Cars you didn't know existed until very recently.

[motorpunk]

On 11/11/2020 at 7:33 PM, Lacquer Peel said:

Lolwhat 

 

 

I think they’re genuine Bauer conversions. They’re an interesting company and have done weird stuff that doesn’t seem to make any sense. I like it.

[sdkrc]

Fiat 127 Panorama in diesel flavour. 1.3L, 44bhp, 3doors.

[Slappy]

The Suzuki Swace. According to Wiki it's a mildly restyled Corolla available in Europe only. And only in estate form here at least. I can see these being popular*.

Wait a sec, I think these are being built in Derby too having read an Autocar article quickly! Welcome Suzuki to UK manufacturing!

[Austat]

Mazda Chantez, was going to have a small rotary engine under 660cc to meet with Kei-car regulations but ended up with a two stroke:

[Inspiral_Mondays]

On 11/16/2020 at 3:30 PM, Slappy said:

The Suzuki Swace. According to Wiki it's a mildly restyled Corolla available in Europe only. And only in estate form here at least. I can see these being popular*.

Wait a sec, I think these are being built in Derby too having read an Autocar article quickly! Welcome Suzuki to UK manufacturing!

I actually looked at this as a possible replacement for our venerable Fiat Panda which, following glowing praise on this very website, has landed us with an eye watering bill due to the rear shock absorbers, handbrake cable, waterpump, front brakes and battery all requiring replacement in quick succession. The Swace is only available as a full hybrid and uses the Toyota hybrid system, as it is basically a Corolla. I‘m a big fan of this system for city cars and there are some unbelievable leasing deals to be had here in Germany. Unfortunately, it turns out Mrs I is not keen on cars which won‘t let you select which gear to use, and even less keen on cars that won‘t even let you select which engine.

[jon.k]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Leyland-15-Pickup-Believed-to-be-the-last-remaining-one-on-the-road/233758611399?hash=item366d1957c7:g:HKQAAOSwSDteoJYo

 

Leyland 15 Pickup

[brownnova]

This months Craptical Plastics has a Yak Yeoman in it... 

Never heard of one of them before... and bloody hell do I want one now!! 
 

[bobdisk]

8 hours ago, jon.k said:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Leyland-15-Pickup-Believed-to-be-the-last-remaining-one-on-the-road/233758611399?hash=item366d1957c7:g:HKQAAOSwSDteoJYo

 

Leyland 15 Pickup

I think I remember something like it named "Atlas" in the 60s/70s. Showing my age now!

[motorpunk]

9 hours ago, jon.k said:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Leyland-15-Pickup-Believed-to-be-the-last-remaining-one-on-the-road/233758611399?hash=item366d1957c7:g:HKQAAOSwSDteoJYo

 

Leyland 15 Pickup

That’s a very pretty thing!

[Remspoor]

Nobe 100

Coming to you from Estonia.

https://mynobe.com/

If a "start-up" like this can make something like this.  I ask the question why could not Dyson produce a EV car? He gave all sorts of excuses why not.

[JeeExEll]

Standard Atlas was badged as a Triumph in USA .

[Timewaster]

19 hours ago, brownnova said:

Yak Yeoman

That's almost what I said when I saw it.

[RoadworkUK]

3 hours ago, Remspoor said:

Nobe 100

Coming to you from Estonia.

https://mynobe.com/

If a "start-up" like this can make something like this.  I ask the question why could not Dyson produce a EV car? He gave all sorts of excuses why not.

Yep, that's prominently displayed on a wall in line of sight from the main bus station in Tallin.

 

[Remspoor]

On 11/22/2020 at 10:38 PM, jon.k said:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Leyland-15-Pickup-Believed-to-be-the-last-remaining-one-on-the-road/233758611399?hash=item366d1957c7:g:HKQAAOSwSDteoJYo

 

Leyland 15 Pickup

 

23 hours ago, JeeExEll said:

Standard Atlas was badged as a Triumph in USA .

 

[martc]

To be honest I knew about this one, but I bet there's a fair few parishioners unaware of the RAP Pulse. I read about a Mk1 in a copy of Motorcycle International from the 80's, someone in London was importing them (they were made in the USA) to order. The Mk1 had a Yamaha XS400 engine making it a tadge underpowered, the outrider wheels, which were supposed to just balance it when stopped, hit the road frequently causing it to rock from side to side and the turning circle was pathetic. No reverse gear.  The article mentioned a Mk2 with a Gold Wing engine - which would certainly improve performance and also had a reverse. The very first ones were called 'Litestars', about 360 were made.

Anyhow, feast your eyes - car or bike? Or plane? The bodystyles seem to alter as some have tailplanes and fins, others have pop up headlights.

Probably a  Mk1

I think this one is a Mk2.

Dunno

More details here - http://www.autocycles.org/index.html

 

 

[catsinthewelder]

I think I saw one of those in the background of Back to the future II.

[bunglebus]

Yep

There's a red one visible for a moment too

Probably this one from Robocop

White one briefly seen in LA Story

[17-Coffees]

Emme 422T, sometimes hailed as the Brazilian Lotus...

A company bought Lotus's leftover stock of 4-pot engines from the Esprit, then slapped them into a design that looked a little too much like the Volvo EEC concept. Despit all the Lotus badges I fail to find any evidence of lotus involvement other than the engines...

It sold as well as you'd expect, due to lawsuits and the fact alot of parts would need to have imported from the Uk to brazil...

 

 

[Remspoor]

Blackwell SPR1, formaly known as a Widow.

https://www.blackwellsportscars.com/

[Rod/b]

On 11/28/2020 at 11:53 PM, 17-Coffees said:

Emme 422T, sometimes hailed as the Brazilian Lotus...

A company bought Lotus's leftover stock of 4-pot engines from the Esprit, then slapped them into a design that looked a little too much like the Volvo EEC concept. Despit all the Lotus badges I fail to find any evidence of lotus involvement other than the engines...

It sold as well as you'd expect, due to lawsuits and the fact alot of parts would need to have imported from the Uk to brazil...

 

 

Looks like the sort of thing a 1990s movie production company would make out of an old Ford Taurus as “Generic Car of Future”

[bunglebus]

Sure someone was discussing the lack of car size pickups recently. Drove past a Nissan dealer today, don't know if they're all electric of if you get a dinosaur juice version 

[bunglebus]

In searching for pics of that ^ I found some other oddballs

Have a look here https://www.nissan-global.com/EN/HERITAGE/index.html

And here https://www.nissan-global.com/EN/HERITAGE/index2.html

[quicksilver]

On 11/28/2020 at 7:53 PM, 17-Coffees said:

Emme 422T, sometimes hailed as the Brazilian Lotus...

A company bought Lotus's leftover stock of 4-pot engines from the Esprit, then slapped them into a design that looked a little too much like the Volvo EEC concept. Despit all the Lotus badges I fail to find any evidence of lotus involvement other than the engines...

It sold as well as you'd expect, due to lawsuits and the fact alot of parts would need to have imported from the Uk to brazil...

 

 

My first reaction was that it must be a Chinese knock-off of a Volvo S80. The South American motor industry continues to surprise and fascinate.

[bunglebus]

At a roundabout earlier and for brief moment thought a Lada Riva had pulled up next to me - but it was one of these

Nissan Rasheen, most seem to come in pleasingly retro colours too, and some with plaid interiors. I really like these, looks better in the metal than in the pics, nicely square in a sea of modern blobs. Miss Bunglebus approved too so maybe if I can track one down she'll have an interesting 1st car

[martc]

Paul Arzens L’Oeuf Electrique (The Electric Egg).

So when do you think this was made? No not that recent, it was built in 1942 as a result of petrol rationing. It could do 37mph and had a range of 60 miles.

http://oldconceptcars.com/1930-2004/paul-arzens-loeuf-electrique-1942-the-electric-egg/

[egg]

2 hours ago, bunglebus said:

Nissan Rasheen, most seem to come in pleasingly retro colours too, and some with plaid interiors. I really like these, looks better in the metal than in the pics, nicely square in a sea of modern blobs. Miss Bunglebus approved too so maybe if I can track one down she'll have an interesting 1st car

They come up fairly regularly over here - but probably if you're looking for one, not for ages...

I think the oeuf needs to be my next avatar!

[Supernaut]

2 hours ago, bunglebus said:

 

I already knew about the Rasheen, but that interior, with that steering wheel and a manual gearbox?!

I need a lie down. Oof.

[bunglebus]

3 minutes ago, Supernaut said:

I already knew about the Rasheen, but that interior, with that steering wheel and a manual gearbox?!

I need a lie down. Oof.

Apparently the only manual in the uk. That was an ad from 2018 and it needed welding then

[Quintus]

29 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

Apparently the only manual in the uk. That was an ad from 2018 and it needed welding then

Wikipedia says production ended in August 2000, so I'd imagine any surviving examples have Figaro levels of rustyness by now.

[cort1977]

On 11/25/2020 at 8:15 PM, martc said:

 

More details here - http://www.autocycles.org/index.html

 

 

Similarly, I have always been intrigued by these things - Peraves Monotracer.  Aerodynamically these must be about as good as you can get, CdA of 0.18.