Why are BP, Shell, and other oil giants making so much money right now? ..." — [bbc]. It's thanks to Putin's war against Ukraine.

9 February 2023: The US army awarded the 'follow-on contract' for the JLTV to AM General, putting Oshkosh's nose seriously out of joint.

8 February 2023, .au: "Australia's national mean temperature was 0.50°C warmer than the 1961-1990 average, making 2022 the equal-22nd-warmest year on record. ... Nationally-averaged rainfall was 26% above the 1961-1990 average at 587.8mm, which makes 2022 the ninth-wettest year on record for Australia. ..." — 'Annual climate statement 2022' [bom].

8 February 2023: "Australian Brumby Alliance loses Supreme Court case to stop culling [of feral horses] in Victoria's Alpine National Park ..." — [abc].

6 February 2023: "... Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance today announced new initiatives ... new half-ton pick-up ... in Argentina ... two common accessible A segment Electric Vehicles ... [in Europe from] Renault Captur and Clio to develop 2 new vehicles with the next-gen ASX and Colt ..." — Nissan [www] and Renault [www].

3 February 2023: "... six manufacturers have registered as Power Unit Suppliers for the 2026-2030 seasons of the FIA Formula One World Championship onwards. These are: Alpine Racing, Audi, Ferrari S.p.A. Honda Racing Corporation, Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains Ltd., Red Bull Ford ..." — FIA [www]. So, Ford will return to F1. ¿And Honda who are currently working with Red Bull?

3 February 2023, .au: "... 84,873 vehicles [sold in Jan.] 2023, which represents a 11.9% increase on the same period in 2022. ... Sales of battery electric, hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles accounted for 12.28% (10,426) with battery electric vehicles representing 5.71% (4,852). ..." — FCAI [www]. (Also see 5 Jan. below.)

3 February 2023, .au: "Cold snap for southeast Australia, heatwave conditions continue for eastern Queensland and storms across the north of the country. ... There was snow overnight in the Alpine areas of NSW and Victoria, and snow showers will likely continue in these areas today. ..." — [bom]. Also see the [abc].

2 February 2023, .vic: "Summer snow to bring lowest February temperatures in 18 years ..." — [abc].

1-5 February 2023: Retromobile, Paris [www].

1-2 February 2023: Bonhams Les Grandes Marques du Monde a Paris (auction) [www], including lot 554 a 1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport Coupe 'Chambas', chassis #110105, engine #105 (sold €2,185,000); lot 563 a 2015 Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG 6x6, chassis #WDB4632721X228584 (sold €621,000); lot 641 a 1934 Citroen Kegresse P17E military half-track, chassis #10629 (sold €34,500).
Bonhams also announced that Mario Andretti's 1978 F1 Lotus type 79, 79/4, would be auctioned at Bonhams' "inaugural sale at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix this coming November."

1 February 2023: RM Sotheby's Paris auction [www], including lot 138 a 1964 Aston Martin DB5, chassis #DB5/1849/L, engine #400/1821 (sold €747,500); lot 146 a 2003 Ferrari Enzo chassis #ZFFCZ56B000128786, engine #73369 (sold €4,055,000); lot 184 a 1963 Ferrari 250 GT/L Berlinetta Lusso by Scaglietti, chassis #4735, engine #4735 (sold €1,535,000).

1 February 2023, covid-19: Worldwide total confirmed cases 670,689,072, total deaths 6,832,807;  .usa 102,345,548, 1,108,472; .uk 24,507,298, 218,028; .au 11,295,446, 18,615; — JHU [www][1/2]. The case fatality rate is still hovering around roughly 1%, with variations, much like the start of the pandemic nearly three years ago, although cases may be more under-reported than deaths? .au: About 3,500 new cases per day and 50 deaths per day.

30 January 2023: "After several months of constructive discussions with Renault Group, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd today announced that, subject to the approval of its board of directors, it has reached an important milestone in its discussions with Renault Group on defining new foundations for their partnership. ..." — Nissan [www]. Also see 6 Feb.

30 January 2023: "... Ford is significantly increasing production of the Mustang Mach-E ... [and] reduc[ing] prices across the board ..." — Ford [www]. (Tesla reduced prices 14 Jan.)

27 January 2023: "Gas supply outlook improves but shortfall still possible ..." — ACCC [www].

27 January 2023, .usa: "Prototyping agreements awarded for Common Tactical Truck program ... the Army announced four Other Transaction Authority agreements to Mack Defense, Navistar Defense, Oshkosh Defense, and the American Rheinmetall Vehicles/GM Defense team totaling us$24.25 million. The contractors will provide three prototypes of each variant for the Common Tactical Truck, or CTT, family of vehicles. The prototypes will represent their offering for the M915 Line Haul Tractor and M1088 Medium Tractor; Palletized Load System (PLS); and Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck (HEMTT). ..." — .army.mil [www].

26 January 2023: Australia Day.

26 January 2023: "The voices missing in the panic about Alice Springs ..." — [abc], [2/2]. #NT #crime

24 January 2023 recall #REC-005607: "Santa Fe, Kona N (OS), i30N Sedan (CN7) & Sonata N-Line (DN8) 2020-2022 ... Due to a programming issue, the 'fail-safe' driving mode may not respond as intended when certain transmission faults are detected. Under certain driving conditions the vehicle fail-safe mode may activate resulting in reduced acceleration followed by a loss of motive power." — .gov.au [www].

24 January 2023: Eleven months since Russia invaded Ukraine.

23 January 2023: "Sun Cable demise shows renewable energy mega projects 'really hard' ... — [abc]. (One might think that powering Darwin, rather than Singapore, would have been a safer bet.)

22 January 2023 (Sun.): Arizona Concours d'Elegance, Scottsdale [www].

27 January 2023: Bonhams Scottsdale Auction [www] including lot 140 a 1912 Simplex 50hp 5 Passenger Torpedo Tourer, coachwork by JM Quinby and Company, purchased new by Harold Vanderbilt for Eleonora Sears (sold us$4,845,000); lot 152 a 1953 Siata 208S Spider, coachwork by Motto, chassis #BS518, engine #BS078 (sold us$1,572,500); lot 170 a 1989 Aston Martin Lagonda Series IV Saloon, vin SCFDL01S6KTL13615, engine #V/858/3615/LFA (sold $47,040).

26 January 2023: RM Sotheby's Arizona Auction [www] including lot 108 a 2002 Mercedes-Benz G 500, chassis #WDCYR49E72X131705, (sold us$100,800); lot 141 a 2014 Ferrari LaFerrari, chassis #ZFF76ZFA2E0207435 (sold $4,075,000); lot 189 a 1970 Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser, chassis #FJ4-092465, engine #F-331937 (sold $64,960).

20 January 2023, .au: 'Direct injection of hydrogen main [90%] fuel and diesel pilot fuel in a retrofitted single-cylinder compression ignition engine,' X. Liu et al, Int. J. of Hydrogen Energy, 47(84), pp.35864-35876, [www] 5/10/2022;  also see the [bbc].

19 January 2023, .uk: 'ZeroAvia' demonstrated a "19-seat Dornier 228 twin-engine aircraft" with a "hydrogen-electric powertrain on the left wing of the aircraft". It was "fuelled using compressed gaseous hydrogen" — ZeroAvia [www].

17 January 2023, .au: "University of Queensland researchers have found a way to more efficiently convert sugarcane into a building block of aviation fuel and other products. ... isobutanol from a renewable resource could be used to make fuels, plastics, rubbers and food additives. ..." — UQ [www]. See [doi:10.1002/chem.202203140].

17 January 2023: "Exactly 70 years after the Corvette debuted ... Chevrolet has returned to introduce the first-ever electrified Corvette with all-wheel-drive and a powerful 6.2L LT2 Small Block V-8, the 2024 E-Ray. ..." — GM [www]. That is, there is an electric motor for the front wheels with a 1.9kWh battery.

16 January 2023, .vic: The committal hearing of Greg Lynn over the alleged murders of Carol Clay and Russell Hill in the Wonnangatta valley, 20 March 2020, began, e.g., [abc], [18/1]. 25/1: Lynn was committed to stand trial, [25/1].

15 January 2023: Finish of Dakar 2023, Saudi Arabia, [www]. (Started 31 Dec. 2022.) Results: bikes 1. Kevin Benavides (KTM); cars 1. Nasser Al-Attiyah and Mathieu Baumel (Toyota); quad 1. Alexandre Giroud (Yamaha); trucks 1. Janus van Kasteren, Darek Rodewald and Marcel Snijders (Iveco).

14 January 2023: "Tesla cuts prices by up to a fifth to boost demand ... the company's share price [fell] more than 65% over [2022] as a whole ..." — [bbc].

13 January 2023: Projections by Exxon and ExxonMobil [1970 on] "forecast warming that is consistent with subsequent observations. ... accurately predicted when human-caused global warming would first be detected, and reasonably estimated the 'carbon budget' for holding warming below 2°C. [But] the company's public statements about climate science contradicted its own scientific data." — G. Supran et al, Science, vol.379, no.6628 [doi:10.1126/science.abk0063].

13 January 2023, .au: "Rain and storms increasing in Queensland, heatwave conditions expected for southern Australia and fires continue in Western Australia ..." — [bom]. Also check Qld [www] roads.
And .uk: "Heavy rain causes floods and travel chaos across UK ..." — [bbc].

13 January 2023: Mazda "unveiled the Mazda MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV, a plug-in hybrid model that uses a rotary engine as a generator, at the Brussels Motor Show ... 85km battery [range] ... 17.8kWh lithium ion battery and a 50L [petrol] tank ..." — Mazda [www]. The battery covers most daily commutes and the range-extender ICE covers long trips.

12-15 January 2023, .uk: Autosport International, NEC, Birmingham (12-13 trade only) [www].

12 January 2023, .au: "Models indicate La Nina to ease in early 2023 ..." — [bom].

6 January 2023, .uk: "... petrol fell by 8.4p last month to 151.06p/l ... Diesel came down by 9.4p to 173.97p/l ..." — RAC [www].

6 January 2023: "Australia's national mean temperature was 0.50°C warmer than the 1961-1990 average, making 2022 the equal-22nd-warmest year on record ... Rainfall was very much above average for the south-eastern quarter of the mainland ..." — [bom]. Also see 8 Feb. above.

5-8 January 2023: Consumer Electronics Show (& media 3rd & 4th) Las Vegas [www]. BMW showed the i Vision Dee electric concept saloon and Stellantis (Dodge) a concept Ram 150 EV battery electric pickup truck (ute).

5 January 2023: "Flooding impacts continue in Western Australia as Ex-Tropical Cyclone Ellie moves to the southern Kimberley region ..." — [bom]. Also check WA [www] roads.
And, "For Australia as a whole, December [2022] rainfall was 33% above average. ..." — [bom].

5 January 2023, .au: "... A total of 1,081,429 vehicles were delivered during an unusual year when demand exceeded supply. Toyota was the top selling car brand with 21.4% of the market while the top selling vehicle was the Toyota Hi-Lux (64,391). SUVs and light commercials accounted for 76.8% of sales and comprise eight of the top 10 vehicles. Battery electric vehicles accounted for 3.1% of sales ..." — FCAI [www].

4 January 2023, .usa: "Electric Car Insurance: Why It Costs More ... average premium for an electric vehicle (EV) was us$2,280 per year ... It costs about us$100 more per year to insure an electric car ..." — Forbes [www].

3 January 2023: "Why do people tailgate? A psychologist explains ..." — [abc]. Also see 'Preliminary evidence of the efficacy of the Reducing Aggressive Driving (RAD) program', A. N. Stephens et al, J. of Safety Research, vol.82, pp.438-449, Sept. 2022, [www].

3 January 2023, .au: "Flooding inundates homes in Fitzroy Crossing [WA], central Kimberley as river hits highest level on record ..." — [abc]. And, "Ex-Tropical Cyclone Ellie lies between Broome and Fitzroy Crossing and is expected to slowly track west to be centred just east of Broome by Wednesday morning. ..." — [bom]. Also check WA [www] roads.
2 January 2023, .au: "Menindee [NSW] residents on flood alert as Darling River continues to rise ..." — [abc]. Also check NSW [www] roads.

1 Jan 2023, covid-19: Worldwide total confirmed cases 660,401,092, total deaths 6,690,189;  — JHU [www][1/1]. China stoped releasing data, probably embarrassed by the surge in cases; a number of countries (.uk, .usa, .fr, .au, ...) introduced covid-19 testing requirements for travellers from China.

January 2023, .au, National road deaths in 2022: "... During the 12 months ended December 2022, there were 1,187 road deaths. This is an increase of 5.1% from the 12-month period ending December 2021 ..." — bitre.gov.au [www].

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