Loving Your Car to Death: Can You Be Buried In Your Favorite Vehicle?
The myth of the Cadillac coffin is one that has haunted pop culture for decades, even popularized in the song Willie the Wimp by blues legend Stevie Ray Vaughn in the mid-1980s. The idea of being buried in a luxury car might seem like a one-off tribute to the ancient Egyptian pharaohs (who were routinely interred with all of their worldly possessions), but the twist in Willie's tale is that it's based on a true story.
Willie "Wimp" Stokes Jr., Chicago gangster and over-the-top gambler, was indeed laid six feet under in a bizarre coffin-sized replica of his pimp-mobile (pictured above), which combined the wheels, grille, and trunk from his personal ride with a windshield, dash, and license plate. Willie's corpse was propped up inside this creation to look as though he was driving himself through the gates of Hades.
Dig a little deeper and even more exhumed urban legends acquire an unexpected factuality. It seems like car lovers have been bending the rules to be buried in their favorite rides for decades. One of the earliest recorded instances speaks of heiress Sandra Ilene West, a Texan who departed for the afterlife inside her 1964 Ferrari California. Aurora Schuck, another Cadillac fan (although without Willie's links to organized crime) and her 1976 Eldorado convertible were craned into a 24-by-12-foot plot dug specifically to accommodate the Caddy in 1989, followed by George Swanson taking his '84 Corvette to the afterlife six years later, and Lonnie Holloway in his 1976 Pontiac Catalina in 2009.
Whither the extreme automotive enthusiast who desires to make a mausoleum of their favorite hunk of metal in the year 2022? As a Boomer-led tide of death pushes cemeteries to the brink of real estate availability, environmental legislation tightens regarding what you can legally put into ground, and social media lies in wait to pounce on anyone who elects to extend their flamboyance into the afterlife, we wanted to know if it was still possible to be buried in your car?
Make Room!
The answer to that question, it seems, varies significantly depending on where you plan to rest eternally. There's actually no single overarching framework that governs how cemeteries are managed, or how human remains must be disposed of, which means each jurisdiction is on its own to create (or not) a set of regulations regarding burials.
The first daunting step in the quest for a car coffin is to secure a cemetery plot of adequate size. Ms. Schuck had the luxury of scooping up roughly 16 plots to combine into one Caddy-sized pit (taking into account the need to build a full concrete foundation and then surround the vehicle with even more cement). Even Swansons' more modestly-sized Corvette required four plots in total (with a layer of concrete poured on top to prevent settling). It can be a struggle in some urban areas to find standard-size side-by-side plots so that spouses can dream together forever, let alone carve out a car-sized slice of terrain, so it definitely helps if you plan on being eternally linked to a Miata rather than an Escalade.
Then there's the question of access. The kind of heavy equipment required to dig a sizable hole in the ground needs a fair amount of space to operate, not to mention a pathway to the plot(s) in question, and that's before you take into account the logistics of fitting a car-capable crane onto ground that may or may not be hard enough to accommodate its weight.
Of course, you could always opt for home burial, which alleviates many of the above problems (in all but Indiana, Washington D.C., Washington State, and California, where it's not legal). There are roughly 10 states that require you to get a funeral director to move the body to its intended burial spot, but almost everywhere else it's the Wild West when it comes to its transportation and burial/cremation (as long as you take care of it within the 24-48-hour window that precludes the need for embalming, and don't try to cross state lines).
Don't Confuse Your Backyard For A Dump
Even if burying someone on your own land is nearly 50-state legal, you still have to consider the environmental implications of stuffing a vehicle filled with toxic fluids and forever-plastics under the ground. It turns out the federal government is a bit touchy about what you can dump a shovel of dirt on, regardless of who owns the land.
The flip-side of this is that cemeteries themselves aren't exempt from environmental concerns associated with even a traditional burial. Chemicals like formaldehyde (used in embalming), and arsenic (formerly used in embalming) have been leaking into groundwater from graveyards for decades, not to mention the myriad coffin paints, finishes, and metals that are part of a traditional funeral. Even cremation takes its toll on the environment at large.
The bottom line? Each state has its own regulations that either modify or complement federal guidelines about waste management, and you'll have to take those into account when deciding how best to manage your auto-tomb's afterlife emissions, regardless of whether you're twisting the arm of a local cemetery manager or simply burying your loved one's motorcade in the backyard. In Pennsylvania, George Swanson's family had the entire drivetrain drained prior to interment, but in more permissive Indiana, Aurora Schuck's Cadillac was actually driven into the grave just before the burial began.
Maybe Don't Do It?
A final word of advice, should you choose to pilot your precious muscle machine or low-rider on the ferry across the river Styx: try to keep it on the down-low and avoid turning the burial into a show.
What are we saying—there's absolutely no way to avoid word getting out about an automotive-adjacent event like this one. Be prepared for the onslaught of social media stars trying to score points as they alternately laud and lament your choice to go all-in on an automotive afterlife, not to mention the endless parade of purists who will roast your decision to deprive the world of one more example of whatever make and model coffin you select.
A vehicular funeral isn't for the attention-averse, and while you might be slumbering peacefully on the rich, Corinthian leather of your casket, your loved ones will have to deal with the digital looky-loos and snide commenters haunting their Insta profiles and email inboxes.
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We go into every comparison test with an open mind, but in this electric SUV matchup between Hyundai's Ioniq 5 and Toyota's newer bZ4X, the Hyundai was the heavy favorite. After all, it already won a comparison test against its corporate cousin, the slick Kia EV6, and is currently our top pick among electric SUVs in our Ultimate Car Rankings. Turns out we were both right and wrong: Right about which EV would win but wrong about the reasons why. What we found were two exceptionally useful electric cars with their own distinct strengths.Meet the Players: Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Toyota BZ4XThe Ioniq 5 is a talented and stylish EV, and it's the first vehicle from Hyundai's all-electric Ioniq subbrand. Although the bZ4X is Toyota's first modern-day battery electric vehicle, Toyota introduced an electric RAV4 back in 1997 and has been selling the Mirai FCEV (an electric car powered by a hydrogen fuel cell instead of a battery) since 2016. Given that experience, we thought it was fair to match the bZ4X against the best in the field.For this comparison, we went with top-of-the-line all-wheel-drive models. Our Hyundai Ioniq 5 Limited AWD came with a set of accessory floormats that raised its price to $55,920. The bZ4X's top trim level is also called Limited, and our test AWD EV came with a cold-weather package, premium stereo, spoiler, and extra-cost paint that raised the sticker price to $52,050.Are These Electric SUVs or Electric Hatchbacks?Although both vehicles are pitched as compact sport-utilities, they blur the line between SUV and hatchback car. Both are just an inch or two shorter in length than Toyota's ubiquitous RAV4 and about the same width as it. But the BZ4X's roofline is some 2 inches closer to the ground than the RAV4's, and the Hyundai checks in 2 inches lower still. Consider that both carry their batteries under their bellies, which raises their floor height, and you can understand why they feel more like cars than SUVs from behind the wheel.The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is the head-turner of this duo. Its nifty '80s-hatchback styling was inspired by Hyundai's first mass-produced vehicle, a dreadfully unreliable rustbucket called the Pony; despite those questionable roots, it drew universal acclaim: Throughout our test drive we could see the points and smiles directed at the Ioniq 5, and thanks to the Toyota's inferior sound insulation, we could sometimes hear the compliments, as well. The bZ4X is pretty enough in its own way, with its bold, grilleless styling and rakish roofline reminiscent of Toyota's own Venza. The black fender surrounds are questionable but do set the bZ4X apart—or at least they would if the Toyota didn't look so much like its fraternal twin, the Subaru Solterra.Inside the Ioniq 5 and the bZ4XInside, the Hyundai has the edge: We love the EV rethink of the cabin. With no need for a center tunnel to house driveshafts or exhaust pipes, Hyundai has given the Ioniq 5 a completely flat floor, so there's no center pedestal where front passengers can smack their knees. It's a smart layout that reminds us of minivans and bench-seat sedans of yore. The control layout is fairly straightforward, and the cabin has plenty of storage space, but the instrument panel takes time to interpret, and there's a definite learning curve to the infotainment system. The Ioniq 5 is not a car for those who never RTFM.The Toyota, in contrast, is refreshingly simple. Despite an all-digital dash, the controls and displays look like they could have been pulled from any Toyota model, and that simplicity is the bZ4X's hallmark, or at least it is once you get used to the driving position. The bZ4X's instrument panel is placed close to the windshield and meant to be viewed over the steering wheel rim rather than through it, blurring the line between a traditional gauge panel and a head-up display. It takes some getting used to, but once we adapted, we rather liked it.Both cars have adequate room in the back seat, but the Toyota has a short cushion that sits too close to the floor. The Hyundai's back seat is positioned higher and is more comfortable by an order of magnitude, with no shortage of headroom despite its lower roofline, and the full-length sunroof lets in more daylight than the twin-pane job on the BZ4X.The two cars run neck and neck on cargo space, with about 27 cubic feet behind the rear seats; only the Ioniq 5 has a sliding rear seat to adjust between passenger and luggage space, however. Neither car has a proper frunk, as both cars concentrate their electrical control gear under the hood. Hyundai does have a vestigial storage locker up front, but it's too small to be of much use.Driving: Surprises and DisappointmentsOut on the open road, the Toyota took us by surprise: Although it's not as quick as the Hyundai (we timed the bZ4X to 60 in 5.8 seconds versus 4.4 for the Ioniq 5), it feels very zippy and responsive, with a strong midrange punch that always made us smile. The Hyundai's accelerator is set up so that, outside of Sport mode, one must dip more deeply into its travel to access its best acceleration. Nothing wrong with that, but we preferred the Toyota's always-eager feel.The Toyota had the better ride, too; it's comfortable and steady, whereas the Hyundai is busier and more jittery, even while being appreciably quieter. On the curviest section of our test route, the Hyundai exhibited better grip, but the suspension felt underdamped. The Ioniq 5 leans more in the turns than the bZ4X, and midcorner bumps set it bounding, often to the detriment of traction. Speaking of which, if you turn off traction control and punch the throttle coming out of the turns, the Ioniq 5 is happy to get a little sideways. (Stability control will keep it from going too far out of line.) It's good fun if a bit ragged. The Toyota wasn't as up for this sort of silly fun, but it showed more serious skills: Its better damping kept all four wheels in good contact with the pavement, allowing it to rocket out of turns that left the Hyundai scrabbling for grip.Both of our cars had cruise control and lane centering, and both systems worked well. We like that the Hyundai's lane centering can be switched on independent of cruise control. The Hyundai has automated lane changing, but we couldn't figure out how to get it to work—that's our fault and not the car's, as we never did, um, RTFM. But it underscores a point we made earlier: The Ioniq 5 has a steeper learning curve, while the Toyota is simplicity defined.At this point in our test, the cars were running relatively neck and neck: The Hyundai Ioniq 5 led on style and interior comfort, but we appreciated the Toyota bZ4X's ease of use and—much to our surprise—judged its road manners superior. But once we factored in range and charging speed, the Hyundai pulled ahead by several EV lengths.Range and Charging: Hyundai Pulls Ahead of ToyotaThe AWD version of the Ioniq 5 has an EPA-rated range of 256 miles, while the BZ4X Limited AWD is rated at 222 miles (which you can increase to 228 by opting for the cheaper XLE model). A 34-mile delta isn't much, but the difference in charge times is significant, particularly at DC fast chargers of the type you'd most likely use on a road trip. The Hyundai has an 800-volt charging system that can take advantage of high-speed 350-kW chargers. Hyundai says the Ioniq 5 can charge from 10 to 80 percent capacity in 18 minutes, and our experience bears that out. The all-wheel-drive bZ4X can't charge at more than 100 kW, which means that same charge can take the better part of an hour. During our test, we stopped for lunch at a supermarket with the batteries similarly depleted, plugged both cars into 150 kW chargers, and went upstairs to wait in line at the busy deli counter. The Hyundai hit 80 percent as we were paying for our sandwiches; the Toyota didn't get there until well after we had finished eating.Does charging speed really matter? Maybe not, if you install a 240-volt home charger—and you'll want to, as the convenience of having one beats the stuffing out of relying on the public charging network—and mainly use the EV for commuting while also owning another car for long-distance trips. Remember, home charging means leaving every morning with a full "tank," and few Americans routinely drive more than 200 miles in a day. (That said, even on the slower Level 2 household plugs, the Hyundai's 10.9-kW charging gear takes power faster than the Toyota's 6.6-kW unit.) But if you're an inveterate road-tripper and/or a single-car household, the Hyundai's high-speed charging abilities will make a significant difference.Let's Consider the CoinWe were ready to name Hyundai as the winner, but we hadn't yet considered the price difference: The Hyundai we were driving cost $4,390 more than the Toyota. The higher charge speeds might justify that extra cost, but what if we were homebodies to whom charging speed wasn't important? Is the Toyota the better value?We debated this point and decided it wasn't. The Ioniq 5 has better accommodations and looks, and opting for the midrange SEL version will run $50,995. That means living without the big sunroof, the nifty head-up display, and a few other goodies, but we think that's a worthwhile sacrifice for the better overall car and experience.Hyundai Ioniq 5 Wins—But Don't Count Out the Toyota bZ4XAlthough the Toyota emerged as our second-place finisher, we can make a good use case for it. The bZ4X's simplicity and approachability should not be undervalued: For someone who isn't a tech geek, who doesn't want to have to read the manual or watch a bunch of YouTube videos, who just wants to get in the damn car and drive it, the Toyota bZ4X is the way to go. With every automaker seeming to want to emulate Tesla and turn their EVs into high-tech showcases, the Toyota is refreshingly easy to use. It's the flip phone of electric cars, and we mean that as a compliment. We also can't ignore that the Toyota is the better-riding and better-driving of these two EVs.Still, after extensive back-to-back evaluation, the 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 emerged as the winner. It's a marvelous electric SUV that is both practical and futuristic, and its employment of better electrical hardware makes it a long-legged, fast-charging adventurer. Nonetheless, the margin of victory over the Toyota was narrower than we expected. The 2022 bZ4X is a competent electric car with many of the attributes that have made Toyota one of the world's most popular car brands. It exits this competition with its head held high—or at least it will once it finishes charging.2nd Place: 2022 Toyota bZ4XPros: Zippy acceleration, sure-footed handling, easy to operate.Cons: Low back seat, moderate range, slow charging performance.Verdict: An easy-to-approach EV for the layperson but not a great traveling companion.1st Place: 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5Pros: Handsome and stylish looks, roomy interior, superfast charging.Cons: Underdamped suspension, steeper learning curve, a little pricier.Verdict: One of the best overall electric SUVs on the market right now.POWERTRAIN/CHASSIS 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 HTRAC Specifications 2023 Toyota bZ4x Limited AWD Specifications DRIVETRAIN LAYOUT Front- and rear-motor, AWD Front- and rear-motor, AWD MOTOR TYPE Permanent-magnet electric Permanent-magnet electric POWER (SAE NET) 99 hp (fr), 221 hp (rr), 320 hp (comb) 107 hp (fr), 107 hp (rr), 214 hp (comb) TORQUE (SAE NET) 105 lb-ft (fr), 321 lb-ft (rr), 446 lb-ft (comb) 124 lb-ft (fr), 124 lb-ft (rr), 248 lb-ft (comb) WEIGHT TO POWER 14.6 lb/hp 20.6 lb/hp TRANSMISSIONS 1-speed automatic 1-speed automatic AXLE RATIO 4.71:1/10.65:1 13.80:1/13.80:1 SUSPENSION, FRONT; REAR Struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar; multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar Struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar; multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar STEERING RATIO 14.3:1 14.1:1 TURNS LOCK-TO-LOCK 2.7 2.8 BRAKES, F; R 12.8-in vented disc; 12.8-in disc 12.9-in vented disc; 12.5-in vented disc WHEELS 8.0 x 20-in cast aluminum 8.0 x 20-in cast aluminum TIRES 255/45R20 105V Michelin Primacy Tour A/S (M+S) 235/50R20 100V Bridgestone Turanza EL450 (M+S) DIMENSIONS WHEELBASE 118.1 in 112.2 in TRACK, F/R 64.2/64.6 in 63.0/63.4 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 182.5 x 74.4 x 63.0 in 184.6 x 73.2 x 65.0 in TURNING CIRCLE 39.3 ft 40.0 ft CURB WEIGHT (DIST F/R) 4,684 lb (51/49%) 4,402 lb (54/46%) SEATING CAPACITY 5 5 HEADROOM, F/R 39.1/37.5 in 38.6/37.1 in LEGROOM, F/R 41.7/39.4 in 42.1/35.3 in SHOULDER ROOM, F/R 57.7/57.7 in 57.8/56.0 in CARGO VOLUME, BEH F/R 59.3/27.2 cu ft 50.7/25.8 cu ft TEST DATA ACCELERATION TO MPH 0-30 1.6 sec 2.1 sec 0-40 2.3 3.1 0-50 3.3 4.3 0-60 4.4 5.8 0-70 5.8 7.7 0-80 7.6 10.0 0-90 9.7 12.7 0-100 12.3 16.0 PASSING, 45-65 MPH 2.3 3.1 QUARTER MILE 13.2 sec @ 102.7 mph 14.5 sec @ 95.9 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 123 ft 125 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.88 g (avg) 0.77 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 25.7 sec @ 0.71 g (avg) 27.4 sec @ 0.62 g (avg) CONSUMER INFO BASE PRICE $48,745 $49,995 PRICE AS TESTED $56,440 $52,050 AIRBAGS 6: Dual front, front side, f/r curtain 8: Dual front, front side, f/r curtain, front knee BASIC WARRANTY 5 years/60,000 miles 3 years/36,000 miles POWERTRAIN WARRANTY 10 years/100,000 miles (including battery) 5 years/60,000 miles (8 years/100,000 miles battery) ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE 5 years/Unlimited miles 2 years/25,000 miles BATTERY CAPACITY 77.4 kWh Li-Ion 72.8 kWh Li-Ion EPA CITY/HWY/COMB ECON 110/87/98 mpg-e 112/92/102 mpg-e (mfr est) EPA RANGE, COMB 256 miles 222 miles (mfr est) RECOMMENDED FUEL 240-volt electricity, 480-volt electricity 240-volt electricity, 480-volt electricity ON SALE Now Now Show All
Aircraft fabricator Hawley Bowlus completed construction of the first Bowlus travel trailer in 1934 for the purpose of transporting flight crews to isolated takeoff locations. It's touted as the first aluminum riveted travel trailer in the world, even pre-dating Wally Byam's Airstream. Now the trailer is back with a tasteful modern update.Bowlus reports that "over half of the original Bowlus' built in the 1930s are still around today, often held in private collections." The lightweight 1,100-pound Bowlus was revolutionary for its time, attracting celebrity and media attention. In 2011, a 1935 Bowlus Road Chief sold at an auction in Scottsdale for $187,000. Fast-forward 90 years, and the Bowlus brand continues.The company currently sells three models: Terra Firma, Endless Highways Performance Edition, and Endless Highways Edition. They start—repeat, start—at $265,000, $240,000, and $215,000, respectively. Let's just say, if you're strapped for cash—or anything short of ridiculously, lavishly, richly well-off with a suitcase full of bands—the bespoke Bowlus may not be for you. But we can still dream, right?The trailers have avoided a fundamental technological overhaul for decades, but Bowlus has announced a few interior, exterior, and technology updates for its 2022-model-year luxury travel trailers. The kitchen has been redesigned with soft-close drawers, an improved air conditioning system, a "60-Second Hitch" towing connection assistance system, an integrated Bluetooth Smart Brake, and updated 13-diode LED taillights to clean up the look.In all of our travels around the United States, we've encountered a smorgasbord of travel trailers, massive toy haulers, million-dollar RVs, high-end off-grid teardrop trailers, and overland camper vans at campgrounds, on the road, and off-grid. But we've never, ever encountered a Bowlus. But when we do someday come upon one, at least now we know how to differentiate a 2022 model. Now that's a morsel of knowledge that'll surely impress new campfire friends.
mercedes-benz c-class Full OverviewProsMore refined powertrain, feels expensive, long driving range. ConsTransmission could be smoother, pricey, enormous key fob. Quick, but What About BMW, Audi, and Tesla?Braking and Figure-Eight PerformanceBut Why Is It so Expensive?Looks good! More details?2022 Mercedes-Benz C 300 4Matic Specifications BASE PRICE $46,600 PRICE AS TESTED $62,970 VEHICLE LAYOUT Front-engine, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan ENGINE 2.0L Turbo direct-injected DOHC 16-valve I-4 plus electric motor POWER (SAE NET) 255 hp @ 5,800 rpm (gas), 20 hp (elec), 255 hp (comb) TORQUE (SAE NET) 295 lb-ft @ 2,000 rpm (gas), 148 lb-ft (elec), 295 lb-ft (comb) TRANSMISSION 9-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 4,014 lb (53/47%) WHEELBASE 112.8 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 187.0 x 71.7 x 56.6 in 0-60 MPH 5.5 sec QUARTER MILE 14.2 sec @ 96.8 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 112 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.90 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 26.3 sec @ 0.67 g (avg) EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON 23/33/27 mpg EPA RANGE, COMB 470 miles ON SALE Now Show All
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