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

[ToyGTone]

Selling two or more different and unrelated car brands in the same showroom sounds more like the "authorised reseller" car dealerships we have in the Middle East in which a local company officially distribute and handles a Brand or so. For example a company is selling Subaru, Volvo and Citroën cars under the same dealership building.

 

[TVR27]

Koenig Testarossa

 

[RandomCarGuy17]

As I don't research motorsport history much and Lotus even less. Of course, I didn't learn until now that there were these racing models from Lotus. The Esprit GT2, which came before the GT1.
https://www.lotusespritturbo.com/Lotus_Esprit_GT2.htm

Also, Exige 300RR GT2.
http://tech-racingcars.wikidot.com/lotus-exige

 

[The Vanishing Boy]

-> Didn't know that Toyota's newly formed (and oddly named) Gazoo Racing were humble enough to resto-mod this gem:

Toyota GR Sports 800 / S800 GR / Sports 800 GR

This was completely restored by Gazoo Racing and received a power boost from 40 HP to 75 HP and the interior was redone.

=====
-> And continuing the trend. If you want a Toyota 2000GT, but too fragile and ultra-expensive?

Rocky Auto's R3000GT

...if you desperately want a car that looks like a 2000GT without the 2000GT price tag, Rocky Auto has the solution. They make the 3000GT replica.

The chassis is entirely new and original built by them. The engine is Toyota’s 2JZ and can be had with either a six-speed manual or four-speed auto. The best thing is they’ll even do a Roadster version, just like the one from James Bond.

The catch? Well, one of Rocky Auto’s 3000GT will cost you around $187,000. It’s not cheap, but it’s a fraction of what an original 2000GT would cost.

^ If Porsche has Singer, Alfa Romeo has Alfaholics, then is this Japan's answer? I simply love this thing!!!

 

[bremics]

-> Didn't know that Toyota's newly formed (and oddly named) Gazoo Racing were humble enough to resto-mod this gem:

Toyota GR Sports 800 / S800 GR / Sports 800 GR

=====
-> And continuing the trend. If you want a Toyota 2000GT, but too fragile and ultra-expensive?

Rocky Auto's R3000GT

^ If Porsche has Singer, Alfa Romeo has Alfaholics, then is this Japan's answer? I simply love this thing!!!

The roadster would be a good lottery winner summer car, since I'm assumimg anyone above 5'6 won't fit.

 

[titleguy1]

Maserati Kyalami

I've known about the DeTomaso Longchamp, but I never knew that it had a Maserati counterpart.

 

[TexRex]

I've known about the DeTomaso Longchamp, but I never knew that it had a Maserati counterpart.

Purely out of curiosity, can you provide any kind of explanation for being aware of the Longchamp but not the Maser? I don't doubt it, mind...I just find it surprising is all. Maserati is arguably the more storied company, even if the De Tomaso came first.

Coincidentally, I was aware of the De Tomaso first as well, but I can attribute that to it having been designed by Tom Tjaarda--responsible for the Pantera, Fiat 124 Spider (the early one), the rear of VW's Type-34 Ghia, and perhaps most prevalent, the Ford Maverick. He even penned the Qvale Mangusta that appeared recently in the forgotten cars thread.

 

[titleguy1]

Purely out of curiosity, can you provide any kind of explanation for being aware of the Longchamp but not the Maser? I don't doubt it, mind...I just find it surprising is all. Maserati is arguably the more storied company, even if the De Tomaso came first.

Coincidentally, I was aware of the De Tomaso first as well, but I can attribute that to it having been designed by Tom Tjaarda--responsible for the Pantera, Fiat 124 Spider (the early one), the rear of VW's Type-34 Ghia, and perhaps most prevalent, the Ford Maverick. He even penned the Qvale Mangusta that appeared recently in the forgotten cars thread.

I simply saw the Longchamp after reading some books and never really forgot it. My friend was gushing over the Kyalami (which btw I think is a spectacular name) and when I saw the picture I knew it was familiar.

 

[TexRex]

I simply saw the Longchamp after reading some books and never really forgot it. My friend was gushing over the Kyalami (which btw I think is a spectacular name) and when I saw the picture I knew it was familiar.

Kyalami is a racing circuit in South Africa.

 

[05XR8]

For @ToyGTone
1997-2000 TRD Camry

Bonus: TRD Camry Solara

 

[ToyGTone]

Is it the 2.2 Camry?

Please don't hurt me.

I never thought there's an actual TRD version of the Camry. I thought it's simply going to be a normal Camry with TRD bumpers and spoilers just like when I went to check out the new 2018 Camry over here. Interesting.

 

[Turbo]

There was also a TRD USDM Corolla:

 

[05XR8]

Is it the 2.2 Camry?

Please don't hurt me.

I never thought there's an actual TRD version of the Camry. I thought it's simply going to be a normal Camry with TRD bumpers and spoilers just like when I went to check out the new 2018 Camry over here. Interesting.

The V6 with a Supercharger. There was a manual option at first and the package came with BBS wheels. Unsurprisingly, yet surprising, at the time, I saw more women driving the TRD sedans (in NYC, anyway).

 

[The Vanishing Boy]

-> ...

There was also a TRD USDM Corolla:

^ Here's Philippine's answer:

TOM's Corolla [AE111] Turbo '99

^ This Pinoy-only sporty sedan has 1.6L Turbo w/ 150hp. It may be a weaksauce in US standards and fell short against the ASEAN icon, the '99 Civic SiR sedan (aka. Civic Si but with 2 more doors and a copper paint scheme).

 

[ToyGTone]

Mitsubishi Magna VR-X, there was a sport tirm model for the Magna.

There was also a Ralliart edition

 

[The Vanishing Boy]

^ I thought Magna's were only RHD!? The 1st 2 pics were LHD, was it converted or a Diamante that was souped up?

 

[ToyGTone]

^ I thought Magna's were only RHD!? The 1st 2 pics were LHD, was it converted or a Diamante that was souped up?

I doubt it was a RHD car converted to LHD since these are pretty much rare and not popular at all. That and most RHD to LHD cars are mostly 90's Skylines or Supra's and such.

I was surprised to know Magna is an Aussie car, i always thought it was simply Japanese or another asian country built car.

so maybe it's a legit one or...maybe it's a normal Magna with "VR-X" body kit tacked on:

 

[TexRex]

I'm curious how Honda felt about Mitsubishi using that name.

 

[TheNuvolari]

Lancia LC2

Wiki
All I can say is:

 

[Turbo]

This is actually a thing.

 

[Turbo]

No, this isn't an Alfa Romeo. It's a 1963 Nissan Prince Sprint 1900.

 

[ToyGTone]

^ I thought Magna's were only RHD!? The 1st 2 pics were LHD, was it converted or a Diamante that was souped up?

I just realized that you meant Magna as a whole rather than the VR-X model.

Yep, we got them as Magna's in the middle east, not Diamante.

 

[RandomCarGuy17]

The Renault Spider PRV

 

[ToyGTone]

I saw what looked like at first your average Magnum wagon until i got closer and noticed it had a Chrysler 300C front end, i got confused and thought it was simply a face swap.

Turns out, there were actually Wagon versions of the 300C in Europe:

 

[TheNuvolari]

I saw what looked like at first your average Magnum wagon until i got closer and noticed it had a Chrysler 300C front end, i got confused and thought it was simply a face swap.

Turns out, there were actually Wagon versions of the 300C in Europe:

Yeah, I saw some of them here too, suddenly reminded of this:

 

[RandomCarGuy17]

I learned about a BMW race car I didn't previously know about on the BMW Group classic webpage. I'm talking about the one on the left in the picture, it looks like a Can-Am race car, but I couldn't find anything about it through a google search. What is it?
https://www.bmwgroup-classic.com/en/history/historic-motorsport.html

I would post the picture here, but it's huge.

 

[McLaren]

It's an old Interseries car. It appears in this old Speedhunters article.
http://www.speedhunters.com/2009/10/museums_gt_gt_bmw_group_classic_collection/

There are plenty of minor league race BMWs too, like this old Interseries sports racer.

 

[MatskiMonk]

I learned about a BMW race car I didn't previously know about on the BMW Group classic webpage. I'm talking about the one on the left in the picture, it looks like a Can-Am race car, but I couldn't find anything about it through a google search. What is it?
https://www.bmwgroup-classic.com/en/history/historic-motorsport.html

I would post the picture here, but it's huge.

To give you somewhere to start, google Chevron B21.

It's one of many sportscars built by a different constructor, powered by a BMW engine, there's loads of them, from the likes of March Engineering and Lola, to people like Sauber.

 

[Downhill Dino]

Chevron B21.

Ahhhhh it's always Chevron getting me. Here I was looking at everything from Lolas to McLaren to figure out what it was.

 

[RandomCarGuy17]

To give you somewhere to start, google Chevron B21.

ohhhhh, that's what it was? I knew I've seen a body style like that before. Thanks!

---
and I just learned about the Ford p100, it was based on the Cortina in earlier years and the Sierra in later years. So yeah, a Sierra pickup; I kinda like that. It makes me want to do a silly project with it involving a cosworth engine swap.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_P100