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

[CSMDuty11]

Apparently the Ssangyong Rodius was actually eventually redesigned.

Considering how the original looked, this is much better.

 

[Heldenzeit]

You could put a Kia or Hyundai badge on it and I wouldn't know any better.

 

[JR98]

Vemac RD350R. A 350HP race car that races in the Super GT Championship. Looks great.

 

[Roo]

I discovered today that in the 50s Alfa Romeo made a 4x4: the Matta, otherwise known as the 1900M.

 

[Niku Driver HC]

I discovered today that in the 50s Alfa Romeo made a 4x4: the Matta, otherwise known as the 1900M.

Now that is something I had never heard of before, great find. Is it 100% Alfa Romeo made, or is it a rebadged jeep from another brand? Just wondering about that.

 

[Roo]

Now that is something I had never heard of before, great find. Is it 100% Alfa Romeo made, or is it a rebadged jeep from another brand? Just wondering about that.

I came across it in a Land Rover magazine - the prototype was an LR Series I that Alfa put an engine and gearbox in whilst competing with Fiat for a military contract. I believe the production models are all Alfa Romeo.

 

[The Stig Farmer]

That is brilliant.

 

[Niku Driver HC]

I came across it in a Land Rover magazine - the prototype was an LR Series I that Alfa put an engine and gearbox in whilst competing with Fiat for a military contract. I believe the production models are all Alfa Romeo.

A Land Rover with an Alfa Romeo engine, eh? Now that's an interesting combination if I ever saw one. Neat.

And speaking of Italian combos, here's another good one that I only discovered today:

The Fiat 131 Abarth Volumetrico. Think Fiat 131 Racing, except it has a supercharger. Yep, it's an Italian sedan with a supercharger, and I think I'm sorta falling in love with it. One was featured recently, in French magazine KM/H, a car that apparently belongs to a Belgian Abarth collector and mechanic, which apparently was a prototype (actually, all production examples have it) with a supercharger unit from...

Yep.

 

[JR98]

A Land Rover with an Alfa Romeo engine, eh? Now that's an interesting combination if I ever saw one. Neat.

And speaking of Italian combos, here's another good one that I only discovered today:

The Fiat 131 Abarth Volumetrico. Think Fiat 131 Racing, except it has a supercharger. Yep, it's an Italian sedan with a supercharger, and I think I'm sorta falling in love with it. One was featured recently, in French magazine KM/H, a car that apparently belongs to a Belgian Abarth collector and mechanic, which apparently was a prototype with a supercharger unit from...

Yep.

Fiat 131 with Lancia 037 Supercharger? Hell to the yes!

 

[Niku Driver HC]

Fiat 131 with Lancia 037 Supercharger? Hell to the yes!

It is quite awesome, but there is a rather major drawback; with only 200 cars produced, the Volumetrico is sorta of rare. And if you want a replacement supercharger unit, well... I don't think many 037 superchargers live around these days.

 

[JR98]

It is quite awesome, but there is a rather major drawback; with only 200 cars produced, the Volumetrico is sorta of rare. And if you want a replacement supercharger unit, well... I don't think many 037 superchargers live around these days.

Would a Corvette ZR1 supercharger fit?

 

[Niku Driver HC]

Would a Corvette ZR1 supercharger fit?

A brave idea, my dear British friend, but rather rubbish (as Top Gear so politely puts it, haha). You'd probably blow the engine up or something if you could do that.

 

[Tornado]

Was that Alfa a licenced Jeep, like the ones Mitsubishi made?

 

[Niku Driver HC]

Was that Alfa a licenced Jeep, like the ones Mitsubishi made?

Roo will help you out a bit with this one;

I came across it in a Land Rover magazine - the prototype was an LR Series I that Alfa put an engine and gearbox in whilst competing with Fiat for a military contract. I believe the production models are all Alfa Romeo.

 

[Tornado]

Well, I saw that, but the Mitsubishi Jeeps used Mitsubishi drivetrains and were badged as Mitsubishis while still being licence built, so I wasn't sure.

 

[Niku Driver HC]

Well, I saw that, but the Mitsubishi Jeeps used Mitsubishi drivetrains and were badged as Mitsubishis while still being licence built, so I wasn't sure.

Well, from what I'm reading about the car, it doesn't seem that the Matta was based off a Jeep, although I could be wrong.

 

[ScottPuss20]

Apparently the Ssangyong Rodius was actually eventually redesigned.

Considering how the original looked, this is much better.

Called a Stavic down here

 

[Nessy]

Vemac RD350R. A 350HP race car that races in the Super GT Championship. Looks great.

Awesome car. 👍
Seeing that pic reminded me that they did a road car. Vemac RD200 (i think it was Honda powered)

Vemac RD 180:

Reminds me of a cross between a Del Sol and an Elise.

 

[JR98]

Awesome car. 👍
Seeing that pic reminded me that they did a road car. Vemac RD200 (i think it was Honda powered)

Vemac RD 180:

Reminds me of a cross between a Del Sol and an Elise.

It does look like a lot like an Elise.

 

[VXR]

Awesome car. 👍
Seeing that pic reminded me that they did a road car. Vemac RD200 (i think it was Honda powered)

Vemac RD 180:

Reminds me of a cross between a Del Sol and an Elise.

Can see a little bit of 4C aft of the doors, too.

 

[TheCracker]

The doors themselves are pure Skoda Roomster 👍

 

[Niku Driver HC]

The doors themselves are pure Skoda Roomster 👍

So let's resume this;

It's a Japanese Lotus Elise, with the side profile of an Alfa Romeo 4C, and the doors of a Skoda?

 

[VXR]

Japanese Fusion Cuisine.

 

[Niku Driver HC]

Japanese Fusion Cuisine.

Yeah, that fits.

I also forgot to mention the Honda engine, silly me.

 

[JR98]

So let's resume this;

It's a Japanese Lotus Elise, with the side profile of an Alfa Romeo 4C, and the doors of a Skoda?

A mishmash of sporty (If Skoda's can be described that way) cars.

 

[Nessy]

Can see a little bit of 4C aft of the doors, too.

Yeah, i see that too. 👍

The doors themselves are pure Skoda Roomster 👍

Indeed, they're uncanny. 👍

So let's resume this;

It's a Japanese Lotus Elise, with the side profile of an Alfa Romeo 4C, and the doors of a Skoda?

All that really.

Surprised no-one else sees the Del Sol reference though.. Doors have that similar curve (albeit to a lesser extent) around the side window, and rear flying buttresses.

All in all, i think the Vemac is a gorgeous looking car.

 

[VXR]

You can get a 1:43rd scale model of it, which is neat.

 

[el fayce]

PGO Speedster, A mid engine, Mini (BMW) powered, Modern 356 Speedster

(this was prettiest picture that I could find)

And they got another model, which is a shooting brake, Let me add that its simply horrendous

 

[Heldenzeit]

There was a Honda City Cabriolet.

 

[CSMDuty11]

PGO Speedster, A mid engine, Mini (BMW) powered, Modern 356 Speedster

(this was prettiest picture that I could find)

And they got another model, which is a shooting brake, Let me add that its simply horrendous

I found out about the PGO Speedster II yesterday actually. It was on a Russian used car site.

And before finding out about this car, i assumed PGO was a chinese knock-off of a Peugeot.
Costs about 3,386,157 rubles!