Meet the 'MicroStang'
Microsoft teams up with West Coast Customs to throw bits at a Mustang. Mmmm... tasteful...
Dubbed 'Project Detroit', it's based on the running gear of a 2012 Ford Mustang but clothed in a '67-style shell. The interior is crammed with as much Microsoft gear as physically possible, including a web-connected head-up display which enables the driver to check the weather forecast or search for the nearest petrol station while on the move (reminds us of that Toyota Yaris advert - Ed).
Tablet in place of passenger 'bag? Safe...
The exterior's matt-black paintwork is offset by rather unsubtle neon blue lighting surrounding the grille and gigantic 10 spoke alloys. In the unlikely event of not being able to spot the 'Stang in your local multi-storey, it's possible to locate, unlock and fire it up remotely via a Windows phone (useful if you have an iPhone... Ed).
The Project Detroit concept is part of a larger marketing drive by Microsoft to showcase the potential for car-related apps using their software. Whether it's a smart concept or a case of more technology than taste, though, is a matter of opinion...
Microsoft vs. General Motors
At a recent computer expo, Bill Gates reportedly compared the computer industry with the auto industry and stated "If GM had kept up with technology like the computer industry has, we would all be driving $25.00 cars that got 1,000 miles to the gallon.
In response to Bill's comments, General Motors issued a press release stating: If GM had developed technology like Microsoft, we would all be driving cars with the following characteristics:
1.For no reason whatsoever, your car would crash twice a day.
2.Every time they repainted the lines in the road, you would have to buy a new car.
3.Occasionally your car would die on the freeway for no reason. You would have to pull over to the side of the road, close all of the windows, shut off the car, restart it, and reopen the windows before you could continue. For some reason you would simply accept this.
4.Occasionally, executing a maneuver such as a left turn would cause your car to shut down and refuse to restart, in which case you would have to reinstall the engine.
5.Macintosh would make a car that was powered by the sun, was reliable, five times as fast and twice as easy to drive - but would run on only five percent of the roads.
6.The oil, water temperature, and alternator warning lights would all be replaced by a single "General Protection Fault" warning light.
7.The airbag system would ask "Are you sure?" before deploying.
8.Occasionally, for no reason whatsoever, your car would lock you out and refuse to let you in until you simultaneously lifted the door handle, turned the key and grabbed hold of the radio antenna.
9.Every time GM introduced a new car, car buyers would have to learn to drive all over again because none of the controls would operate in the same manner as the old car.
10.You'd have to press the "Start" button to turn the engine off.
teI admit its hard to improve on the 60's fastback and pinning it to a 2012 mustang chassis is a good thing.
Painting it matt black and fitting it with more blue LEDS than the skyline of Seoul is just plain vulgar imo.
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