Run-out specials

[Wilko220]

Noticed on a couple of different threads recently references to (possible) run-out specials, which struck me as a good idea for a thread of its own.

 

These anomolies must make superb tat-buys, if not for being loaded with extras which no longer work, simply for their GR9 badges, stripes or colour schemes.

 

Here are a few from other threads. First up the three-door Rover 214 SEi. Apparently Ashmicro had a new one which never worked. I'd gladly have a broken one to ogle over on my drive though...

 

 

Does this count as a run-out model? I think it probably does. Nicked from Trigger's Professionals screenshots thread, it's the Chrysler Hunter. If there's one way to make an embarrassingly outdated model from your range more attractive, it's got to be to stick an American badge on it. You have to wonder why Rover didn't try it with the 45...

 

 

Next up the beeeeautiful Dolly 1500SE. The only 1500 to have square headlamps? Not sure - but it did have "unique silver coachlining" and Spitfire wheels. Who in their right mind would have an Acclaim over one of these honeyz?

 

 

A final one that springs to mind, the Cortina Crusader - the fully specced up traditional alternative to getting one of those newfangled jelly-mould Sierras. It had a two-tone paintjob and was named after the mascot from the Daily Express...

 

 

So, can anyone do better. They're must be loads...

[Shep Shepherd]

The Sierra Azura:

 

 

A surprising number of these survive in good condition in my neck of the woods

[Felly Magic]

Doesn't someone on here have a Talbot Alpine Rapier? 2 toned, alloy shod run out tastic...

 

There was also the Scrote mk4 Eclipse model, a tarted up 1.3 L with fancy seats, leccy windows, metallic paint, XR3 steels & wheeltrims, and boot spoiler. Also the Mk2 Fester had the Firefly, which was a re-badged Ghia.

 

I also think the last of the line Lada Samaras had tacky body kits and alloys fitted.

[M'coli]

Not all Crusaders were 2-tone, I wrote off a single-colour one.

[trigger]

There was the Escort Eclipse and Orion Equipe, the later came with the 1300 and 1400 CVH engines, I had the Eclipse, it was a lovely car.

 

[dollywobbler]

Drat. My connection dropped. I was going to say the Eclipse as well.

 

Was the Metro Advantage a run-out?

 

MG looks but not quite as much power IIRC.

[ashmicro]

 

Rover 216 (SD3) Sprint. Basically a 216S with extra bits painted white vs standard. An good car. I remember these being sold side by side with the newly released R8 in very late 1989. The same main dealer had 5 (brand new and fully loaded with every xtra) Vanden Plas in the SD3 at the same time. Bee-autiful they were, all manuals, all with leather and Vitesse alloys.

 

 

Escort Eclipse and Bonus 90 would qualify as run-out's I'd say. EDIT: Cross posted with Trig. I had the pink Eclipse

[AnthonyG]

The 'Chrysler' Hunters were built in Ireland, to make room for the (facelift) Avenger which went to Linwood to make room for the Sunbeam and Alpine assembly in Ryton. Chrysler UK had to do this to get government help in 1975 (the development costs of the Sunbeam were paid for by the Wilson Govt), they nearly went under in that year.

The latest Hunter I've ever seen was on a 'T' plate.

 

Metro Advantage was '89, so near run-out, but you could get a Maestro/Montego Advantage as well. Mini was the first Advantage, first in a bunch of tennis - themed specials from ARG who were well pissed off the all england tennis club wouldn't let them use the actual Wimbledon name, despite BL/ARG giving them cars for transporting people around for donkeys years.

[Shep Shepherd]

The Volvo 940 "Celebration" 2.3 LPT estate, a car which is my ultimate RWD Volvo:

 

 

[cobblers]

Drat. My connection dropped. I was going to say the Eclipse as well.

 

Was the Metro Advantage a run-out?

 

MG looks but not quite as much power IIRC.

 

These are absolute beauties, best looking metro ever IMHO.

[Split_Pin]

What about the MK3 Fiesta 'Classic':

 

[Felly Magic]

The Fiesta Classic had umpteen different versions too if I remember.

[Volksy]

If there's one way to make an embarrassingly outdated model from your range more attractive, it's got to be to stick an American badge on it. You have to wonder why GM didn't try it with the entire Daewoo range.....

 

EFA

[Wilko220]

[M'coli]

Drat. My connection dropped. I was going to say the Eclipse as well.

 

Was the Metro Advantage a run-out?

 

MG looks but not quite as much power IIRC.

 

These are absolute beauties, best looking metro ever IMHO.

Especially in green. IIRC, these and the GTA were introduced to use up the Turbo bodykits as AR didn't sort out hardened valve seats for the turbo cylinder head - this would also explain the Montego and Maestro versions at the same time.

[CIH]

 

Rover 216 (SD3) Sprint. Basically a 216S with extra bits painted white vs standard. An good car. I remember these being sold side by side with the newly released R8 in very late 1989. The same main dealer had 5 (brand new and fully loaded with every xtra) Vanden Plas in the SD3 at the same time. Bee-autiful they were, all manuals, all with leather and Vitesse alloys.

 

 

Escort Eclipse and Bonus 90 would qualify as run-out's I'd say. EDIT: Cross posted with Trig. I had the pink Eclipse

 

Oddly enough, 6000 miles away Nissan had the same idea with the LTD Edition "Full White" for the S12 Silvia in Japan;

 

 

Only a handfull are known to have survived. One in the uk, which I find utterly bizarre.

[AndyW201]

Hi all, first post after lurking for quite a while!

 

Run out specials I can remember are;

 

Escort Mk2 Harrier (a way of Ford shifting the last few 1600 sports IIRC), Also Linnet, Goldcrest, Huntsman.

 

I was working at a Rover dealer in 1990/1991 as a trainee and remember the SD3 216 sprint very well. but I remember a slightly different model called the 216 SX being a bit later, I think that was the run-out. We got a job lot of them from a leasing company at about a year old. The electric sunroof failed on every single one of them! (The old mechanic I was paired with loved the SD3, saying he preferred them to Montegos by a mile.)

 

I know the Metro Advantage was a very late model like the GTa, I dont know if they were an official run-out model though. I always thought it funny that the plain-bodied, steel wheeled 1275 sport got the MG spec engine, but the far sportier looking GTa and Advantage got the lower spec one. I'd have a BRG advantage like a shot, mind.

 

Speaking of Metros, of the Rover variety, I think the Rio (and Grande), Nightfire, and Tahiti were all just before the launch of the 100.

 

Was the Finesse the run-out version of the Escort before the Focus launched?

 

I remember the run-out Sierra Azura very well. I have fond memories of driving one as a taxi in Middlesbrough in the late 90s. It seemed weird as it had a 1.6 CVH engine, rather than a Pinto that most other 1.6 Sierras came with, with injection and a cat. My gaffer said the last few Sierras were like that to get around tougher emissions laws? I believe the Chausseur was another run-out Sierra also?

 

Capri wise, it has to be the 280?

 

The Mercedes 190E LE was the run-out before the C Class was launched. Available in 1.8 and 2.0 flavours with Walnut rather than Zebrano trim, 8 hole alloy wheels, and (bits that were options on the boggo 190), electric windows, electric sunroof, and special metallic paint, with front armrest and rear headrests on the 2.0, along with an A3 size commemorative certificate. Quite a nice edition, especially in Rosso Red.

 

Was there a run-out Imp? I'm sure there was a 1976 edition called the Caledonian, in Wardance orange paint?

 

Fiesta MK1 Finesse, Quartz, Bravo II...

 

Cavalier LX Mk2, the sales director at a company I worked for had one, and I drove it quite a few times on emergency deliveries and I loved it, revelling in it's SRi lookalikeyness! It was on an F plate, so must have been just before the MK3 came out.

 

That's about all I can come up with for now. I'll try and come up with more.

[Wilko220]

Hi all, first post after lurking for quite a while!

 

Welcome... Good knowledge!

[purplebargeken]

The Dolomite 1500SE was a lovely car with light grey/silver carpets, light grey/silver seat facings and a burr veneer dash and door trims. The SE wheels are really nice too. Not many SE's left now.

 

The other 'square headlighter' Dolomite was the now quite rare base model (non HL) 1500 with the flat dash of the 1300. The Toledo was also a 'square headlighter' of course. Most in the know say that the round headlights were not as good as the square ones. The 1300 engine was the better version, less prone to big end grumbles.

 

I know of a non-HL1500 Dolomite in Carmine Red with MOT but no tax which up for sale if anyone's interested. Not mine by the way.

 

Ken

[trigger]

Hello and welcome AndyW201!

 

There was also a late model Ford Fiesta Frascati which was basically a 1.3 but with electric windows and power steering.

[Wilko220]

Morris Ital SLX. Not sure what extra toys it had but think this marked the last desperate breath...

 

[e287yba]

The Ital was manufactured at Longbridge (as opposed to Cowley) for its last year of production. And verily doth HL become SL and HLS become SLX - with telescopic dampers on the front suspension too. Both were standard production models, although the end was obviously getting near because the Montego replacement for the Ital had begun production at Cowley (hence the Ital's move to Longbridge).

 

Ironic that the last Morris-badged car was made at Longbridge - and the last Austin-badged car was made at Cowley.

[ProgRocker]

Welcome, Andy.

 

Hi all, first post after lurking for quite a while!

Was the Finesse the run-out version of the Escort before the Focus launched?

 

Yep, a mate had a black Finesse on an S plate. This one was probably built before Focus production started but Finesse models ran to X reg and possibly even Y plate.

 

Nice car it was - Aircon, alloy wheels, CD player but oddly enough no rev counter. Ford must have had a stack of instrument panels destined for the poverty Encore model to use up.

[peter9000uk]

Welcome, Andy.

 

Hi all, first post after lurking for quite a while!

Was the Finesse the run-out version of the Escort before the Focus launched?

 

Yep, a mate had a black Finesse on an S plate. This one was probably built before Focus production started but Finesse models ran to X reg and possibly even Y plate.

 

Nice car it was - Aircon, alloy wheels, CD player but oddly enough no rev counter. Ford must have had a stack of instrument panels destined for the poverty Encore model to use up.

 

Wasn't there quite an overlap with Escort/Focus though? I have seen plenty of 'W' reg and even 'X' reg Escorts and 's' plate Focii (sic)

[ProgRocker]

 

Wasn't there quite an overlap with Escort/Focus though? I have seen plenty of 'W' reg and even 'X' reg Escorts and 's' plate Focii (sic)

 

Yes there was. Although Ford knew that the Escort was on borrowed time I guess, hence the Finesse model.

 

I'm sure 'mk5Escort' can confirm this.

[M'coli]

Welcome AndyW201, good first post!

I remember the run-out Sierra Azura very well. I have fond memories of driving one as a taxi in Middlesbrough in the late 90s. It seemed weird as it had a 1.6 CVH engine, rather than a Pinto that most other 1.6 Sierras came with, with injection and a cat. My gaffer said the last few Sierras were like that to get around tougher emissions laws? I believe the Chausseur was another run-out Sierra also?

An interesting point about the 1600 CVH, would this have been because the Pinto production lines had been converted to produce the Zetec but the CVH was soldiering on until they stuck it in the Escort? The Chausseur I'd forgotten about - would it have had the 2-litre I4 8-valve twincam?

Was there a run-out Imp? I'm sure there was a 1976 edition called the Caledonian, in Wardance orange paint?

Yes, the run-out was the Caledonian, in red, with red tartan trim.

[catsinthewelder]

The only car I ever remember my parents buying new was an F reg mk2 Fiesta Bonus from Elliott's Ford at Bishop Auckland.

 

Upgrades on the popular were an FM radio, black paint and white hubcaps. I think they already had a mk3 on site.

[kinkersaab]

in 1990 my mother bought a brand new metro, she opted for a run out clubman over a base new metro, 4 speaker stereo, parcel shelf and sunroof being the deal swingers. H301URS, now long dead i expect.

[holbeck]

Welcome AndyW201, good first post!

 

I remember the run-out Sierra Azura very well. I have fond memories of driving one as a taxi in Middlesbrough in the late 90s. It seemed weird as it had a 1.6 CVH engine, rather than a Pinto that most other 1.6 Sierras came with, with injection and a cat. My gaffer said the last few Sierras were like that to get around tougher emissions laws? I believe the Chausseur was another run-out Sierra also?

 

 

Pinto disappeared from the sierra at the final facelift <> when the grey instrument surround replaced black. <>

The engine line-up was then:-

1.6 CVH

1.8 iCVH sourced from the good ol' USA

2.0 DOHC

2.9i V6

 

Cheers H.

[AndyW201]

That Imp Caledonian looks quite a weapon. Pretty plush spec for a small car in '76.

 

Who can forget the 'Rapier' and 'Minx' versions of the Alpine and Solara (think I've got that the right way round...)? Quite a lot of 60's Rootes fans were right p'd off with those two IIRC!

 

Peugeot 205 Mardi Gras?

 

I think the SXi was the final version of the Nova and Astra mk2, years before the SXi became a regular Vauxhall trim level.

 

I remember the last of the Citroen AXs all seemed to be in Furio (or was it Forte) trim, with GT bodykit and steels. Similarly the last Saxos also seemed to be Furios, basically VTRs with a 1.4 engine and steelies.