Unwanted Stepchild

[vulgalour]

Some cars are designed to replace a well established and often well loved vehicle and they do actually tick all the relevant boxes they need to.  But, for whatever reason, they just don't seem as popular even if they are genuinely better.  These are the unwanted stepchildren of the car world.

 

The venerable FX1 taxi, much loved even today.  Superbly suited to its role and in production from approximately 1842* until the present day.

 

Something was needed to replace them when they reached their centenary* of service, something modern and thrusting and reliable.  Something able to put up with the rigors of city driving and yet still return excellent fuel economy, space for passengers and perhaps a little more comfort for the poor old cabby.  The noble Metrocab was presented to the world and almost universally derided and avoided.  It is perhaps as despised as the FX1 is adored.

 

[vulgalour]

In France, everyone drives a Citroen 2CV.  Or they did.  From about 1934* until 1998*, the 2CV was in continuous production and was both a stylish fashion statement and a light and airy way to get the rural folk to the markets.  It was frugal, light and mental in that way only the French can do.  Universally adored by all but the most pigheaded of boors, the 2CV remains to this day a highly desirable thing.

 

It's replacement offered a more powerful engine and greater cabin space.  It also had a pleasant compromise of modernised styling on the old familiar ante-diluvian body shape.  It was the Citroen Dyane and almost nobody likes it.  The Dyane never did respond well to the criticism often suffering catastrophic hysteria.

[vulgalour]

So... what Stepchildren can you remember and enlighten us about?

[dean36014]

Think the metrocab was made by another manufacturer not LTI

[vulgalour]

Another popular and dreadful-fantastic French motor vehicle is the Renault 4.  They came in many shapes and sizes.  Like the 2CV it was both stylish fashion statement and peasant transport.  Unlike the 2CV the engine and gearbox arrangement was mad and it was designed after Noah built his big wooden floating zoo, sometime around 1953, on a Tuesday teatime I believe.

 

It was given a half-arsed facelift a few times before Renault decided to slap a wider, more modern bodyshell on it in line with the rest of their range and sell it as the Renault 6.  Why they didn't sell it as the Renault 5 is anybody's guess.  Anyway, the 6 was so unpopular Renault didn't even take the 4 off the market and canned the 6 before the 4 and then replaced both with the 5.

[Dick Cheeseburger]

Whilst incredibly modern compared to its predecessor, the Maurice Maureena never cut it to quite the same level as the venerable Morris Thou.

 

Issigonis got it so right with the lines.

 

 

Having said that, Father TW had a pillar box red TC Marina in the late 70's, and he still maintains it was 'sporty'. Front end remains a damn good looker, but I'm not sure about the rest of it. This being Autoshite, I may be in the minority on this...

 

[vulgalour]

Austin Minis, remember those?  Terrible things.  Still better than most of what was on offer at the time.

 

In the future of the past, some clever folk worked out how to make a half-decent car out of it and the Austin Metro was born.  It was fantastic in every way and so much better than the horrible old Mini but only pensioners wanted one because young people were too worried about looking cool.

[Zantimisfit]

Re above.  I would happily take either of these....and I would look cool in both!

 

(Actually I have had both now I come to think of it)

[Richard]

The Mini outlived the Clubman, Austin Metro and Rover Metro/100.

[dollywobbler]

The Mini outlived the Clubman, Austin Metro and Rover Metro/100.

 

In the same way that the 2CV outlived the Dyane and the Visa - both attempts to replace it.

 

We had a Dyane on the club stand at the NEC back in November. It was STAGGERING how many people came up just to say that they used to own one. They still languish behind 2CV values, but not by so much these days. The stepchild is winning affection.

[Dick Cheeseburger]

^ Re the Metro not looking cool and only pensioners wanting one. They were really popular on release - I remember my uncle had one as his snazzy company car and we all liked it. My first girlfriend with a car had a mustard yellow Metro, and I bought an identical one a couple of years later. A girl at sixth form had an A plate MG Metro, and damn, that thing looked good. One of my best mates had one as well, after he sold his metallic brown Samba. Sadly, I think it's only latterly that they've developed a bit of a shitty reputation. Early MG Metros are bouncing up in value at a fair rate of knots now though. I drove several standard Metros for MOT testing when I worked as a weekend teen skivvy - a 14 round mile trip. The mk1's were MASSES of fun to drive - virtually no body roll either.

[Bianconeri]

Some cars are designed to replace a well established and often well loved vehicle and they do actually tick all the relevant boxes they need to.  But, for whatever reason, they just don't seem as popular even if they are genuinely better.  These are the unwanted stepchildren of the car world.

 

The venerable FX1 taxi, much loved even today.  Superbly suited to its role and in production from approximately 1842* until the present day.

 

Something was needed to replace them when they reached their centenary* of service, something modern and thrusting and reliable.  Something able to put up with the rigors of city driving and yet still return excellent fuel economy, space for passengers and perhaps a little more comfort for the poor old cabby.  The noble Metrocab was presented to the world and almost universally derided and avoided.  It is perhaps as despised as the FX1 is adored.

The black cab is an FX4, built by Carbodies in Coventry. It replaced the FX3 in the 1950s so I guess there was also an FX2.

 

The FX4 also had a ginger cousin, the FL4, which was produced without the 'taxi' gear and with a front passenger seat.

[tooSavvy]

.... not quite a 'step child'... more Nightmare [avoided]

 

 

Chrysler were rummaging through the back of some...long forgotten drawer... and MIGHT have used the name for *THIS :-

 

 

... jury may be out on which is the most $hite Ok Ok Ok

 

* VIVA may suffer similarly... time will tell

 

 

TS

[Bianconeri]

Another popular and dreadful-fantastic French motor vehicle is the Renault 4.  They came in many shapes and sizes.  Like the 2CV it was both stylish fashion statement and peasant transport.  Unlike the 2CV the engine and gearbox arrangement was mad and it was designed after Noah built his big wooden floating zoo, sometime around 1953, on a Tuesday teatime I believe.

 

It was given a half-arsed facelift a few times before Renault decided to slap a wider, more modern bodyshell on it in line with the rest of their range and sell it as the Renault 6.  Why they didn't sell it as the Renault 5 is anybody's guess.  Anyway, the 6 was so unpopular Renault didn't even take the 4 off the market and canned the 6 before the 4 and then replaced both with the 5.

I always thought the R6 was intended to be a bigger alternative to the R4 but using the same mechanical basics, much the same as Citroen did with the Ami in relation to the 2CV (not sure where the Dyane fitted in).

 

I'd have any of them.

[dollywobbler]

I always thought the R6 was intended to be a bigger alternative to the R4 but using the same mechanical basics, much the same as Citroen did with the Ami in relation to the 2CV (not sure where the Dyane fitted in).

 

I'd have any of them.

 

No, I don't think anyone knows where the Dyane fitted in. In many ways, it was a replacement for the 2CV, but it seems there was enough demand for Citroen to keep building tin snails. Dyane sold 1.4 million between 1967 and 1983, which is pretty decent.

[colnerov]

 Hi, Metro's were initially liked and bought by pensioners but they soon moved onto other cars because they found it difficult to get their leg over the sill/step as it was too high.

 

 Colin

[vulgalour]

Some of you have spotted that my facts are, in many instances, facts*.  Well done.

[richardthestag]

Think the metrocab was made by another manufacturer not LTI

 

Phact Metrocab was penned by same child as P38 Range Rover

[Richard]

.... not quite a 'step child'... more Nightmare [avoided]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TS

 

Although there was a bit of a gap I'd say the Sunbeam was the Imp's stepchild. Even more hurriedly developed and even worse build quality.

[Zantimisfit]

An obvious one

 

The ADO16 - probably the most advanced small European saloon at the time of its launch with its sharp styling, and availabilty as a sporty MG, luxurious Wolseley. picnic tably Vanden Plas etc etc. Once, on its own, commanded 14% of the UK new car market and a big seller in Europe (where trade tariffs allowed!).

 

 

Replaced by the Allegro as advertised by that bloke on Eastenders who went mad. There were some who considered it a retrograde step...some even considered it ugly (Having said that I would be thrilled to get my hands on a Series 3 Applejack Estate, or better still an Innocenti Regent!)

 

[Walter White]

Good posts earlier so... Ford (Europe)never really had a coupe to replace the Capri. They left a gap of a few years before the Probe and then the Cougar.

 

Fiat 128 was a popular car, not sure the Strada was as popular.

[Ghosty]

[Cleon-Fonte]

This one's an obvious choice. Take highly successful small car, beloved (justifiably or otherwise) by its target market then cynically replace it with something with no appeal at all.

 

 

 

 

[Supernaut]

 

[Cleon-Fonte]

Meanwhile, over in Holland Volvo were busy killing off the slightly nutty 300 series and replacing it with the utterly dreary 400.

 

 

 

 

 

[Zantimisfit]

Anyone remember a Car magazine issue comparing cars from 1971 with their 1991 successors? The theme was that new cars had not improved anywhere near as much as they should have done in 20 years. From memory they compared

 

Jaguar V12 E-Type v XJS

Citroen GS v ZX

Alfasud v Alfa 33

NSU Ro80 v Audi 100

 

Things like crash protection and serviceability had improved but in other areas, not much progress. I guess you could do the same kind of thing now.

 

Car magazine doesn't do journalism like that now

 

Anyway, following the 306 v 307 theme above, what about

 

406 v 407

Xantia v C5

205 v 206, and 206 v 207!

[Walter White]

Ford Granada & Ford Scorpio.

 

I dont mind the front end of the Svorpio but many more didn't.

After all when you are sitting in the luxobarge you can't see the lights and grill.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

The trouble with the Metro was that the public soon found out what a crock of shit it could be.

 

- IF they'd retained the pre 1980 brass cage gearbox  main bearing

 

- IF they'd fitted plastic front arch liners

 

- IF they had gone further with wax injection

 

 

They would have spent an extra tenner per car and it would have left production with a far better reputation. It was a vastly better car than the Mini, be in no doubt. A good 1.0 HLE was a bonny thing to drive and amazing on fuel. 

[Timewaster]

A girl at sixth form had an A plate MG Metro, and damn, that thing looked good.

Go on then..... What about the car?

[Ghosty]

How about this downward spiral?