Cars you didn't know existed until very recently.

[LightBulbFun]

possible a contender for the late registration madness thread as well, but along the same lines as those scale model but still road-registered steam traction engines I posted about

I present the Lykamobile a steam (kit) car replica thing?

https://www.steamtractionworld.com/lykamobile.htm

https://www.steamtractionworld.com/product-lyka.html

its so fun to see a steam vehicle being newly produced and on a modern plate  

although im still disappointed no ones made a "modern" steam vehicle thats actually somewhat fast (ie can go above 4Mph) or practical , it would be really cool to see one of those 1950's Steam engine conversions @barrett talked about, reproduced or such, especially such being a Steam vehicle you would not really have to worry about any sort of modern day regulations, so you would be pretty free to have it look how you want LOL

On 09/08/2021 at 18:37, barrett said:

Seems a bit pointless that it can only do 12mph, when steam cars from 100 years ago could do ten times that speed...

 

Lots (well, several) cars were converted to steam power right into the 50s, but virtually none of them have survived into preservation. Those that have tend to be 'restored' back to IC power which strikes me as a bit of a shame. There was a big 30s Wolseley Viper discovered recently with a full steam set-up but the new owner is going to put it back to factory spec. Does anyone know if any steam conversions have actually survived intact?

 

[Sham]

9 hours ago, catsinthewelder said:

Replace the Suzuki.  Won't last forever. Renault's.

You expect a Renault to outlast a Suzuki?

You going to share those pills?

[catsinthewelder]

They might not last longer than the Suzuki's but if they cost £7k and last 3 years it would be great as Suzuki don't sell cheap cars any more.

[Remspoor]

Dutch brand Max.

https://www.autoblog.nl/nieuws/koop-deze-nederlandse-poging-tot-sportwagenproductie-86870

Based upon a Citroën AX .

[Remspoor]

VW is lunching a brand of EVs in the USA. They will be using an old name. Scout.

https://www.aftermarketinternational.com/en/202205146910/news/volkswagen-will-launch-an-electric-pick-up-and-a-rugged-suv.html

https://www.thedrive.com/news/vw-plans-new-off-road-ev-brand-to-revive-scout-name-report

[horriblemercedes]

On 5/13/2022 at 8:55 PM, SteersWithThrottle said:

Not if it rusts like this 9-year old Indian  Dacia Duster

https://autoshite.com/topic/34511-ebay-tat-volume-3/?do=findComment&comment=2526071

 

If it cost three grand and lasted nine years, I'd say that was good value for money for a car.

[SteersWithThrottle]

4 hours ago, horriblemercedes said:

If it cost three grand and lasted nine years, I'd say that was good value for money for a car.

The last car I had that lasted 9 years cost me £250, but I take your point.

[3VOM]

OK it's not a car but I've never seen one before.

 

[RoverFolkUs]

Saw a hideous looking roadster yesterday.. namely a Vauxhall VX220 Roadster..

Never seen one before and never knew they were a thing!

[New POD]

2 minutes ago, RoverFolkUs said:

Saw a hideous looking roadster yesterday.. namely a Vauxhall VX220 Roadster..

Never seen one before and never knew they were a thing!

Very closely related to a Lotus Elise.  

Very good cars apparently. 

[RoverFolkUs]

1 minute ago, New POD said:

Very closely related to a Lotus Elise.  

Very good cars apparently. 

I just can't look past the horrible front end styling!

[New POD]

I like it. Would like a 220 Turbo, but I think that dream.wemt the same way as a cavalier turbo 4x4 

[Dick Cheeseburger]

21 minutes ago, RoverFolkUs said:

Saw a hideous looking roadster yesterday.. namely a Vauxhall VX220 Roadster..

Never seen one before and never knew they were a thing!

 

VX220... hideous...?

[RoverFolkUs]

2 minutes ago, Dick Longbridge said:

 

VX220... hideous...?

It seems I'm on my own then!

[horriblemercedes]

31 minutes ago, RoverFolkUs said:

It seems I'm on my own then!

I don't think many will agree! 

The VX220 is a very highly rated thing. People go crazy for them

[RoverFolkUs]

24 minutes ago, horriblemercedes said:

I don't think many will agree! 

The VX220 is a very highly rated thing. People go crazy for them

I imagine they go well and I'm sure people have their reasons for liking them, but I just can't see past the looks

[angle]

On a theme, what about the Opel Elektro GT? It set a load of speed records for electric cars at Hockenheim in 1971...

(That's batteries where the passenger seat would be)

[bunglebus]

1 hour ago, RoverFolkUs said:

I imagine they go well and I'm sure people have their reasons for liking them, but I just can't see past the looks

You can't see the outside when you're driving it. I remember TG testing one, never seen such flat cornering. I want one.

[RoverFolkUs]

55 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

You can't see the outside when you're driving it. I remember TG testing one, never seen such flat cornering. I want one.

Well that is a good point 😀

Maybe I'll warm upto them one day

[GR8 PL8 M8]

5 hours ago, RoverFolkUs said:

Saw a hideous looking roadster yesterday.. namely a Vauxhall VX220 Roadster..

Never seen one before and never knew they were a thing!

Also sold in Europe as the Opel Speedster:

Also planned was a Daewoo:

And a Holden:

...but neither made it to production.

[RoverFolkUs]

1 minute ago, GR8 PL8 M8 said:

Also sold in Europe as the Opel Speedster:

Also planned was a Daewoo:

And a Holden:

...but neither made it to production.

Looking at those now I think it's the Vauxhall badge 'V' decal making me think it looks horrible, those other three grilles actually make it look pretty smart 

[Inspiral_Mondays]

On 5/13/2022 at 4:22 PM, SteersWithThrottle said:

The Military of Various Nations have used this kind of system for quite a long time, probably longer than most people would imagine (imagine pre-solid-state electronics era). The main issues with it are drift error, due to serious mechanical complexity and calibration precision, even on modern systems.

Here's a more technically detailed link for anyone that may be interested:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inertial_navigation_system

I remember visiting Japan a while back and being given a ride in a late 80s/ early 90s something or other (could have been a Toyota Crown) that was still fitted with one of these systems. If memory serves correctly, the map updates were done with a cassette tape.

[Missy Charm]

On 13/05/2022 at 01:56, lesapandre said:

How did the 'sat nav' work - short-wave radio and detectors along the roadsides?

 

On 13/05/2022 at 06:10, SteersWithThrottle said:

That would have required the installation of said detectors... I'd guess some kind of inertial gyroscopic system, hopefully with a method to zero it!

Having had a poke about on the internet, I'm not entirely sure that it worked at all.  The NRV II was a concept car that functioned after a fashion, however some of the devices within it were just for show.  The spec is bizarre too: radar speed sensors and methanol engine but no electric windows!  

[Snake Charmer]

Much tidier with a Holden badge.

[High Jetter]

3 hours ago, RoverFolkUs said:

Looking at those now I think it's the Vauxhall badge 'V' decal making me think it looks horrible, those other three grilles actually make it look pretty smart 

It's a road-legal go-cart, built in the UK. What's not to like?

[RoverFolkUs]

Given the unanimous opinions perhaps I'll raise my rose tinted glasses and think better of Vauxhall VX220 Roadster from now on

[RoverFolkUs]

30 minutes ago, Snake Charmer said:

Much tidier with a Holden badge.

Definitely, I think that really helps

[SteersWithThrottle]

11 hours ago, Missy Charm said:

 

Having had a poke about on the internet, I'm not entirely sure that it worked at all.  The NRV II was a concept car that functioned after a fashion, however some of the devices within it were just for show.  The spec is bizarre too: radar speed sensors and methanol engine but no electric windows!  

That's pretty normal for concept cars I think. I remember lusting after the Peugeot Proxima when I saw it in Autocar, but realistically it was probably powered by two sweaty blokes pushing it onto its display stand.

Even if it is/was capable of moving under its own power, I seriously doubt its ability to achieve the claimed performance figures, or to drive round a track at the speed its specs and form imply.

[HMC]

[AndaBoss]

Not exactly a car per se but the W638 Mercedes V Class/ Vito.