Obscure Performance Saloon Spin-offs e.g. Jetta 16v
Discussion
s m said:
lord trumpton said:
Leins said:
I like that a lot, but again never saw one on the road - only GSis
Thats because they were either getting nicked or stuck at Vauxhall getting their transfer boxes replaced 
Edited by s m on Thursday 7th April 20:52
In terms of obscurity, South Africa in the 80s/90s had quite a few - divestment due to Apartheid and the ever-increasing squeeze on the market made our motor industry a do-or-die make-a-plan outfit, which liked to believe (I'm not sure with what merit) that they were producing better cars than the overseas equivalents.
One of the great myths the marketing men fed us was that the South African consumer preferred saloons to hatchbacks, so invariably (something that continues to this day) we only got 5-door hatches, and the sedans were always pitched upmarket. So you could get something like this Opel (Vauxhall something-or-other) Monza 2.0CD 16V with that lovely 16v motor (and no emissions stuff to choke it).
We also got more iterations of fast Jetta than you could shake a stick at, and fast Hondas too.
The Corolla GLI 16V was a lovely thing back in the day - luxurious and faultlessly reliable, and equipped with that lovely 4AGE motor.
Or, from Mazda, the 323 200i 16V, a model cobbled together locally because SA wasn't able to raise the cash to bring in the then-new 323/Lantis thing. Nearly 150hp and very light. Quite the rocket in its day.
One of the great myths the marketing men fed us was that the South African consumer preferred saloons to hatchbacks, so invariably (something that continues to this day) we only got 5-door hatches, and the sedans were always pitched upmarket. So you could get something like this Opel (Vauxhall something-or-other) Monza 2.0CD 16V with that lovely 16v motor (and no emissions stuff to choke it).
We also got more iterations of fast Jetta than you could shake a stick at, and fast Hondas too.
The Corolla GLI 16V was a lovely thing back in the day - luxurious and faultlessly reliable, and equipped with that lovely 4AGE motor.
Or, from Mazda, the 323 200i 16V, a model cobbled together locally because SA wasn't able to raise the cash to bring in the then-new 323/Lantis thing. Nearly 150hp and very light. Quite the rocket in its day.
Fiat 131 twin cam Volumetrico ?
LHD but supercharged!
http://classicscentral.co.uk/1983-fiat-131-abarth-...
LHD but supercharged!
http://classicscentral.co.uk/1983-fiat-131-abarth-...
Leins said:
s m said:
Not a Twin Spark, nor a V6........but a 1.8 litre Turbo
I've always had a particular soft-spot for the 75. I wonder why they went with a 1.8L engine though when the Italian tax rules dictated a 2L. Was it a homologation thing?Edited by Coatesy351 on Wednesday 13th April 23:58
Notable that nearly all candidates are 80s and 90s.So here's one from the 60s- the Ford Cortina Savage-made in limited numbers by Jeff Uren (well known tuner of the time ) and looked like a normal Mk 2 Cortina except that instead of a wheezy crossflow with 80 odd bhp he installed the 130odd bhp 3litre V6. Lovely Q car - and almost as obscure as the Corsair Savage which had the same recipe except the V6 replaced a throbby V4 normally found in Transit vans . (And - pedant alert- yes,the earliest Corsairs had a straight four).
Anybody mentioned the bats
t bonkers Fiat Abarths of the Sixties yet ? Fiat Cinquecento with double the (not very much)bhp, giant megaphone exhausts, semaphore wipers and propped open bootlids, Very successful on track.
Anybody mentioned the bats
t bonkers Fiat Abarths of the Sixties yet ? Fiat Cinquecento with double the (not very much)bhp, giant megaphone exhausts, semaphore wipers and propped open bootlids, Very successful on track. Budleigh said:
In terms of obscurity, South Africa in the 80s/90s had quite a few - divestment due to Apartheid and the ever-increasing squeeze on the market made our motor industry a do-or-die make-a-plan outfit, which liked to believe (I'm not sure with what merit) that they were producing better cars than the overseas equivalents.
One of the great myths the marketing men fed us was that the South African consumer preferred saloons to hatchbacks, so invariably (something that continues to this day) we only got 5-door hatches, and the sedans were always pitched upmarket. So you could get something like this Opel (Vauxhall something-or-other) Monza 2.0CD 16V with that lovely 16v motor (and no emissions stuff to choke it).
I kind of want one of these. I'll get myself a Superboss thoughOne of the great myths the marketing men fed us was that the South African consumer preferred saloons to hatchbacks, so invariably (something that continues to this day) we only got 5-door hatches, and the sedans were always pitched upmarket. So you could get something like this Opel (Vauxhall something-or-other) Monza 2.0CD 16V with that lovely 16v motor (and no emissions stuff to choke it).
coppice said:
Notable that nearly all candidates are 80s and 90s.So here's one from the 60s- the Ford Cortina Savage-made in limited numbers by Jeff Uren (well known tuner of the time ) and looked like a normal Mk 2 Cortina except that instead of a wheezy crossflow with 80 odd bhp he installed the 130odd bhp 3litre V6. Lovely Q car - and almost as obscure as the Corsair Savage which had the same recipe except the V6 replaced a throbby V4 normally found in Transit vans . (And - pedant alert- yes,the earliest Corsairs had a straight four).
I think this is an estate version - snapped at JD Classics in Maldon (apologies to thread purists but no saloon was available on the day) ;
Cheib said:
Or another gift from the 80's...the Audi 200 Turbo
They even rallied it! Hannu Mikola won the Safari Rally in one!
My local mechanic is restoring one of these at the moment.They even rallied it! Hannu Mikola won the Safari Rally in one!
not a spot of rust all original parts including the electric heated seats (1985!)
130k on the clock bullet proof inline 5 turbo with the full quattro system!
Here it is getting ready for a respray.
Also for all those who havnt seen the original advertisment for these i think it was pretty impressive and it was actually done
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faiFfBxhT8s
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