Upper Middle Petrol Head:

This ultra-groovy Beetle - seen parked near Hobart's annual Greek festival, Estia, on a lovely autumn morning in North Hobart - may or may not belong to a local politician.  Actually, it does belong to a local politician but, being an apolitical car blogger, UMPH has no intention of entering into any form of quasi-political promotion, irrespective of the merits or otherwise of its owner.  Let's just say he likes the car, man!  (Or woman , being, as he is a committed non-sexist!).   U M P H (uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au.) All iPhone images.

Thanks to regular reader and avid car fan Nick for this photograph of an immaculate 1960 Mk II Jaguar spotted in Kingston, south of Hobart, a couple of weeks ago.  Just beautiful! U M P H (uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au.)

UMPH was not always a fan of Peugeot's 504 .  Not until he drove one, that is! Manufactured from the late 1960s to the early 1980s,  504 s are, simply put, one of the most comfortable cars that UMPH has ever piloted.  What he had thought might be a sloppy, old man's ride of a car turned out to be a remarkably plush, compliant, yet competent experience, smoothing out the rutted Tasmanian gravel back roads on which he tested it with ease.  No wonder they're so popular in Africa! The car featured here - photographed in North Hobart - was in good condition for its age, with only minor signs of wear and tear evident - what might be indulgently described as 'patina.'  Alright - that's wa*k - but it shouldn't detract from the quality and durability of a car that's in the vicinity of thirty-five years old and still appears to be in regular use.  504 s were very popular in Tasmania, with a surprising number still in every...

This funky looking late 50s / early 60s NSU Prinz is currently awaiting some* mechanical work at North Hobart's Fogarty Automotive before it's shipped off to mainland Australia. It's equipped with an air-cooled, two cylinder, rear mounted motor and has storage under the front bonnet, original VW  Beetle and Fiat  Bambino style. According to Wikipedia ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NSU_Prinz ), Prinzes were manufactured in West Germany ; Chile ; and Heidelberg in the south-eastern Australian state of Victoria, and had an engine capacity of 583 cc, coupled to a four-speed gearbox.  What Wikipedia doesn't explain, however, is what NSU actually stands for (other than non-specific  urethritis , that is!) ; it only says that the company was known as  Motorenwerke AG and was based in  Neckarsulm, Germany . So, if someone can enlighten us what NSU stands for, that would be appreciated. And in case anyone's wondering...