Cars you didn't know existed until very recently.

[High Jetter]

^^^ looks like a grown-up Sinclair C5. It has to be safer than a C5 though, I was terrified after taking one round Bexhill-On-Sea years back.

[Datsuncog]

On ‎9‎/‎26‎/‎2019 at 8:06 PM, quicksilver said:

At last weekend's FOD gathering, I was sitting with @catsinthewelder in his Safrane and we were reading the handbook. Near the back are a couple of pages describing the 4x4 version, which I never knew existed and must be pretty much extinct now. A big old Renault with a complex 4WD system, WCPGW?

 

On ‎9‎/‎27‎/‎2019 at 4:12 PM, wuvvum said:

I think the Safrane Biturbo was 4WD.

Funny, an Instagram account that I follow - the wonderful and very shiteworthy @moteurflottant - did a profile on the Safrane Biturbo only a few days ago.

Not at all common - 640 of them built by Irmscher, all with the 3.0 V6 and full-time AWD.

And a total sales flop.

 

Quote

It doesn’t look spectacular, but the 1993 Safrane 3.0 V6i Biturbo is one of the rarest and fastest Renaults ever built. And it was a real High Tech-sedan in the early 90s. The engineers equipped it with a permanent AWD-System and electronically controlled, adjustable shock absorbers. But the most interesting part is the smooth and powerful engine. It’s a real product of the German-French friendship. Renault commissioned the German BMW-Tuner Hartge to redesign the V6 of the Alpine A610. Two turbochargers increased the power to 268 hp and 365 newton meters. Although the Safrane weighs 1.720 kg, it runs 250 km/h and reaches 100 km/h after only 7,2 seconds. It really could compete with the German competitors. Even Michael Schumacher owned one! But it turned out to be a complete failure. That was mostly due to the overcharged prices (almost 100.000 DM in Germany) and the lack of a certain "Premium"-Image. Only 640 cars were assembled by Irmscher near Stuttgart, but Renault wasn’t able to sell them all. Quite a sad ending for a ambitious project.

I had the chance to drive one a few months ago and was surprised by the smooth power delivery and the good ride quality. But the innovative suspension also allows high curve speeds with close to zero Body Roll. It’s not a uncompromising sportscar nonetheless. The engine is well insulated and sounds quite tame, while you can steer with only two fingers.
You can find more about Renaults Turbo-Models in the current issue of @autobildklassik

Can you just imagine trying to service the bastard, let alone fix it when something pops?

 

Of course I want one.

[wuvvum]

On 9/28/2019 at 9:12 AM, JeeExEll said:

Sort of based on the Riley 1.5.

Aah, those halcyon days when tits were pointy and men were four feet tall... 

[jon.k]

On 9/29/2019 at 7:58 AM, ProgRocker said:

I believe Chevrolet now own the 'Niva' name, so Lada has to use '4x4' instead.

These Lada 4x4s can be bought in the UK as an import. Failing that, they are still being sold in Germany. 

Do you know how much they are?

[Aston Martin]

I keep seeing Cupras. Which is a brand that will be dead in about 3 minutes.

[vulgalour]

This is the worst car I've ever seen.  I want one.

 

 

 

 

[burraston2006]

On 30 September 2019 at 10:59 AM, lesapandre said:

And the Portway. Ashton and Portway are both names of places in Bristol where these were made. Most of this stuff was probably built to order and exported to the Middle East - a tricky operation  cashflow-wise if you are buying a Range Rover and then cutting it up. Company did not do this for long - interesting vehicles if you can find one. 

There's one of these on flea bay at the moment. Classic cars hidden in amongst the Rovers 

[TataBobu]

13 hours ago, jon.k said:

Do you know how much they are?

8500 euro +VAT for the basic version, 9500 eurio + VAT for the posh version called "Urban" (think alloys and electric/heated mirrors, nothing more) for the 3 door variant, 9500+VAT/ 10500+VAT for the 5 door variant. Prices in Romania.

[egg]

So - if you can find a year old 4x4 to import from Romania while we are still in the EU (to avoid paying VAT) - could be quite the bargain!

[lesapandre]

Citroen prototype - by Bertone.

More info here:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citroën_GS_Camargue

[ProgRocker]

16 hours ago, jon.k said:

Do you know how much they are?

When I last looked they were about £13k. I cannot remember the name of the importer but there is a website. Bear in mind that they are left hand drive only. 

[anonymous user]

Earlier whilst driving along the M4 I was overtaken by a lumpy looking small BMW electric van. I think they do a car version, but this looked a proper van and I couldn't see any rear passenger doors. 

[wuvvum]

On ‎10‎/‎2‎/‎2019 at 2:14 AM, vulgalour said:

This is the worst car I've ever seen.  I want one.

Poor man's Jensen CV8.

[bunglebus]

https://www.commercialfleet.org/news/van-news/2016/08/02/bmw-creates-i3-van-for-speedy-services

[anonymous user]

So that's what it was, the wrap must be over the rear side windows, the one I saw was for medicine delivery.

[Joey spud]

Spotted this at a prestige merc dealer on Dubai plates.

After a quick google it's a G63 AMG 6x6 of which only 130 were made and cost £370k back in 2016.

[bunglebus]

You can buy your very own!

 

[LightBulbFun]

the french Lohr Fardier a 4x4 2CV based thingy used by the airborne division of the french army apparently!

 

[Yoss]

I know it exists but I still don't know what it is. Didn't dare go any closer due to scary men. Whoever owns it obviously isn't worried about hitting things so I thought I'd better keep a safe distance. 

[Timewaster]

10 hours ago, Yoss said:

I know it exists but I still don't know what it is. Didn't dare go any closer due to scary men. Whoever owns it obviously isn't worried about hitting things so I thought I'd better keep a safe distance. 

Looks like someone has tried to make a StreetKa out of a mark 2 Ka.

 

And shouldn't have bothered.

[jumpingjehovahs]

I know it exists but I still don't know what it is. Didn't dare go any closer due to scary men. Whoever owns it obviously isn't worried about hitting things so I thought I'd better keep a safe distance. 

This is a Ligier JSRC Sport Coupe, which is supposed to be a “sportier” take on the voiture sans permis. Rocks a massive 492cc DCI engine


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[dozeydustman]

Improve the Daihatsu Charade G100 series by adding a Mercedes-esque grille

I present the Geely Liangjin & Geely Merrie series.

[martc]

As promised in the WTF thread, here's some fantastic Greek cars I didn't know existed, there's plenty more of these if you care to look for them.

The Automeccanica Zebra from 1981, based on the Daihatsu Charade, Automeccanica went on to make Lada Niva's under licence. Went bust in 1995.

The Biomot from the late 60's, used a rear mounted VW engine. Finished in 1975. Lots of other three wheelers similar to the Biomot were produced by several Greek manufacturers.

The DIM 652 from 1977, bits of small FIAT's in this; the project was abandoned in 1982.

The MAVA-Renault Farma. MAVA were Greece's Renault importer. The Farma was their own design and was tested and approved by Renault in France allowing it to use Renault badges. It was used extensively by the Hellenic Telecommunications Organization (OTE). 4500 were built until the same law that scuppered the MEBEA Fox sunk this.

The MEBEA Bingo from 1972, 'top of the shop'. MEBEA also made the Reliant TW7 under licence. Here's a fun fact the Reliant Fox was actually developed by MEBEA - who knew that? MEBEA stopped making the Fox in 1983 due to a change in Greek law regarding light vehicles. Reliant took up Fox production in the UK and the rest is history.

The Pan-Car Beach Buggy, usual VW Beetle bits underneath. Started 1968, down the pan 1994. Also made a three wheeler pick up similar to the Biomot above.

[LightBulbFun]

37 minutes ago, Nyphur said:

Was checking out a car for sale on here and got a digit in the reg wrong.... what the fuck is a MEITIAN WARRIER?

 

Body type comes back as a Scooter

so my best is it some sort of cheap chinese moped of some kind?

wait until you start banging in reg's wholesale into the DVLA checker you come across some weird shit!

im still wondering what the hell a "Y9" is or what the hell a ROFSUPPLIER is https://autoshite.com/topic/32723-invacar-model-70-acquired-and-general-ramble-thread-index-on-page-1-phase-2-finding-a-suitable-driving-schoolinstructor-getting-lessons-and-a-licence-dhss-parts-book-digitised/?do=findComment&comment=1868017

or most recently whatever this is!

 

[FakeConcern]

I saw this van at Trax on Sunday, is it a thing or has someone mucked about with a normal hatchback?

[LightBulbFun]

10 minutes ago, Nyphur said:

Ah so its a scooter? I can see how that was related to Invacars now. Thanks.

http://mei-tian.en.hisupplier.com/

in my defence I was not talking about invacars nor was I trying to reference them it just happened that my examples of "WTF IS THAT!" is in my thread  (keep in mind its a general ramble thread, so yes very rarely non invacar content pops up there! LOL)

but if you insist that I tie a moped to an Invacar... (thats going to involve a lot of duck tape!)

2 wheel* Invacar

[New POD]

They did a car derived van, based on a body shell that had various engines including the K series. 

The k series was fitted in lotus elises. In 1.8 vvvvtt form. 

It probably started out with a diesel 

[NorfolkNWeigh]

30 minutes ago, FakeConcern said:

I saw this van at Trax on Sunday, is it a thing or has someone mucked about with a normal hatchback?

If you want something very similar, look no further than the For Sale area and buy Wuvvums MG Express

[busmansholiday]

Good to see that they're got the flag upside down which means they are in distress........

[egg]

What do people know about Vannod, seem to be French and made motorcycle side cars and this microcar??