Cars you didn't know existed until very recently.

[EyesWeldedShut]

19 hours ago, bunglebus said:

Saw a Bessacarr compact motorhome earlier, pic doesn't do justice to how short the wheelbase is

Yesterday I learned of two things I never knew existed:

1) McLaren build campers
2) They're not campers - they are 4x4 Sports Homes

Saw one of these on a 74 plate in the wild* yesterday. Pretty sure it costs more than a house.

*the 'wild' being McDonalds car park, Abergavenny (Centre of the Universe). He was edging in as we went out - it was bad enough in a MWB Boxer - I wonder if this thing has all wheel steering as well as AWD cos it's feckin' HUGE 

[Supernaut]

8 hours ago, Metal Guru said:

The rear overhang will catch on a rock on the Bealach na Ba (NC500) and catapult them to their deaths.

I was about to say "good!"

But... The NC500 is already bad enough with all the litter from campervan wankers. We don't need actual bits of campervan added to the litter...

[catsinthewelder]

Not such a new thing, I saw this yesterday and wasn't sure if it was old enough for the spots thread.

At least the overhang is more sensible.

[EyesWeldedShut]

34 minutes ago, catsinthewelder said:

Not such a new thing, I saw this yesterday and wasn't sure if it was old enough for the spots thread.

At least the overhang is more sensible.

That's rather neat tbh - I think I rather like it.

[Metal Guru]

1 hour ago, EyesWeldedShut said:

Yesterday I learned of two things I never knew existed:

1) McLaren build campers
2) They're not campers - they are 4x4 Sports Homes

Saw one of these on a 74 plate in the wild* yesterday. Pretty sure it costs more than a house.

*the 'wild' being McDonalds car park, Abergavenny (Centre of the Universe). He was edging in as we went out - it was bad enough in a MWB Boxer - I wonder if this thing has all wheel steering as well as AWD cos it's feckin' HUGE 

Watch out for some homemade copy cats based on an ex Amazon van with 400, 000 miles on it.

[MiniMinorMk3]

4 hours ago, EyesWeldedShut said:

Yesterday I learned of two things I never knew existed:

1) McLaren build campers
2) They're not campers - they are 4x4 Sports Homes

Saw one of these on a 74 plate in the wild* yesterday. Pretty sure it costs more than a house.

*the 'wild' being McDonalds car park, Abergavenny (Centre of the Universe). He was edging in as we went out - it was bad enough in a MWB Boxer - I wonder if this thing has all wheel steering as well as AWD cos it's feckin' HUGE 

 

McLaren do not build motorhomes.

Mclaren (note lower case L) Sportshomes build campers. They are nothing to do with the orange racing cars of the supercars from Woking.

Motorhome Conversions | Sportshome Conversions | Mclaren (mclarensportshomes.co.uk)

[MiniMinorMk3]

Fiat Strada Sporting Pickup

[EyesWeldedShut]

7 minutes ago, MiniMinorMk3 said:

McLaren do not build motorhomes.

Mclaren (note lower case L) Sportshomes build campers. They are nothing to do with the orange racing cars of the supercars from Woking.

Motorhome Conversions | Sportshome Conversions | Mclaren (mclarensportshomes.co.uk)

Ahhh - my quick GoogleFoo earlier did suggest that they were kind of the same peeps - perhaps some deliberate obfuscation or AI stupidness?
My wallet is not in the market for either though - I'd happily take the cash alternative   

[martc]

The products of the crazily named Christian de Leotard, who specialised in adding an extra axle to assorted chod...

https://www.largus.fr/actualite-automobile/christian-de-leotard-le-specialiste-francais-des-voitures-a-6-roues-10632405.html

[martc]

I quote - 'A Brazilian made Chevrolet 500 (sometimes badged as a GMC500) for the Argentinian market, based on an Opel and sold through the Renault network, carrying an American badge and spotted in Syria.' The plastic top is locally made.

Can anyone hazard a guess as to what Opel is under all this? A Rekord?

[Remspoor]

Renault 3. Like a 4 but less power.

Video in French use subtitles and auto translate if you need it.

Renault 3: essai d'une survivante.

[MiniMinorMk3]

CITROEN Jumpy Type HG

[MiniMinorMk3]

1 hour ago, martc said:

I quote - 'A Brazilian made Chevrolet 500 (sometimes badged as a GMC500) for the Argentinian market, based on an Opel and sold through the Renault network, carrying an American badge and spotted in Syria.' The plastic top is locally made.

Can anyone hazard a guess as to what Opel is under all this? A Rekord?

It's based on the Kadett C/Chevette.

Full storey here

CC Global: The Brazilian Chevette - Curbside Classic

[EyesWeldedShut]

2 hours ago, MiniMinorMk3 said:

It's based on the Kadett C/Chevette.

Full storey here

CC Global: The Brazilian Chevette - Curbside Classic

So it's like a Father Dougal Rekord then?

 

[Remspoor]

On 11/10/2024 at 17:44, MiniMinorMk3 said:

CITROEN Jumpy Type HG

There is a whole range of these.

Now being imported into the UK.

 

[Westbay]

16 hours ago, Remspoor said:

There is a whole range of these.

Now being imported into the UK.

 

Kit+fitting+paint + VAT= + £20k ...

[Hertz]

Quote

Now that the design principle of ‘form follows function’ has left us with commercial vehicles and passenger cars as exciting as a milk jug, it’s good to look back to happier times when commercial vehicle design could be outrageously stylised with thrilling aerodynamic aesthetics inspired by speed record cars. This little van is a prime example.

It’s a Commer or Albion chassis, clad in a rather stunning body by Holland Coachcraft of Govan, a part of Glasgow in Scotland. This vehicle was used in the 1930s by the Universal Laundry Company of Greater Manchester, but it was certainly not alone. Holland Coachcraft appealed to laundries and similar vans were used by the Collars Laundry of London and the Pioneer Laundry of Liverpool. A whole fleet was built for Castlebank Dyeworks in Glasgow. Yes, for some reason the Scottish coachbuilder’s products were popular with laundry owners.

Although the bodies were made of metal on a steel tube frame, the lower half of the body appears to be made of glossy lacquered wood. Is this real wood or a mock paint job, as on the dashboard of the Facel Vega? We wouldn’t be surprised if it was a complex paint job, judging by the effort that went into making these vans look good. Unfortunately, Holland Coachcraft didn’t last very long. With the outbreak of war in 1940, the company went into receivership in 1940. It is not known whether any of its beautiful Art Deco vans survived.

What a fab thing, would love to know if any survived.

[martc]

Citroen Traction Avant 11BL Legere, rebodied by Hermann Spohn Karosseriebau Ravensburg in 1948 for Mr. Castor, France.

[martc]

We know about the Romanian Oltcit and later Oltena, but did you know there was a pick up too? A microscopic trucklet to be precise, which you could get with a cute little canopy, like this Oltena Club 12CS in Syria.

[martc]

The Tatra T613 coupe prototype by Vignale (1968). Vignale built three prototypes for Tatra, one of them was used in a crash test, the other two survived this ordeal. Two models were proposed: a four door saloon and a two door coupe. In 1972 production of the well known T613 saloons started; they were primarily used as transport for high government and as taxis, a small number were exported. The coupe was never put into production which is a crying shame, just look at it.
 

[lesapandre]

23 minutes ago, martc said:

The Tatra T613 coupe prototype by Vignale (1968). Vignale built three prototypes for Tatra, one of them was used in a crash test, the other two survived this ordeal. Two models were proposed: a four door saloon and a two door coupe. In 1972 production of the well known T613 saloons started; they were primarily used as transport for high government and as taxis, a small number were exported. The coupe was never put into production which is a crying shame, just look at it.
 

Bit of a Ford vibe there.. 

[martc]

10 minutes ago, lesapandre said:

Bit of a Ford vibe there...

They were designed at a similar time, I thought it had the look of a VW Variant about it.

Phun Phact, Vignale was taken over by Ghia, but ran as a separate concern until the two were bought out by Ford in the '70's when they dropped the Vignale name using the well known Ghia monicker. Until now when Vignale is hammered onto the boot of your top spec Ford and Ghia is no more. Strange world.

[Yoss]

2 hours ago, lesapandre said:

Bit of a Ford vibe there.. 

If they'd put the engine in the boot of the Capri, like they did the Tatra, they could have put those fake grilles to some use. 

[MiniMinorMk3]

15 hours ago, martc said:

They were designed at a similar time, I thought it had the look of a VW Variant about it.

Phun Phact, Vignale was taken over by Ghia, but ran as a separate concern until the two were bought out by Ford in the '70's when they dropped the Vignale name using the well known Ghia monicker. Until now when Vignale is hammered onto the boot of your top spec Ford and Ghia is no more. Strange world.

To me I thought BMW 2002 Touring roof on top of a VW 411.

[Adrian_pt]

On 09/10/2024 at 17:09, martc said:

The VAZ-21043-33 pick-up. This slightly foxed one is in Damascus, it has a locally made canopy.

Rear door welds on the Russian one are magnificent.

Syria has a lot of weird stuff including market-specific Skoda and Dacia sedan-based pickups. 

[somewhatfoolish]

2 hours ago, Adrian_pt said:

Rear door welds on the Russian one are magnificent.

Syria has a lot of weird stuff including market-specific Skoda and Dacia sedan-based pickups. 

"We want you to make a saloon out of an estate."

[Remspoor]

On 07/03/2022 at 22:52, 11001010 said:

Leapmotor S01

 

The latest TO3 Not good looking.

https://archive.ph/T18r6

Reminds me of something.

[lesapandre]

17 minutes ago, Remspoor said:

The latest TO3 Not good looking.

https://archive.ph/T18r6

Reminds me of something.

Seems a rip-off of the Renault Twingo.

[martc]

23 hours ago, MiniMinorMk3 said:

To me I thought BMW 2002 Touring roof on top of a VW 411.

Thanks for the memory jog, when I said VW Variant, which, something was telling me wasn't quite right, I was thinking of the 411.

[MiniMinorMk3]

Coming soon to a car park near you, the new Renner 4 Electric.

Renault 4 - The fully electric city car by Renault