The Forgotten Cars Thread

[Gotbeefboy564]

These Ford EXPs
Only one I’ve seen but it was at the Woodward dream cruise this year.

Never seen one in the wild

 

[05XR8]

Loved these back in the day. BF Goodrich raised letter tires, just upped its coolness. Not as cool as a Dodge /Shelby Daytona, but a cool exercise by Ford.

 

[TexRex]

These Ford EXPs
Only one I’ve seen but it was at the Woodward dream cruise this year.

Never seen one in the wild

My neighbor years back had a first generation EXP with the funky headlights. I helped him convert it to electric and got that nifty CVH in exchange for the assistance. Neat little motor that I sadly had to sell off.

 

[homeforsummer]

One of the most copied rear tailights in car modification history(well, back in my days in The Bronx anyway).. I'm thinking about one. Fairly inexpensive out here in Australia($3500 on average), for manual or automatic.

Is the IS200 particularly "forgotten"?

 

[Turbo]

Toyota Celica (T160)






Saw one at a stoplight the other day, and I haven't seen this generation of the Celica in the flesh in at least three years. It's definitely one of the most forgotten about and overlooked generations. It wasn't the fastest Celica nor was it the prettiest, but for 1985, it's rounded, aerodynamic styling was certainly ahead of it's time. In its top-spec, the GT-FOUR (Turbo All-trac here in USA) it had AWD and cranked out 190hp from a 3S-GTE turbo.​

 

[05XR8]

Is the IS200 particularly "forgotten"?

I feel it is. I don't see it as a car people are talking about and I definitely haven't seen one in forever. Only brought it up because I was looking at BMI videos.

 

[7up747]

I feel it is. I don't see it as a car people are talking about and I definitely haven't seen one in forever. Only brought it up because I was looking at BMI videos.

That's because is200 is underpowered and fuel consumption is quite high. It's no rival for lower trim e46. Also rear taillights... horrible horrible looking. The only interesting thing in is200 is it's speedometer. At least is300 has engine in it...

 

[05XR8]

That's because is200 is underpowered and fuel consumption is quite high. It's no rival for lower trim e46. Also rear taillights... horrible horrible looking. The only interesting thing in is200 is it's speedometer. At least is300 has engine in it...

As a modern rwd car in its class, it still has tuning potential and pretty good value.
I see plenty Accord CL7s and every year Cressida. The IS200 makes a good alternative(even with shorter rear leg room).

 

[homeforsummer]

That's because is200 is underpowered and fuel consumption is quite high. It's no rival for lower trim e46. Also rear taillights... horrible horrible looking. The only interesting thing in is200 is it's speedometer. At least is300 has engine in it...

Plenty of reviews back in the day actually put it above lower-trim E46s - have to remember that while the E46 is looked upon fondly now, it was occasionally seen as a little soft when new (and it's thought Lexus benchmarked the E36 when designing the IS200).

I actually don't mind the taillights though. I know they spawned one of the worst visual modification crazes ever, but the IS200 is the only vehicle that "Lexus lights" ever actually suited in the first place. Overall I'm a fan of the shape - I think it's aged very well and the proportions are great. Peak IS200 is still the Beams 4cyl-powered Altezza they got in Japan, but I'd probably still take a 200/300 over an equivalent E46 today.

Toyota Celica (T160)

One of my favourite generations of Celica. Another car where the styling has aged quite nicely, and that abundant glass area is quite different from almost every other generation of Celica too. It's interesting to read contemporary reviews of too - rose-tinted spectacle types would have you believe moving to front-wheel drive was a step backwards, but in reviews it was seen as an improvement in every way, better ride/handling, better styling, more space, better engine/gearbox etc.

The T160 also spawned one of my favourite "cars you didn't know existed" cars too, the mid-80s Toyota Corona Coupe. Kind of a more luxurious take on the Celica platform.

 

[MedigoFlame]

Infiniti G37 IPL (Which stood for Infiniti Performance Line)

Seems like Infiniti's brief attempt to make a more performance orientated lineup. Didn't last long.

 

[ScottPuss20]

Have I posted this car before?

I feel as though I have so in that case:

OK this is a bit controversial but hear me out: I don't see any of these cars out on the road, nobody talks about it much and I don't think any video games of late have featured it. Last time I saw this car in a video game was either TDU or Midnight Club 3. No, it was actually Midnight Club LA which featured the convertible. Loved that car. It's just as significant as the Countach, Diablo and Aventador IMO but it doesn't always seem that way.

 

[Turbo]

1991-1993 Isuzu Gemini Irmscher R "Handling By Lotus"




Honestly surprised how obscure these cars are, considering that the 3rd-gen Gemini trio were among the fastest Isuzu vehicles ever made. The Irmscher R was the top-of-the-line performance package for the Gemini lineup, and was on-par with cars like the EG Civic SiR and Mirage Cyborg R. These had full-time 4WD, a handling package done up by Lotus, 177hp, and a 0-60 time of 6.9 seconds, making for a very potent sports compact.​

 

[SiriusR]

Honestly surprised how obscure these cars are, considering that the 3rd-gen Gemini trio were among the fastest Isuzu vehicles ever made.

Perhaps the reason is that Isuzu has always been kinda obscure by itself? Really, I believe almost any Isuzu belongs to this thread due to how rarely it's being talked about.

Lotus handling package, while a certainly neat thing, is not too intriguing to me. Quite a plenty of cars got Lotus handling treatment, such as Ford Cortina and Nissan GT-R R35.

 

[05XR8]

The Impulse is the one I remember with the Lotus tuned suspension.

 

[Volksauto]

Have I posted this car before?
View attachment 779712
I feel as though I have so in that case:
View attachment 779713
OK this is a bit controversial but hear me out: I don't see any of these cars out on the road, nobody talks about it much and I don't think any video games of late have featured it. Last time I saw this car in a video game was either TDU or Midnight Club 3. No, it was actually Midnight Club LA which featured the convertible. Loved that car. It's just as significant as the Countach, Diablo and Aventador IMO but it doesn't always seem that way.

The Murcielago is in Forza Horizon 3, Crew 2, GT6, (it might be in GT Sport because I think it is shown in the licensing credits of the game but it isn't released yet), and Forza 7.

 

[Populuxe]

The Murcielago is in Forza Horizon 3, Crew 2, GT6, (it might be in GT Sport because I think it is shown in the licensing credits of the game but it isn't released yet), and Forza 7.

And Horizon 4.

 

[ScottPuss20]

The Murcielago is in Forza Horizon 3, Crew 2, GT6, (it might be in GT Sport because I think it is shown in the licensing credits of the game but it isn't released yet), and Forza 7.

But that's the LP640 and the SV. Not the 2002 original.

 

[Turbo]

The Impulse is the one I remember with the Lotus tuned suspension.

Many Isuzus of the late-80s and early-90s offered a "Handling by Lotus" package. The previous generation Gemini had it.



And the 2nd-gen Piazza/Impulse also offered the package.



But the most bizarre "handling by Lotus" vehicle there was is definitely the Isuzu Bighorn Irmscher R.

 

[Populuxe]

GM Aerobacks of 1978 to 1980. The downsizing of GM's large B and C Platform cars in 1977 was a huge success. So hopes were high for the downsizing of the mid-sized A Platform cars. And for the most part, they were a huge success. They were smaller outside but roomier inside, much more maneuverable, and weighed a whopping 600 pounds less than the models they replaced. More importantly at the time, they got significantly better fuel economy than the cars they replaced. The Buick Regal, Chevy Malibu and Monte Carlo, a dizzying array of Oldsmobile Cutlasses and Pontiac Grand Prix, Grand Am and Le Mans all got traditional notchback body styles. But surprisingly, GM took a chance on the styling of two of the cars. For the Olds Cutlass Salon and the Buick Century, two of the biggest sellers in each lineup, GM gambled on a fastback style called the Aeroback. Despite its looks, the cars are not hatchbacks. Large hatchbacks were gaining in popularity in Europe, and GM felt offering a similar style on a couple of upmarket cars would create an air of modern sophistication that would be well-received. They were wrong. Sales of the Oldsmobile were down 40%. Sales of the Buick were worse, down 60%. The 4-doors were quickly replaced with traditional notchback sedans in 1980. The 2-doors lasted another year but were gone from the 1981 lineup. Personally, I like them. I think they're very attractive and completely unique. Especially if you get either of the performance models, the Olds 442 or Buick Century Turbo Coupe.


1978 Buick Century


1978 Buick Century Turbo Coupe


1979 Oldsmobile Cutlass Salon


1978 Olsmobile 442

 

[SiriusR]

Does anybody know what is that dark red convertible standing besides Century?

 

[05XR8]

Does anybody know what is that dark red convertible standing besides Century?

Look like a Corvette to me.

 

[Populuxe]

Look like a Corvette to me.

Correct. A C4.

 

[darioL]

The unlucky X90 Suzuki... It was just too early for a targa Cuv, especially a small 2 seater!(think i saw just one in my whole life, years ago in Germany)

 

[Populuxe]

I used to see these Red Bull Suzuki X90s all over the Seattle area back in the day. I always liked the car.

 

[TheNuvolari]

I don't even remember when did I see a Laguna III Coupé last time.

That rear is familiar... It's like a Mercedes'.

 

[ScottPuss20]

The Mercedes SL

Maybe not the 2018 one specifically but SL's in general have basically been forgotten about. We remember the brilliant SL's of the past, but the current ones haven't been at the centre of attention AT ALL. Especially when compared to the AMG GT and the S-Class Coupe, which has taken the mantle that this car used to sit on. This car doesn't really have a place in the market anymore - if you want a luxury convertible, you get the S-Class Cabriolet; if you want an exciting sports car, you get the AMG GT. The SL is neither of those unfortunately, so it's probably going to die out. Mercedes has effectively killed off it's most legendary nameplate! I'll get Doug to explain:

 

[homeforsummer]

This one had completely skipped my memory until someone reminded me just now - the Saab 9-2X:

It never came to the UK, which is a real shame. I always thought they looked fantastic, classier than the Subaru version. If I ever lived in the US it'd be high up my used car list, I think.

 

[Tornado]

Saabaru was always my favorite of that body style. Interiors are a lot nicer and Saab/GM pulled a few STi parts out of the bin instead of making it mechanically identical. Last I knew they went for a lot less than the actual Subarus too. The same was the case with the 9-7x vs the rest of that bodystyle, albeit that one was inherently a lot less appealing because of what it was.




I mean it was hopelessly cynical GM just like it had frequently been since the 1980s, but while an Escalade is obviously just a Tahoe it's still clearly the nicest Tahoe.

 

[homeforsummer]

I think one of the things I like about the Saabaru, apart from the looks and the better quality interior (colleagues tell me they shoved a load of extra sound insulation in there too, and tweaked the suspension - basically did all the Saab stuff that made 9-3s and the like so much better than the GM platforms they were based on) is that Saab and Subaru seem like kindred spirits in a way. History of safety, making slightly offbeat cars, rallying heritage... a Subaru seems like a totally appropriate car to turn into a Saab. A Legacy would have made a great 9-5, I reckon.

 

[Joey D]

The 9-2X is on my list of cars I'd like to own someday. They're just funky enough for me to want one, but since it's essentially an Impreza maintaining it wouldn't be a pain in the ass (at least until the head gasket exploded).