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

[homeforsummer]

I see no pictures...

 

[buickgnx88]

Didn't know there were Volkswagen Beetles that look fun to drive until now.

*cough*

 

[Rue]

That is superb!

 

[The Vanishing Boy]

-> Just found this today. Since there are more Volvo fans than Honda fans here in GTP, might as well share it y'all:

Volvo 243

Ultra-Rare Or Ultra-Custom 1982 Volvo 243 3-Door Crossbreed

This 1982 Volvo 243 could be one of the rarest Volvos ever produced or it could just be a nice custom job combining the best of the 242 and 244 models. So which is it?

The story goes something like this: In 1982, Volvo set out to build its standard 242 coupe, but due to a certain malfunction at the factory the right side of the cars were produced with 244 sedan body panels. Volvo ended up shrugging its shoulders and continued the run for a total of 30 of these unique cars. It's said that upon completion of all 30 cars, Volvo sent them to Estonia to sell and offered them with a full factory warranty.

The other story that's floating around is that the Swedish Police had commissioned Volvo to build a special 3-door cross breed between the 242 and 244 models. The reason behind this request was to maintain a single point of entry for the backseat occupants. The police scenario is a little more likely than a muck up at the factory, but a lack of evidence and Volvo cooperation has led to a dead end.

Yet another scenario is that this is a one-off custom job made in Estonia with a pretty vague wiki entry supporting its existence. We'll never truly know, but if it's a real-life factory job then we definitely need to locate one and add it to our resident Volvo-Man's collection.

-> As you can see, the A-B & C pilars on the left; and A-B-C & D pilars on the right!

-> I always thought that the Saturn SC was the first 3-door car, but Volvo takes the cake. Now the question starts:

- Is it a Sedan?
- Is it a Coupe?
- Is it a Coupe Sedan?
- Is it a Sedan Coupe?
- Is it a Coudan?
- Is it a Sedupe?

 

[McLaren]

More like why? Was there something on the driver's side that prevented another door, and they thought, "Hey, let's stick one on the passenger side anyways"?

 

[buickgnx88]

The story about using the wrong body panels of course would be false, because the only way for that to work is if they somehow welded passenger side body-structure wrong. How could you stick 2 doors (with the front of a different size as the 2-door) on one side that was meant to have only 1 door? It had to have been purposefully designed, and the only reasons to have 1 door on the driver's side is if they needed a larger door opening, perhaps for getting in and out of the vehicle quicker, or as if the article said, for a single entry/exit point for the arestee. If anything, it would simply be called a 3-door sedan.

 

[Rotary Junkie]

Front seats don't match

 

[PAPAOSA]

Here's one for the Aussies..........

Only a few these were built from donor sedans In 1955/56 by a non-factory Melbourne body builder with the knowledge of GMH.....Only two still exist.

(Please excuse the poor picture quality)

 

[Philly]

I just saw one of these in red at Hope. I don't think I've ever seen one before. And it must have been pretty nuts to drive being front wheel drive with a Northstar V8. It was designed by Pininfarina, and I must say that it is a pretty cool looking machine; the pictures I posted definitely don't do it justice.

 

[buickgnx88]

Ah the Cadillac Allante, pretty interesting car.

 

[Prosthetic]

I see a red one driven by a old man all the time. Then again every caddy I see is driven by someone old...

 

[buickgnx88]

I see a sweet Caddy driven by my dad's friend, 1971 Eldorado with the 500ci. V8 and FWD!

 

[exigeracer]

Gotta confess I didn't know about the 250GT Bertone. Puuurty machine:

 

[-ultraflow-]

That's a new car for me too!

 

[The Vanishing Boy]

-> While doing my adventurous Vehicle Wish List; I stumbled an article at Jalopnik in which I would like to share it to anyone.

~> Once upon a time there was a German tuner called AMG or in Deutch terms Aufrecht Melcher Großbottwar. This particular tuner company is very well known as an in-house tuner for Mercedes-Benz by creating torque-happy AMG versions of almost anything Benz.

~> But their history was beyond Mercedes, before being absorbed by the MBZ people; there were couple of AMG's that many people in the world didn't know. Some may be in utter shock, some may call it 'blasphamy', I call it JDM!

~> Behold...

JDM-SPEC MITSUBISHI DEBONAIR [2G] V 3000 ROYAL AMG '92(clicky)


...and...

JDM-SPEC MITSUBISHI GALANT [6G] AMG TYPE 1 '89(clicky)

TYPE 2 (ON THE RIGHT)

^ Clicky on these images for the articles. And no, these are not rip-off's of the original AMG, these cars are genuine AMG models. In fact these cars are so rare, they don't exist on Wiki!

-> Oh well, off to the wish list I go!

 

[Rue]

I like the black one. Very stealthy. Great find TVB! Those wheels look very familiar though... I'm thinking a Lotus Elan or something.

 

[slidesquad#1]

Fancy one to restore?
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Cars/Mitsubishi/Galant/auction-206408123.htm

 

[The Vanishing Boy]

-> ...

I like the black one. Very stealthy. Great find TVB! Those wheels look very familiar though... I'm thinking a Lotus Elan or something.

^ Indeed; design-wise, it really does reminise this car:

 

[ND4SPD]

My god that Ferrari is a beauty.

 

[land sea air]

Nice find Vanishing Boy!!! I have heard of the AMG Mitsu' but I have never ever seen pictures or been able to find someone that knows about them! Normally I would call fake but one look at the fabulous 80's-ness and you just know it's AMG.

 

[TheCracker]

JDM-SPEC MITSUBISHI DEBONAIR [2G] V 3000 ROYAL AMG '92(clicky)

I'm not surprised that AMG keep quiet about this one

 

[land sea air]

I'm not surprised that AMG keep quiet about this one

yeah looking at the comments actually mirrors my thoughts on the car...

 

[exigeracer]

Not necessarily a car I didn't know about, but I didn't know about Fiat's Lingotto factory, with a pretty cool urban test-track set up.

 

[Digital-Nitrate]

Not necessarily a car I didn't know about, but I didn't know about Fiat's Lingotto factory, with a pretty cool urban test-track set up.

Now if only it would have resulted in more reliable cars driven in an urban environment.

If so, then perhaps they wouldn't be commonly known as...

Fix
It
Again
Tony

 

[homeforsummer]

Not necessarily a car I didn't know about, but I didn't know about Fiat's Lingotto factory, with a pretty cool urban test-track set up.

If you've seen the original (Michael Caine) Italian Job then you've seen the track, as it was used during the chase in that movie 👍

 

[Turbo Lag]

If you've seen the original (Michael Caine) Italian Job then you've seen the track, as it was used during the chase in that movie 👍

Oh, I remember that scene. IIRC, in the movie the place looked much wider.

 

[exigeracer]

Fiat Multipla Marine:

 

[Beerz]

Is that a naked guy on the background?

 

[bergauk]

Oh my, you're right.

Either that, or hes got a bad wedgie.

 

[stumpydino]

its like the big brother to the 500 jolly