Cars you didn't know existed until very recently.

[Bucketeer]

I was vaguely aware of the Saabaru 9-2X but not the 9-7X.

 

http://www.mobile.bg/pcgi/mobile.cgi?topmenu=2&act=4&adv=21410695869092670&slink=a3x1ox

 

And I certainly didn't expect it to have a 5.3 V8.

Also . . . . . .

 

For 2008 a new high-performance variant was added using the 390 horsepower (291 kW) 6.0L GM Small-Block LS2 V8

[quicksilver]

The 9-7X is a reworked Chevy Trailblazer apparently, nicknamed the 'Trollblazer'. What the point of it is I'm not certain.

[Taff]

a Toyota Levin went blasting past me on the M4 yesterday. Never seen one before, didn't look too bad, in a JDM-baby skyline kind of way.

 

No pics, sorry, at work

[Vin]

Another new one on me, that I spotted on the M62 the other day, was a Toyota Proace. Basically a Toyota badged Peugeot Expert...

 

You get the impression that these days, if a manufacturer needs a new van they are straight on the phone to 'Tofas' or 'Sevel Nord'...

 

[Lukas]

Another car to ruin Toyotas reliability-image. Not a good idea to stick a Toyota-badge on a car that is engineered by italians and frenchmen. 

[Lacquer Peel]

[Negative Creep]

Does anyone actually make their own vans anymore?

[Richard]

Until I started buying PC in the mid 1980s I hadn't twigged that there was such a thing as a ragtop MGB. I assumed it was all Midgets I was seeing.

[vulgalour]

Those Toyota Cavaliers look familiar and not at the same time.  They've got a bit of the VW Apollo going on there.  That helped me find the Ford Verona, which I'd never heard of until now.

 

 

 

[quicksilver]

That Verona thing looks like a cut-and-shut of an Orion and a Sierra Sapphire that's lost the back doors somewhere along the way. How very odd.

 

ETA: Wikipedia says it cost $70 million to develop. Wouldn't it have been cheaper just to weld up the back doors on a load of Orions?

[NorfolkNWeigh]

Saw one of these beauties* outside a dealer in Biscester earlier today. Lots of signs proclaiming the new Tivoli, no mention of make. Seems it's a SsangYong. The dealer also sells MGs, you can imagine them taking on a new salesman and offering him a company car.

"Nah,you're alright thanks,."

[martc]

 

This is what happens when you let a Ford Probe and a Chrysler Neon mate.

[Lukas]

USA, the country that knows all about driving pleasure? 

 

Sorry Toyota, but this advert was still plain stupid. Almost like the badge-engineered Toyota Cavalier. 

[DVee8]

A Proton Saga?

 

Until Vulg's what is going on in my head thread.

 

[cms206]

A Proton Saga?

 

Until Vulg's what is going on in my head thread.

 

That's the current Saga; the original Proton we got in the UK was marketed as Saga in Malaysia, the MPi (which MY only got as a facelift - they didn't get fuel injection) was the Saga Iswara. That new shape Saga replaced the Iswara in 2010 IIRC.

 

The current Kia Rio is marketed as the Pride in Korea.

[quicksilver]

That Proton Saga ties in nicely with my latest blog piece. We only get the ageing Savvy, Gen-2 and Satria Neo but there's a whole range of newer stuff that isn't available here as it doesn't yet comply with EU legislation. Have a look at http://rustyoldrubbish.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/unsung-heroes-rise-and-fall-of-proton.htmlto find out more.

[Slappy]

The Fiat Strada pick up, as identified by Tayne in the picturesque French Scrapyard thread.

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/tayne/5179515254/

[Guest Breadvan72]

Wantage

 

Too spenna!
 

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C631248

[CHRIS1980]

I posted this in the 'lazy spotters thread' but I thought I ought to post it here too, due to it being something I'd never heard of or seen before...

 

A Polonez 'Atu' - Caro saloon basically. This LHD Polish example currently languishes in a Scunthorpe scrapyard...

 

HPIM0012.JPG

 

HPIM0007.JPG

Would this have the kettle series hooked up to rwd gearbox? I love to know the address.

[CHRIS1980]

I was vaguely aware of the Saabaru 9-2X but not the 9-7X.

 

http://www.mobile.bg/pcgi/mobile.cgi?topmenu=2&act=4&adv=21410695869092670&slink=a3x1ox

 

And I certainly didn't expect it to have a 5.3 V8.

Also . . . . . .

I saw one of them in Latvia last year,I did a double take. I had a hangover as well so did a triple take. They are real.

[Adrian_pt]

New Protons. Namely the Suprima (10 in the UK so far), and the slightly older Satria Neo with just under 700 sold - amost exactly the number of Dacia Denems which made it over here!

[CHRIS1980]

Those Toyota Cavaliers look familiar and not at the same time.  They've got a bit of the VW Apollo going on there.  That helped me find the Ford Verona, which I'd never heard of until now.

 

 

 

these came with VW badges as well.

[Uncle Jimmy]

a Toyota Levin went blasting past me on the M4 yesterday. Never seen one before, didn't look too bad, in a JDM-baby skyline kind of way.

 

No pics, sorry, at work

Neither did I until recently. Here is mine;

It's highly impractical but has a good bland/daft mix for a Jap motor.

[Uncle Jimmy]

Bit harsh, I always thought the Mk 4 looked good even though it was probably fairly dull.

Whenever I see a Mk4 Golf, these amphibians spring to mind.

[Ghosty]

Ah, the '90s FWD Levin and Trueno. Looked pretty bland by then - the previous model was ace:

 

 

[Tayne]

As seen in Norway last week, the Citroen C4 saloon.

 

 

 

[Skizzer]

That looks quite horrid.  Good spot though.

[sierraman]

Similar then to the Citroen C-elysse, see them everywhere in Spain. It's like a basic no frills 308 saloon. I like them, shame not for UK!

[phil_lihp]

Someone posted up a picture on here of a Peugeot 206 saloon, I had no idea they existed, never seen one in a photo or in actual France before.  I cannot work out who would have bought one over a hatchback.

[Tayne]

I suspect these wee saloons are on a slightly longer wheelbase than the hatchbacks.

I've been in the back of a Corsa saloon and it didn't seem small.