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

  • Thread starter Rue
  • 6,212 comments
  • 1,088,313 views
Darrell Walrtip Tundra was a thing too.
640_0_uploads_TeamLEERCelebrities_waltrip.jpg
 
I've had the misfortune of seeing the purple pace car C5 here in England, up close. You can take these things too far, just like that Monte Carlo. Yikes.
 
I suppose they're a bit tacky, but they're better than the equivalent we'd get in the UK. Can you imagine? "Subaru Levorg Jason Plato Edition".
Or 'Toyota Celica Carlos Sainz Limited Edition'...

Seriously though, the McLaren West themed Mercedes-Benz A-Klasses are quite close to the American NASCAR specials.
IMG_2796.jpg
 
Or 'Toyota Celica Carlos Sainz Limited Edition'...
It did strike me that there were a few "proper" special editions, but they were quite tasteful really. Same goes for the Impreza Series McRae.

Citroen C2/C4 'by Loeb' and Seicento/Stilo Michael Schumacher less so. But mainly because those were just a bit disappointing, rather than being tacky. Of the American stuff the Pontiac Richard Petty actually seems to have some mechanical differences to a regular car, so even if the paintwork is a bit iffy there'd be justification in its existence.

But again, I quite like the slightly exaggerated Americana. Even the Jeff Gordon Monte Carlo is growing on me.
 
Or 'Toyota Celica Carlos Sainz Limited Edition'...

Seriously though, the McLaren West themed Mercedes-Benz A-Klasses are quite close to the American NASCAR specials.

At least we based our "race specials" on really crappy versions of what the race cars are supposed to be like while Mercedes decided to base their special on a supermini that was shortly recalled after it was put on the roads because it suffered the same handling properties as a Suzuki Samurai.
 
Pontiac Grand Prix Richard Petty Edition. Who knew?

a_-1_1372307708_1434.jpg


a_-1_1372307708_6927.jpg


a_-1_1372307707_6556.jpg

Appears there was also a Richard Petty Edition of the previous-gen model too. The surprising thing is that it actually looks like a reasonably thorough job. The other surprising thing is that I actually quite like it.
Too bad into translate into the GTO.
 
Not many people remember the Plymouth Volare Richard Petty Edition.

This was actually a "kit car", and you could get it with or without numbers, even have the big "43" changed to a "34", if you wanted to. Decals were dealer-installed.

View attachment 600378 View attachment 600379

That has to be one of the most horrific 'factory' creations i've ever seen. Why the tacked on arch extensions :confused::confused::confused:
 
Roo
I saw a Fiat pick up truck yesterday. Turns out it's called the Fullback, and is a Mitsubishi L200 with a different badge.

160615_fiat-professional_fullback_03.jpg


160615_fiat-professional_fullback_04.jpg
I never knew that there was a rebadged version of Mitsubishi L200 and speaking of rebadged L200, i also discovered another rebadged version of the L200.

It's called the Dodge Ram 1200:

2017-ram-1200.jpg

Ram-1200-in-the-UAE-2.jpg


It was recently on a UAE launch event along with the Ram 1500 Rebel and 1500 Limited.
 
I suppose they're a bit tacky, but they're better than the equivalent we'd get in the UK. Can you imagine? "Subaru Levorg Jason Plato Edition".

Something in the back of my mind says that it has happened with touring car drivers before. Maybe one of the Vuaxhalls or BMWs.
 
Don't forget this missed opportunity as well @homeforsummer Not that the 207 was a great starting point anyway. View attachment 600420

I've aways thought S16 was a cooler name than GTI on a Peugeot. It can't have been too popular, because it only appeared here in the UK on the 306 phase 1 and then it was replaced by the GTI6.

@Liquid I've got a feeling the E30 M3 Ravaglio was the Cecotto edition here? I used to know this stuff inside out when I was a BMW apologist.
 
VXR
@Liquid I've got a feeling the E30 M3 Ravaglio was the Cecotto edition here? I used to know this stuff inside out when I was a BMW apologist.

That's what i was thinking. I don't think they were much more than a regular E30 M3 Evo with a numbered plaque on the dashboard.
 
VXR
@Liquid I've got a feeling the E30 M3 Ravaglio was the Cecotto edition here? I used to know this stuff inside out when I was a BMW apologist.

That's what i was thinking. I don't think they were much more than a regular E30 M3 Evo with a numbered plaque on the dashboard.

Pretty much. They all seem to be in one particular shade of grey though.

16803240866_87332dc1ff_b.jpg


bmw_m3_roberto_ravaglia_edition.jpeg
 
It did strike me that there were a few "proper" special editions, but they were quite tasteful really. Same goes for the Impreza Series McRae.

Citroen C2/C4 'by Loeb' and Seicento/Stilo Michael Schumacher less so. But mainly because those were just a bit disappointing, rather than being tacky. Of the American stuff the Pontiac Richard Petty actually seems to have some mechanical differences to a regular car, so even if the paintwork is a bit iffy there'd be justification in its existence.

But again, I quite like the slightly exaggerated Americana. Even the Jeff Gordon Monte Carlo is growing on me.

There was a Replica Citroën Xsara WRC car sold brand new for about £20,000 by my local Citroën dealership about 15 years ago. From what I recall it used geniune WRC body panels, had a fully stripped interior, adjustable springs/dampers and rally wheels, but was otherwise a standard Xsara VTR underneath.

I think it was an unwanted competition prize sold back to the dealer?
 
There was a Replica Citroën Xsara WRC car sold brand new for about £20,000 by my local Citroën dealership about 15 years ago. From what I recall it used geniune WRC body panels, had a fully stripped interior, adjustable springs/dampers and rally wheels, but was otherwise a standard Xsara VTR underneath.

I think it was an unwanted competition prize sold back to the dealer?
Sounds like it. I recall fairly soon after buying my first car I happened across one of the bug-eyed Corollas - like those used in WRC in the late 90s - with the full WRC body kit, big wheels, spoiler etc. Looked great and again I assume it was some kind of promotional tool. Didn't have the stickers but if it had, it'd have looked just like the rally car from the outside.
 
To continue with the trend of NASCAR special editions...

Toyota Camry Nascar Edition. Has a 680 horsepower V8, the one used in NASCAR.
upload_2016-10-25_18-35-57.png


Ford F150 NASCAR Special Edition:
upload_2016-10-25_18-36-51.png
 
Back