Forgotten Cars

[Soundwave]

18 minutes ago, RoverFolkUs said:

Ooh, how about the Mazda Premacy? 

In the obligatory £howmuch tax band, along with every other obscure MPV of this era. 

Or its bigger brother, the MPV - For when you can't keep it in your pants for 10 minutes, and a Sintra or Trajet are just too exciting for you. I mean, they have names that aren't just a description of what they are - and with so many barfing infants around the place, who's got time for such decadence?



No, seriously, that's what it was called. The MPV.




Guessing the marketing department phoned that one in. Or the work experience boy was the only one in the office that day.

[RoverFolkUs]

9 minutes ago, Soundwave said:

Or its bigger brother, the MPV!



... no, seriously, that's what it was called. The MPV.




Guessing the marketing department phoned that one in. Or the work experience boy was the only one in the office that day.

Never knew they actually existed! 

[wesacosa]

29 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

Saw a proton Impian today

See also Savvy

And the Wira

The Hull Rozzers used to have Personas and Impians as Panda cars 

[Soundwave]

Noticed a lot of Proton action in this thread... but also noticed nobody mentioned the GEN-2. Note the particularly unfitting plate, as there's nothing especially SXY about it:



There's actually one of these local to me, and it looks just as awkward in real life. Style-wise it seems to be a Malaysian car trying to be Japanese and European at the same time, and not effectively accomplishing either.

[Soundwave]

Also I have made far too many posts on this thread... lesser-known mainstream shit from the late 90s and early 2000s seems to be a bit of a specialist subject for me.

So with that in mind, I'll let someone else have a turn. I'll leave you with a Vauxhall Monterey, a badge-engineered Isuzu trooper for people who wanted a Trooper but didn't fancy paying Isuzu prices.




Spoiler alert: Nearly everyone who wanted a Trooper was willing to pay Isuzu prices, so no bugger bought these.

[GeordieInExile]

2 hours ago, AnnoyingPentium said:

Oh yeah the Marea Weekend...

I really like these. Very well resolved estate styling.

[Dick Cheeseburger]

I'd forgotten about the Horsey Horseless.

[High Jetter]

2 hours ago, grogee said:

Dormobile

A fwend haz one, good for mobility.

[Split_Pin]

Hyundai XG30.

Beautiful early 00s V6 saloon.

I have always sorely wanted one.

[DVee8]

Toyota Picnic

[bunglebus]

One of those in the next street to me - were they all those colours?

[sierraman]

1 hour ago, bunglebus said:

One of those in the next street to me - were they all those colours?

Seem to recall the other popular colour combo was a sea green over silver. 

What about the Vauxhall Sintra, a sort of American minivan. Can’t even recall seeing many at the time let alone now?

[Asimo]

11 hours ago, Soundwave said:

I actually have a theory that all mid-size Fiats have some kind of curse upon their lineage that dooms them all to be forgotten. The 80s/90s Tipo and Tempra, the Bravo/Brava/Marea, the Stilo, the Bravo again, and although the current Tipo is a reasonable seller, I suspect in time it will go in the same direction.

Did anyone ever buy them new? Aavailable to rent all over Europe and then to buy at huge discount, one owner, when 9 months old.

[Dyslexic Viking]

Toyota Verso S

[Soundwave]

... alright, couldn't resist posting a bit more.

Who remembers the Fullbore Mark 10? I remember seeing the ads for them in Top Gear magazine in the late 90s, but I don't think I've ever seen one in the metal. Basically a Hindustan Ambassador, imported by Fullbore Motors UK and tidied up a bit for the UK market with better paint/materials and a few mechanical tweaks etc. It cost £HFM.M8 at the time, and thus nobody bought them. Plus the improvements didn't include rustproofing, meaning the few that did sell disintegrated.

[sierraman]

10 hours ago, Soundwave said:

Or its bigger brother, the MPV - For when you can't keep it in your pants for 10 minutes, and a Sintra or Trajet are just too exciting for you. I mean, they have names that aren't just a description of what they are - and with so many barfing infants around the place, who's got time for such decadence?



No, seriously, that's what it was called. The MPV.




Guessing the marketing department phoned that one in. Or the work experience boy was the only one in the office that day.

In my head I always used to think ‘After the second pregnancy comes the Premacy’

’In comes the Premacy out goes your social life’

Could have been a good tag line for them. 

[GeordieInExile]

22 minutes ago, sierraman said:

In my head I always used to think ‘After the second pregnancy comes the Premacy’

’In comes the Premacy out goes your social life’

Could have been a good tag line for them. 

I remember the Top Gear review at the time was titled "Premacy ejaculation".

[sierraman]

2 minutes ago, GeordieInExile said:

I remember the Top Gear review at the time was titled "Premacy ejaculation".

Problems that follow you around in your thirties, that and the Premacy. 🤣

[sierraman]

28 minutes ago, Soundwave said:

... alright, couldn't resist posting a bit more.

Who remembers the Fullbore Mark 10? I remember seeing the ads for them in Top Gear magazine in the late 90s, but I don't think I've ever seen one in the metal. Basically a Hindustan Ambassador, imported by Fullbore Motors UK and tidied up a bit for the UK market with better paint/materials and a few mechanical tweaks etc. It cost £HFM.M8 at the time, and thus nobody bought them. Plus the improvements didn't include rustproofing, meaning the few that did sell disintegrated.

I have the Top Gear road test of these from around 1997 it was in a dual test with one of those Indian copy motorbikes based on a BSA or whatever. You are right the rustproofing was dire, the seat fabrics were a bit ‘sudden’ to say the least as well. As I understand that had to be almost completely refinished once they hit the U.K. and fitted with an aftermarket cat which can’t have helped subsequent MOTs. 

Car Mechanics reported on a several year old one that appeared at auction in around 2003 but it was VERY rusty. Wonder if any survive?

[sierraman]

12 hours ago, grogee said:

"Let's save Rover with a half-assed sports car"

Meddling whilst Rome burns 🤣

[RichardK]

1 hour ago, Asimo said:

Did anyone ever buy them new? Aavailable to rent all over Europe and then to buy at huge discount, one owner, when 9 months old.

I had a Marea Weekend new. 1.6 SX. It was excellent.

[horriblemercedes]

4 minutes ago, sierraman said:

I have the Top Gear road test of these from around 1997 it was in a dual test with one of those Indian copy motorbikes based on a BSA or whatever. You are right the rustproofing was dire, the seat fabrics were a bit ‘sudden’ to say the least as well. As I understand that had to be almost completely refinished once they hit the U.K. and fitted with an aftermarket cat which can’t have helped subsequent MOTs. 

Car Mechanics reported on a several year old one that appeared at auction in around 2003 but it was VERY rusty. Wonder if any survive?

https://themarket.bonhams.com/en/listings/hindustan/ambassador/52180291-8952-4961-9d13-fa66404c063e

Looks like this one sold for £9550 in 2021 at auction (before fees!)

[MorrisItalSLX]

I saw a Mitsubishi Nimbus in the wild today, it would have to be at least a decade since I recall seeing one.

The parents of one of my school friends had one, he was deeply embarrassed and rightly so.

[Soundwave]

21 minutes ago, MorrisItalSLX said:

I saw a Mitsubishi Nimbus in the wild today, it would have to be at least a decade since I recall seeing one.

The parents of one of my school friends had one, he was deeply embarrassed and rightly so.

At least it had a semi-decent name over there, in Europe it was called the Space Wagon.

Speaking of which, who remembers its little brother, the Space Star?

[warch]

13 hours ago, JMotor said:

Some folk reckon the VTS ones were better to drive than a 306 GTI-6. 

Better suspension geometry at the rear. Quicker steering racks and the five speed gearbox suited the XU10J4RS engine better. Plus the steering lock was miles better than the 306 too...

Because it didn't have a soddin' lock stopper in the rack to stop the left hand front wheel smacking the gearbox due to the six speeder being a million miles longer! 

Unfortunately they became cheap throw away parts donors for GTI-6's.

I drove a mates VTS home from a festival (he was in no fit state to drive) in about 2009 (just inside the notional 15 year cut off). Went well enough, but the cornering and steering feel were sublime,  a proper B road car.

Someone's already mentioned the FIAT Bravo, a mate owned the five cylinder version of the HGT which was way more fun than the contemporary Golf Mk IV and sounded nice as well. Again, everyone went and bought a bloody Golf instead.

I'm going to opt for FIAT's new skool roadster, the 95-05 Barchetta. Pretty as a picture, but only available in LHD which limited its appeal in the UK. 

 

[MiniMinorMk3]

Ford Orion 1600E

[MiniMinorMk3]

Talbot Alpine Rapier

[MiniMinorMk3]

Peugeot 406 Rapier

[grogee]

Honda Stream. File in with all the other mystery MPVs. They'll all be classics* one day.

[grogee]

Ford Maverick (not the Nissan one) and Mazda Tribute soft-roaders. There was a V6 for people who like petrol pumps.