1958-1961 Lloyd Alexander TS

"Take a good look at the new ALEXANDER TS. This is a car in which all desirable qualities are combined and which, in addition, can offer riding safety and economy in fuel consumption and maintenance hitherto completely unknown. The new ALEXANDER TS is the result of many years of experience in the design and mass-manufacture of 'light' cars. Is is not a scaled-down big car, but an independent design, aimed from the outset at achieving a maximum of performance, economy, passenger capacity and reliability. The ALEXANDER TS offers features deemed desirable in big luxury cars and, as you will soon find out, many more that will endear it to the heart of its owner."

What looks like an odd DIY-job, was once a hot seller in postwar Germany. The Lloyd Alexander was presented in 1957 as the successor of the similarly shaped Lloyd 600, which bowed in 1955 and immediately scored a respectable third place behind Volkswagen and Opel in the annual German production statistics.

The new Lloyd Alexander sported some significant improvements which made it more acceptable as a "real" car. Most notably, the trunk of the new Lloyd became accessible from the outside through a proper hatch, and a synchronized gearbox was installed. And you could now actually crank down the windows to get some fresh air in — presumably not an unimportant selling factor in the tropical climate of Cuba.

Despite its frugal look, the Lloyd Alexander was a well-equipped automobile at an inexpensive price. One of its technical singularities was the car's four-stroke engine: the pistons of its "parallel twin" two-cylinder motor moved synchronously up and down. In fact, this was merely a bigger motorcycle engine, as contemporary bikes featured similar technology. With a displacement of 36.37 cubic inch (596 ccm), the 19 hp motor accelerated the light Alexander in about a minute to 60 miles per hour (100 km/h).

The little Lloyd received a facelift in 1958. Now called Alexander TS, it was instantly recognizable by its semi-elliptic front grille. Bigger improvements happened under the skin: front lights with asymmetric beam and window washers significantly improved safety, while a new rear axle and a stronger engine meant much better handling and an increased top speed of 68 mph (110 km/h). We certainly wouldn't like to go that fast in the little Lloyd, and the insurance companies perhaps thought the same. Soon, Lloyd limited the power to 23hp, and topped the speed at 66 mph (107 km/h) to get a better classification. That's still a remarkable performance for such a little car. The Germans rhymed accordingly: "Wer den Tod nicht scheut fährt Lloyd." ("He who is not afraid of the death drives a Lloyd.")

It might sound surprising, but the little Lloyd was quite popular across the Atlantic, too. Sales in the U.S. were reasonably good between 1955 and 1959, but took a header in 1960. Better compact cars were widely available now, which lead to the Lloyd's sudden fall. With it fell the Borgward Group, Lloyd's single proprietor, in 1961. Income from the U.S. exports was crucial for Borgward, and the crash of the import boom in 1960 contributed to the bankruptcy of Borgward. Who would have thought that such a small automobile could ever play such an important role ...

1954 DeSoto Diplomat Custom Sport Coupe

"Here's beauty that keeps its promise! One glance at this excitingly new DeSoto and you can imagine yourself behind the wheel — in luxurious comfort — proudly in command of the road."

Here is a car from Canada that you couldn't buy in Canada. Assembled in Windsor, Ontario, just south of Detroit, our pictured DeSoto was solely built for Chrysler's export markets.

Presumably, Cuban DeSoto owners traveling to mainland America were in for a surprise when they came across a DeSoto there. The American and Canadian models sported a wider "grin" up front and powerfully bulged rear fenders. In fact, they were utterly different cars, based on the bigger Chrysler platform. The DeSoto on sale in Cuba merely looked like a DeSoto: technically, it was a 1954 Plymouth Belvedere Club Coupe with a DeSoto front end bolted on. Commonly known as "Plodges", these cars combined the cheaper Plymouth body with a „branded" front end, so that Chrysler dealers abroad were able to sell upscale Dodges and DeSotos at competitive prices.

With a wheelbase of 114 inches (2,89m) and an overall length of 193.5 inches (4,91m), the Plymouth-based export DeSotos were more than half a meter (21 inches) shorter than their American counterparts that stretched over a whopping 214.5 inches (5,45m) on a 125.5 inch (3,19m) wheelbase. Considering Chrysler's pricing policy and import taxes, Cuban customers had to pay more money for a smaller car. Not surprisingly, quite a few smart Cubans brought their DeSoto as a "used car" from the U.S. to the island. Key West was just a short ferry ride away.

Notwithstanding, even in DeSoto "disguise", the Plymouth based export model did look actually quite imposing, and much more elegant than your common Plymouth sedan. Only the proportions weren’t really stunning: the high cabin was a tribute to an already three-year old platform, descendant from the infamous "Keller boxes". In a time when customers longed for stylish “longer and lower" looking cars, this was a serious disadvantage. But help was on the way: already next year, Chrysler’s "Forward Look" models, styled under the lead of Virgil Exner, should catapult Chrysler styling to the top of the buyer's wish lists.

2014 Unison International AVA 1000

We just returned from another journey to Cuba. While it certainly was time well spent to escape the northern cold, we were – again – surprised by the evident absence of vintage cars on Cuba's roads. You wouldn't notice it much in Havana, but rural Cuba suffers from a serious lack of affordable combustible. Even more than before, the roads were pretty deserted. Sure, many cars sleep hidden behind garage doors until better economic conditions make them come back again. Yet we've come across a few nice vintage cars that will be featured here over the next weeks. For today, here's something much more modern.

You are looking at the newest trend in Cuban transportation: the AVA 1000 „Aguila" enjoys a massive popularity and already has become an ubiquitous sight in Cuba's provincial cities. Imported from Panama, the „Eagle" is a sharp looking electric scooter. Five 12V gel-acid batteries produce 60 volt and 22 ampere hours combined, good enough for a day or two of normal city driving. A top speed of 60 km/h (37 mph) and an autonomy of up to 80 km (50 miles) leave nothing to be desired and make the „Aguila“ a strong contender to the automobile. Best of all, you don't need a driving license for this electrical "bike“. At least for once it seems that Cuba is in the vanguard of modern mobility.

Unison International S.A. which offers the AVA 1000 from the free trade zone of Colón in Panama, is a brand of the Chinese HuiZhou StarPower Co., LTD. Amazingly, these scooters are imported to Cuba in a large scale by private persons. Here, a new "Aguila" changes ownership for 1,800-2,000 convertible Pesos which roughly equals the same amount in US-American Greenbacks. Reportedly, it sells for around 700 Dollars in Panama. That's a respectable markup even considering the costs for transport, import and —possibly— bribing.