You learn something new... - Cars you didn't know existed, until now!

[Nessy]

1970 Hondina Youngstar

Zagato bodied roofless "beach car" based on the N360

Nice find. 👍
I'd forgotten about that car. Learnt of it's existence a couple of years ago, whilst looking for Polistil diecasts.

I think the diecast is actually based on these ^ Fiat 500 Zanzara Zagato. Looks to be very similar/based to the Hondina.

 

[Clark]

@homeforsummer

 

[Dennisch]

That looks uncannily like a Spitfire that they bisected and welded in a center section from a different car to get the engine to fit.

Almost! But it's a stretched Cobra chassis.

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

1966 Dodge D-Dart was a special order dart only 50 made for Superstock Drag Racing back in the day. Interesting car that I didn't know existed and a few of them were converted over to trans-am racing due to how light they were.

I really get a kick out of all the special to order stock cars or drag super stocks form back in the day

https://www.mecum.com/lot-detail/SC0509-80169/0/1966-Dodge-D-Dart-Super-Stock/

 

[TexRex]

1966 Dodge D-Dart was a special order dart only 50 made for Superstock Drag Racing back in the day. Interesting car that I didn't know existed and a few of them were converted over to trans-am racing due to how light they were.

I really get a kick out of all the special to order stock cars or drag super stocks form back in the day

https://www.mecum.com/lot-detail/SC0509-80169/0/1966-Dodge-D-Dart-Super-Stock/

BFX Comets are a big 'want' for me.

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

BFX Comets are a big 'want' for me.

Same, that as well as the Torino Talladega, and the Thunderbolt.

 

[JR98]

I saw one of these earlier today.

Chevrolet Epica

Which is basically a rebadged Daewoo Tosca

As far as I can tell there's nothing "Epic" about it.

 

[VXR]

I dunno, a transverse inline six is a talking point in itself.

 

[ilikewaffles11]

Never knew they made a 2014 RAV4 EV, only thought they made a first gen. Only available in California like the old one of course.

 

[RandomCarGuy17]

Chevrolet Corsa SS, I saw this in the suggestions section. Another rebadged Opel, but they didn't bother putting the engine from the Opel Corsa in it. According to another user; it uses a Chevette engine. Yup, just GM being GM and it annoys me.

 

[Niku Driver HC]

Yup, just Brazilian GM being Brazilian GM and it annoys me.
View attachment 526790

Fixing that one for you, because that's how most of Brazil's hot hatches are made. You will see plenty of big performance names being used for cars with minimal (if not none) performance upgrades, in aging chassis that have seen better days. Be annoyed if you must, but that's just how "cut & shut" the Brazilian hot hatch world is... Don't expect legendary cars akin to the Peugeot 205 GTI to exist in that sort of environment.

 

[RandomCarGuy17]

Fixing that one for you, because that's how most of Brazil's hot hatches are made. You will see plenty of big performance names being used for cars with minimal (if not none) performance upgrades, in aging chassis that have seen better days. Be annoyed if you must, but that's just how "cut & shut" the Brazilian hot hatch world is... Don't expect legendary cars akin to the Peugeot 205 GTI to exist in that sort of environment.

So, to be clear; they're hot hatches that aren't really hot hatches?

 

[Niku Driver HC]

So, to be clear; they're hot hatches that aren't really hot hatches?

You could say that, yes. In Brazil, a true hot hatch like say, the VW Golf GTI, comes with strict and costly taxes due to engine size as well as import taxes (in case the car is not built locally). That way, local branches of big manufacturers are forced to come up with cheap alternatives to adapt their city cars to the best possible engines without breaking the bank, both in development budget and pricetag.

There are reasons which explain why one of Brazil's hottest hatches, the Renault Sandero RS, features no turbocharging and had to carry over a 2.0, 140-hp-plus Flex (fuel and ethanol) engine from a Dacia Duster... Again, cars like those will be a far cry from a Fiesta ST or a 208 GTI, but it's the next best thing that Brazilians can afford.

 

[TVR27]

Jeep FC-150 Minivan

 

[GTPorsche]

So, to be clear; they're hot hatches that aren't really hot hatches?

I think lukewarm hatches would be a better term for them.

 

[TVR27]

Volvo 480

 

[7up747]

Škoda 110 Super Sport ferat

 

[-Fred-]

So that's what would happen if KITT, a Delorean and an Isuzu Piazza had a baby?

 

[ScottPuss20]

So that's what would happen if KITT, a Delorean and an Isuzu Piazza had a baby?

It does look shocking

 

[Casey]

Never knew about Buick Reatta's saw one yesterday, i quite like the way it looks.

 

[TexRex]

Never knew about Buick Reatta's saw one yesterday, i quiet like the way it looks.
View attachment 528227

I think they're quite attractive, but they don't offer much more for the driver than a Century of the period.

 

[Neddo]

Never knew about Buick Reatta's saw one yesterday, i quite like the way it looks.

 

[Tornado]

Or the Riviera that they shared almost everything with, but at least they aren't anywhere near as ugly as the Riviera.

 

[TexRex]

No kidding. Still, the 7th gen Rivi wasn't nearly as bad as the bloated carcass that followed.

 

[Nessy]

Looks MX-5y. Quite like it.

 

[TVR27]

Skoda 1100

 

[7up747]

Iso rivolta

 

[GTPorsche]

While trying to find an image of a 1980s Champ Car earlier, I came across this.

The Plymouth Champ. I know it's just a Mitsubishi Mirage/Dodge Colt but I didn't know there was a Plymouth variant.

 

[Razor440]

Never knew about Buick Reatta's saw one yesterday, i quite like the way it looks.
View attachment 528227

One of my neighbors has a Reatta.

 

[ScottPuss20]

Iso rivolta

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