Epic facelifts

[SunnySouth]

Watched a docu about the recent Indian plane crash last night. Obviously a desperately tragic event, and much intrigue and theory continues. Being a true Shiter however, I was also taken by some of the inevitable ambo action from footage taken at the time,  featuring what appear to be based on ancient Renault Trafic and Merc  T1s with new plastic fantastic front ends *seamlessly grafted on. I love this sort of stuff, prehistoric VWs still being churned out in far flung places obviously being the reigning monarch of such things. So, can we have (another?!) thread, please?!

The offending articles in this case appear to be the Tata Winger (Renner) and something called a ‘Force’. Quite the facelifts! What else ya got?!


 

[Volksy]

1999 Peugeot 504

[bezzabsa]

31 minutes ago, SunnySouth said:

Watched a docu about the recent Indian plane crash last night. Obviously a desperately tragic event, and much intrigue and theory continues. Being a true Shiter however, I was also taken by some of the inevitable ambo action from footage taken at the time,  featuring what appear to be based on ancient Renault Trafic and Merc  T1s with new plastic fantastic front ends *seamlessly grafted on. I love this sort of stuff, prehistoric VWs still being churned out in far flung places obviously being the reigning monarch of such things. So, can we have (another?!) thread, please?!

The offending articles in this case appear to be the Tata Winger (Renner) and something called a ‘Force’. Quite the facelifts! What else ya got?!


 

merc 308 with what looks like a maxus front end

[Surface Rust]

2012 VW Santana in China, still showing it's Passat (B2?) roots in the side profile. Seemed to be a taxi favourite, and all utterly knackered (maybe that's how they left the factory?).

[af1]

I actually think this is epic. 
take an ancient design and strip it of its cool period nose and stick a plastic black grille on it to make it look ‘modern’ 

 

god bless the British motor industry in the 1980s

[SunnySouth]

1 hour ago, Volksy said:

1999 Peugeot 504

Yikes, imagine being handed the keys to a brand new one of those in ‘99!

[SunnySouth]

1 hour ago, bezzabsa said:

merc 308 with what looks like a maxus front end

Some of them have square headlamp clusters which looks remarkably VW Crafter-like.

[SunnySouth]

1 hour ago, Surface Rust said:

2012 VW Santana in China, still showing it's Passat (B2?) roots in the side profile. Seemed to be a taxi favourite, and all utterly knackered (maybe that's how they left the factory?).

Had no idea they sold VWs in China!

[horriblemercedes]

1 minute ago, SunnySouth said:

Had no idea they sold VWs in China!

It was the highest-selling brand in China until recently

[davehedgehog31]

The Peugeot 405 has been produced in Iran in varying degrees of facelift for the last few decades.







You can still buy the IKCO Dena Plus which is based on a slightly modified 405 platform;

[SunnySouth]

24 minutes ago, horriblemercedes said:

It was the highest-selling brand in China until recently

Amazed their regime allowed that, given their own motor industry. Such as it is.

[horriblemercedes]

Just now, SunnySouth said:

Amazed their regime allowed that, given their own motor industry. Such as it is.

I don't think China really had a motor industry when Volkswagen started investing there.

China has long operated a similar joint venture system to a lot of developing/emerging economies. Volkswagen has never been allowed to own the majority of its operations in China - it has to operate them as a joint venture with a Chinese-owned company. It allows for foreign investment with more local control and domestic benefit, at least in theory. There are proponents for and against it.

[Snipes]

I always figured the GAZ 3221 to be Transit based but apparently not. 

[goosey]

JMC Teshun

[warninglight]

2 hours ago, goosey said:

JMC Teshun

Who wants a smiley transit when you can have a stormtrooper transit!

[EyesWeldedShut]

2 hours ago, Snipes said:

I always figured the GAZ 3221 to be Transit based but apparently not. 

Any clues what they did nick the design from? It's got me puzzled - kind of Hyundai-ish?

[SunnySouth]

3 hours ago, Snipes said:

I always figured the GAZ 3221 to be Transit based but apparently not. 

Me too! Surely it’s a copy at least, if a slightly curvy one!

[SunnySouth]

51 minutes ago, warninglight said:

Who wants a smiley transit when you can have a stormtrooper transit!

That front end blends really *well…

[Soundwave]

3 hours ago, goosey said:

JMC Teshun

I've seen that smeggin' logo somewhere before....

[D.E]

The Ford Taunus lived on in Turkey until 1994:

[High Jetter]

8 hours ago, Volksy said:

1999 Peugeot 504

That doesn't look right

[D.E]

[Erebus]

Chinese Maestro

[Knotty Ash Towers]

45 minutes ago, Erebus said:

Chinese Maestro

It's a Maestego, named after a town in South Wales...

[Knotty Ash Towers]

1 hour ago, High Jetter said:

That doesn't look right

Those rear lights are far too small.

[SunnySouth]

1 hour ago, D.E said:

Wtf is that?! 😲

[SunnySouth]

1 hour ago, Erebus said:

Chinese Maestro

Does a Monty front end bolt straight onto a Maestro anyhow, or would that have required some design studio bodgery?!

 

[SunnySouth]

2 hours ago, D.E said:

Amazing how Orion-like they made the arse end of a Cortina look!

[catsinthewelder]

I believe Orion tail lights are Cortina 80 items with different lenses.

Maestro and Montego are the same in the middle so bits will bolt straight on.

[D.E]

7 hours ago, SunnySouth said:

Wtf is that?! 😲

3CV Super America, Argentinian.