Cars you didn't know existed...

[BarbaricAvatar]

ajprice said:

simonrockman said:

Spotted on the M1 this morning.

A DVLA look-up on the reg says "TR Sportscars" which is hard to google because of the number of Triumph sites.

No idea what it is.

Simon

The shape and the big wing looks a bit Cerbera Speed 12, but the rear end looks different, low like a Marcos but without the raised bootlid. Are there any other similar LM road cars?

It's a revival Speed 12, called the "TBR Speed 12"



More power, more speed, more info: http://helical-racing.com/tbrcars.html

[Dapster]

BarbaricAvatar said:

More power...

Yes, that's what a Speed 12 needs! It was supposedly an undriveable brute with 600 horses.

Check out the spec.... 1,012 bhp @ 6,700 rpm

[ajprice]

BarbaricAvatar said:

It's a revival Speed 12, called the "TBR Speed 12"



More power, more speed, more info: http://helical-racing.com/tbrcars.html

Well I didn't know that existed!
After I posted I thought that maybe it was by the people who do those TVR conversions to change the headlights on a Cerbera or put a Sagaris front end on a T350 etc. Never heard of this modified Speed 12 though.

[Equus]

BarbaricAvatar said:

It's a revival Speed 12, called the "TBR Speed 12"



More power, more speed, more info: http://helical-racing.com/tbrcars.html

Now that's very interesting....

My understanding was that the Speed 12 road car was with Bill Smith, the guy who raised and is restoring Donald Campbell's Bluebird K7 hydroplane.

Helical Engineering, who appear to be behind this car, are also responsible for building a replica of K7, called K777, which Bill Smith went out of his way to generate a lot of animosity toward, sarcastically referring to it as the 'tribute act'.

Seems more than just a coincidence that they could both be associated with both the Speed 12 and the K7 hydroplane?

What gives?

[BrabusMog]

Thesprucegoose said:

unsprung said:

A fabulous product.

Flex has a notable following in California, where it's considered almost a sort of anti-SUV, probably because it eschews the truck-like aesthetics of popular SUVs and CUVs for a car-like unibody with a long wheelbase. Some say it's the heir to that West Coast cultural icon, the surf wagon.

Comes in AWD and 365hp. 0 to 60mph in 5.5 seconds. Towing capacity exceeds 2000kg !

Love the optional white top:

The new Range Rover has copied it.

It looks like my new RR Sport but someone squashed it and then straightened it out with a ruler and a spirit level

[simonrockman]

ajprice said:

The shape and the big wing looks a bit Cerbera Speed 12, but the rear end looks different, low like a Marcos but without the raised bootlid. Are there any other similar LM road cars?

My reaction on seeing it was that it was a Speed 12 but it was too new.

[Jazzy Jag]

zedx19 said:

mr alan said:

What happened to proton ?

https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/117140/what-happened-to

Protons new car UK sales figures for their last few years were frightening:
2011 446
2012 208
2013 20
2014 11

I know a few people who worked for Proton and a friend was also involved in importing from Malaysia.

A big factor in the decline of Proton was the exchange rate with the Malaysian Ringet (?)

Towards the end Proton were actually losing money on Evey car they sold in the UK.

[unsprung]

BrabusMog said:

Thesprucegoose said:

unsprung said:

A fabulous product.

Flex has a notable following in California, where it's considered almost a sort of anti-SUV, probably because it eschews the truck-like aesthetics of popular SUVs and CUVs for a car-like unibody with a long wheelbase. Some say it's the heir to that West Coast cultural icon, the surf wagon.

Comes in AWD and 365hp. 0 to 60mph in 5.5 seconds. Towing capacity exceeds 2000kg !

Love the optional white top:

The new Range Rover has copied it.

It looks like my new RR Sport but someone squashed it and then straightened it out with a ruler and a spirit level

Since launching in 2008, it has sold more than 250,000 units.

With second and third rows folded -- they disappear into the floor -- you have a massive 2356 litres of cargo space. Part of the rationale, apparently, for the name "Flex".

[h0b0]

BrabusMog said:

Thesprucegoose said:

unsprung said:

A fabulous product.

Flex has a notable following in California, where it's considered almost a sort of anti-SUV, probably because it eschews the truck-like aesthetics of popular SUVs and CUVs for a car-like unibody with a long wheelbase. Some say it's the heir to that West Coast cultural icon, the surf wagon.

Comes in AWD and 365hp. 0 to 60mph in 5.5 seconds. Towing capacity exceeds 2000kg !

Love the optional white top:

The new Range Rover has copied it.

It looks like my new RR Sport but someone squashed it and then straightened it out with a ruler and a spirit level

I had one for a couple of years. We called it the pimped hearse. Amazingly practical and extremely good in the snow. Replaced it with an Explorer which was the same car but at a traditional SUV height. The flex was better in every aspect mostly due to its boxy shape. The 3 rows of seats were all useable by adults and there was still room for luggage. I had the optional captains chairs in the middle row which lost a seat but made the rear row accessible even with 2 kid seats.

We used to think of it as an updated Volvo 940 estate.

[BarbaricAvatar]

I know it's never beyond the realms of possibility that a chunk of countries have their own auto manufacturers, no matter how obscure. But this is definitely a new one on me from somewhere i'd never have credited having a car industry:

Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing (IVM) Umu:



Mostly manufactured in Nigeria.
http://innosonmotors.com/

[Halmyre]

BrabusMog said:

Thesprucegoose said:

unsprung said:

A fabulous product.

Flex has a notable following in California, where it's considered almost a sort of anti-SUV, probably because it eschews the truck-like aesthetics of popular SUVs and CUVs for a car-like unibody with a long wheelbase. Some say it's the heir to that West Coast cultural icon, the surf wagon.

Comes in AWD and 365hp. 0 to 60mph in 5.5 seconds. Towing capacity exceeds 2000kg !

Love the optional white top:

The new Range Rover has copied it.

It looks like my new RR Sport but someone squashed it and then straightened it out with a ruler and a spirit level

Who knew Etch-A-Sketch had a CAD package?

[Mr2Mike]

unsprung said:

A fabulous product.

It's a stretched Nissan Cube.

[shakotan]

Mr2Mike said:

unsprung said:

A fabulous product.

It's a stretched Nissan Cube.

A Nissan Cuboid, if you will.

[sir humphrey appleby]

Equus said:

BarbaricAvatar said:

It's a revival Speed 12, called the "TBR Speed 12"



More power, more speed, more info: http://helical-racing.com/tbrcars.html

Now that's very interesting....

My understanding was that the Speed 12 road car was with Bill Smith, the guy who raised and is restoring Donald Campbell's Bluebird K7 hydroplane.

Helical Engineering, who appear to be behind this car, are also responsible for building a replica of K7, called K777, which Bill Smith went out of his way to generate a lot of animosity toward, sarcastically referring to it as the 'tribute act'.

Seems more than just a coincidence that they could both be associated with both the Speed 12 and the K7 hydroplane?

What gives?

well it has got rear lights from a Citroen Cactus, so it is very cool.

[forzaminardi]

StescoG66 said:

forzaminardi said:

mickyc79 said:

This popped up on a gumtree search for cheap cars....

https://www.gumtree.com/p/isuzu/isuzu-piazza-turbo...

Rear wheel drive, lotus tuned suspension, turbo, 80's coupe....£995 doesn't seem too steep considering what you would pay for an AE-86 or similar.

Edited by mickyc79 on Thursday 26th April 09:16

I remember back in about 1988/89, as a schoolboy living near Glasgow, regularly seeing a red one of these and thinking "bah, it's an Isuzu, it must be st" but secretly being quite impressed by it. So now, almost 30 years later I click through to a Gumtree ad and find a red one for sale literally two miles away from where I lived in 1988, and where my mum and dad continue to live! Could this be the very car that, despite myself, I thought was pretty awesome?

I take it you lived in either Torrance or Milton of Campsie?
I know this car - belongs to the chap that owns Campsie Coachworks in Lennoxtown. He sprayed my Sprint for me. Good guy :-)

Lenzie. Small world and all that!

[Ares]

ajprice said:

Well I didn't know that existed!

You should start a topic.... Oh....

[Ares]

BarbaricAvatar said:

It's a revival Speed 12, called the "TBR Speed 12"



More power, more speed, more info: http://helical-racing.com/tbrcars.html

Love how the discussion must have gone.

You know that 500 hp/tonne car, I think it needs a bit more shove. Got a turbocharger hanging about?

[BarbaricAvatar]

Ares said:

BarbaricAvatar said:

It's a revival Speed 12, called the "TBR Speed 12"



More power, more speed, more info: http://helical-racing.com/tbrcars.html

Love how the discussion must have gone.

You know that 500 hp/tonne car, I think it needs a bit more shove. Got a turbocharger hanging about?

The info on the page is comparing the specs of the two states of tune the company offer, not the original Cerbera Speed 12. The TVR had 800bhp, not 600.

[Shakermaker]

unsprung said:

HTP99 said:

Saw a Ford Flex this morning, it didn't look too shabby:

A fabulous product.

Flex has a notable following in California, where it's considered almost a sort of anti-SUV, probably because it eschews the truck-like aesthetics of popular SUVs and CUVs for a car-like unibody with a long wheelbase. Some say it's the heir to that West Coast cultural icon, the surf wagon.

Comes in AWD and 365hp. 0 to 60mph in 5.5 seconds. Towing capacity exceeds 2000kg !

Love the optional white top:

My Brother in law was given one of these as a car for when he moved to Chicago with his family. Excellent car indeed

[boyse7en]

Shakermaker said:

unsprung said:

HTP99 said:

Saw a Ford Flex this morning, it didn't look too shabby:

A fabulous product.

Flex has a notable following in California, where it's considered almost a sort of anti-SUV, probably because it eschews the truck-like aesthetics of popular SUVs and CUVs for a car-like unibody with a long wheelbase. Some say it's the heir to that West Coast cultural icon, the surf wagon.

Comes in AWD and 365hp. 0 to 60mph in 5.5 seconds. Towing capacity exceeds 2000kg !

Love the optional white top:

My Brother in law was given one of these as a car for when he moved to Chicago with his family. Excellent car indeed

I've just got back the USA where i rented one of these for a week (or rather, I rented a "Mid Size SUV" and when I got to the depot the slacker dude behind the counter mumbled "We upgraded you" and handed me the keys to a random Ford)
I though it was great. Only had the standard spec engine - I think 280hp - but it had plenty of space and lots of toys. I'd have one in the UK if they were available although I have a feeling it might not fit down the lane to my house