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

[RandomCarGuy17]

Okay, I knew about C1 body conversions for the C5 corvette, but I didn't know that there are C2 conversions that you could do with the C6 corvette. The body on this one is made out of Carbon Fiber apparently. It's based on the C6 427 Convertible.

 

[TripleA5]

Saw this in Banff, never seen this car before. Acura TSX wagon.

 

[The Stig Farmer]

Eldorado Starfire RV... interesting front end.

 

[Tornado]

I think it's trying to mimic the Continental Mark VII the headlights and grill came off of.



I just looked those up. Thought that maybe they would be a cool motorhome built on Eldorado pieces (like the GMC motorhomes from the 1970s). Nope. Just a mostly conventional Class A.

 

[RandomCarGuy17]

I saw one of these in the Corvette Museum, the Guldstrand GS90. When I first saw it, I thought it was a Callaway.

I also learned of the C4 ZR-1 Spyder Prototype.

and the C5R Homologation Car. Note, this is actually my picture. I couldn't find another picture of the car on google images that had a decent size.

 

[CSMDuty11]

You know about the, uh, Lada 2107? You know, the one Russian car which basically became a punchline to car jokes?




Turns out Lada was originally planning to remodernize it! (...Or something along the lines, hard to tell considering the thing is just a prototype.)

 

[Niku Driver HC]

You know about the, uh, Lada 2107? You know, the one Russian car which basically became a punchline to car jokes?




Turns out Lada was originally planning to remodernize it! (...Or something along the lines, hard to tell considering the thing is just a prototype.)

So Lada actually planned to keep the 2107 in production, eh? Didn't think that they would be that brave (or stupid, if you prefer) to that point.

Then again, the Fiat Uno lasted eons in Brazil as the Mille before finally dying in 2014, so...

 

[homeforsummer]

While there are plenty of one-off specials I'm not aware of, and have since become aware of since to this thread, there aren't many series production cars I've not heard of at some point.

However, I discovered a new one today - the Toyota Sprinter Marino / Toyota Corolla Ceres.

It shouldn't surprise me really - it's one of absolutely dozens of 1990s Japanese cars that were offshoots of more common lines - people think platform sharing is a relatively new thing but it seems like each major Japanese platform spawned a dozen different cars back in the 90s.

This one, as the name suggests, was essentially a related to the E100-generation Corolla, which was pretty much a different shape in every market it was sold in.

What's quite cool about the Marino/Ceres is that it's an early instance of the "four door coupe" thing that's so popular today (although not so unusual again for Japan at the time - the Integra and the Mazda Lantis were basically the same idea), and it was available with both the 4A-GE 'Silver Top' and 'Black Top' engines during its existence.

Difficult to find videos etc of the car though. They seem inexplicably popular in Russia. Would love to import one of the fancier versions to the UK. Would be an ideal counterpart for the Eunos.

 

[TVR27]

I don't have a name for it yet.

 

[Bo]

I don't have a name for it yet.

Gillet Vertigo.

It says it on the windscreen. And it's been in Gran Turismo for 14 years.

 

[TVR27]

Gillet Vertigo.

It says it on the windscreen. And it's been in Gran Turismo for 14 years.

I have only seen the Gillet Vertigo race car and have not seen a road one this old.

 

[SVX]

While there are plenty of one-off specials I'm not aware of, and have since become aware of since to this thread, there aren't many series production cars I've not heard of at some point.

However, I discovered a new one today - the Toyota Sprinter Marino / Toyota Corolla Ceres.

It shouldn't surprise me really - it's one of absolutely dozens of 1990s Japanese cars that were offshoots of more common lines - people think platform sharing is a relatively new thing but it seems like each major Japanese platform spawned a dozen different cars back in the 90s.

This one, as the name suggests, was essentially a related to the E100-generation Corolla, which was pretty much a different shape in every market it was sold in.

What's quite cool about the Marino/Ceres is that it's an early instance of the "four door coupe" thing that's so popular today (although not so unusual again for Japan at the time - the Integra and the Mazda Lantis were basically the same idea), and it was available with both the 4A-GE 'Silver Top' and 'Black Top' engines during its existence.

Difficult to find videos etc of the car though. They seem inexplicably popular in Russia. Would love to import one of the fancier versions to the UK. Would be an ideal counterpart for the Eunos.

Stupid common here.



8:26 on wards has a feature of the Marino/Ceres against it's rivals.

Just realized they cut the battle off half way, so here's the rest of it:

 

[homeforsummer]

Stupid common here.

Thanks for the vids 👍

Was it sold there new or is it just one of those cars that people have since imported? NZ/Aus is in a great position for importing so people seem to bring in the unusual stuff as well as the more expected ones - in the UK, people pretty much stick to the usual suspects - variations of GT-Rs, Imprezas, Evos, Type Rs and similar. Occasionally something weird will come up, and Nissan Figaros were popular for a while, but otherwise it's the obvious performance cars.

 

[The Vanishing Boy]

-> Just stumbled this earlier:

Mercedes-Benz [W198.043] 300SL Gullwing Aluminum '55

ARTICLE

 

[SVX]

Thanks for the vids 👍

Was it sold there new or is it just one of those cars that people have since imported? NZ/Aus is in a great position for importing so people seem to bring in the unusual stuff as well as the more expected ones - in the UK, people pretty much stick to the usual suspects - variations of GT-Rs, Imprezas, Evos, Type Rs and similar. Occasionally something weird will come up, and Nissan Figaros were popular for a while, but otherwise it's the obvious performance cars.

Welcome.

A quick look on Trade Me resulted in only Cereses, so I'm guessing that the majority is imported. And yeah, the import laws (or lack of) made for some really intersting finds - nowadays it has to comply with Euro 5 emissions if it's under 20 years old which is not too much of an annoyance since most of the cars you'd want are already here, or around 20 years old anyway.

It's kinda funny actually, the cars you see over here bar the influx of kei cars is eerily similar to what is common in Japan. Things from Midgets, Cappuccinos (there's one local to me and I've been dying to get a picture with it), Beats, Wagon RRs and the like, to things like Mark IIs, Wingroads and stuff like that are surprisingly common around here.

 

[Liquid]

Austin Montego Limousine

Utterly ridiculous. Like having a three piece suit made by Gola or Ellesse.

 

[Niku Driver HC]

Austin Montego Limousine

Utterly ridiculous. Like having a three piece suit made by Gola or Ellesse.

Well, you can ride in style at leas....

...wait, it's a Montego. Forget what I just said. Trying to give a Montego style is like trying to turn a can of ASDA beans into a gourmet product.

 

[Liquid]

I think this Montego needs beans in its engine bay to prove its authenticity...

 

[Niku Driver HC]

Hey, crossover thread jokes, that one is getting quite popular. But can a Montego cook beans to prove that its engines aren't complete turds?

 

[SVX]

Thanks for the vids 👍

Was it sold there new or is it just one of those cars that people have since imported? NZ/Aus is in a great position for importing so people seem to bring in the unusual stuff as well as the more expected ones - in the UK, people pretty much stick to the usual suspects - variations of GT-Rs, Imprezas, Evos, Type Rs and similar. Occasionally something weird will come up, and Nissan Figaros were popular for a while, but otherwise it's the obvious performance cars.

Just adding to this. Was walking home from school, and what did I see? Nothing but the famed Ceres.

 

[RandomCarGuy17]

Guldstrand GS90 Nassau Roadster
Yup, the GS90 had a Convertible version.

http://www.thelingenfeltercollection.com/1996-guldstrand-gs90-nassau-roadster/

There's 9 of these in existance and they're powered by a Supercharged LT1 V8 that gives 420 hp. They were meant to pay homage to the original Corvette Grand Sport.

 

[ViscousTraction]

Guldstrand GS90 Nassau Roadster
Yup, the GS90 had a Convertible version.

http://www.thelingenfeltercollection.com/1996-guldstrand-gs90-nassau-roadster/

There's 9 of these in existance and they're powered by a Supercharged LT1 V8 that gives 420 hp. They were meant to pay homage to the original Corvette Grand Sport.

That front reminds me of the GTA III/SA Banshee 👍

 

[Clark]

I only recently discovered that they made a 2.9 litre straight six version of the MGB called the MGC, watched a few videos as well and they sound lovely. They didn't produe very many as it didn't do too well against the big Healey 3000 so they're very rare.

 

[TheCracker]

I only recently discovered that they made a 2.9 litre straight six version of the MGB called the MGC, watched a few videos as well and they sound lovely. They didn't produe very many as it didn't do too well against the big Healey 3000 so they're very rare.

One of the biggest issues with it was that it was a heavy lump and didn't do much for the handling. People who wanted a quicker MG got the Costello V8 conversion with the lighter alloy Rover engine.

 

[RandomCarGuy17]

I learned about another Ford and it's an ugly one. Though, I still think it looks better than the Pontiac Aztec.

 

[Wiegert]

So a rebadged Mazda Familia Neo with bug-eyes constituted as "100% new" in Taiwan, where the Mazda was already being marketed?

Seems that was the only place that used the Aztec nameplate. Other markets in Asia and Australia sold it (in low volumes) as the Ford Laser Lynx.

 

[Cowboy]

The Weber Faster One

Strongly reminds me of the TVR Sagaris. It's supposed to be one of the fastest street legal cars in the world.

 

[iName]

The Weber Faster One

Strongly reminds me of the TVR Sagaris. It's supposed to be one of the fastest street legal cars in the world.

*voice of Top Gear presenters Jeremy, James, and Hammond*

"OH REEEEALLY?"

 

[R5]

The Weber Faster One

Strongly reminds me of the TVR Sagaris. It's supposed to be one of the fastest street legal cars in the world.

Except nobody has actually driven one... like, ever.

Anyway, the Panther 6, an 8.2 litre twin turbo V8. 2 made, both survived.

 

[The Vanishing Boy]

-> ...

The Weber Faster One

Strongly reminds me of the TVR Sagaris. It's supposed to be one of the fastest street legal cars in the world.

^ Wow! This version is the best yet compared to its previous iterations!!!

1st Version

2nd Version

👍