First I laughed, and then I thought: will the Jaguar owner sue? Or does his auto insurance cover melting caused by a very reflective building? Will his rates go up?
From the Times, via Reuters:
Britain: Skyscraper Said to Have ‘Melted’ Luxury Car
A cluster of new skyscrapers transforming the London skyline are often blamed for spoiling the view. Now one has been accused of “melting” a car. A motorist said the intense sunlight reflected from the “Walkie Talkie” — one of several flashy towers under construction in the historic financial district — has warped his Jaguar, which he had parked across the street. The skyscraper’s developers said they were seeking to rectify the problem, which they blamed on the position of the sun at certain times of day. “The phenomenon is caused by the current elevation of the sun in the sky. It currently lasts for approximately two hours per day, with initial modeling suggesting that it will be present for approximately two-three weeks,” Land Securities and Canary Wharf Group said in a statement. Three parking spaces had been taken out of service pending a solution, it added. The car’s owner, Martin Lindsay, told the BBC that he had left his car for an hour and returned to find that the side mirror, panels and Jaguar badge had “melted.” The 37-story building has been nicknamed the “Walkie Talkie” after its distinctive shape, which appears to expand outward at the top.