Oddball Euro saloons

[Bren]

Reading about the Rover P8 on another thread made me think about other European saloons from the late 60's / early 70's that never saw sales in big numbers.

My first thought was the Opel KAD series - Kapitan / Admiral / Diplomat - 

I have never seen one in the flesh save for the matchbox diplomat I own. Some had Cheverolet V8 engines but later models had the 2.8 CIH  six from the royale and commodore. They had de dion rear suspension and the 327 V8 had good performance - I believe that potentially they were considered for sale in the US but this never happened. I had a look to see if there are any for sale on the continent - there were a few but you would need to part with around 20000 euros. I would imagine the six is a bit slow.

There was also the dodge 3700 - 

Another I have never seen up close - in Batman Jack Nicholson's goons are driving one - the 1984 film "the hit" with John Hurt and Terence Stamp features one that ends up burnt out. Built in Spain they had a 3700 six - they were aimed at wealthy / government types. I like the transatlantic styling of these.

Are there any others?

[Asimo]

Fiat 130 belong in this group ?

[sierraman]

The Dodge was built in Spain by Barrieros the truck/diesel manufacturer. There was one in the complete shitefest and bad acting medley called Killing Machine with Lee Van Cleef. 

[Lacquer Peel]

  On 26/02/2025 at 07:48, sierraman said:

The Dodge was built in Spain by Barrieros the truck/diesel manufacturer. There was one in the complete shitefest and bad acting medley called Killing Machine with Lee Van Cleef. 

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😍

[artdjones]

  On 25/02/2025 at 23:22, Bren said:

Reading about the Rover P8 on another thread made me think about other European saloons from the late 60's / early 70's that never saw sales in big numbers.

My first thought was the Opel KAD series - Kapitan / Admiral / Diplomat - 

I have never seen one in the flesh save for the matchbox diplomat I own. Some had Cheverolet V8 engines but later models had the 2.8 CIH  six from the royale and commodore. They had de dion rear suspension and the 327 V8 had good performance - I believe that potentially they were considered for sale in the US but this never happened. I had a look to see if there are any for sale on the continent - there were a few but you would need to part with around 20000 euros. I would imagine the six is a bit slow.

There was also the dodge 3700 - 

Another I have never seen up close - in Batman Jack Nicholson's goons are driving one - the 1984 film "the hit" with John Hurt and Terence Stamp features one that ends up burnt out. Built in Spain they had a 3700 six - they were aimed at wealthy / government types. I like the transatlantic styling of these.

Are there any others?

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There was someone in Cardiff back in the early 80s who was into the big Opels. He had a couple of V8 Diplomats among others. Very impressive cars close up. I suppose the Lancia Flaminia would suit this heading.

[Dobloseven]

  On 26/02/2025 at 05:36, Asimo said:

Fiat 130 belong in this group ?

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There's two of those in a front garden just outside Leicester.Been there for ages Will try to get a photo when I'm out that way.Their survival prospects look about the same as Pope Francis.Bet if I knocked the door,the owner would say he's going to do one up and they're worth a lot of money........!

[neil72]

Local Opel Diplomat!

[D.E]

Bitter SC saloon

[lesapandre]

The Chrysler 180 and associated Talbot Tagora spring to mind - though the former did better in parts of Europe - lots of diesels in Spain at one time (I think there was assembly there).

Whilst Chrysler were misunderstanding and trashing their Rootes acquisition in the late 1960's they discontinued the slow selling and antiquated 'Loewy' big Humbers (Hawk and Snipe) and then imported some V Series Chrysler Valiants as a 'like-for-like' replacement and sop to the dealer network for the UK market - they probably sold one or two at best.

The Valiants sold into the UK market were assembled and imported from...Australia - such is the sometime madness of multi-national corporations

[sierraman]

  On 26/02/2025 at 08:53, neil72 said:

Local Opel Diplomat!

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That paint scheme though… someone should be held to account for that. Part one of ‘When idiots accidentally end up with nice cars’ 🤣

[sierraman]

  On 26/02/2025 at 09:18, lesapandre said:

The Chrysler 180 and associated Talbot Tagora spring to mind - though the former did better in parts of Europe - lots of diesels in Spain at one time (I think there was assembly there).

Whilst Chrysler were misunderstanding and trashing their Rootes acquisition in the late 1960's they discontinued the slow selling and antiquated 'Loewy' big Humbers (Hawk and Snipe) and then imported some V Series Chrysler Valiants as a 'like-for-like' replacement and sop to the dealer network for the UK market - they probably sold one or two at best.

The Valiants sold into the UK market were assembled and imported from...Australia - such is the sometime madness of multi-national corporations

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I think they sold a reasonable amount but nothing like what they anticipated. Like a lot of these import schemes at the time the cars were just unsuitable and in a petrol crisis bloody thirsty. 

[twosmoke300]

Is it wrong that I expected a thread of clio saloons and similar oddities that you get abroad and in Ireland.

[artdjones]

  On 26/02/2025 at 09:34, twosmoke300 said:

Is it wrong that I expected a thread of clio saloons and similar oddities that you get abroad and in Ireland.

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We got a fair number of the world's most boring car, the Nissan Tiida saloon. 

Edit:- The photo makes it look better than they are. One of the cars that are worse in the metal than a picture.

[twosmoke300]

YES thats the kinda thing

[lesapandre]

  On 26/02/2025 at 09:33, sierraman said:

I think they sold a reasonable amount but nothing like what they anticipated. Like a lot of these import schemes at the time the cars were just unsuitable and in a petrol crisis bloody thirsty. 

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The Mr Chudleigh-Warners, with their pipes and trilbys, who traditionally drove Humbers - and were with Monty and his Humber at El Alamein would not have been impressed.

[sierraman]

  On 26/02/2025 at 09:46, artdjones said:

We got a fair number of the world's most boring car, the Nissan Tiida saloon. 

Edit:- The photo makes it look better than they are. One of the cars that are worse in the metal than a picture.

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Some ended up in the U.K. via Arnold Clark. It’s dreadful isn’t it, a totally thoughtless choice. 

[lesapandre]

  On 26/02/2025 at 09:46, artdjones said:

We got a fair number of the world's most boring car, the Nissan Tiida saloon. 

Edit:- The photo makes it look better than they are. One of the cars that are worse in the metal than a picture.

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So boring it's quite attractive - cue Father Ted joke 😂

[tooSavvy]

I got dropped into one of these, as a sub when my van was serviced, but had never seen one 👀

 

.... The Shark IIRC

🚙💨

[MiniMinorMk3]

Renault Fregate 1951-1960

[MiniMinorMk3]

Ford Vedette 1948-1954 (Ford France)

Ford sold the factory to Simca in 1954 and a new model was built called the Simca Vedette. But in Sweden and Germany it was sold as a Ford Vedette

 

[lesapandre]

Some V8 powered as well. Collected in France and quite a lot of money. 

[neil72]

Oddball Fiat's in London

[Tayne]

  On 26/02/2025 at 09:34, twosmoke300 said:

Is it wrong that I expected a thread of clio saloons and similar oddities that you get abroad and in Ireland.

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I also expected the Renault Thalia (used to be one running around Aberdeen on Romanian plates) and others such as the Fiesta, Corsa and Kia Pride saloon.

[barrett]

There's something extremely appealing about an oddball four-door. I lean towards saloons when it comes to low-volume production or coachbuilt things, as I think the combination of practicality and exoticism is hard to beat. For example:

For when an ordinary Alfa 2600 berlina isn't rare enough

Or how about adding a level of mechanical complexity and expense....

Or if a Fidia is too common and too cheap by half, what about...

Doesn't get much better than that. I always liked the Sierra, too, even though I know it's rubbish. Perhaps the ultimate anonymous/exotic combination:

I think an early chrome-bumper Deauville is a really cool thing, too, and probably still uncool enough to be affordable

[barrett]

Not quite the same thing, because you couldn't but one, but Michelotti's take on the Armstrong-Siddeley was a wonderful oddball. Nixed because A-S was incapable of building an attractive vehicle, I assume

[lesapandre]

Also they exited the car market for more profits in aviation. If either they or Daimler had used proper body designs rather than something done in-house they might have done better. 

But at the time there was still a lot of jingoistic prejudice in the the British motor industry and market about 'foreign' designs.

[andy18s]

Not a saloon but the only 1 I've seen,so far anyway.

[MiniMinorMk3]

  On 26/02/2025 at 11:53, barrett said:

I think an early chrome-bumper Deauville is a really cool thing, too, and probably still uncool enough to be affordable

 

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I always thought the Deauville looked like an XJ6 in a sharp Italian suit.

[Tayne]

I’m a bit partial to an early QP.

Probably in a lighter colour though.

 

 

[MiniMinorMk3]

For the ultimate in 4-door exclusivity it has to be the Frua Rolls-Royce Phantom VI