Cars you didn't know existed until very recently.

[barefoot]

I saw a SEAT Toledo the other day and couldn't believe how similar it was to a Vel Satis. 

 

[Dobloseven]

1 hour ago, artdjones said:

Probably just as well it didn't go ahead. They started with completely unconventional cars designed by a genius and ended with cheap Daimlers, which were as boring and conventional as it was possible for them to be.

The one shown in the brochure is a Mk 2,which is as you say,essentially a cheapened Daimler Conquest.The Mk 1 had some interesting features, along with more modern styling. A one piece bonnet and front wing assembly that tilted forwards and a proper two pedal automatic transmission along with unitary construction. It's easy to forget Ford was still making sidevalve engines with three speed gearboxes at the time. 

[adw1977]

Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust has more info on the Sprite, including a picture of the sole survivor.

Interesting that in 1954 the Sprite, with a 1.6 litre engine, was considered a breakthrough for automatic transmissions in smaller engined cheaper cars.  A decade later,  BMC were offering 848cc Minis with automatic gearboxes!

[martc]

Made in Chile apparently.

[andrew e]

On 17/07/2023 at 05:30, Wack said:

Bertone B99 , a 2011 jaguar based concept car 

Jaguar must've been mad not to jump on that 

Scroll back to 2011 and Bertone had been in a parlous state for much of the previous decade. The arrival of this beautiful concept car at that year’s 2011 Geneva Motor Show proved that this hardy legend still had the ability to surprise. What’s more, it was styled by a Brit – the talented Adrian Griffiths.

While Jaguar was keen to distance itself from anything remotely retro, here was a styling masterclass that appeared classic without being clichéd. The B99 concept was also touted as a hybrid, with both a combustion engine and electric motors. Not only that, it was displayed next to a mocked-up racing version, complete with the mother of all rear spoilers. However, it came to nothing.

Looked fabulous in the flesh too, here’s a video I took at the time:

 

[Bfg]

On 13/11/2023 at 14:30, artdjones said:

and ended with cheap Daimlers, which were as boring and conventional as it was possible for them to be.

I cannot really agree with this as the small V8 hemi when used in the Sp250 was neither boring nor conventional.  Nor I feel were any of the Daimler models after Jaguar's takeover in 1960.  There was undoubtable a flat spot in car styling between the war and the 1960's, but focus was on moving towards uni-body and monocoque structures, which at the time implied heavy cars of blob shapes from almost every saloon car manufacturer.

[bunglebus]

https://www.lumma-design.co.uk/

Saw a Defender by these guy earlier. Looked quite beastly but I can imagine their typical customer 

[MiniMinorMk3]

1970 Porsche Tapiro by Giorgetto Giugiaro

[New POD]

3 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

https://www.lumma-design.co.uk/

Saw a Defender by these guy earlier. Looked quite beastly but I can imagine their typical customer 

No offence to anyone with a tattoo. But they will have tattoos. 

[artdjones]

3 hours ago, Bfg said:

I cannot really agree with this as the small V8 hemi when used in the Sp250 was neither boring nor conventional.  Nor I feel were any of the Daimler models after Jaguar's takeover in 1960.  There was undoubtable a flat spot in car styling between the war and the 1960's, but focus was on moving towards uni-body and monocoque structures, which at the time implied heavy cars of blob shapes from almost every saloon car manufacturer.

I was talking about Lanchester, not Daimler itself.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

I thought I knew all about Granadas, right up until I watched a Korean film recently set in the 80’s and the senior Cops and Government people,were using these.

I knew about the Hyundai Cortinas but had no idea they made Grannys, note the V6 badge and the Japanese looking interior, apparently very expensive and only available for 3 years . 
Now to research the Kia alternative- a Pug 604!

[martc]

Another Romanian pick-up in Syria, this time a Dacia 1309F converted back to (roughly) a car. In Syria (like the UK back in the day) commercials based on cars have lower tax so are very popular. But what is not popular is that it's a pick-up so a local company will convert it back to a car (ie put a lid on the pick up bit).

[martc]

So what's this? A FIAT or SEAT? May be something FIAT based from the Bloc?  No, it's an Egyptian made Nasr 133 (Based on the SEAT 133).

[Metal Guru]

1 hour ago, martc said:

So what's this? A FIAT or SEAT? May be something FIAT based from the Bloc?  No, it's an Egyptian made Nasr 133 (Based on the SEAT 133).

Reminds me of that ad for a Peugeot 206 where the Indian guy starts with a Hindustan Ambassador and smashes it up to make a 206 and it comes out the right shape but covered in dents.

[bunglebus]

Suzuki Twin

[Metal Guru]

14 hours ago, bunglebus said:

Suzuki Twin

OK, let’s take the Ka as our inspiration but make it smaller and more shite.

[quicksilver]

1 hour ago, Metal Guru said:

OK, let’s take the Ka as our inspiration but make it smaller and more shite.

Kei Ka!

Fun* fact: according to Wikipedia it was the first hybrid kei car on the market.

[17-Coffees]

The other week I got a brochure for the Mitsubishi (lack of) Carisma, I was shocked to find out they made...

it as a SALOOOOOOOON! 

The 2 people I've mentioned it to were both as surprised as me that such a thing existed!

 

[SunnySouth]

On 13/11/2023 at 13:17, MiniMinorMk3 said:

Fiat Panda 4x4 Strip by Italdesign.

That’s a brilliant little thing!

[Volksy]

I think that Seat used to make something like that Panda Strip out of the Marbella. 

 

*Edit* They did, called the Seat Panda Terra

[Bfg]

And now for something completely different .. if you'd forgive a slightly lateral step on the theme of this topic ..for although I knew of the vehicle - I neither knew the name of the man behind it, nor did I realise just how long ago such a motorised vehicle able to carry four persons ..and draw 4 tons along the road, was designed, built and tested.

Nicolas Joseph Cugnot (engineer) - (French. b. 26 February 1725.  d. 2 October 1804) invented and built this steam powered Fardier à vapeur (..a fardier was a massively built two-wheeled horse-drawn cart for transporting very heavy equipment, so in essence a 'steam-powered flat-bed' haulage tractor) 254 years ago  ..yes Two-hundred and fifty-four Years ago.!

The tractor unit was articulated to the trailer (surely an idea that would never catch on !? ), and it was built to a military specification ; to be able to carry or draw along four tons and cover two lieue (7.8 km, or 4.8 miles) in one hour.  It never achieved that specification but it did drive under its own power.  In 1770, a full sized Fardier was built and it travelled at a speed of 4 km/h (little over 2mph) with a running time of fifteen minutes, before its relatively small boiler need to be refired and the steam raised again.

This was a decade and half before higher pressure steam engines were fervently opposed by certain persons British history better remembers.. Messrs James Watt and Matthew Boulton

< more here > and < here > with < video here >. And for those interested in the history of steam road vehicles < here's > another Wikipedia link.

 

And here was I thinking 'motor vehicles that ran on the open road ground (ie., not along rails / tracks) before WW.1 were really old'.  

Pete

 

 

[RayMK]

@Bfg In 1959 my primary school class was taught about Cugnot's 1769 front wheel drive steam cart by a teacher who was clearly bored by the Tudors and Stuarts etc.  It made a lasting impression on me.  I was particularly impressed by the slightly later British steam road carriages that the same teacher went on to cover with great enthusiasm.  If I remember correctly, the Odhams  Children's Encyclopedia published in the 1950/60s also included details and illustrations of these very early steam powered vehicles.  I have not opened the book for decades - I think it's in my bookcase upstairs.  Time to investigate, if I can avoid being distracted by Observers Books and the like, all gathering dust!

Edited November 21, 2023 by RayMK
Proof reading failures mostly* corrected.

[Richard_FM]

I remember my Brother's Supercars book mentioned Cugnot's steam carriage.  From what I remember he crashed it into a wall & was fined for the damage caused!

[High Jetter]

25 minutes ago, RayMK said:

taught about Cugnot's 1769 front wheel drive steam cart

A bit later, so was I. Got a bit confused, as my first girlfriend (late, at 16 ) had the surname Chagnot. (I did, though. Many times

[martc]

An OSI 1200. OSI were a French company partly funded by Ghia. The cars were based on FIATs, the 1200 was  sold as a FIAT Neckar St Trop in Germany.

Some more info, and the chance to buy one here https://www.carjager.com/en/buy/collection-car/fiat-neckar-CJVCUN2202211107R1T.html

[MiniMinorMk3]

On 21/11/2023 at 20:20, Bfg said:

And now for something completely different .. 

I remember this from the PG Tips History of the Motor Car cards

It was card number 1 in the set

[quicksilver]

No, it's not an Austin/Nash Metropolitan and I'm sure we all know those exist - it's a Hudson Metropolitan. After Nash took over Hudson in 1954, a quick fix to expand the range was by badge-engineering the Metropolitan without much success.

And another even rarer Hudson. The Italia was a superleggera coupe based on Hudson Jet running gear, designed in conjunction with and built by Touring in Italy. It cost more than a Cadillac so they only made 25 and Nash immediately killed it off.

[High Jetter]

4 hours ago, MiniMinorMk3 said:

I remember this from the PG Tips History of the Motor Car cards

It was card number 1 in the set

Christ that brings back memories. I had that sticker book! It's not inconceivable that I still do, somewhere.  

[Bfg]

7 hours ago, MiniMinorMk3 said:

I remember this from the PG Tips History of the Motor Car cards

It was card number 1 in the set

    

Yes I remember those. Good spot !

[sheffcortinacentre]

4 minutes ago, Bfg said:

Yes I remember those. Good spot !

Think we have around a dozen from when I was a kid.

Plus I think a poster to go with that one.