Today, Mark Tucker put up an unexpected pairing for Shitbox Showdown. Do you choose a dreary Chevrolet Corsica with the addition of a manual transmission, or do you choose an alluring Audi TT that’s broken and will probably will forever be broken? This Shitbox Showdown divided our readership in an amusing way. Lots of you seem to love the Audi, but know that VAG products of two decades ago are reliability nightmares. Yet, the best thing about that Corsica is the transmission. Some of you chose the Corsica just to keep your bank accounts from fainting.
We missed a couple of COTD entries, so we’re nominating a few readers today, all from a single, very entertaining thread. Bobfish wins the first COTD today for starting said thread:
This is like the Voight-Kampff of car choices! “You see a slightly broken Audi TT on its back in the desert. Do you fix it, or do you drive the Corsica?” “What’s wrong with the Audi?” “It doesn’t matter what’s wrong, it’s purely hypothetical, and expensive”
Tuecutter responded:
“What do you mean I’m not fixing it!?”
Jimmy Steel said:
You want to know about my mother. I’ll tell you about my mother!
Finally, A. Barth got an actual cackle out of me with this:
A: “A TT? What’s that?”
B: “You know what a new Beetle is?”
A: “Of course”
B: “Same thing”
Ouch! If you have no idea what these readers are going on about, it’s a reference to the Voight-Kampff Test from Blade Runner, shown here:
Here’s what the Blade Runner press kit says:
“A very advanced form of lie detector that measures contractions of the iris muscle and the presence of invisible airborne particles emitted from the body. The bellows were designed for the latter function and give the machine the menacing air of a sinister insect. The VK is used primarily by Blade Runners to determine if a suspect is truly human by measuring the degree of his empathic response through carefully worded questions and statements.”
I still choose the Audi TT, does that make me a Replicant? Have a great evening, everyone!
(Topshot: Warner Bros./Mercedes Streeter/Craigslist Seller)
Only those of us old enough to love that classic.
Shall we play a game?
“I want more life, fucker”
With an aging Audi it’s the human saying that to the machine, unlike in the movie.
Thank you Mercedes! Everyone go watch Blade Runner then we’ll argue over the best version! (The answer is the first one you saw).
@Mercedes – glad you liked it! 😀
I got a legit chortle out of “actual cackle”, btw
actual cackle, actual cackle, actual cackle
I lost some coffee when I read yours, no lie
D’oh – sorry about that!
Nice job on the COTD though 🙂
You, Toucutter, and Steel brought it home. Good buncha nerds here, I like it.
The TT isn’t exactly the New Beetle . . . It’s the New Beetle if it moved to LA, started working out, eating only healthy foods and waiting tables while trying to become an actor without any success and finally giving up on his dream.
I always likened it to a New Beetle in drag.
I think of it more as the Beetle’s brother that went to college and started thinking he was too good for everyone, while forgetting that he was actually a Beetle.
That’s a 911. 😉
I always called it a squished Beetle. They’re cool cars!
When the TT was first released someone referred to it as the modern Karmann Ghia if it had remained in production. I therefore support this view.
Fair enough, but that would not have fit into the parody of the conversation from the film. 🙂
… but then found moderate success teaching Yoga classes.
Mandatory:
Do You Know The Way To San Jose?
L.A. is a great big freeway
Put a hundred down and buy a car
In a week, maybe two, they’ll make you a star
Weeks turn into years, how quick they pass
And all the stars that never were
Are parking cars and pumping gas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OV1-61WgWUE
All I know is if you flip either one of them over in the desert, they’re not getting back on their feet.
I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe.
Great film. I even love the theatrical with the narration; I grew up with that version. I find myself adding it in subconsciously when watching the Final Cut. 4K UHD arriving next week. I guess the Blu-Ray set will get retired next to the VK suitcase DVD set.