Cars You Never Knew They Made (until some time later...)

[barrett]

I used to see a roughly even split between hatches and saloons, when you could still see MK1 Ashtrays on the street (bout 15 years ago I guess), what I found more surprising was the number of Opel versions about, why would anyone go to the trouble of buying an Opel..? same applies to the Chevette-shape Kadetts, which used to be fairly common round here too.

[chaseracer]

...what I found more surprising was the number of Opel versions about, why would anyone go to the trouble of buying an Opel..? same applies to the Chevette-shape Kadetts, which used to be fairly common round here too.

At the time, it was no more trouble than buying a Vauxhall - the dealer network sold both.

[AnthonyG]

Weird Anglia 105E TOP TRUMP:

 

The Torino, made in Italy with no fins or weird rear window

 

http://www.anglia-models.co.uk/torino.htm

[Guest]

If were keeping it to uk available cars.....

Never saw an estate version of these - never knew there was one.

[whitevanman]

/\/\ I remember them when they were new, I seem to remember that there werre about 5 estates all in thet beige/mustard colour in our area

[eddyramrod]

I remember them very well. IIRC the estate was only available in three colours: that dodgy 70s orange, pale blue or white. I always wanted one and still do.

[seth]

I'm pretty sure I remember them as being rather fugly. I was probably pleased that my dad bought a rusty old Datsun estate and not a rusty old Toyota Crown which would have been even more embarrasing as a child.

[Spottedlaurel]

This 3dr version of the T12 Bluebird, until I saw it myself in Bury St Edmunds 10+ years ago.

 

[fiatdaft]

a car i never did know the existence off,whats the story behind them,looks uk spec aswell.

[Simon M]

The Renault 3 - for people who just couldn't handle the decadent opulence of the Renault 4: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renault_3

[Barry Cade]

This 3dr version of the T12 Bluebird, until I saw it myself in Bury St Edmunds 10+ years ago.

 

That looks vaugely Audi quattro sport-ish!

[eddyramrod]

Yes, I was thinking that...

 

Meanwhile: Suzuki Mighty Boy, I hadn't seen one until we came to Cyprus, I could take you to two right now...

[Vin]

That Anglia Torino looks . than an Anglia in fact.

[Spottedlaurel]

a car i never did know the existence off,whats the story behind them,looks uk spec aswell.

It was odd, I saw the back end of what looked like a normal hatchback Bluebird Turbo, but then what is usually the small rear window behind the back door kept getting longer as I got closer to it. This was on Christmas Day and it was in my pre-digital camera days, I didn’t even have a film one on me. We were visiting the in-laws just around the corner and I borrowed a rubbish disposable camera they had.

 

I later found out the 3dr was a pukka variant, just not sold in many markets (Norway apparently got a few). Remember that the previous Stanza was sold as a 3dr here, and that was in reality the predecessor to what we got as the Bluebird.

 

This was one of two brought into the UK for Type Approval purposes, not that there was any intent to sell them here but Nissan UK got the job of homologating them for Europe. A few years ago I picked up loads of ex-Nissan UK documentation relating to Type Approval matters, and there I found these photos:

 

 

 

From checking the Type Approval certificate, which gives the chassis number of the car approved, then cross-referring it with another list of 1.9-million Datsuns/Nissans brought into the UK, I could see that it was the red one I saw. Regrettably DVLA suggests it is no more, last being taxed in 2002.

 

Why didn’t I leave a note?!.....

 

Some other oddball cars were imported and then sold off by Datsun/Nissan UK. Some years back the Datsun OC was contacted by someone with a 1977 Laurel coupe, which I need to do a bit of research on but could possibly be one of four shipped here.

[fordnut]

3dr Bluebird is ace!

 

Saw one of these today and was like wtf!

 

 

Nissan Tiida

 

Turns out UK ones are grey imports - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissan_Tiida

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

I think Arnold Clark was selling them semi officially - not sure how that came about, cheap job lot from Eire? I saw loads of them in Ireland, almost all saloons. Horrid things.

 

Here's one on a 60 reg - a lot of car for the money I guess.

 

http://www.arnoldclark.com/nearly-new-c ... 2qb4xoh01/

[Mr Lobster]

I think Arnold Clark was selling them semi officially - not sure how that came about, cheap job lot from Eire? I saw loads of them in Ireland, almost all saloons. Horrid things.

 

Correct! Arnold brought a load of them in from Eire early last year. They were virtually all 1.6 automatics and were very cheap. Or at least they were to Arnie. Not a very excitable driving experience and were really aimed at the people who really, really liked Almera saloons and couldn't face being without one. Not a bad thing though although as I recall a new windscreen cost slightly over £1k and took four weeks to arrive!

[Mr Lobster]

Saw one of these t'other week -

 

 

Renault Fluence. Never knew they existed. Not really sure exactly why they do now...

[MK5 Escort]

I've seen a handful of Nissan Tiida’s around. I first spotted one, can't remember where, about 18 months ago and honestly thought at first it was a Suzuki Liana. They look so alike to me. Then I noticed the Nissan badge and also thought "What the...?!". I've only ever saw a couple of hatchback versions, which I think look pretty smart. The vast majority I've seen have worn Scottish plates, too.

 

I had no idea Nissan had been making these for six years, though...

[gearoil]

I think Arnold Clark was selling them semi officially - not sure how that came about, cheap job lot from Eire? I saw loads of them in Ireland, almost all saloons. Horrid things.

 

Here's one on a 60 reg - a lot of car for the money I guess.

 

http://www.arnoldclark.com/nearly-new-c ... 2qb4xoh01/

 

Ireland does seem to have a lot of booted hatches about.

 

I saw a Vauxhall Sintra on Saturday afternoon, on a T-reg. Kinda Chrysler Voyager esque maybe...?

[stormee]

 

I saw a Vauxhall Sintra on Saturday afternoon, on a T-reg. Kinda Chrysler Voyager esque maybe...?

 

This was dropped after 3 years due to the 'big success' and some quality issues.

 

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opel_Sintra

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

It's a Chevrolet Venture