Extinct cars

[Mash]

Many of the cars which define Autoshite are the ones which if not extinct are in extremely low surviving numbers and are just a bit too obscure to have any kind of mainstream following so therefore on the endangered list:

 

Renault 14

Renault 20

Honda Quintet

Chrysler 180/2-litre

Chrysler Alpine (pre-facelift)

Matra Rancho

Talbot Tagora

Mitsubishi Tredia

Mitsubishi Cordia

Hyundai Stellar

Hyundai Sonata (the original version)

Mazda 1500/1800

Mazda 808

Mazda 323 (1st Gen)

Mazda Xedos

Lonsdale

Fiat Strada (non-abarth)

Fiat 131

Fiat Argenta

Alfa 90

Lancia Trevi

Lancia Gamma Berlina

Lancia Prisma

Seat Malaga

Singer SM1500 & Hunter

Datsun 1000 (B10)

Datsun Laurel 1800 (C30)

Datsun Stanza

Daihatsu Charmant

Daihatsu Charade (1st Gen)

Daewoo Nexia

Sao Penza

FSO Polonez

FSO 125p

Lada Samara

Moskvitch

Kia Pride

Kia Mentor

Mazda 121 (all 3 types)

Toyota Tercel

Peugeot 604......!

 

Luckily, we've got the majority of these in our midst. As others have said, there are a number of more modern cars, many Korean, that are slipping under the radar but just a bit to recent to be considered yet. Time will change that of course.

[R9UKE]

Ah the Xedos - another on my list.

 

Wasn't there a Xedos 6 and a Xedos 9? What was the difference?

[messerschmitt owner]

to be fair, the world wouldn't be much worse a place for there being no examples of some of these cars left.

 

Having said that, I'd ride in a few.

[catsinthewelder]

I was a workshop apprentice at hm stevenson lancia,summer 1991 a transporter pulled up with kia pride's and these new looking old mazda 323's,went out and had a look,and remember asking what the fuck is a sao penza! Turns out fiat had knocked back hugh stevenson for the fiat franchise,so he took the first franchise that said yes,we had no brochures or signs,just the 4 pride's and 2 penza's.

 

They were there a month before a transporter turned up with panda's and uno's,i don't think we sold a penza at all,but one did get pdi'd and valeted for the showroom and sat beside a thema turbo.I don't think i have seen one since.

 

The Lancia garage in Durham (Embletons) took on Kia's when Lancia pulled out, they struggled on for a couple of years but closed down and the premises is now a wanky student bar.

 

 

They'd probably be the busiest showroom in town by now if they'd managed to hold on a couple more years

 

This is a dreadful view of the building, it's right over on the left, but I though I might as well post the picture anyway

 

[rover420]

In 1985 when I was doing my YTS in Colchester i used to go to a shop on East Hill most lunch times. The gentleman who owned the shop had a silver Lonsdale which he parked on the hill.

 

Its the only Lonsdale I've ever seen in the flesh, I think he had it for a few years.

[gricer]

Wasn't there a Xedos 6 and a Xedos 9? What was the difference?

 

Totally different cars - the Xedos 9 was a bigger car - effectively a 929 replacement. It came with an optional 2.3-litre Miller-cycle engine (regular IC engine uses the Otto cycle).

 

Xedos was Mazda's failed attempt to create a Lexus-style upmarket sub-brand. Fail.

[Woody]

In 1985 when I was doing my YTS in Colchester i used to go to a shop on East Hill most lunch times. The gentleman who owned the shop had a silver Lonsdale which he parked on the hill.

 

Its the only Lonsdale I've ever seen in the flesh, I think he had it for a few years.

 

Funnily enough, I thought of the same Lonsdale when it was first mentioned! It was gold not silver, and on an 'A' registration IIRC (I'm probably miles out). I used to go to the same shop as a lad after school round the corner (left in 1984), although more often to Pratts cos it was nearer . Where were you YTSing?

[vulgalour]

At the moment, I've been seeing lots of these Suzuki Swifts about the place, usually driven by the sorts of people that buy a car to be cheap and run into the ground, so I expect they will be on the endangered list in about 3-5 years time, especially since as far as I know there is no modifying following for them.

 

 

I really like them, for reasons I'm not entirely sure of. I imagine they're a massively high revving, tinny little greenhouse of a car but the sort of car you can drive on the limits everywhere, at any speed you can force out of them.

[jarkle]

I imagine most anything made by Proton in the 90s will be extinct fairly soon. Can't remember the last time I saw a Wira.

[Rusty Pelican]

Bloke at work has a Wira , its the high tax due to emissions that will kill these off , that and the fact they fall apart ,

[jarkle]

Anyone else remember the Wira rally cars?

 

 

I remember you could play as one on 'Network Q RAC Rally', a pretty poor rally sim circa 1995.

[cms206]

Anyone else remember the Wira rally cars?

 

 

I remember you could play as one on 'Network Q RAC Rally', a pretty poor rally sim circa 1995.

 

 

I have photos of their Lancer Evo 5s and 6s with Proton badges too. Woeful.

 

Amusingly I also have (somewhere) a commemerative poster declaring their pride at being "First Runner Up" in a rally somewhere.

[rover420]

In 1985 when I was doing my YTS in Colchester i used to go to a shop on East Hill most lunch times. The gentleman who owned the shop had a silver Lonsdale which he parked on the hill.

 

Its the only Lonsdale I've ever seen in the flesh, I think he had it for a few years.

 

Funnily enough, I thought of the same Lonsdale when it was first mentioned! It was gold not silver, and on an 'A' registration IIRC (I'm probably miles out). I used to go to the same shop as a lad after school round the corner (left in 1984), although more often to Pratts cos it was nearer . Where were you YTSing?

 

 

 

Yes your right it was gold and not silver. I was YTSing at Sound Attenuators Ltd (between Rollerworld & the Sorting Office) One of the guys at work had a 3.0 consul GT in white, I was more interested in that than the Lonsdale at the time but even then I realised what an oddball the Lonsdale was.

[Pillock]

I think it was Pillock who said there is a Malaga near him and I want it. Still waiting for photos. Will sell a kidney to get the fucker like as its No1 on my all time car hitlist.

 

I did, and there is. I'm still without photos even though I see it at least once a week.

HOWEVER.... it's not UK-registered, it's on Polish plates. So I wasn't wrong, but it probably wasn't the result you were after.

 

As with a lot of the Polski cars in our carpark, it's been driven over and will probably just get fragged once they've earned enough to buy something "posh" (usually a Vectra)

[Alpus]

Fiat Reagata

Seat Malaga

Renault 14

Daewoo Espero I've only seen three this year and 441 OTR.

Yugo 45

Fso (all together)

These are just some that come to mind.

[Mash]

Damn, how did I miss the Regata off my list??? Call myself a shiter?

 

Bottom of the class Mr. Mash

[Pete-M]

Daihatsu Applause GXi Auto.... appears to have died out in 2010.

 

Only reason I looked was the saloon version always reminded me of a Subaru.

 

[garycox]

I'd forgotten about those, I think they look really neat. Also they're not even a saloon so every time you open the boot you can BLOW PEOPLE'S MINDS.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

The Mitsubishi Galant seems to be getting very thin on the ground. Not that it had been hugely succesful in this country in the first place. It was a rather capable car being well-built, reliable, spacious, powerful and well-equipped, and it got massively outsold by such masterpieces as the Vectra and the Laguna.

[Largactil]

There's a Stellar (And a GC Mazda 626 - Can't be many of those left?) near where I live.

 

 

(Pinched from Google Maps - But they were still there when I passed by on Friday...)

[Rogue trader]

Back to the Mazda Xedos 6 and 9 question I thought the only difference was the engine's a 6 had a 2.0 six pot and the 9 a 2.5 six pot I could be wrong though.

[barrett]

Phowar! No way that's a coincidence, they must be owned by some London-based Hirst Cabs enthusiast. I implore you to go and get some decent photos!

[Largactil]

Phowar! No way that's a coincidence, they must be owned by some London-based Hirst Cabs enthusiast. I implore you to go and get some decent photos!

 

I will do - It's in a slightly iffy estate, but I'll endeavour to get on the case!

[Spiny Norman]

Back to the Mazda Xedos 6 and 9 question I thought the only difference was the engine's a 6 had a 2.0 six pot and the 9 a 2.5 six pot I could be wrong though.

 

Nope, totally different cars. The 6 was 3 series sized and the 9 was 5 series sized. I had a look at a 9 recently, it was the one with the supercharged Miller cycle engine, certainly had some heave for a 2.3 litre V6. Not as nice looking as the 6 though.

[gricer]

Re: Xedos (Xedi?)

 

Like I said on the previous page, Roguetrader. Read the thread!

[triumph1300]

Daihatsu domino? I bought one when I was 16 and at college. Never ever saw one before that or since...

[brammy777]

^ Have this:

1988 Daihatsu Domino 843cc Hatchback. by bramm77, on Flickr

 

There is also a grey one living in Kingston, but they are very rare now. Interesting to think how they pretty much lasted as a design for quite a considerable amount of time.

Also, I (and many others) assumed the 3 door Stanza would be extinct here, but I stumbled across one a few months ago:

1982 Datsun Stanza 1.6 SGL Hatchback. by bramm77, on Flickr

[SEATMad]

*EXTREME THREAD REVIVAL TIME* 

Stumbled on this old thread from AS yesteryear and I find it really interesting the theories some of you had all those years ago. Because I'm sad, I'll use @Mash's list above of "endangered" cars from 2012 to see how accurate we are 12 years later. I'll list the total left on the road for all specs, this will likely include imports registered, not including SORN, because cannot be that arsed 😂 . *DISCLAIMER* I'm using HML so best to take with a slight pinch of salt....

Renault 14 - 5 Left 

Renault 20 - 10 Left

Honda Quintet - 7 Left 

Chrysler 180/2-litre - 4 Left 

Chrysler Alpine (pre-facelift) - 12 Left

Matra Rancho - 1 Left 

Talbot Tagora - 0 Left (Obviously that red one that's recently been restored is still around) 

Mitsubishi Tredia - 0 Left

Mitsubishi Cordia - 2 Left

Hyundai Stellar - 3 Left 

Hyundai Sonata (the original version) - Unsure

Mazda 1500/1800 - 0 1500's, 3 1800's Left

Mazda 808 - 0 Left 

Mazda 323 (1st Gen) - Unsure 

Mazda Xedos - 48 including the Xedos 9 left

Lonsdale - Famously 0 left

Fiat Strada (non-abarth) - 22 Left including the cabrio

Fiat 131 - 4 Left

Fiat Argenta - 5 Left

Alfa 90 - 3 Left

Lancia Trevi - 4 Left

Lancia Gamma Berlina - 36 of all Gamma's Left

Lancia Prisma - 3 Left 

Seat Malaga - 0 left (Apparently there are 5 Premier's left however I believe this is an admin error) 

Singer SM1500 & Hunter - 3 Left 

Datsun 1000 (B10) - 5 Left

Datsun Laurel 1800 (C30) - 22 left of all Laurel's Left

Datsun Stanza - 8 Left

Daihatsu Charmant - 0 Left

Daihatsu Charade (1st Gen) - Unsure 

Daewoo Nexia - 16 Left 

Sao Penza - 0 Left  

FSO Polonez - 8 Left 

FSO 125p - 9 Left 

Lada Samara - 9 Left

Moskvitch - 11 Left 

Kia Pride - 22 Left

Kia Mentor - 15 Left 

Mazda 121 (all 3 types) - 100 Left 

Toyota Tercel - 15 Left

Peugeot 604 - 8 Left

 

Some have quite a surprising survival rate such as the Mazda 121 and the Kia Pride. Can't believe there's only 16 Nexia's left though. 

So to re-open the topic, what are the new "endangered cars" of 2024? 

 

 

[warren t claim]

@boobydoo had about three tagoras

[Gompo]

There's a Charmant on a SORN in London (below), as far as I know. Spotted by a few previously although not by me unfortunately. No idea what what happened to Hirst's?