Cars you didn't know existed until very recently.

[bunglebus]

Ooh, a Leapmotor C10! Spotted parked on the coast this morning 

[Remspoor]

18 hours ago, bunglebus said:

Leapmotor C10

Runs on

[bunglebus]

Saehan Max 850, Opel Kadett based pickup built in South Korea

[captain_70s]

On 26/06/2025 at 17:28, martc said:

Another Iranian special. This is a Pars Khodro Sepand, seen in Syria. It consists of a Renault 5 body hammered over a Saipa platform. 

In fairness they are slightly less shonky when the bumpers aren't missing.

[Dyslexic Viking]

The Erskine car brand 1926-1930 was a sub-brand of Studebaker and until to this day completely unknown to me.

[DavieW]

5 hours ago, bunglebus said:

Saehan Max 850, Opel Kadett based pickup built in South Korea

I'd love to import one of those. 

[bunglebus]

Morrison Electricar

[martc]

The Moskvich C3 concept car, 1976. I think this went on to become the Aleko, although the fact* that the Aleko was based on the Alpine is all prevalent.

There's all sorts of cars in here - I can see mk1 Astra in the side windows, perhaps there's some Lancia or Chevrolet Chevette in the boot lid. Renault 18 at the front. SAAB bonnet. There's something about the front windscreen as well, Ford or BL? Maybe the prominent wipers going the wrong way (for us) makes me think of BL! But does this predate them all?

As a reminder, here's an Aleko -

 

[Madman Of The People]

On 06/07/2025 at 07:12, Dyslexic Viking said:

The Erskine car brand 1926-1930 was a sub-brand of Studebaker and until to this day completely unknown to me.

 

Erskine was positioned as a budget brand, below Studebaker.  It was replaced by the even shorter lived Rockne marque, produced from 1932-33.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockne

 

[MiniMinorMk3]

20 hours ago, martc said:

The Moskvich C3 concept car, 1976. I think this went on to become the Aleko, although the fact* that the Aleko was based on the Alpine is all prevalent.

There's all sorts of cars in here - I can see mk1 Astra in the side windows, perhaps there's some Lancia or Chevrolet Chevette in the boot lid. Renault 18 at the front. SAAB bonnet. There's something about the front windscreen as well, Ford or BL? Maybe the prominent wipers going the wrong way (for us) makes me think of BL! But does this predate them all?

 

 

C1 plasticine mock up, very SAAB 99 with Astra back end.

Running prototype C1. 3 built.

C2 mock up

C3. The front grille and lamps remind me of the Mazda Montrose/626.

 

Hit translate on the following link for more info.

Moskvitch prototypes from the '70s - Retrovasak.hu

[cms206]

One (well, three) from last night - the BYD E6Y. Possibly the only ones in the UK?

[martc]

The BMA Amica.

An Italian company founded in 1971 in Alfonsine (RA), BMA produced minicars based on the Piaggio Ape. In 1992, it was acquired by the Grecav company and finally closed its doors in 1997. In its 26-year history, BMA produced only three models: the Amica, the Brio, and the Nuova Amica (the latter being the only four-wheeled model). The Amica, by far the most successful, is a three-wheeler based on the Piaggio Ape chassis and engine and was introduced in 1972, with engines ranging from 50 to 250 cc.  It could be driven without a licence in Italy at the time.

[MiniMinorMk3]

Coming to an Amazon near you, Bezos backed Slate Auto Pick Up goes back to basics with very customisable truck for the masses. It's about the size of a mid 1980's Hi-Lux.

SLATE Auto | The Customizable EV That Works for You

 

 

[High Jetter]

2 hours ago, martc said:

The BMA Amica.

I bet that's fun to scoot around in, I know Apes are.

[Markeh]

Spotted one of these earlier, think it was plated up as an Uber.

It's the estate version of the mid 2010s Corolla sold over in Japan and other markets that didn't get the one we knew as the Auris. Proper confused me at first, it looked like someone had described a Logan MCV down the phone.

[EyesWeldedShut]

14 hours ago, MiniMinorMk3 said:

Bezos backed Slate Auto Pick Up

Been there, bought the T shirt (I like the 2 door fake Defender (ish) styled SUV shape to be fair)
240 mile range on the big battery - could be interesting but I think if the Chinese see a market for it in Europe/UK they'll bring out a competitor?

[Urko]

Diesel Plymouth.  1959 Perkins Plymouth with a P45

https://www.autoevolution.com/news/this-perkins-powered-1959-plymouth-savoy-is-the-diesel-mopar-you-never-knew-existed-251768.html

Apologies if we've had this before

[Knotty Ash Towers]

Not sure if this counts? Mercedes Big Sprinter.

[Remspoor]

1 hour ago, Urko said:

Diesel Plymouth.  1959 Perkins Plymouth with a P45

https://www.autoevolution.com/news/this-perkins-powered-1959-plymouth-savoy-is-the-diesel-mopar-you-never-knew-existed-251768.html

Apologies if we've had this before

Watched it on that video website.

 

[Heidel_Kakao]

A Renault Wind that I saw for the first time today.

[Bayerischer Scheißsüchtige]

Apologies for the crap image quality and blurring, these are screenshots off Google Maps. Anyone got any clue WTF this is? Back half looks like 'son of Panther Solo', but then the cockpit tapers to the front and it's an open-wheeler! I've tried everything, Googled all sorts of search terms, even ChatGPT's usually reliable image analysis tool couldn't work out what the hell it is!

[brownnova]

25 minutes ago, Bayerischer Scheißsüchtige said:

Apologies for the crap image quality and blurring, these are screenshots off Google Maps. Anyone got any clue WTF this is? Back half looks like 'son of Panther Solo', but then the cockpit tapers to the front and it's an open-wheeler! I've tried everything, Googled all sorts of search terms, even ChatGPT's usually reliable image analysis tool couldn't work out what the hell it is!

Think that’s a DAX Kamala. 

[RoadworkUK]

1 hour ago, brownnova said:

Think that’s a DAX Kamala. 

Close.

Dare DZ

https://carsonline.bonhams.com/en/listings/dare/dz/853453bd-5a8e-4000-b039-e724f9688c9d

Dare was, if I remember correctly, the company that rose from the ashes of Ginetta. Albeit briefly.

[sheffcortinacentre]

Funny way to spell mess.

[Bayerischer Scheißsüchtige]

@RoadworkUK I presume the DAX and Dare are related or designed by the same designer? As for "ashes of Ginetta", I didn't know it had ever ceased to exist? Obviously the name is around now, based in Yorkshire...

[DavieW]

9 hours ago, Bayerischer Scheißsüchtige said:

 "ashes of Ginetta"

They still exist. 

https://www.ginetta.com/

[Bayerischer Scheißsüchtige]

51 minutes ago, DavieW said:

They still exist. 

https://www.ginetta.com/

That's what I meant. I hadn't realised it had gone bust at one point.

[RoadworkUK]

1 hour ago, DavieW said:

They still exist. 

https://www.ginetta.com/

Yep, they've been passed around a bit, though. Randomly, I went to college with a member of the same Walklett family.

[Missy Charm]

22 hours ago, Heidel_Kakao said:

A Renault Wind that I saw for the first time today.

Used to be a few of those knocking about Essex.  I've not seen one for a good while, however.

I do suspect that region has an effect on the sort of cars people buy, in that certain models described by those in the Ooop North as rarities are ubiquitous in the sun-and-stiletto belt.  One can, or could, spot Suzuki XC-90s, PT Cruiser cabriolets, Nissan Figaros, Vauxhall Cascadas, Evoque dropheads and the like with relative ease, round here.

I even saw one of these, last night:

It really did look like a jacuzzi on wheels.  

[sdkrc]