Cars you didn't know existed until very recently.

[Jim Bergerac]

Aye. 50 years ago, Ford were offering distinctive products in Britain and Germany (possibly France too?). Now, things like the Mondeo, Fiesta, Focus are all sold across Europe, in North America and even in China. It's not just the cars themselves that have been made that way - Ford have replaced their 1.6 petrol engines in Europe with 1.5 ones because of Chinese tax laws. Think back 25 years and it was quite different with, for example. Volvo making 2.0 Turbo 940s specifically for export due to tax laws in certain European markets.  It's all about cutting costs and economies of scale and now we're all getting what China wants regardless of whether or not it suits us.

[quicksilver]

Not at all shite, really rather lovely in fact, but I'd never heard of this. I now know what it is but does anyone else?

 

[Inspector Morose]

Graber bodied Alvis.

[quicksilver]

Graber bodied Alvis.

That's exactly what it is. I guess you've seen it as didn't you go to Gaydon not long ago?

[Slappy]

 

 

Renault Talisman ^^

 

 

So the front looks like an owl, but I'm digging the rear. At least it isn't another bland-mobile, I'm getting C6 and Vel Satis vibes still, which is good!

 

[stillOrange]

FSO Ogar. Prototype but I actually saw one drive away

 

[Lukas]

This thing is so ugly, it could be a 1970s/80s Volkswagen too! 

[Junkman]

One of these just passed my house:

 

 

Neither did I know they existed, nor did I ever see one before.

 

For more info:

 

http://www.ibexvehicles.com/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibex_%28vehicle%29

 

And they say there is no British car industry...

[Aston Martin]

Discovery Sport... The New Freelander

 

 

[SOUL]

Hustler 6 Space Shuttle

 

http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/22724/lot/150/

[SOUL]

 

Daewoo Damas

[garethj]

One of these just passed my house:

 

 

Neither did I know they existed, nor did I ever see one before.

 

For more info:

 

http://www.ibexvehicles.com/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibex_%28vehicle%29

 

And they say there is no British car industry...

Christ on a bike, it doesn't bode well when even the factory demonstrator in the brochure shot is misted up and damp inside

[STUNO]

Christ on a bike, it doesn't bode well when even the factory demonstrator in the brochure shot is misted up and damp inside

 

It is quite ok, all electrics, heating and air conditioning are by a newly revived company called Lucas.

[Bear]

The Ibex is a really cool vehicle. Got chatting to the owner of the firm a few years back when I spotted an unfamiliar configuration - but first saw one at an off-road course near Duns.

[SOUL]

 

The Premier Rio, powered by the Fiat 1.3 diesel.....  yup it's a copy of the old Daihatsu Terios.

http://www.premierrio.com/

[SOUL]

Saw one of these the other day, taken me until now to work out what the frig it was. 

 

 

 

Thank god Fiat group are culling Lancia to Italy only. 

[Bear]

Sold as Chrysler Delta here. Of course, one of those "cars people in the UK never realised exists" is the Mk 2 Lancia Delta - no, I don't know why it was never sold here, because they followed up the devastating success* of the Prisma with the Deadra, abandoning the hatchback sector 'cause, I mean, who would have wanted a follow up to the Integrale with a flared-arched, turbocharged, 3 door hot hatch...

 

The two-tone finishes always make me think of a particularly worrying kind of insect on the Lanciahrysler Deltas.

[cros]

Can't believe I didn't know about this little corker. Even worse than the 'Morris Major'.

[Bear]

Cars most people I've met didn't know existed, but I had one...

 

http://www.renault-5.net/cleveland.htm

 

My second road-legal car - backup to the Chevette - and my first convertible, a habit I cannot kick. MBH 772V is probably long gone, but it was fun while it lasted.

[sierraman]

I park next to a Chrysler Delta at work, it looks nice but being a Lancia you just know the floor will be falling out of it in a few years.

[Hendry]

Saw one of these the other day, taken me until now to work out what the frig it was. 

 

 

 

Thank god Fiat group are culling Lancia to Italy only.

 

I have to be honest, I kinda like the look of that.

[Bear]

I park next to a Chrysler Delta at work, it looks nice but being a Lancia you just know the floor will be falling out of it in a few years.

 

Ah, things have moved on a lot since then.

 

Now it's Chrysler/Fiat UK's insane parts pricing that will kill them off.

 

Example: Chrysler Voyager scuttle trim - I used to compare this to the SLK which was unfair, now I have a direct comparison.

 

Rubber bit fell off, so I thought I'd get a new one. £141+VAT. That's for the plastic grille with a stuck on rubber strip (you can't get the strip separately).

 

Same part was looking rough on my W210. There are two, as it's split for the single wiper mechanism, but grille & rubber bonded (SLK is one rubber strip, and a plastic part). £11 each, so £22 to replace both. The SLK was a fiver to replace the rubber strip.

 

Badges for the 300C were upwards of £65. The chrome strip on the rear bumper was just under £300 - for a bit of chromed plastic.

 

I don't even want to know what big things cost on them. The dealer tried to charge £24 for an oil filter.

[Lacquer Peel]

[Felly Magic]

Kia Rio saloon! Yes the mk1 Rio. See a battered one almost every day, left hooker, owned by a US Squaddie. Must be a true Autoshitesist to drive that thing

[Timewaster]

So why are Vauxhall pedalling re badged Renault vans when they had this at their disposal?

That's your CF3 right there.

[Bucketeer]

Honda Go(?)

 

 

[Alexg]

That's a Honda Logo with half the badge missing

[inconsistant]

Wasn't that the Logo in the UK?

 

Edit: ah yes! I think this was used to fluff the supermini market while we waited for the Jizz to appear. Sorry, Jazz.

[DVee8]

A lexus IS250 with a folding hardtop

[Asimo]

"Perentie" Land Rover as built for the Australian Army.

Why couldn't the British army have had these instead of their miserable, standard 'Rover?

 

 

Galvanised chassis, wider  at the rear so the spare wheel fits under the floor. 

 

 

3.9 litre NA Isuzu engine