anyone want to hazard a guess?

[xkjaguar]

 

answers later

[Mr Lobster]

Based on a Micra I would guess?

[Spottedlaurel]

I think one of the Rumba or Bolero versions? Just going to have a look at some scans...

[Karmann Ghiaman]

Or is it originally Scandinavian?

[Spottedlaurel]

Aha, a Bolero it would appear.

 

 

 

A factory job (by Nissan's Autech division), looks like there was no major bodywork just changing lights, bumpers etc. Couple of others in the same vein...

 

 

 

Copel Bonito, can't quite put my finger on what it's meant to resemble...

 

 

And the good old Mitsuoka Viewt.

[pogweasel]

Loving the 1100 VdP version there! (Bonito)Were it not for the curve on the door tops you'd almost believe it.

[HillmanImp]

Whilst trying to find more info on these on t'interweb i found this:

 

 

Looks good from the front. Here is the back....

 

 

Not so good. Is apparently based upon a corrola estate:

 

 

I love the idea of things like this, very kitch but in reality they just look like the originals but almost melted, but 10 out of 10 for trying.

 

Its a bit like those Ferrari 360 kits you can put on a Pug 405. I mean, it will look like a Ferrari, but go like a 405. Actually, a Ferrari you can tow with.....I am getting one

[keef]

 

Copel Bonito, can't quite put my finger on what it's meant to resemble...

 

 

combined with

 

http://tiny.homelinux.com/gallery2/main ... temId=1395

[garycox]

I like the Copel Bonito thingys, particularly the convertible one!Jag/American/Corolla estate looks rubbish, but I'd have it for comedy value...

[xkjaguar]

correctomundoits a nissan bolero march

[Mr Lobster]

I'd rather like one of these. Wonder how much it costs to import one from Japan?

 

 

Starts life as -

 

[Karmann Ghiaman]

If Jaguar were Ferrari, then the Viewt people would be in trouble...

 

Strange how the Japanese can come up with these really pretty retros, but most of their run-of-the-mill cars are so horrid. Mazda MX's are clearly based on certain classic British vehicles too. (I'm always badgering my wife to get a Nissan Figaro, but sadly she doesn't seem convinced ).

[garycox]

Wow that R4-alike is brilliant, I want one of those...

[gtd2000]

If Jaguar were Ferrari, then the Viewt people would be in trouble...

 

Strange how the Japanese can come up with these really pretty retros, but most of their run-of-the-mill cars are so horrid. Mazda MX's are clearly based on certain classic British vehicles too. (I'm always badgering my wife to get a Nissan Figaro, but sadly she doesn't seem convinced ).

Yeah but at the same time certain Classic British vehicles were very similar to certain Japanese vehicles out a year earlier too

 

Datsun Roadster comes to mind....

[Ratdat]

Roadster came out at the same time as the MGB but it was displayed at the Tokyo motorshow in '61. It seems unlikely thye 'B' took any inspiration from it as in those days, making sports cars is what our industry were good at. Certainly nobody here would ever admit to taking influence from a Japanese design either then or now. I find it amusing that the original MX5 which looked like something that should have been wearing Lotus Elan badges, arrived at the same time that the new ugly-as-sin FWD Lotus Elan did. If only Lotus could have built the MX5. Still, they made up for it with the Elise.One place where the Japanese were definately ahead of the game was with Micro cars and tiny trucks. They'd be making them for years before Europeans did and had some pretty innovative ideas too. The diddy trucks (Acty etc) were pretty much a Japanese thing and these proper retro styled niche models most definately are. I think they appeal to a market which simply doesn't exist outside of Japan.

[Cavcraft]

THey mess with your head! I was looking at the AD016 replica and the series one XJ6 one and thought both were fantastic and horrible at the same time. What's all that about?

[gtd2000]

Roadster came out at the same time as the MGB but it was displayed at the Tokyo motorshow in '61. It seems unlikely thye 'B' took any inspiration from it as in those days, making sports cars is what our industry were good at. Certainly nobody here would ever admit to taking influence from a Japanese design either then or now. I find it amusing that the original MX5 which looked like something that should have been wearing Lotus Elan badges, arrived at the same time that the new ugly-as-sin FWD Lotus Elan did. If only Lotus could have built the MX5. Still, they made up for it with the Elise.One place where the Japanese were definately ahead of the game was with Micro cars and tiny trucks. They'd be making them for years before Europeans did and had some pretty innovative ideas too. The diddy trucks (Acty etc) were pretty much a Japanese thing and these proper retro styled niche models most definately are. I think they appeal to a market which simply doesn't exist outside of Japan.

I hear ya - but to be honest I'm not that convinced that British sports cars were really that great either. My own feeling is that the benchmark was pretty low in the first place.I've always viewed the Japanese as folks who looked at something and actually made it better - then again having worked for the Japs for 4.5 years I really wonder how the hell they can do anything properly The most innovative thing that Japan brought to the market was bullet-proof reliability at a reasonable price. Something that in my biased opinion, no country other, than the Koreans of late have been able to emulate with consistency.OK I'm off my soap box