Cars you didn't know existed until very recently.

[Cleon-Fonte]

Amusingly, despite Lancia selling only one model in one country, they still managed to outsell Alfa Romeo and PSA's hateful DS brand across Europe last year.

[carlo]

Amusingly, despite Lancia selling only one model in one country, they still managed to outsell Alfa Romeo and PSA's hateful DS brand across Europe last year.

 

I'm not sure what's worse though, Fiat's attempt to maintain Lancia's proud name on that lamentable Ypsilon, or Citroen's above cynical marketing ploy of resurrecting the iconic DS name, from a a car famed for its ride/suspension above all else, and using it as a brand of cars whose most notable feature is a lack of a proper suspension.

[cort1977]

Wow, that Thesis is solid gold shite, I now want one with a vengeance.

[RoadworkUK]

I reckon the Thesis has aged really well.

 

I remember Top Gear mag reviewing the Hobbycar, I remember it seeming massively more 'pro' than most other amphibs.

[quicksilver]

All Vauxhalls may be shit but this ain't no Vauxhall. It might look like a Viva but it's actually a Chevrolet Firenza Can Am, made in South Africa with a 5-litre small-block Camaro V8 and nicknamed the 'Little Chev'. They built 100 to homologate it for racing and about 30 are left with 2 in the UK. I had no idea such a thing existed and you've got to love the Saffers for shoving huge V8s in everything.

 

[inconsistant]

Think this sort of counts, I was in that France last week and saw one of these that I'd completely forgotten about. Couldn't get a photos this is a google search one. I remember seeing loads in Holland, France and Switzerland a long time ago. I don't think we got them here but they're a sort of 3 door version with normal headlights of the 323f we got as a 5 door with pop up headlights.

I think.

 

[vulgalour]

Wait, another version of the 323?  Did they make one bodystyle for each day of the year or something?

[chaseracer]

There was some directive to limit a manufacturers average emissions.

Ferrari got away with it by claimimg to be part of Fiat, others did similar things.

 

The Cygnet was Aston Martins attempt to bring down the average CO...

 

...when it stopped being part of Ford, I suppose.

[chaseracer]

 

MG Midget tail lights?

[Datsuncog]

 

 

Sorry if it's already been picked up on, but a new one on me is Alfa Romeo commercials. Alfasud van was apparently a dealer-only factory variant not offered for general sale; though the AR6 was a rebadged Fiat Ducato sold in Italy only (while earlier ones were based on the Iveco Daily). Seems a touch incongruous that luxo-sport brand Alfa flogged vans at one point, but there you go.

Some dispute over whether they still knock out a few vans from time to time, or whether some Fiat Scudo owners are just handy with a glue gun.

 

[vulgalour]

I learned through this very forum that Alfa Romeo commercials are an oddity but not a new thing, they've been at it for years (fnar).

 

 

 

 

[Negative Creep]

Think this sort of counts, I was in that France last week and saw one of these that I'd completely forgotten about. Couldn't get a photos this is a google search one. I remember seeing loads in Holland, France and Switzerland a long time ago. I don't think we got them here but they're a sort of 3 door version with normal headlights of the 323f we got as a 5 door with pop up headlights.

I think.

 

mazda.jpeg

 

 

We definitely got those coupes in the UK, used to see a few knocking around but can't image they sold well

[Datsuncog]

We definitely got those coupes in the UK, used to see a few knocking around but can't image they sold well

Yeah, they were sold in the UK as the 323C. I'd imagine that with the MX3 still in the line-up at the time, there wasn't much point in another small 3-door Mazda hanging around the showrooms.

[Aston Martin]

Alfa made a knockoff Mustang... in Brazil.

[Supernaut]

Alfa made a knockoff Mustang... in Brazil.

WTAF.

[Aston Martin]

WTAF.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fábrica_Nacional_de_Motores

[vulgalour]

*closes Autoshite*  That's it.  We're done.

[LC Torana]

*closes Autoshite*  That's it.  We're done.

 

[Ghosty]

Judging from the wonderful sound blasting past me at work, you could get a five-cylinder Volvo C30!

[paulplom]

You can get a C30 in t-5 flavour. 250hp iirc. The best engine ever made.

[Junkman]

You can get a C30 in t-5 flavour. 250hp iirc. The best 5/8th of an engine ever made.

 

EFA

[philibusmo]

Alfa made a knockoff Mustang... in Brazil.

I amso pleased that I started this thread. This one post has made the cost of my broadband connection this month more than worth while.

[LC Torana]

Is there a single forum member that doesn't now want one?

[vulgalour]

 

 

 

It's a Gurgel BR-800.    Those wheel trims that look a lot like Astra items are, it seems, factory and not from an Astra.

 

Here's a Wiki article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gurgel_BR-800

[3VOM]

It's a Gurgel BR-800.    Those wheel trims that look a lot like Astra items are, it seems, factory and not from an Astra.

Peugeot maybe? I think the 205 had some like that.

[Snipes]

The other trims look like mk2 Polo to me

[Timewaster]

Is there a single forum member that doesn't now want one?

If I brought one home I think I would be single soon after.

[Pillock]

Aye, if those trims are factory they simply made a mould of Mk2 Polo and Mk2 Astra trims and banged them out. Absolutely identical even to the point of the Polo ones having a little indent one end for the badge.

 

I'm pretty sure I've seen the back lights on the hatchback somewhere else before, a little 1980s Honda perhaps?

 

It uses half a VW aircooled engine - two cylinders in boxer formation, and is exactly half the capacity of a 1584cc VW unit so I wonder if they just use the same barrels and pistons.

[vulgalour]

The other trims look like mk2 Polo to me

 

They do, now you mention it!  Rear hatch seems familiar, like it's from a Suzuki Alto or something like that, and the door handle/notches are very Renault 5.

[Timewaster]

I'm pretty sure I've seen the back lights on the hatchback somewhere else before, a little 1980s Honda perhaps?

 

Honda Quintet, but not quite.