Snow Rally Crash

Crashing and rally racing just go hand-in-hand. There have been all kinds of crashes in the history of the sport, including cars hitting fans, cars hitting each other, and cars hitting trees. This time, however, the wreck is a car hitting a non-race vehicle.

Everyone Needs to Stay Off Their Phones on the Roads!

I don't know about everyone else, but one of my biggest pet peeves is almost being hit by someone who is driving while using their cell phone. I've had it happen with people who are too busy yakking to someone about their weekend plans,but even worse is when a person is texting, not holding the steering wheel, and not looking at the road at all.

Why You Should Always Tie Down Your Load

In many places it's illegal to drive around with anything in the back of a truck that isn't properly secured. As you can see from the completely horrifying video below, there's a good reason for that.

BMW Drivers are Jerks!

There have been plenty of jokes over the years about what jerks BMW drivers are. I worked in real estate back in the day, and I knew quite a few of the people in the profession considered owning a Bimmer to be a sign that you had truly arrived.

When Gangsters Run From the Cops

I've never advocated anyone running from the police. It's difficult to truly outrun law enforcement in modern times with helicopters, infrared cameras, and radios. You're outnumbered, outgunned, and ill-prepared to take on such a situation.

Truck Tire Rockets Mechanic Through the Air

We've seen all sorts of crazy Russian dashcam videos, but this is something completely unique. The following video also shows the hazards one can face when working on cars without taking the necessary precautions.

Cops Chase a Smart Fortwo

Truth is often stranger than fiction, and the video below of police in Houston, Texas chasing a suspect in a Smart Fortwo is excellent evidence.

The Flame-Shooting Corvette of Your Nightmares

C6 Corvettes are pretty potent machines, but they take well to certain modifications. One of the best things you can do to them is strap on a supercharger, which is exactly what this monstrous machine is packing under the hood.

Uber Makes Sydney Hostage Situation More Expensive

Photo credit Flickr TheTruthAbout

In case you've been under a rock for the past several hours, you should know that there's a major hostage situation in Sydney, Australia's central business district. All that is know as of the writing of this post is that a person(s) is holding numerous hostages in a cafe. That person also placed an Islamic flag in the window, sparking fears that it's a terrorist attack.

Dangerous River Crossings

Image courtesy of Land Rover

River crossings can be pretty dangerous, especially if you don't know what you're doing. I've crossed countless rivers in vehicles, but fortunately none of those instances involved some reckless moron who doesn't understand the basic tenets of physics.

Proof that Germans are Weird

Photos courtesy of Daimler

As an automotive journalist I get all kinds of press releases and other things sent to me. Since I deal with companies spread around the world, that means the stuff is constantly pouring in at all hours, every day of the year. I have to ignore a fair amount of it, because it is an information dump. Every once in a while there's something just completely weird tucked in with new vehicle announcements, technological breakthroughs, and smiling PR photos. I received just such a thing recently from Daimler.

Minivan With a Helicopter Engine

This is just plain nuts: someone plopped a gas turbine engine from a helicopter into a minivan. The back window as deleted to make room for it, and it obviously can't run with the sliding doors closed. I've seen cars with jet engines, but this one is a first for me.

Apparently Driving an Electric Car is Good For Your Health

Photo courtesy of GM

It might seem odd, but there is some unscientific (read: anecdotal) evidence that suggests driving an electric car is beneficial to one's health. It doesn't have to do with EV owners eating more kale or other so-called "superfoods." Instead, it's a horrible habit that's cut out from their usual routine.

Crazy Videos Starring a Bear and a Biplane!

I've seen a lot of crazy videos recently, too many to share on here. I do want to give you all a taste for the insanity I've viewed by posting two that are especially interesting.
One is from GoPro a while ago. It shows the Werth Brothers from Indiana performing what they call a "tail grab." Basically, one brother speeds down a runway on a Honda motorcycle. The other flies inverted in a biplane mere feet from the ground. The one on the bike momentarily grabs the tail of the plane, sending it up (because it's inverted) toward the ground, before the plane goes speeding away from the Earth and certain doom. It's crazy and you have to see it (and the video's way short):

The other is of a guy on a mountain bike. I know it's technically not automotive-related, but the video is crazy since it shows a bear chasing after him. Many people are freaking out about how the guy narrowly escaped death, but the whole thing looks fishy. First off, a bear could easily outrun the guy on the bike. Second, the guy has the time to get off the bike and carry it over the fallen tree limb on the trail. And then the bear doesn't smell him less than a hundred feet away? Bears can smell things miles away, so it's fishy. Even more suspicious is the fact that the bear looks like CGI. Take a look for yourself and see what you think:

Can a Smart Fortwo Be Fast?

People dream of fast cars, or at least enthusiasts and people who have places to be do. Of all the cars sold in the United States, the Smart Fortwo is one that is definitely not considered to be peppy in the least. If you've ever driven one you know that they behave oddly, thanks to a highly unrefined transmission and a little one-liter three-cylinder engine that puts out a measly 70 horsepower.

Is the S-Class a Women's Car?

2014 S-Class. Photos courtesy of Mercedes-Benz.

For quite some time now there have been people inside and even out of the automotive industry who have labeled some cars as being for women. Maybe those models aren't made exclusively for female drivers, but they are viewed as catering to that portion of the populace more.

Mercedes-Benz CLA 45 AMG Shooting Brake!

2015 Mercedes CLA 45 AMG, Photos courtesy of Daimler.

Mercedes is continuing to generate an insane amount of new models as it quests to take over the whole world. This time the company has developed a shooting brake version of the CLA-Class, which if you don't know is the new entry-level offering that's supposed to draw in Millennials who have a fat trust fund.

Follow These Tips to Avoid Getting Stranded This Winter

Image courtesy of GM

Have you ever had your car battery die? It's the pits, especially if you are somewhere remote, or at a parking lot late at night when pretty much everyone else has gone home. It pays to have a roadside assistance program that will come and give you a jump start, but even better is to take some preventative measures so that your battery lasts through the winter.

Configure Your Fantasy Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Now!

2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat. Image courtesy of Chrysler.

If you've been fantasizing about the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat, you can now delve deeper into the dream. The car brand's website has just launched the configurator, which means now employees can waste an entire afternoon making it look like they're doing something productive.

Chevrolet Looks to Make New Volt Easier to Charge

2016 Chevrolet Volt. Photos courtesy of GM.

Chevy's been pretty tight-lipped about the 2016 Volt, which launches a new generation of the controversial range-extended electric car. A few details have come out officially, and among what we know now is that there will be some interesting features that will making charging the car easier.

The GT350 is Back!

2016 Ford Shelby GT350. Photos courtesy of Ford.

The Shelby GT350 will return to the Mustang lineup in 2016, after a long hiatus. Most young people know about the earth-shattering GT500, but this muscle car is completely different. Instead of being designed to tear down drag strips, the GT350 is made for carving through tight turns.

BMW Drivers Are Jerks

BMW M 135i Concept. Photo courtesy of BMW.

What's the difference between a porcupine and a BMW? The pricks are inside the car.

There are plenty of stereotypes, even in the world of cars. One of the biggest is that BMW drivers are all jerks. There is even science to back up the claim, at least according to a couple of studies.

Jeeps are Gonna Roll! (with video)

Image courtesy of Chrysler

I laugh every time that I hear someone ask if Jeeps are good, stable vehicles.
These people obviously have never heard of the Jeep Death Wobble, or just taken a Wrangler fast around a corner. I remember the first off-road vehicle I owned required me to completely change how I drove, because it wasn't some tight-handling sedan from Europe.

Just to prove to everyone that Jeeps can and will roll, check out this rather entertaining YouTube video:

To be honest, these drivers could have avoided rolling their rig, but they lacked experience, got overconfident or something like that. There are plenty of quality training courses out there that will teach you how to tackle all sorts of terrain. I definitely prefer one that is taught by a competing vehicle manufacturer.

The truly scary thing is to see how much the roofs of these Jeeps crush when they roll. That is at least a visit to the chiropractor, if not the mortician. Also unbelievable is how dogs scamper out of a fair amount of these rolled Jeeps. Do the drivers also have their two year-old kid strapped in the backseat?

Why All the Hate for Fuel Cell Vehicles?

Honda FCV Concept. Photo courtesy of Honda.

There has been considerable push-back against fuel cell vehicles recently, leading some automakers that are pushing the technology to step up their efforts to educate the public about its benefits. One of the funniest things about the efforts being made against fuel cell vehicles is that they are coming from electric vehicle proponents.

Winter is Here: It's Time for Everyone to Drive Like Idiots Once More

Even behind the wheel of one of these you still need to drive carefully. Photo courtesy of Land Rover.

I've posted on here before about how you shouldn't be a winter driving idiot, because the message just doesn't seem to be getting through to drivers. Winter is upon us again, at least around here, and yet again I've seen a number of people driving exactly the opposite of how they should.

The Corvette is too Raucous for Korea!

2014 Corvette Stingray. Photo courtesy of Chevrolet.

The automotive industry has very much become global, which means that all sorts of interesting interactions are taking place these days. I've had to learn all sorts of things about different parts of the world that were never covered in school just to keep abreast of what's going on in the industry and why they're happening. Just this week I learned that the Corvette Stingray is far too raucous for the likes of South Korea.

The Marvel That is the Electric Turbocharger

A Volvo experimental electric turbocharger. Photo courtesy of Volvo.

You're probably not aware of it right now, but electric turbochargers are quietly making ripples in the automotive industry.  In fact, the stage is set now for this new technology to start making big headway, dramatically altering how we get around.

Mercedes Changes Things Up

GLK-Class. Photo courtesy of Daimler.

If you have the growing array of Mercedes vehicles memorized, like the M-Class, GL-Class, C-Class, SLK-Class, etc. you are going to have to relearn everything. Mercedes is redoing how it assigns model names, similar to how Infiniti restructured its nomenclature not that long ago.

Gas is Getting Cheap, and That's Bad

Photo by Markus Spiske

Everyone's getting excited that gas prices are dropping, because everyone knows that's just a good thing, right? Well, sometimes the truth is counter-intuitive and it sounds like that's the case with gas prices right now.

Tesla Model X Delivery Postponed. Nobody is Shocked.

2015 Tesla Model X. Photos courtesy of Tesla Motors.

At this point, it's pretty much a given that the Tesla Model X will be delayed. The Model S was as well, leading critics a few years ago to call the luxury electric sedan "vaporware." So anyone who has plunked a deposit down on a Model X is going to have to wait even longer, again.

Use Your 4WD or Lose It

Photo courtesy of Toyota.

Winter is coming, and that means people who live in snow-prone areas like here turn their attention to the SUV or pickup truck they neglected during the warm summer months. I say neglected because not driving your four-wheel drive vehicle all summer is actually shortening the life of the driveline, which can in turn lead to some pretty expensive repairs.

Toyota Prius Hatred is Very Much Alive

2012 Prius. Photo courtesy of Toyota.

After all these years, people still really hate the Toyota Prius. The Chicago Tribune last week ran a piece about how hated the hybrid hatchback is, but you need a subscription to read it. I gleaned some of the info from Green Car Reports, which highlighted the fact that the Prius is usually associated with those who lean left on the political spectrum. The article also highlighted the "Prius repellent" known as rolling coal, which I have talked about on here.

Mechanic's Fees Aren't Always What You Think

Photo courtesy of GM

A few weeks ago I was reading somewhere about a person who was complaining that his mechanic was charging for five hours of work when the customer found out the repair only took two and a half hours to complete. I wish I could remember where it was, but I honestly don't.

What Weird Car Names Mean

2015 Toyota Camry XLE. Image courtesy of Toyota.

"What's in a name?" That famous question was posed by Juliet. While the young lover trivialized the meaning of names, the fact is that there is a lot in a name. Just think if someone you know were to have a child and name him Adolf Hitler (that's happened).

RIP: Tom Magliozzi

I hear about celebrities dying on a regular basis. It used to be that I had a vague idea of who some of them were, but I'm getting to that age where I have more of a connection to them. And then I opened Facebook today and was hit with some news that hit closer than pretty much any other celebrity death ever, at least for me.

When Horror and Cars Collide

I write about cars all the time. I also write fiction, some of which you could term "horror." Recently, I have mashed the two together and the results have been great

#ChevyGuy Has Given the Colorado and Chevy Brand a Ton of Free Publicity

2015 Chevrolet Colorado. Image courtesy of GM.

If you missed the World Series last night, you also missed out on a true gem when Chevrolet representative Rikk Wilde presented the MVP with a new Colorado pickup. The poor guy stammers through a mini speech/sales pitch, referencing some notes that must have not been very helpful. The result is actually pretty painful to watch:

The BMW i3 is Not What You Think

BMW i3. Photos courtesy of  BMW.

Most people admittedly know very little about the BMW i3. I'm not going to bore you with all kinds of information about the car's specs and technical data -- you can get that and more on BMW's website. Instead, I want to explain what the car is really all about, because I seriously doubt most people get it.

Surprise! The 2016 Chevy Volt Will Come with a Bigger Engine

Teaser image of the 2016 Volt. Image courtesy of GM.

One of the unique features of the Chevy Volt is that it uses a hybrid powertrain setup, although it's not like what you might be thinking. Instead of being able to drive using just the electric motor, the gasoline engine, or a combination of the two, the Volt is only propelled forward by the electric motor. The gasoline engine is really just a generator that replenishes the battery when it is depleted.

Video: Japanese Company Creates a Real Transformer!

When I was a kid, I fantasized about having my very own robot that could transform into a car. Of course, back then Go-Bots and Transformers came about, showing through animation what I fantasized could be real. In more modern times we've been able to see such marvels in CGI (minus any real value to such movies). Now, two Japanese companies are promising that we will all be able to experience a transforming robot/car in real life.

Halloween Trunk-or-Treating

1953 Cadillac Eldorado trunk. Photo courtesy of GM.

I know that to some people I might seem paranoid, but I would just say I'm vigilant. When I was a teenager I wanted to be an FBI agent, until I found out how often I could be moved all over the country. Still, I have a sense for how criminals work, and since have done volunteer work with people who are incarcerated. This sense for how the criminally deviant work is one of several reasons why I truly believe the trunk-or-treat phenomena is a bad idea.

THIS is Why You Should Pull Over When Drowsy

The above video is from an alleged drowsy driver in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. As you can see, the woman driving the Jeep is swerving around in her lane, sometimes crossing into the oncoming traffic and narrowly missing a crash, and sometimes swerving onto the shoulder.

The New Honda Civic Type R is Completely Insane!

All images courtesy of Honda

I'll admit that at one point I thought Civics were great cars. Since then I've moved on as my automotive tastes have shifted, but part of me still wishes consumers in the United States could have that one Honda unicorn, the Civic Type R. While you might see guys who slap a Type R badge on the back of their Civic, in reality you can't get them here, and that guy didn't tune his to be just like the Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) Type R.

Urgent: Takata Airbag Recall

Photo courtesy of Chrysler.

This news could very well save your life, and I'm not being dramatic. In case you aren't aware, there is a massive airbag recall that has been issued. The airbags in question were made by Takata, a popular supplier, and can be found in 7.8 million vehicles of makes from BMW to Honda, Chrysler, Ford and more.

Cadillac is Moving to the Big Apple

2015 Cadillac Escalade. Photo courtesy of GM.

Things are continuing to change at General Motors, as they well should considering the automaker's dysfunctional past. One of the problems faced by the company has to do with the Cadillac brand, which used to have a considerable amount of cache with the public. Have you ever heard the saying that something is the Cadillac of (insert whatever here)? The luxury brand stood for extreme luxury and quality, but at one point launched a model that was a rebadged Chevy Cavalier!

Can Mercedes Take on the Porsche 911 and Win?

Photos courtesy of Daimler.

It's no secret in the automotive industry that a lively competition is always thriving among the German luxury brands. One of those rivalries is heating up in an interesting way as Mercedes sets its sights on the mighty Porsche 911.

Porsche 918 Spyder Burns While Fueling

Photo courtesy of Porsche

The latest fad in supercars is to let them burn to the ground. Really, it was a fashion that was started by Ferrari long ago, but others have been joining in lately, such as the prototype Acura NSX that burned at the Nurburgring.

Ford Labeled with the Mark of the Beast

Photo courtesy of Ford

I get emails from random people from time to time about the many conspiracies that are run in the automotive and business worlds. Some of the accusations are just plain ridiculous: there is a car that can run on pure water that Detroit has been sabotaging (Japan and Germany are in on it as well, people), hydrogen fuel is being sabotaged by Elon Musk (OPEC is helping him out), and that I'm part of a plan to spread libel about Tesla (I secretly hate all electricity).

The 2016 Volvo XC90 is Incredibly Safe and Nobody is Shocked

Images courtesy of Volvo

When most people think about car safety, Volvo inevitably comes to mind. Why not? The Swedish automaker has pushed for increasingly safer vehicles over the years, creating the three-point safety belt and other technologies that have saved numerous lives. Even though recently some people have accused Volvo of slipping when it comes to how safe its vehicles are in relation to the competition, the company has gone out and flexed it safety muscles once more with the all-new 2016 XC90 crossover.

Rolling Coal: a Personal Story

I live in the state of Utah, where there are a number of pickup trucks and big SUVs. I understand how legitimate the need for such vehicles are for a number of people, having driven some myself, including for jobs. That being said, I have no tolerance for the practice of rolling coal, and here's part of the reason why.

Another GM Embarrassment from the Past

Photo courtesy of GM

I could write a whole book about the many GM embarrassments from the past, including the "brilliant" plan of making tires in-house, the Cadillac Cimmaron, killing off more car brands than (probably) any other company out there, etc. 

This is NOT How to Get Out of a Speeding Ticket!

Photo courtesy of Ford

Unless you are one of the lucky few, you know the dread of being pulled over by the police. Oftentimes it's for speeding, an infraction many are guilty of and few think about until it's too late. If you do happen to get pulled over by the police, there are of course things you should and should not do. For example, don't make any sudden moves, because the police never know if you are going for a weapon or not. You should be courteous to the officer, even if you felt you did nothing wrong, but that doesn't mean you have to be a complete doormat.

Motorists, Pedestrians, Cyclists, etc.

Image courtesy of Volvo Cars

For some weird reason, the people who taught me to drive a car reinforced one truism over and over: I was handling a large, heavy machine capable of dolling out great destruction and even death. Driving wasn't treated as a right but rather as the privilege that it is. I was also taught to be respectful of others' space on the roads.

Hagwalah: How People Tempt Death on the Arabian Peninsula

If you've never heard of hagwalah, you're definitely not alone. Most people in the Western Hemisphere know nothing of the insane "sport" that not only youth, but even grown men who live on the Arabian Peninsula engage in.

Give Me More Horsepower, Damnit!

Photo courtesy of Scion. 

A horsepower war has been raging in the automotive industry for some time now. Unlike the big war in the late 1960s, this one hasn't been choked out by CAFE government fuel economy standards, despite GM's trying to claim such standards would kill the Corvette and any other cool car it makes. Nope, thanks to some pretty creative technologies like variable valve timing, direct fuel injection, turbocharging, hybrid powertrains and other such engineering trickery, we have been able to squeeze out more power from smaller engines.

Blogging From A to Z Day 15: O is for Overseas Delivery

Image courtesy of Volvo Cars

For the month of April I will be participating in the Blogging From A to Z Challenge. Learn more about the challenge by clicking here. Each day (except Sundays) I will be posting a theme based on each letter of the alphabet. This blog is covering automotive topics for the month. To read my other blog posts for the challenge, click here. 

One of my automotive fantasies is to take part in an overseas delivery program. Of course, I love cars, but I also love traveling. Combining the two into a single experience would be nothing short of incredible. Perhaps I will put such a thing on my bucket list, but there are a few factors working against the fantasy. 

Blogging From A to Z Day 14: N is for Nurburgring

Images courtesy of General Motors

For the month of April I will be participating in the Blogging From A to Z Challenge. Learn more about the challenge by clicking here. Each day (except Sundays) I will be posting a theme based on each letter of the alphabet. This blog is covering automotive topics for the month. To read my other blog posts for the challenge, click here.

Few racetracks rise to the level of celebrity the Nurburgring has enjoyed. Despite all of the talk about the track, and its use as a benchmark tool for automakers trying to show off the performance capabilities of new models, most people understand little about the track.

Blogging From A to Z Day 13: M is for Manual Transmission

As you can see, my manual transmission indoctrination started early.

For the month of April I will be participating in the Blogging From A to Z Challenge. Learn more about the challenge by clicking here. Each day (except Sundays) I will be posting a theme based on each letter of the alphabet. This blog is covering automotive topics for the month. To read my other blog posts for the challenge, click here. 

In case you haven't noticed, manual transmissions are dying in the U.S. automotive market. Apparently automakers feel that Americans don't want to manually shift gears in their car, favoring that the car's ECU decides when gear changes are made. There are even a number of performance vehicles that are offered with an automatic transmission as an option, when no such option was available before, like the upcoming 2015 Chevrolet Corvette ZO6. Other performance cars can only be had with an automatic transmission, like the Dodge Challenger or Porsche 911 GT3.

Blogging From A to Z Day 12: L is for Lotus

Image courtesy Lotus

For the month of April I will be participating in the Blogging From A to Z Challenge. Learn more about the challenge by clicking here. Each day (except Sundays) I will be posting a theme based on each letter of the alphabet. This blog is covering automotive topics for the month. To read my other blog posts for the challenge, click here. 

One of my earliest automotive infatuations was the Lotus Esprit. The car looked sleek and futuristic, yet it didn't use a huge engine like so many other performance cars of the day. There was something magical about the British car, and I have to admit that I'm not a huge British car fan (although the new Jaguar F Type is something else).

Blogging From A to Z Day 11: K is for Koenigsegg

Photos courtesy of Koenigsegg

For the month of April I will be participating in the Blogging From A to Z Challenge. Learn more about the challenge by clicking here. Each day (except Sundays) I will be posting a theme based on each letter of the alphabet. This blog is covering automotive topics for the month. To read my other blog posts for the challenge, click here.

If you've never heard of Koenigsegg, you are missing out on a true automotive gem. The small Swedish automaker is a rising star in the industry, and it's starting to make waves by doing things on its own terms. The company has only been around since 1994, yet the super cars it produces makes Ferraris and Lamborghinis tremble in fear. 

Blogging From A to Z Day 10: J is for Just Hang Up and Drive!

Yes, this a real product! What if the airbag deploys? 

For the month of April I will be participating in the Blogging From A to Z Challenge. Learn more about the challenge by clicking here. Each day (except Sundays) I will be posting a theme based on each letter of the alphabet. This blog is covering automotive topics for the month. To read my other blog posts for the challenge, click here.

Humans seem to be getting dumber, because in recent years we think we can safely pilot a 4,000 pound vehicle while not looking or even keeping our hands on the steering wheel. Why? Because we're too busy fiddling with phones, tablets and other things that have absolutely nothing to do with driving, that's why!

Blogging From A to Z Day 9: I is for Infiniti

Images courtesy Infiniti

For the month of April I will be participating in the Blogging From A to Z Challenge. Learn more about the challenge by clicking here. Each day (except Sundays) I will be posting a theme based on each letter of the alphabet. This blog is covering automotive topics for the month. To read my other blog posts for the challenge, click here. 

Back in 1985 Nissan engaged in an ultra top-secret mission to bring about a luxury brand that would later become known to the world as Infiniti. The brand was supposed to take the fight to the luxury brands from Europe and the United States, giving Nissan a presence in a market segment it had never before entered. Keep in mind this was back when people thought of Japanese cars as cheap and economical, not luxurious. 

Blogging From A to Z Day 8: H is for Hemi

Images courtesy Chrysler

For the month of April I will be participating in the Blogging From A to Z Challenge. Learn more about the challenge by clicking here. Each day (except Sundays) I will be posting a theme based on each letter of the alphabet. This blog is covering automotive topics for the month. To read my other blog posts for the challenge, click here.

Everyone has heard of a Hemi, but few people really know what they are. The context you usually hear about Hemis today is when someone is referring to certain engines used in various Chrysler vehicles, which include Dodges, Jeeps, and Rams. Some people mistakenly think that the Hemi engine was invented by Chrysler, but that would be like saying that Porsche invented the boxer engine.

Blogging From A to Z Day 7: G is for Godzilla

Images courtesy of Nissan

For the month of April I will be participating in the Blogging From A to Z Challenge. Learn more about the challenge by clicking here. Each day (except Sundays) I will be posting a theme based on each letter of the alphabet. This blog is covering automotive topics for the month. To read my other blog posts for the challenge, click here.

I thought with the release of the Godzilla movie it would be appropriate to highlight the automotive Godzilla, otherwise known as the Nissan GT-R. The car comes by the nickname rightfully, considering it is known for monstrous performance, plus the car hails from Japan.