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

[Wiegert]

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That looks a lot more cohesive than the new 5-door Hatch. Sort of bridges the gap between the ADO15 and 16 platforms.


A couple of BL models designed and built for overseas markets I was unaware about:

Austin Tasman and the more upmarket Austin Kimberley (Badged as Morris' in New Zealand). Based on the Austin 1800 which it superseded in the Australian market in 1970.

South African-built Austin Apache and Spanish-built Austin Victoria. Basically Morris 1100s with a Michelotti redesign. Hence they looks identical to the Triumph 1500.

 

[Liquid]

I was going to say, that last one really looks like some sort of Triumph.

 

[Niku Driver HC]

Speaking of cars that look like Triumphs (and were designed by Michelotti), behold:

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The Hino Contessa (here in 1300 Coupe form), another interesting car made by a company that now only builds trucks. Talk about a good looking car, I really like this. Not to mention that it would later donate its 1293cc engine to this:

The Hino Samurai racing car, that sadly never saw a single race... (it was disqualified from the 1967 Japanese Grand Prix for illegal ground clearance and plans to take it to Le Mans fell apart after the death of Hino's president, and Toyota buying out and then killing Hino's car division)

 

[Pupik]

A while back, I learned that there's some odd edition of a Toyota Camry that exists. It's called the Camry xSP and there's one at my school. It had carbon fiber wrap on the roof pillars.

Southeast Toyota group (SET) makes these and then tacks on an extra $1500. This way you won't have one that looks like your neighbors' Camry.

Alternatively, you could just not buy a Camry, but let's not be rash.

 

[Tornado]

Speaking of cars that look like Triumphs (and were designed by Michelotti), behold:

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The Hino Contessa (here in 1300 Coupe form), another interesting car made by a company that now only builds trucks.

Even by the typical Corvair knockoff standards, that's... Pretty blatant. Nicer greenhouse though.

 

[Niku Driver HC]

Even by the typical Corvair knockoff standards, that's... Pretty blatant. Nicer greenhouse though.

I don't disagree with that, but it is a nicer car overall. The design was in fact a Michelotti one, so he may have had a few influences behind the Contessa's later design.

 

[Nessy]

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We all know how BMW launched 5-door MINI last year, well BMC was about to do the same thing 50 years ago with this prototype of 4-door Austin Mini. Based on Mini Van/Pick-up/Estates and made in early 60s it could have changed the way we think about Mini. Instead the prototype built by engineering team in Longbridge was most likely scraped or lost in some other unknown way.

http://www.aronline.co.uk/blogs/cars/mini-classic/concepts-prototypes-mini-four-door/

Cool finds Legro. 👍

I grew up literally a stones throw from the Longbridge plant. I've been inside the place (when it was still there) and have seen some strange one-offs built out of a mishmash of cars (mainly Mini's). The place was huge (a lot of it being underground) they used to use them to get around the place. Also, my dad served his apprenticeship there, in his teens, and was lucky enough on a few occasions, to be granted access to the Kremlin (Issigonis' design/modeling area).

Anyway, back on topic:

This reminds me of that new Mini spyder:

 

[Nessy]

Sorry for double post.

I had no idea they did a Volvo 780 coupe.


Volvo 780 turbo Bertone coupe:

[EDIT]

Just stumbled upon this:

SsangYong Le Mans car... I have (obviously) never seen it before, and i love it!

 

[Niku Driver HC]

Sorry for double post.

I had no idea they did a Volvo 780 coupe.


Volvo 780 turbo Bertone coupe:

[EDIT]

Just stumbled upon this:

SsangYong Le Mans car... I have (obviously) never seen it before, and i love it!

Ok, the Ssangyong LMP (?) is defintely a car I had never heard of before. Did you find any additional info on it? I'm really curious about knowing its racing history (if it had any), it looks like the bastard son of a Castrol Toyota in livery...

 

[Nessy]

Ok, the Ssangyong LMP (?) is defintely a car I had never heard of before. Did you find any additional info on it?

Not really. I stumbled upon it while looking for pics of the 'Panther Solo racecar' (SsangYong took over the project, i think).
The only thing i could find were these 2 pages:

http://www.smotor.com/en/med_cen/concar/1205980_14084.html (Scroll down for a few specs)

Don't know what language this is in: (Appears to be in French)

http://www.leblogauto.com/2007/06/breve-rencontre-ssangyong-dans-la-course.html

 

[Niku Driver HC]

Not really. I stumbled upon it while looking for pics of the 'Panther Solo racecar' (SsangYong took over the project, i think).
The only thing i could find were these 2 pages:

http://www.smotor.com/en/med_cen/concar/1205980_14084.html (Scroll down for a few specs)

Don't know what language this is in: (Appears to be in French)

http://www.leblogauto.com/2007/06/breve-rencontre-ssangyong-dans-la-course.html

That last link would be French, my esteemed friend. But thanks for the info, it is a very curious project. 👍

Edit: After reading the French page, I can tell you a bit more about the car:

It was actually a WM LM 94 prototype, with a 4-cylinder turbo engine (a rebadged Mercedes engine, in fact). WM of course is the French racing team that got the record for the fastest top speed in Le Mans (a record that may forever be in their name), and they first raced it in the 1997 1000km of Le Mans. A 4th place was the result, but the actual 24 Hours weren't so kind; the car DNQ and that marked the end of that attempt.
Eventually, Ssangyong rebadged the whole car as the Ssangyong Solo Leman, aiming for the 1998 Le Mans race. But no sooner than that the whole project went belly up after the Asian economical crisis. And that was the story of Ssangyong's Le Mans venture.

 

[Nessy]

That last link would be French, my esteemed friend. But thanks for the info, it is a very curious project. 👍

Edit: After reading the French page, I can tell you a bit more about the car:

It was actually a WM LM 94 prototype, with a 4-cylinder turbo engine (a rebadged Mercedes engine, in fact). WM of course is the French racing team that got the record for the fastest top speed in Le Mans (a record that may forever be in their name), and they first raced it in the 1997 1000km of Le Mans. A 4th place was the result, but the actual 24 Hours weren't so kind; the car DNQ and that marked the end of that attempt.
Eventually, Ssangyong rebadged the whole car as the Ssangyong Solo Leman, aiming for the 1998 Le Mans race. But no sooner than that the whole project went belly up after the Asian economical crisis. And that was the story of Ssangyong's Le Mans venture.

Cheers for the info Niku. 👍

It's a shame it didn't quite fulfill it's potential, or get another chance due to the economical crisis. A 4th place in the 1000km is impressive though.

 

[Niku Driver HC]

Cheers for the info Niku. 👍

It's a shame it didn't quite fulfill it's potential, or get another chance due to the economical crisis. A 4th place in the 1000km is impressive though.

Thanks, it's always good to help others with things. Aiding others while learning about new and unique cars? That's even better. 👍

And yes, 4th place on a LMP race is very impressive, regardless of the competition. Guess you stumbled upon the car because of it's second name. (since you searched for Panther Solo, you ended up triggering the Ssangyong's second name as a reference)

Speaking of unknown cars, here's one:

Nissan Presea. What in the world is this supposed to be?

 

[GT Pro]

CB7 Felino

Tushek T600

 

[CSMDuty11]

Nissan Presea. What in the world is this supposed to be?

It is clearly supposed to be a Toyota!

 

[Niku Driver HC]

It is clearly supposed to be a Toyota!

Not in this case it isn't. It's an actual Nissan car!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissan_Presea

 

[ScottPuss20]

CB7 Felino

Ugh yuck

 

[CSMDuty11]

This one i knew about since long ago, but i gurantee that most of you didn't.....



RUSSIA USES VANS AND STUFFS THEM WITH SEATS TO TRANSPORT PEOPLE
BECAUSE WHO CARES ABOUT BUSSES IN RUSSIA?

Also called a "Marshrutka"!

 

[Downhill Dino]

You can buy them like that from the dealer, anywhere.

 

[TheCracker]

There are about a billion of those on European roads. Literally.

 

[Legro]

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

"Marshrutka"

=Van with seats in Russia, just like every other van with seats you see every day, but in Russia.

 

[Liquid]

RUSSIA USES VANS AND STUFFS THEM WITH SEATS TO TRANSPORT PEOPLE
BECAUSE WHO CARES ABOUT BUSSES IN RUSSIA?

AKA a minibus.

Oh, a Ford Tourneo. A Transit with seats. Used as a minibus or taxi. They're everywhere.

This one i knew about since long ago, but i gurantee that most of you didn't.....

Not quite, I'm afraid.

---

Renault Fluence

Are these even sold in the United Kingdom? First time I saw one was yesterday as a taxi here in Slovakia. Apparently they've been building them since 2009.

 

[Wiegert]

I've seen at least one. Only been aware of the ZE model being marketed in the UK since 2012 (I think they stopped here in 2013?) but I've seen a couple of diesels for sale on Autotrader.

 

[Liquid]

Hmm. Maybe because the most recent car you'll find in my hometown is a 2005 BMW 3-series is why I haven't seen many cars like the Fluence. I don't imagine it was a big seller anyway though.

 

[TheCracker]

It's a Megane OAP edition i assume?

 

[ProjectWHaT]

Subaru made a flat 12 engine.

and it went into this:

 

[Wiegert]

Subaru commissioned the engine for use in F1 as well as slapping their badge on it, but it was designed and built in Italy. Turned out to be a heavy, desperately underpowered lump compared to Motori Moderni's previous turbo V6 efforts, which weren't all that competitive either.

 

[Cano]

Subaru made a flat 12 engine.
and it went into this:

Yeah, that's properly new news. Damn.

 

[R5]

Maki 101. An F1 racer (yes, really) designed for safety, it was, however 150kg overweight and never actually raced.

Still quite cool.

 

[CSMDuty11]

Considering i fell flat on my face with the last entry, i decided to bring an unusual one, which i have never seen, although they are related

The Gazelle minibus that has been rebadged and made taller by some Ukranian company called ChAZ.