Cars you didn't know existed until very recently.

[Richard_FM]

The bigger Daewoos often copied the prestige cars of the time, normally Lexus or Mercedes.

After moving on from warmed up Vauxhalls their range became quite quirky, with some models that hardly sold over here,

[gm]

A German registered Alfa Romeo people carrier turned up to deliver some motorbike parts to my neighbour yesterday

 

[paulplom]

Strange. That's just a citroen despatch/peugeot expert/fiat scudo etc.

[SmokinWaffle]

10 minutes ago, paulplom said:

Strange. That's just a citroen despatch/peugeot expert/fiat scudo etc.

It's actually broken down in that picture - you just can't tell. It's the Italian flair that makes all the difference.

[martc]

7 hours ago, gm said:

A German registered Alfa Romeo people carrier turned up to deliver some motorbike parts to my neighbour yesterday

For our younger viewers, Alfa Romeo's commercial division made a fantastic range of vehicles, from heavy lorries to vans into the 1980's after which the AR badge was often seen on IVECO/FIAT vans etc. You can still, if you're lucky, see the comically named Alfa Romeo Romeo in active duty in remoter parts of Italy along with the 'F12'.

Alfa Romeo Romeo 

Alfa Romeo F12.

Lancia also had a commercial vehicles division making a wide range from lorries to vans, again from the 80's the Lancias became a badge on an IVECO.

Lancia Esagamma

This is interesting - it's UK registered and has another comedy name the Lancia Super Jolly.

I became aware of Lancia commercials in an old Observers Book of Commercial Vehicles which showed one of these, later rebranded as either a FIAT or  IVECO, but originally built as a Lancia - the, not so comically named, '6640', it floated regardless of it's 4mm armour.

I suspect Lancias and Alfa Romeos independent commercial production stopped when FIAT bought them and rationalised the commercial vehicle portfolio (the heavy divisions becoming part of IVECO).

 

[face]

On 9/2/2020 at 11:46 AM, outlaw118 said:

Secma QT 500 anyone? Appears to be a mini beach buggy, but it's a quad with a body. Lengthy description in ebay ad. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2003-53-Secma-QT-500-2k-miles-loads-of-work-done-electrical-fault-in-Herts/174417819882?hash=item289c1cb8ea:g:cUsAAOSwFBlfTo~K

Yes, another excuse for this:

 

[Mr Pastry]

51 minutes ago, martc said:

This is interesting - it's UK registered and has another comedy name the Lancia Super Jolly.

The Super Jolly was bizarre.   It was based on the *reliable* Flavia platform, so it had an aluminium flat 4 engine, front wheel drive and 4 wheel disc brakes.  It replaced the Jolly, which wasn't quite so odd but still boasted a twin-cam V4 engine, 5 speed gearbox  and sliding pillar suspension.  

[Tayne]

11 hours ago, rusty998 said:

When I first saw this I thought those sneaky Chinese had done a copy of the jaguar x type/Rover 75 but as it turns out it's a genuine car made by Lancia and goes by the name of Lybra, inside reminds me of my Alfa Romeo 156 with a hint of Rover 75 and jaguar x type,  I'm not sure if I like this as it's a bit odd 

They also made a wagon

 

 

[Remspoor]

20 hours ago, rusty998 said:

When I first saw this I thought those sneaky Chinese had done a copy of the jaguar x type/Rover 75 but as it turns out it's a genuine car made by Lancia and goes by the name of Lybra, inside reminds me of my Alfa Romeo 156 with a hint of Rover 75 and jaguar x type,  I'm not sure if I like this as it's a bit odd 

Lancia Lybra,

https://www.milanuncios.com/lancia-de-segunda-mano/lybra.htm

https://www.ooyyo.com/france/lancia-lybra-occasion-a-vendre/c=CDA31D7114D38565111BFB6FBA0D355BFDA11D6617F286/

https://www.marktplaats.nl/l/auto-s/lancia/f/lybra-sw/910/

The forbidden fruit of UK.

[martc]

On 9/30/2020 at 10:40 AM, rusty998 said:

When I first saw this I thought those sneaky Chinese had done a copy of the jaguar x type/Rover 75 but as it turns out it's a genuine car made by Lancia and goes by the name of Lybra, inside reminds me of my Alfa Romeo 156 with a hint of Rover 75 and jaguar x type,  I'm not sure if I like this as it's a bit odd

 

On 9/30/2020 at 11:05 AM, Richard_FM said:

The bigger Daewoos often copied the prestige cars of the time, normally Lexus or Mercedes.

After moving on from warmed up Vauxhalls their range became quite quirky, with some models that hardly sold over here,

Separated at birth?

[rusty998]

On 10/1/2020 at 7:12 PM, martc said:

 

Separated at birth?

You could be on to something here

[rusty998]

I found this on the internet and maybe I should have left it there, not sure if it's a Toycedes or a Meryota ?

[Austat]

Simca Aronde Plein Ciel:

[wuvvum]

It appears that the LDV Maxus has finally been replaced.  No, I hadn't noticed either.

Looks like an even more hideous version of the current Transit.  Apparently RWD though so definitely not just a facelift of the old van.

[egg]

5 hours ago, Austat said:

Simca Aronde Plein Ciel

The Océane convertible was a cousin of that car...

[wuvvum]

Simca did some gorgeous cars in the '50s and '60s.  With some extremely underpowered engines.  Like the Ariane - a saloon the same size as a PA Cresta, powered* by a 1290cc 4-pot.

[Timewaster]

On 10/3/2020 at 10:00 AM, rusty998 said:

I found this on the internet and maybe I should have left it there, not sure if it's a Toycedes or a Meryota ?

Perfect for @BorniteIdentity ? 

[Austat]

Never knew a 940cc Crossflow I4 was available for the Escort MK1, probably only available for LHD markets:

 

[paulplom]

On 10/6/2020 at 3:43 PM, wuvvum said:

It appears that the LDV Maxus has finally been replaced.  No, I hadn't noticed either.

Looks like an even more hideous version of the current Transit.  Apparently RWD though so definitely not just a facelift of the old van.

That is gruesome although the grille would make all the bmw drivers very envious.

[egg]

6 hours ago, Austat said:

Never knew a 940cc Crossflow I4 was available for the Escort MK1, probably only available for LHD markets:

Just Italy I think for tax reasons...

[Austat]

4 hours ago, egg said:

Just Italy I think for tax reasons...

From what I've read, used for the Italian, French (until 1972), & perhaps German markets.

[Richard_FM]

Portugal and Greece also have (or had) road tax systems based on engine size, which meant they often had cars with smaller engines to get around things.

[Crackers]

On 10/6/2020 at 3:43 PM, wuvvum said:

[bunglebus]

Celica notchback

 

[adw1977]

16 hours ago, egg said:

Just Italy I think for tax reasons...

Yeah, Italy got lots of small engined versions of cars, including the Opel Kadett (Mark 1 Astra) with a 1.0 engine. 

[sutty2006]

What in the name of all thats shite is this?!!!!! Spotted today in a car park near home. It’s an Isuzu of some sort. Never seen one before, ever. Obviously a jap import as there’s a pointless mirror on the front wing. 

[Tayne]

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

 

[sheffcortinacentre]

Used to know a couple of people who had those celicas one that colour the other a red one.

[Aston Martin]

Yes, can I lose all of the structural integrity that I didn't have in the first place?

[GeordieInExile]

On 10/10/2020 at 10:36 AM, sutty2006 said:

What in the name of all thats shite is this?!!!!! Spotted today in a car park near home. It’s an Isuzu of some sort. Never seen one before, ever. Obviously a jap import as there’s a pointless mirror on the front wing. 

I remember a group test in Auto Express back in the day of 'real-life concepts' - this, the Renault Spider and, erm, a couple of others I've forgotten.