Cars you didn't know existed until very recently.

[AnthonyG]

1 hour ago, GeordieInExile said:

It was only a concept. It should have been produced for real. 

That’s lovely, but I’m not sure about the intended target market, apart from French people who had given up trying to keep their old Scimitar GTE, P1800ES or Beta HPE on the road…

[GeordieInExile]

1 hour ago, AnthonyG said:

That’s lovely, but I’m not sure about the intended target market, apart from French people who had given up trying to keep their old Scimitar GTE, P1800ES or Beta HPE on the road…

The target market is Autoshite. 

[martc]

Sexism alert.

I'm quoting here, OK, so get off your high horses - 'the Toyota Carina Jun, female specification'. Introduced in June 1982 . In reverse it emitted an ultrasonic wave which reflected off obstacles and bounced back to a sensor, the nearenes was indicated by coloured lights mounted on the parcel shelf. It was marketed as a female car due to the '80's perception of female reversing skillz. Japan only I believe, not sure if it was available in pink.

[martc]

This isn’t just your regular FIAT 131, nor a Turkish made Tofaş Şahin it’s a Nasr Şahin that was produced in Egypt. The livery shows it was once a taxi (which most were).

[martc]

Not an MG but a Jensen 504 BMC prototype with an interesting spare wheel setup, designed by Eric Neale, made in 1953.

[martc]

1990-1993 Biagini Passo, one of 65 built. The Passo was made by Italian manufacturer ACM, and is essentially a VW Golf Cabriolet on a Golf Country platform. The front and rear have been changed a lot though, the turn signals were borrowed from the Fiat Ritmo and the tail lights from the Panda. Unlike the Golf Cabriolet, the rear tailgate could be opened wider than before. It also featured a massive front bar and a changed grille. Enginewise it was only available with one engine, a 1.8 litre four-cylinder with 98 hp, which was also the only engine available in the Golf Country.

[Remspoor]

Volkswagen W12 (Roadster/Syncro /Nardo). In 2002 took the world record for all speed classes over 24 hours over the Nardò Ring at Lecce.

[bunglebus]

Chappe et Gessalin

[MiniMinorMk3]

On 14/06/2024 at 22:50, bunglebus said:

How about the Leata Caballero, an attempt to take the American Shovitt upmarket. There's even a pickup

Which looks much better than the hatchback

Original Press Shot

[Lord Sterling]

Nissan Autech Zagato Stelvio AZ1

Don't much like the floor mats in it.

Give me a jiffy and I'll see if I can get some proper OEM ones....

[Snake Charmer]

Boschert B300.

 

[lesapandre]

On 25/09/2024 at 11:22, martc said:

Not an MG but a Jensen 504 BMC prototype with an interesting spare wheel setup, designed by Eric Neale, made in 1953.

Would have been the successor to the A40 sports perhaps which was on the Somerset chassis. Must have been trumped by the BMC merger and the MGA and Austin's tie-up with Healey which pushed Jensen out into the cold. Early Interceptors used an uprated Austin 4-l six out of the Sheerline car which itself was a development of an Austin lorry engine. All very convoluted the history of the times. That car has some nice touches if a bit over-curved and kit-car-ish. Fibreglass I'd assume.

[quicksilver]

2 hours ago, lesapandre said:

Would have been the successor to the A40 sports perhaps which was on the Somerset chassis. Must have been trumped by the BMC merger and the MGA and Austin's tie-up with Healey which pushed Jensen out into the cold. Early Interceptors used an uprated Austin 4-l six out of the Sheerline car which itself was a development of an Austin lorry engine. All very convoluted the history of the times. That car has some nice touches if a bit over-curved and kit-car-ish. Fibreglass I'd assume.

It didn't stop Jensen from trying to work with BMC though. This isn't as I first thought a Crayford ADO16 but a one-off Jensen convertible based on the 1100 Countryman. Jensen built it speculatively, showed it to BMC and told them "we can build this for you". BMC's reply was "no thanks, we're not interested" so that was the end of it until Crayford came along a few years later.

 

 

[lesapandre]

10 minutes ago, quicksilver said:

It didn't stop Jensen from trying to work with BMC though. This isn't as I first thought a Crayford ADO16 but a one-off Jensen convertible based on the 1100 Countryman. Jensen built it speculatively, showed it to BMC and told them "we can build this for you". BMC's reply was "no thanks, we're not interested" so that was the end of it until Crayford came along a few years later.

 

 

That is a pity - dear old BMC - probably better engineered than the Crayford stuff - the rear looks particularly good presumably to gain lateral rigidity.

Jensen did go on to assemble the Sunbeam Tiger for Rootes - production of up to 300 cars per week. 

Jensen was a bigger operation than some suppose. The loss of the Tiger contract and the under-developed Jensen Healey really eroded their balance-sheet.

In a way they were a manufacturer without a market - as others took-up their best ideas and did them more cheaply.

[Muniphobia]

Jensen made the P1800 for Volvo until Volvo had problems with the quality control and moved the production back to Sweden.

[MiniMinorMk3]

12 hours ago, Lord Sterling said:

Nissan Autech Zagato Stelvio AZ1

Don't much like the floor mats in it.

Give me a jiffy and I'll see if I can get some proper OEM ones....

Looks like a cut and shut of a Silvia Coupe and a Lancia Beta Coupe.

[Westbay]

What is that bulge on the righthand wing/bonnet ??

[MorrisItalSLX]

21 minutes ago, Westbay said:

What is that bulge on the righthand wing/bonnet ??

I think there is a bulge on both sides concealing the wing mirrors.

Maybe this is where Vauxhall got the idea from for the Vectra?

[Tayne]

13 hours ago, Snake Charmer said:

Boschert B300.

 

One of the wierd car people posted a picture of this on Twitter a few months back, i thought it looked cool and went looking for more pictures.

ALmost all show it with the doors up, because it looks horendous with them down.

The door looks like it was made on Blue Peter and you can park your bike in the shut lines.

[Tayne]

21 hours ago, Lord Sterling said:

Nissan Autech Zagato Stelvio AZ1

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don't much like the floor mats in it.

Give me a jiffy and I'll see if I can get some proper OEM ones....

 

 

If you need to know about the quirks and features.

 

 

[Remspoor]

MG Windsor. I love* that British connection don't you?🤣

Loving the headlamps in the bumpers too! (not)

Looks like it has been released in India, maybe Australia too.  According to this Spanish report heading for Europe too .

https://www.motor.es/noticias/mg-windsor-ev-2024104227.html

 

[Metal Guru]

1 hour ago, Remspoor said:

MG Windsor. I love* that British connection don't you?🤣

Loving the headlamps in the bumpers too! (not)

Looks like it has been released in India, maybe Australia too.  According to this Spanish report heading for Europe too .

https://www.motor.es/noticias/mg-windsor-ev-2024104227.html

 

If I’d have seen that without badges, I would have said  Fiat have resurrected the Multipla. 

[GeorgeB]

22 hours ago, Tayne said:

 

 

If you need to know about the quirks and features.

 

 

Wow, he is annoying!

[Tayne]

Indigo 3000 

 

Volvo-based Scandi-TVR

[lesapandre]

14 hours ago, Remspoor said:

MG Windsor. I love* that British connection don't you?🤣

Loving the headlamps in the bumpers too! (not)

Looks like it has been released in India, maybe Australia too.  According to this Spanish report heading for Europe too .

https://www.motor.es/noticias/mg-windsor-ev-2024104227.html

 

Looks like a 10 yo Picasso with the lights swapped about.

[quicksilver]

Never seen one of these before.

Suzuki Hustler - some sort of JDM kei crossover thing.

[LightBulbFun]

23 minutes ago, quicksilver said:

Never seen one of these before.

Suzuki Hustler - some sort of JDM kei crossover thing.

at first glance I thought it was one of those Citroen Ami Class Chinese EV's you can get from Aliexpress and the such like....

[MiniMort]

2 hours ago, quicksilver said:

Never seen one of these before.

Suzuki Hustler - some sort of JDM kei crossover thing.

These were everywhere when I went to Japan earlier this year. Quite cute in the flesh, particularly when they have the HUSTLER badging across the bonnet!

As I recall, they also did a non-kei version called the S-Presso.

[agent]

1 hour ago, MiniMort said:

These were everywhere when I went to Japan earlier this year. Quite cute in the flesh, particularly when they have the HUSTLER badging across the bonnet!

As I recall, they also did a non-kei version called the S-Presso.

Non kei version is the Xbee, which is basically the same thing but scaled up a bit and with the styling fudged about a little.

The S-presso is a different thing and I believe an indian market special? (and south america going off the picture I found). Probably a good contender for this thread too, Suzuki seem to have tons of random cheap things they only sell in specific countries that you'd never hear of otherwise.

[GR8 PL8 M8]

On 02/10/2024 at 08:44, Remspoor said:

MG Windsor. I love* that British connection don't you?🤣

Loving the headlamps in the bumpers too! (not)

Looks like it has been released in India, maybe Australia too.  According to this Spanish report heading for Europe too .

https://www.motor.es/noticias/mg-windsor-ev-2024104227.html

The "W" in "WINDSOR" is a flipped "M" and I can't unsee it.

I'm going to call them the Mingesor in my head from now on.