Variants we never got

[MorrisItalSLX]

Australia really missed out on an Opel Monza based 2 door Holden Commodore. Just imagine a Vauxhall Royale Coupé with a whopping great V8, Perfection.

[bunglebus]

44 minutes ago, Asimo said:

I like two door cars, base-models with big engines, luxo-barges with economy engines etc etc so have always had a bit of a sulk about the bland, compromised, middle of the road models sold into the British market.

This enough-doors Corsair has just turned up on eBay, a South African import. I don’t think I have ever seen one before, were they ever sold here?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1965-Ford-Corsair-2-door-yes-2-door/143890608115?hash=item21808c6ff3:g:FkkAAOSwTuxf3Pza

 

Yes, but built to order only for the UK apparently

[bunglebus]

Bet your dad would have had top bragging rights in the 80s with an XR6

[UltraWomble]

Talking of Fords

I wonder why we never got the Fiesta Saloon?

I can see that appealing to the retired giffer driver who has given up his company MUndane

[Tayne]

58 minutes ago, Supernaut said:

I remember @Tayne telling me about one of these being the UK. I think it was him anyway.

How many left indicates that there are two diesel fluences registered in the UK.

The other 49 cars are electric.

Not sure there’s been anything else  from a major manufacturer that’s flopped that badly in the UK.

[UltraWomble]

Talking of Citroens we didnt get - how about these abortions from Dongfeng PSA

C4 sedan

Elysee Sedan

Elysee Limo

 

Fukang N15 van or popemobile variant

 

[UltraWomble]

Talking of Peugeot how about a 206 Sedan?

[UltraWomble]

Talking of VW's

Why didnt Europe get the VW Gol?

Front engine rear wheel drive air cooled loveliness.

 

[UltraWomble]

Talking (again) about VW - I can see the VW Saverio appealing to young lads and farmer types

 

[UltraWomble]

Talking (fuck off Womble) again about VW - the LWB UP 3 door looks like a suitable second car for mummy for the school runs and shopping at Waitrose

[UltraWomble]

Talking ( somebody shoot him please) about VW - how about a Polo Sedan?

[bunglebus]

35 minutes ago, UltraWomble said:

Talking of Fords

I wonder why we never got the Fiesta Saloon?

I can see that appealing to the retired giffer driver who has given up his company MUndane

I've seen one in the UK, leaving Ford at Dunton so probably being evaluated. We have too many not very different versions of moderns, like Golf/Golf Plus, Ka/Ka+, Fiesta/Fusion as it is, so probably not enough room in the market for it.

And no-one buys saloons anymore

[ProgRocker]

22 hours ago, sierraman said:

Surely it was competing with the scirocco 

I'd wager a bit roomier than the Scirocco but yeah - a bit of a conflict there in sales figures.

[bunglebus]

16 minutes ago, UltraWomble said:

Talking of VW's

Why didnt Europe get the VW Gol?

Front engine rear wheel drive air cooled loveliness.

The Gol was FWD, and by the time it was made no-one in their right mind would want a Beetle engined Polo. I'd love one

[martc]

13 hours ago, Motown said:

Great idea! Although I have to say am not against elecy I just don’t think the technology is there yet... The infrastructure needs expanding for a start I don’t want to run out of juice on a smart motorway  because the range is shite and there’s no charge station for 40 mile 😳

I agree - it's a great idea and could lead to 'Britain leading the world with it's cheap electric Rovers'. Chances are though they would be rebadged Chinese electric cars with wood effect sticky back plastic on the dashboards. Roewe already have several in their stable, and there's hundreds more, from tens of manufacturers to chose from - just look here, there's 56 pages of them - pick one and stick a longboat on the front.

https://carnewschina.com/tag/china-electric-car/

Here's a couple we certainly haven't got over here -

The NEVS 9-3EV - look familair? NEVS = New Electric Vehicle Sweden, they bought the production rights from SAAB when they went bust - https://carnewschina.com/2017/12/06/nevs-9-3-ev-china/#more-82171

And for light entertainment purposes, I'll leave this here -

https://carnewschina.com/2018/01/15/chinese-lsev-company-bmw-isetta-four-doors/#more-82624

Something else we are unlikely to get.

Incidently, not wanting to derail the subject, but even now you can run out of petrol/diesel/lpg on a smart motorway, 40 miles from a filling station, you don't need to wait for this new fangled elastrickery to leave you stranded.

[Fumbler]

Meanwhile, in Japan-


 

Also these-

For some reason a Micra saloon is rather appealing. Would have been a good successor to the Nova saloon IMO.

[Supernaut]

9 minutes ago, Fumbler said:

Meanwhile, in Japan-


 

Also these-

For some reason a Micra saloon is rather appealing. Would have been a good successor to the Nova saloon IMO.

I'd seen the Micra Box before, but that saloon! Wow.

I think it's the non-wrap-around tail lights that do it.

[UltraWomble]

51 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

The Gol was FWD, and by the time it was made no-one in their right mind would want a Beetle engined Polo. I'd love one

The Gol is fluffing ace - what a wonderful natural progressor to the Beetle  - air cooled, simple, 2 door.
Could have been a nice cheap end motor.

I'd love one too.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

1 hour ago, bunglebus said:

Bet your dad would have had top bragging rights in the 80s with an XR6

Those seats ! Can’t help feeling an understated,lazy, Essex engined 5 door would have been more popular than the XR4i, here. Could have been a real bargain and the Police would have loved them too.

[New POD]

2 minutes ago, NorfolkNWeigh said:

Those seats ! Can’t help feeling an understated,lazy, Essex engined 5 door would have been more popular than the XR4i, here. Could have been a real bargain and the Police would have loved them too.

But we had the 2.9 V6 4x4 in XR4x4 and Ghia 4x4 estate trim.  And turbo technical did a conversion kit.  

I saw a 2000E sapphire with 2.9 4x4 running gear and thought it a good idea that Ford missed the trick on.   It was slightly understated compared to a cosworth sapphire 

[StescoG66]

41 minutes ago, Fumbler said:

Meanwhile, in Japan-


 

Also these-

For some reason a Micra saloon is rather appealing. Would have been a good successor to the Nova saloon IMO.

the box is hideous, however the saloon is quite cute. Shouldnt like it, but i do.......

 

[New POD]

2 hours ago, MorrisItalSLX said:

Australia really missed out on an Opel Monza based 2 door Holden Commodore. Just imagine a Vauxhall Royale Coupé with a whopping great V8, Perfection.

But eventually did the Monaro, which seems to be a V8 omega coupe.  That's what I tell myself. 

[sierraman]

The Irish love a low spec diesel saloon. You see loads in Eire. 

[Soundwave]

13 hours ago, sierraman said:

I can’t see them bringing back the Rover name, to anyone over 30 it’s synonymous with old folks cars. The moment has passed, the whole brand went down the pan by 2005. 

With the right product and the right marketing strategy, a brand's perception can be changed. That's why nobody tells Skoda jokes anymore.


... although that being said, this is JLR we're talking about. So it's likely neither the product or the marketing would be right.

[PhilA]

3 hours ago, UltraWomble said:

Talking ( somebody shoot him please) about VW - how about a Polo Sedan?

Going by the way a downgraded Golf was a Gol, their naming schema would end it up as a Polio.

[Richard_FM]

I heard in Brazil the Gols could run on fuel made from sugar cane waste.

Those alternative body styles look odd, the Fiesta saloon is like a chubby Mondeo.

[bunglebus]

2 hours ago, NorfolkNWeigh said:

Those seats ! Can’t help feeling an understated,lazy, Essex engined 5 door would have been more popular than the XR4i, here. Could have been a real bargain and the Police would have loved them too.

If you really want to be the boss, you need a 5.0 XR8

[PhilA]

1 hour ago, Richard_FM said:

I heard in Brazil the Gols could run on fuel made from sugar cane waste.

Those alternative body styles look odd, the Fiesta saloon is like a chubby Mondeo.

Yeah, Brazil has had E100 as an option for years.

[Asimo]

5 hours ago, bunglebus said:

The Gol was FWD, and by the time it was made no-one in their right mind would want a Beetle engined Polo. I'd love one

I would happily own a Beetle-engined anything.

But when I last had a Beetle, I wanted to convert it to Mazda-Wankel power.  And to put a "0 valve" badge on it.

[Mrs6C]

2 hours ago, bunglebus said:

If you really want to be the boss, you need a 5.0 XR8

Sadly, despite the worthy engine, it has doesn't have the lovely three door XR4i body shape, so it's a 'No' from me...