GTP Cool Wall: 1982-1984 Sado 550

[GranTurismo916]

1982-1984 Sado 550 nominated by @AlvaroF

Engines: 0.6L I2 (Daihatsu AB20)
Power: 28 hp
Torque: 29 lb-ft.
Weight: 670 kg
Transmission: 4-speed manual
Drivetrain: Front engine, rear wheel drive
Body Styles: 2-door microcar
Additional Info: "There were built 500 units of this portuguese microcar. For some one of our best attempts of building a car at some sort. Only very few survive to this date. "It packs a Daihatsu engine, mainly because most Portuguese bike engines lacked the horsepower to move it properly" (by @Niku Driver HC, here)"​

Spoiler: Additional Pics

 

[JR98]

Just looking at it says it all. Seriously Uncool

 

[Skython]

BWAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!! Only shouting laughter with caps lock can define how funny this thing looks, oh my. Looks like only children, and midgets can fit in it.

 

[MatskiMonk]

To be fair, this does look kinda fun

 

[TheCracker]

As much as i like the concept of a small city car that's economical and easy to park. You're going to look a berk (or a sad-o) driving one. SU.

 

[Vegard]

They should have gone all in and called it the Sado Masochisto 550. SU.

 

[JR98]

To be fair, this does look kinda fun

So does Reliant Robin racing.

 

[CSMDuty11]

A Portuguese version of the Peel P50 which only the Portuguese and hipsters would know of....















...

 

[SVT Cobra GT]

I like the steering wheel.

But that's it. Uncool.

 

[Dagger311]

Seriously uncool.

 

[Beeblebrox237]

I like it.

 

[Tyger]

I'll settle on a meh, as the power, engine size and drivetrain intrique me.

 

[Roger the Horse]

I want a go in one now.

 

[GTRacer22]

The race car looks awesome and I would want to compete in that. But, we're talking about the road car, so it's Seriously Uncool. Looks ridiculous and that rear windows just...

 

[Niku Driver HC]

You know, I like the Sado. Now, before you come at me with the forks and/or call me biased, allow me to explain this:

Portugal isn't really a car country. Most of our car industry is working for other brands (Autoeuropa, for example), and we never really had a car to call our own back in the days of the Sado. And its premise makes sense; a small and cheap car for those who couldn't afford the small foreign cars of the time. And in many aspects, it's better than a Peel. Design isn't one of those aspects, granted, because neither are examples of beauty.

But the Sado has an actual reverse gear (as opposed to the Peel's "get out and turn the car around yourself" system), and thanks to the Daihatsu engine you can get the 550 on a freeway (if you're brave enough) without looking too much like a snail. Entreposto, the comanpy behind the Sado, knew who they aiming the car at, so they priced it accordingly. And they kept improving it after its launch, so it's not like the Sado was a lazy job of a car. Eventually, times changed and the 550 was outclassed by better offerings, but it remained a likeable car. Pretty it is not, but it's reliable and compent enough to work as a city car.

And that's why I like it. The Sado, for all you speak about its ugliness, is our finest hour in the Portuguese car industry when it comes to Portuguese-made-and-created cars. And if you think this is bad, then it's because you have never heard of the Vinci GT. Which one is the worst? The ugly small car that sold reasonbly well and worked like it should as a small city car, or the ugly supercar that never made it into production, had a 4-speed AUTOMATIC gearbox from a Corvette and failed to start in the presence of the local Prime-Minister? I know which one is the worst, and it isn't the Sado...

 

[yabiggoose]

I gave it cool because it's just that bizarre.

 

[Legro]

I sort of like it, but for most people it's like those French car-like things that are limited to 45 km/h and block the roads with 15 year old girls listening to some rather crap music inside them. Seriously uncool.

 

[Wiegert]

Trend of the Day: incredibly uncool micro-boxes from both ends of the price spectrum.

And I'd sooner take a spin out on the open roads in this thing than a rebadged Toyota for inner-city Londoners.

 

[AudiMan2011]

A sorry excuse for a quadricycle.

SU.

 

[Cano]

This thing is awesome. But impossibly uncool.

 

[Adamgp]

Both yellow ones in the OP look kind of neat, but the others, not so much.

Uncool.

 

[GT Pro]

Given its miniscule proportions, 670kg actually seems to be on the heavy side.

 

[niky]

It's a golf cart.

With doors.

I'm assuming that body is soft, heavy gauge stamped steel... because no way does a car that tiny, sitting on golf cart wheels, weigh 670 kilograms. That's more than a Morris Mini, which had a bigger engine, a much bigger body, and four seats.

It's interesting, from a historical point of view, but not the funkiest indigenous small car I've ever seen. Certainly not compared to something like this:

http://hooniverse.com/2010/06/22/get-shorty-gurgel-xef-might-present-choking-hazard/
Got turned on to Gurgels by a mate from another board from Brazil. They're just nuts.

Or even this:

http://www.topgear.com.ph/news/car-...er-amphibious-trike-can-tackle-land-and-water

Neither of them are particularly frosty... both are rather goofy... but both are a fair bit more interesting than the Sado.

Historically important =/= cool. Sorry.

 

[SomePlayaDude]

Can't fit. My policy with cars that are way too tight automatically makes it one for the low times.

Which is a shame. It looks like i car i want to like.

 

[Skygrasper550]

What the hell is this abomination...

 

[SlipZtrEm]

It's interesting, from a historical point of view, but not the funkiest indigenous small car I've ever seen. Certainly not compared to something like this:

http://hooniverse.com/2010/06/22/get-shorty-gurgel-xef-might-present-choking-hazard/
Got turned on to Gurgels by a mate from another board from Brazil. They're just nuts.

I'm oddly enticed. Guess I know what I'll be spending lunch reading up on, thanks!

As for the Sado, SU. It just looks far too ridiculous, too much so to counterbalance its usefulness.

 

[huskeR32]

Fantastic. Thoroughly uncool.

 

[Stotty]

'Sado' PMSL

Lives up to its name.

SU

 

[Roger the Horse]

You know, I like the Sado.

Great. Now, why do you think it's cool?

 

[Danny]

It looks like an Austin Metro that never grew properly. The door looks like it doesn't fit properly. I'd imagine just from the shape of it that safety isn't a big focus. The example appears to be off-beige. The steering wheel position looks like a chiropractor's nightmare.

Gets a cool from me just for existing in this world.