Obscure Performance Saloon Spin-offs e.g. Jetta 16v

[Passeyfier]

I don't think this one has been mentioned yet; Audi A4 DTM Edition Hardly a world beater and easily eclipsed by the respective S4 when it was released but it's definitely obscure. Only around 250 made in RHD and in a most excellent shade of blue. 217bhp from the 2.0T if anyone was wondering.

[PowerslideSWE]

Passeyfier said:

I don't think this one has been mentioned yet; Audi A4 DTM Edition Hardly a world beater and easily eclipsed by the respective S4 when it was released but it's definitely obscure. Only around 250 made in RHD and in a most excellent shade of blue. 217bhp from the 2.0T if anyone was wondering.

There is one in town here used as a driver education car...

[rb5er]

They aint all blue. I've seen a few in silver and I think also a black one

[LuS1fer]

Earl of Petrol said:

The Omni was a Chrysler Horizon which came from the French (Simca) part of Chrysler UK, the name changed to Talbot after PSA bought the business from its American parent in 1979. The Sunbeam was entirely Britiish, RWD, and again began as a Chrysler until the takeover. And it spawned the brilliant Talbot Sunbeam Lotus.

Yes, the Sunbeam was effectively a shortened behatched Hillman Avenger, in the same way that the Chevette was a shortened behatched Viva.
Both the Lotus Sunbema nd Chevette 2300HS were RWD and formidable rally weapons.
Oddly, while you might expect BL to shorten a Dolly Sprint, they just opted to rally the TR7.

[beautifulbusso]

Leins said:

Wasn't it the 90 that came with a briefcase in the dash? I would gladly forego the odd airbag for one of those

Yes it was because I've got the only one on the road in the UK

[LuS1fer]

beautifulbusso said:

Leins said:

Wasn't it the 90 that came with a briefcase in the dash? I would gladly forego the odd airbag for one of those

Yes it was because I've got the only one on the road in the UK

Well put it back in the dash.... (I'll get me coat).

[Earl of Petrol]

LuS1fer said:

beautifulbusso said:

Leins said:

Wasn't it the 90 that came with a briefcase in the dash? I would gladly forego the odd airbag for one of those

Yes it was because I've got the only one on the road in the UK

Well put it back in the dash.... (I'll get me coat).

Only Alfa Romeo would do this.....The 75's I had had a drawer instead of a glovebox as did the 33.

[rodericb]

Passeyfier said:

I don't think this one has been mentioned yet; Audi A4 DTM Edition Hardly a world beater and easily eclipsed by the respective S4 when it was released but it's definitely obscure. Only around 250 made in RHD and in a most excellent shade of blue. 217bhp from the 2.0T if anyone was wondering.

There was a BMW 320 of similar ilk around that time too. I think they were some sort of homologation thing for BTCC?

[Leins]

beautifulbusso said:

Leins said:

Wasn't it the 90 that came with a briefcase in the dash? I would gladly forego the odd airbag for one of those

Yes it was because I've got the only one on the road in the UK

Top work that man! Any pics?

Earl of Petrol said:

Only Alfa Romeo would do this.....The 75's I had had a drawer instead of a glovebox as did the 33.

I grew up being ferried about in Citroen CXs and Saab 900s, and even I thought the 75 was bonkers the first time I sat in one

[Dapster]

Earl of Petrol said:

LuS1fer said:

beautifulbusso said:

Leins said:

Wasn't it the 90 that came with a briefcase in the dash? I would gladly forego the odd airbag for one of those

Yes it was because I've got the only one on the road in the UK

Well put it back in the dash.... (I'll get me coat).

Only Alfa Romeo would do this.....The 75's I had had a drawer instead of a glovebox as did the 33.

Don't forget "Pointless features in a family saloon #18 - Active Aero" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGmTmXajxIA

[Jimmy Recard]

Earl of Petrol said:

LuS1fer said:

beautifulbusso said:

Leins said:

Wasn't it the 90 that came with a briefcase in the dash? I would gladly forego the odd airbag for one of those

Yes it was because I've got the only one on the road in the UK

Well put it back in the dash.... (I'll get me coat).

Only Alfa Romeo would do this.....The 75's I had had a drawer instead of a glovebox as did the 33.

Morgan Aero 8 has/had a Mulberry briefcase rather than a glovebox.

Also, to the person who posted the Vauxhall Carlton 3000 GSi - that's not really obscure. They were pretty popular.

[matchmaker]

LuS1fer said:

Yes, the Sunbeam was effectively a shortened behatched Hillman Avenger, in the same way that the Chevette was a shortened behatched Viva.
Both the Lotus Sunbema nd Chevette 2300HS were RWD and formidable rally weapons.
Oddly, while you might expect BL to shorten a Dolly Sprint, they just opted to rally the TR7.

A mate of mine bought a written off Sunbeam with front end damage and a written off Avenger with rear end damage. He comined the two to make an "Avenbeam" which he rallied.

Just to further bastardise the beast he fitted it with a Fiat twin cam and 5 speed gearbox!

[coppice]

Jimmy Recard said:

Morgan Aero 8 has/had a Mulberry briefcase rather than a glovebox.

Also, to the person who posted the Vauxhall Carlton 3000 GSi - that's not really obscure. They were pretty popular.

As was the 16V Jetta in thread title - and many other cars featured ....

[LuS1fer]

coppice said:

Jimmy Recard said:

Morgan Aero 8 has/had a Mulberry briefcase rather than a glovebox.

Also, to the person who posted the Vauxhall Carlton 3000 GSi - that's not really obscure. They were pretty popular.

As was the 16V Jetta in thread title - and many other cars featured ....

Indeed, while popular, the passage of time has made them obscure where few survive and younger folk have not heard of them.

Indeed, further, the original point of the thread was surely booted hatches but that kind of died, early on.

[dscam]

Leins said:

Lots of Jetta 16v ex-owners it seems, and I had know idea they sold many of them

dscam said:

I had a non-Evo E36 M3 saloon in Dakar Yellow. I had the stats in my head at one time but confident to say there were only ever a handful in the UK and very few in that colour overall. Was a fantastic car but always irked me that the saloon got the 'wood' trim in lieu of the perfectly adequate standard trim of the coupe.

I personally look on the wood trim now as something of an ownership litmus-test, in that if it's still there then the particular car probably hasn't gone through an unfortunate phase of its life like so many others have

That's probably fair comment as I'm sure many will have been 'carbonised' or otherwise barry'd.


As an aside, I noticed earlier in the thread someone referenced the Volvo 460 Turbo. I had one of those too. The lag was epic but had to be one of the greatest minor q-cars for a traffic light Grand Prix, but undeniably not cool!

[aka_kerrly]

rodericb said:

Passeyfier said:

I don't think this one has been mentioned yet; Audi A4 DTM Edition Hardly a world beater and easily eclipsed by the respective S4 when it was released but it's definitely obscure. Only around 250 made in RHD and in a most excellent shade of blue. 217bhp from the 2.0T if anyone was wondering.

There was a BMW 320 of similar ilk around that time too. I think they were some sort of homologation thing for BTCC?

Yes, the BMW 320SI, about 2500 were made so that the car could be eligible for World & British Touring Car championships.

The engines (175hp 2.0l) were built in the UK by the team building BMW Sauber F1 engines and quite different to regular 4 cylinder BMW units found in the 318i.

[Jimmy Recard]

LuS1fer said:

coppice said:

Jimmy Recard said:

Morgan Aero 8 has/had a Mulberry briefcase rather than a glovebox.

Also, to the person who posted the Vauxhall Carlton 3000 GSi - that's not really obscure. They were pretty popular.

As was the 16V Jetta in thread title - and many other cars featured ....

Indeed, while popular, the passage of time has made them obscure where few survive and younger folk have not heard of them.

Indeed, further, the original point of the thread was surely booted hatches but that kind of died, early on.

Well yeah, you're both right.

If I showed the 17 year old receptionist at work a picture of the Carlton (or many of these), I imagine she would think it was seriously weird, old and st

[msport123]

I must say, this is an absolutley brilliant thread! I thought I was a car nut but a few of these cars I've never seen before, quite a few in fact.

Beats people ranting about leasing versus purchasing any day of the week!

[LuS1fer]

Jimmy Recard said:

Well yeah, you're both right.

If I showed the 17 year old receptionist at work a picture of the Carlton (or many of these), I imagine she would think it was seriously weird, old and st

Same if you showed her a picture of me, if I'm honest.

[Dr Gitlin]

chillbill said:

I'm sure this has been covered, 318is Class 2:

These were the homologation specials for BTCC and other supertouring (iirc) cars. I remember Autocar making a fuss because the aero bits came in the boot; dealers wouldn't bother attaching them to the cars.