Cars you didn't know existed until very recently.

[Austat]

1969 Opel CD concept:

and the 1969 Opel Diplomat Frua CD concept:

 

[Wack]

Rover 75c 

[High Jetter]

^^^ That was in the mag a while back. I thought it looks superb.

[Remspoor]

8 hours ago, Wack said:

Rover 75c 

 

Read about it here https://the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=302318

Same guy who had done a coupe conversion.

https://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=233411

[Wack]

8 hours ago, High Jetter said:

^^^ That was in the mag a while back. I thought it looks superb.

If they'd made that in house at Rover BMW would've crushed it

 

Still makes me laugh that even with what must be 100s of hours of design and fabrication the bonnet still looks open

[Remspoor]

Your last ride in an Airstream

https://www.airstream.com/blog/history-spotlight-the-airstream-funeral-coach/

[bunglebus]

Ora Punk Cat - China obvs and totally not a Beetle

 

[bunglebus]

The Lightening Cat is also totally not a Porsche either

[Austat]

Fiat 125 Mirafiori. Built in Argentina from 1978 to 1982, long after 125 production in Italy had ended in 1972.

[catsinthewelder]

That Ora Punk Cat looks loads better than any of VWs water cooled beetles.

[lesapandre]

They do 3 models...the Rita, the Ki and the top of the range L-SX.

[AnthonyG]

Love those dashboards/interiors of the Oras - that’s proper glitz, particularly in the ‘Punk Cat’.

Sadly concerns about blinding reflections from sunlight killed that sort of thing off for most manufacturers about 1970.

Probably fine for the average smog/fog laden Chinese industrial city though. 

[Austat]

Fiat 126 Jungla Savio:

[Austat]

1985 Mazda Bongo Brawny Sky Lounge:

[Austat]

Fiat 127 Fissore Scout:

Fissore also did a 127 hatch conversion with a lower boot line and rear light clusters from a 126:

[Sham]

127 Hatch was available direct from Fiat.

My mum had an R reg one, and nice it was too.

[barrett]

2 hours ago, Sham said:

127 Hatch was available direct from Fiat.

My mum had an R reg one, and nice it was too.

Only the later cars. They started out as saloons only but I guess realised they could sell more if they added a hatch. Not sure when it actually appeared but not for a few years

EDIT: apparently it was only a year after the launch, so that Fissore job must have been an early attempt, although the factory cars still had the big lip so perhaps just a marginally more practical option for those looking to own something exclusive

[Richard_FM]

Here's a 127 hatchback on this mini brochure from 1972.

[somewhatfoolish]

Impressive capacity for buttonback armchairs.

[lesapandre]

That's no armchair...it's a big lip...

Seriously what an advanced and practical car for 1972 - look what BL were nailing together at the time.

I remember loads on the road.

[ProgRocker]

You could still buy a 127 2 door saloon into the 1980s in base spec iirc. 

A few weeks ago I discovered that not only does Hyundai make (or made) a variation on the car I now own: 'Grand i10' for some other markets such as India. There's also a 'Grand i10 Sedan' sold in South America. 

Of course a Grand i10 saloon would sell about as well as Gary Glitter LPs in the UK today. 

[catsinthewelder]

[Dyslexic Viking]

 

From what I understand, the i10 Grand is very popular as Taxi in South America and Asia so maybe built specifically for that in mind?

 

The regular versions are also common as Taxi and understand why they are cheap to buy reliable and durable.

[Volksy]

8 hours ago, somewhatfoolish said:

Impressive capacity for buttonback armchairs.

My old man rented cars for the drive to and from Heathrow for the family trips abroad. Being from Yorkshire, he always rented the smallest car, hoping for an upgrade when the family and luggage wouldn't fit. 

One time Hertz brought round a Mk1 Fiesta, and their was no chance of everything going in. He whinged and kicked up a fuss, and they brought round a 127 as an alternative... 

He grumbled away as he tried to load up the cases, and low and behold they all fitted. I guess the Fiat had a deeper boot as the spare was under the bonnet.

 

He was so impressed, he went out and bought one to replace my Mums 1980 Mini City the following week. 

 

[Sham]

We went camping in the 127. 3 people, and the tent and enough gear to get us through a week - including food in a 3 door city car. No roof rack, no trailer. All in the car.

Considering the alternatives around at the time... 

[adw1977]

On 28/07/2021 at 07:20, ProgRocker said:

You could still buy a 127 2 door saloon into the 1980s in base spec iirc

Yes, there was still a two door base model in 1983:

[MiniMort]

The Ford Otosan Taunus - effectively a Cortina 80 that was built until 1994!

[bunglebus]

Mk1 Orion rear lights if I remember correctly 

[Asimo]

[sheffcortinacentre]

13 hours ago, MiniMort said:

The Ford Otosan Taunus - effectively a Cortina 80 that was built until 1994!

There was a P100 too.

They now build transits only.