Cars you didn't know existed...

[98elise]

ajprice said:

mholt1995 said:

Saw a confusing looking VW Polo Mk4 last night, it had roof rails and a raised ride height.

Was trying to make out what the badge on the right said until I caught a glimpse of "Dune". Looked it up just now and it looks like VW tried the supermini crossover fad that we are currently going through (Seat Arona etc.) about 10-15 years before it was to become a thing.

Rover Streetwise was around at the same time, maybe slightly earlier, around 2003-2004.

I think crossovers age well. The utility look doesn't need to be modern.

I'm seriously thinking of getting a Dacia Sandero Stepway as a cheap an all round car for taking stuff to the tip, leaving at the station etc.

[Gompo]

ajprice said:

Rover Streetwise was around at the same time, maybe slightly earlier, around 2003-2004.

Don't forget the very forgettable Megane RX4, from 2000:

.

There's others of course, the Allroad being the earliest I can think of from around the millennium period.

[Dapster]

Well, I never knew you could get the nailbar special with the 3.2 V6! Respect!

[NDA]

[forzaminardi]

Dapster said:

Well, I never knew you could get the nailbar special with the 3.2 V6! Respect!

To be honest, I quite fancy them. Good engine, bit of a dull car but better looking than most hardtop convertibles.

[Doofus]

NDA said:

Presumably you didn't know about BAT 5 or BAT 9 either?

[ajprice]

forzaminardi said:

Dapster said:

Well, I never knew you could get the nailbar special with the 3.2 V6! Respect!

To be honest, I quite fancy them. Good engine, bit of a dull car but better looking than most hardtop convertibles.

A few have had the Scirocco front end grafted on, makes it look a bit better than the standard Eos front end.

[rodericb]

Fast Bug said:

Lada Tarzan 2



The first Tarzan looks like a Samara on a Niva chassis

Did those come out before or after the BMW X6?

[Axeboy]

Dapster said:

Well, I never knew you could get the nailbar special with the 3.2 V6! Respect!

Could be a 3.6, the Eos came with the 3.2 or the 3.6

[NDA]

Doofus said:

Presumably you didn't know about BAT 5 or BAT 9 either?

Obviously not.

[Doofus]

NDA said:

Obviously not.

Sorry, I wasn't being condescending; just giving you some additional BAT cars to look for.

[MrGTI6]

Axeboy said:

Dapster said:

Well, I never knew you could get the nailbar special with the 3.2 V6! Respect!

Could be a 3.6, the Eos came with the 3.2 or the 3.6

Probably a 3.2. I think the 3.6 came later.

[blearyeyedboy]

Alfa did some wonderful concept cars in the BAT series.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfa_Romeo_BAT

I was fortunate enough to see BAT 7 once. It's no less breathtaking in the metal.

[Butter Face]

MrGTI6 said:

Axeboy said:

Dapster said:

Well, I never knew you could get the nailbar special with the 3.2 V6! Respect!

Could be a 3.6, the Eos came with the 3.2 or the 3.6

Probably a 3.2. I think the 3.6 came later.

It is the 3.2

[S2r]

mholt1995 said:

Saw a confusing looking VW Polo Mk4 last night, it had roof rails and a raised ride height.

Was trying to make out what the badge on the right said until I caught a glimpse of "Dune". Looked it up just now and it looks like VW tried the supermini crossover fad that we are currently going through (Seat Arona etc.) about 10-15 years before it was to become a thing.

I had a 2005 Dune, 1.4 3 cylinder TDi, epic little motor, apparently the springs were the standard ones from the Brazilian Polo as they are / were 15mm longer giving the raised ride height, everything else underneath was standard UK Polo

Presumably you've not seen a Golf 'Cross' either? There's even less of them although there is one down the road from me...

[jon_273]

S2r said:

I had a 2005 Dune, 1.4 3 cylinder TDi, epic little motor, apparently the springs were the standard ones from the Brazilian Polo as they are / were 15mm longer giving the raised ride height, everything else underneath was standard UK Polo

Presumably you've not seen a Golf 'Cross' either? There's even less of them although there is one down the road from me...

Were Cross Golfs sold in the UK? I don't ever remember seeing one. Is it called a "Dune" or a "Cross"?

Over here on the continent there are more of these "cross" VW's...

newer Cross Polo


Cross Touran


Cross Golf Sportvan


and my personal favourite, the Cross Up!


Strangely though, the Beetle is called Dune and not a Cross, wonder why the difference.

[Dapster]

ajprice said:

A few have had the Scirocco front end grafted on, makes it look a bit better than the standard Eos front end.

There is more car in front of the front wheels than behind them!!

[Fastpedeller]

blearyeyedboy said:

Alfa did some wonderful concept cars in the BAT series.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfa_Romeo_BAT

I was fortunate enough to see BAT 7 once. It's no less breathtaking in the metal.

I quite like the idea of making a bat 5 inspired kit car, however getting suitable glass would probably present problems.

[Hugo a Gogo]

jon_273 said:

Strangely though, the Beetle is called Dune and not a Cross, wonder why the difference.

Dune Bugs were a thing, once

Either that or something to do with 'whoever controls the spice'

[LuS1fer]

Hugo a Gogo said:

Dune Bugs were a thing, once

Either that or something to do with 'whoever controls the spice'

Dune buggies - the sawn off trumpet exhaust, big tyres Bugs were named something else my fading brain can't...wait, Baja's.