Norwegian gearheads on the right Way

Back when I was a kid, two of my neighbors drove Citroën CX s. They were real flashy folks, always dressed to the nines, and everyone in the neighborhood just called ’em Ken and Barbie. Ken was supposed to be a shoe model, and Barbie? Well, they say she was a L'Oréal model. Now, I’ve seen my fair share of Citroën CXs out on the road, especially back in the day when we’d go on trips to the Norwegian countryside. Let me tell ya, some of those drivers acted like they were auditionin’ for The Dukes of Hazzard . One time, on the old road between Hokksund and Kongsberg—long since replaced as the main highway—we had a close call I’ll never forget. We were comin’ from Darbu, headin’ toward this narrow, twisty underpass that had a reputation for accidents. This CX must’ve been stuck in the line of cars waitin’ to get through. But as soon as they cleared that underpass, they gunned it, zippin’ past the line on a blind hill. My dad had to slam on the brakes and swerve, and I mean, we were jus...

Now, let me tell ya somethin’ 'bout the Mercedes-Benz 190e. That beauty kept its slick '80s design all the way up till '93. These cars? Tougher than a two-dollar steak. They could outlast just about anything—Volvo, Volkswagen, BMW, Audi, you name it. They even had a souped-up version tuned by Cosworth—same folks who worked their magic on the Ford Sierra, which y’all probably know is real famous for them hotrod versions. And, naturally, you could deck out this ride with AMG, Brabus , or any other fancy-tunin’ packages Mercedes is known for. This ain’t just a car, it’s a statement, y’hear?  

Well, let me tell y’all ‘bout this fella from brutter’s class. He used to roll around in a Volkswagen Passat B3 , and I reckon I’ve even crossed paths with him on the ski tracks back in our local sports club days. Now, lemme tell ya, this guy wasn’t just beatin’ me on the slopes—he had all the fancy gear too. While I was strugglin’ with my hand-me-down skis, he was out there glidin’ like a pro on some shiny new, top-of-the-line equipment. And if that wasn’t enough, he was decked out in a 1994 Lillehammer suit , which cost a small fortune back then. I mean, c’mon—how’s a kid supposed to feel when the whole dang setup screams ‘Daddy’s money’? Passat Upgrades: Daddy’s at It Again That Passat B3 of theirs went out of production in 1993, and not long after, wouldn’t ya know it, the boy’s dad upgraded to a shiny new Passat B4 . Of course, 'cause why not? Pappa betaler —Daddy’s payin’ for all of it. From Family Car to Rånerbil Here’s the kicker: not too long ago, I knew someone who picke...

Well now, partner—let me tell ya ‘bout ol’ Fattern’s Mazda 323. That little green wagon had a short but memorable life in our family. He only owned it from 1992 to 1995, and though that wasn’t long, it sure left a mark. The Mazda Midge Legacy Down in South Africa, the 323 kept rollin’ off the line as the Mazda Midge all the way to 2003. It’s a tough little car that carried its weight for years, even if it got a bad rap for rustin’ out on the back end. The Family Wagon I remember that Mazda best from our camping trip to Blefjell in the fall of ’92. Fattern loaded it up with me, my brother, my sister, a tent, and enough gear to survive a week in the wilderness. The car was small, sure, but it had a big heart—got us up the mountain without a hitch. Fattern joked the road might just stop before we made it, but that Mazda held strong. It wasn’t just for adventures, though. That car was brutter’s favorite ride to football practice and games. He seemed to love it more than the old Ford we u...