Cars you didn't know existed until very recently.

[brickwall 4,990]

[NorfolkNWeigh 20,199]

It's on,y in the past couple of months that I learned of the existence of Opel Diplomat and Admiral Coupes. Someone posted a picture on here and C&SC did a feature around the same time. This sort of discovery shocks me ,in a nice way,when it happens because at 50 I think I know all the cars out there and sometimes even the actual photographs of some of em!

I have even owned a Rekord Coupe and a 2.8 GS/E Commodore Saloon so am probably a little bit more aware of big old Opels than a lot of Engladers.

[Junkman 108,772]

There were no Admiral coupes, only Diplomats, and only V8s even at that. There were also cabriolets.

Those weren't made by Opel, but by Karmann.

That B-Diplomat coupe is either photoshopped, or a prototype, since no B-Series coupes were produced,

only A-Series, and only 347 of them.

[Sloth in a bowl 4,968]

 

- didn't know about the open top one, it's a German, by name of Brutsch

 

 

I want a load of these and a go-kart track.

[Sloth in a bowl 4,968]

 

 

 

 

 

 

And a Corsa saloon... by Tayne, on Flickr

 

 

Given how nasty the Nova based saloons looked, that is actually really nice.

[Shep Shepherd 3,034]

The Saab 900 'Safari' estate:

 

 

A car which I'm sure was a huge influence on the designers of the 9-5 estate. Pity that only two examples were made.

[Sloth in a bowl 4,968]

Rome this year is the first time that I remember ever seeing one of these..

 

[NorfolkNWeigh 20,199]

There were no Admiral coupes, only Diplomats, and only V8s even at that. There were also cabriolets.

Those weren't made by Opel, but by Karmann.

That B-Diplomat coupe is either photoshopped, or a prototype, since no B-Series coupes were produced,

only A-Series, and only 347 of them.

I don't feel so bad about not knowing they existed,now it appears they mostly didn't!

That Diplomat B seems to be homemade ,possibly using a Rekord/ Commodore roof and apparently it's a V12.

Can't find much in English about it,if only we had a resident translator.

[meggersdog 4,939]

Bit late to the party but....Last year I had one of those 323 coupe's, looked like a Jap import being automatic but it was supplied new from Norton Way to the one lady owner.Nothing on the V5 about being manufactured before the reg date.It was an M.reg and low mileage but took weeks to sell.

[Tayne 11,923]

Given how nasty the Nova based saloons looked, that is actually really nice.

 

I think they're on a longer wheelbase.

There was decent leg room in the back and lots are used as taxis.

Corsa-cab! by Tayne, on Flickr

 

I'd forgotten about this.

 

Chevy Montana by Tayne, on Flickr

[Skizzer 24,429]

Booted Fester:

 

Ford Ikon by Skizzer, on Flickr

 

Booted Cherry:

 

Nissan Langley by Skizzer, on Flickr

[vulgalour 38,325]

We got the Ford Cortina in saloon and estate version, a noble steed to be sure, but Europe got the Ford Taunus coupé which we weren't allowed.  Blatant favouritism.  I was surprised when I found out about these and was reminded when seeing the Opels above, which are also well lush and not UK market.

 

[vulgalour 38,325]

D:  I didn't know this shape Taunus came in estate shape!  I have just learned this and now I really want one.  Look at the roof lights!  It's so amazing.

 

[Asimo 13,891]

This was a surprise; Citroen / Mitsubishi?  Why?

[John F 10,777]

NorfolkNWeigh, on 10 Nov 2014 - 6:01 PM, said:

I don't feel so bad about not knowing they existed,now it appears they mostly didn't!

That Diplomat B seems to be homemade ,possibly using a Rekord/ Commodore roof and apparently it's a V12.

Can't find much in English about it,if only we had a resident translator.image.jpg

image.jpgimage.jpg

 

Post the link & I'll summarise it for you

[Junkman 108,772]

^^

This.

 

Also, please let me know if you need more info regarding the A-Diplomat coupes.

[STUNO 3,700]

We get two different Honda Accords, the Accord Euro and Accord.

The Euro is a smaller car than the Accord.

I don't think you get the Accord in UK. Note the different line of the rear door, that tells you they are different bodies,

 

Accord Euro

 

 

 

Accord

 

[HillmanImp 14,216]

We got the Ford Cortina in saloon and estate version, a noble steed to be sure, but Europe got the Ford Taunus coupé which we weren't allowed.  Blatant favouritism.  I was surprised when I found out about these and was reminded when seeing the Opels above, which are also well lush and not UK market.

 

 

You also got later flavours of these which make me quite moist:

 

[Tayne 11,923]

We get two different Honda Accords, the Accord Euro and Accord.The Euro is a smaller car than the Accord.I don't think you get the Accord in UK. Note the different line of the rear door, that tells you they are different bodies,Accord Euroaccord euro 1.jpg[img=http://autoshite.com/public/style_images/oldschool

We get the smaller of those cars as an Accord.

I don't think we get the big one anymore but it would have been known as a Legend.

[Talbotman 127]

I had never seen that 3-door 323 (323C I think they were called?) until I started seeing a few around Edinburgh in the early 2000s, on (I think) L or M plates. Not sure why that was, don't think they were ever sold new in the UK, so possibly secondhand imports from Ireland, or something like that...

 

These were sold in the Uk alongside the swoopy 5 dr 323f and 4 door saloon. Sales of the 3 door proved dismal in the extreme and it was replaced after 2 years on sale with the mechanically identical but more conventional looking 3 door when the range was refreshed in late 97 ish.

[dangerousdave 56]

Vauxhall Maloo

yep originally called a holden in aussie Vauxhall badges put on to sell in uk

[STUNO 3,700]

 

We get the smaller of those cars as an Accord.

I don't think we get the big one anymore but it would have been known as a Legend.

 

 

A bit wrong, the Legend is also available !

 

 

[Sudsprint 1,558]

The Saab 900 'Safari' estate:

 

Safari-side.jpg

 

A car which I'm sure was a huge influence on the designers of the 9-5 estate. Pity that only two examples were made.

 

 

Not forgetting the short lived SALVO:

[Vince70 2,090]

I only just found out about the Saab 92 x which was produced by Subaru for the American market.

[cort1977 2,433]

There's also a Saab 9-7x which was basically a Chevy Trailblazer/GMC Envoy clone.   Pretty rare, I saw one after a few drinks and it confused me greatly for a minute or two.

[michael1703 3,593]

In a small rural village in quiet Suffolk I was surprised when a Nissan Elgrand turned up for an mot as I'd never seen one before, I think it was a Nissan xtrail underneath

 

[Tayne 11,923]

A bit wrong, the Legend is also available !legend 1.jpglegend 2.jpg

I meant over here.

There's no Legend on Honda's UK website

[londonm 374]

Peugeot_205_XAD_rear_20091113.jpg

 

Toyota_Zace.jpg

Why would anyone want to make their 205 look like an Allegro estate?

[phil_lihp 6,256]

I only discovered the existence of the Vauxhall Albany when it was mentioned on these pages.  Basically a Vauxhall Midi minibus with comfier seats and metallic paint.  300 sold but the sum total of images in Google are 3 brochure scans, all from the same site.  I doubt there's many left, given how much the Midi tended to rot.

 

 

http://vauxpedianet.uk2sitebuilder.com/vauxhall-wfr---albany

[cyruspower 566]

Renault Le Var Van. Didn't have a clue!