Cars you didn't know existed...
Discussion
Hobbes003 said:
So, you probably know about the Mercedes 300 SEL 6.3 raced by AMG, a.k.a. the Rote Sau:
That is awesome - great find.There's a Rote Sau recreation for sale in Spain if anyone's interested... https://www.autoscout24.nl/aanbod/mercedes-benz-30...
Matt Cup said:
This is proper cool, the rear end has the look of an Alfa GTV.
Has anyone else got any interesting test mules.
Porsche mule to test a watercooled V8 front engined application from the early 90's. Note the super wide rear arches. Seen here in the Porsche MuseumHas anyone else got any interesting test mules.
Spring 1972 and an Opel Manta is pulling a Beetle up an Alpine pass....
Or is it....???
It's Porsche testing the 924 running gear
Maestro Van used as a Freelander pre production mule
Unassuming Metro Van used for the mid engine 6R4 development
944 Cab used as the Boxster mule
In order to speed up the development of the CLK GTR for the FIA GT Championship in 1997, Mercedes used a McLaren F1 mule onto which it attached the prototype CLK bodywork and their own LS600 6.0 V12 in place of the BMW V12. Mercedes didn't have a long relationship with McLaren at the time, so had to purchase chassis #11 from Larbre Compétition. The head start the McLaren gave Mercedes allowed it to get the CLK running within 5 months of conception.
F1 chassis #11 running the Mercedes bodywork
Here are a few more images of it testing at Jarama including the final one after Bernd Schneider put it in the wall. You can just see the "..enz" of Mercedes Benz on the left of the image on the backdrop.
Three years after the events at Jarama, the car emerged on the auction floor of RM Sotheby’s. The car had received a full restoration including a new BMW S70/2 V12, correct bodywork and its original Franck Muller Watch orange/black livery
https://www.carthrottle.com/post/w88jdj3/
Edited by Dapster on Friday 27th March 16:24
Matt Cup said:
This is proper cool, the rear end has the look of an Alfa GTV.
Has anyone else got any interesting test mules.
Ultimas were used as test cars for the McLaren F1 https://www.ultimasports.co.uk/History/McLarenHas anyone else got any interesting test mules.
TVR Cerberas were used as test cars for the Mercedes McLaren SLR, the big nose bonnet on the TVR turned into the F1 nosecone bonnet on the SLR https://www.tvrblog.com/tvr-cerbera-mercedes-slr-p...
BFleming said:
Hobbes003 said:
So, you probably know about the Mercedes 300 SEL 6.3 raced by AMG, a.k.a. the Rote Sau:
That is awesome - great find.There's a Rote Sau recreation for sale in Spain if anyone's interested... https://www.autoscout24.nl/aanbod/mercedes-benz-30...
https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/pa20/paris/lots...
My good friend has one of only two Lotus Elan S2 convertibles in his workshop for a strip and respray.
I always thought that the S2 was only ever a hard top/coupe .
It's a factory official car and not a later chop job .
He does get some weird and wonderful creations in for work .
The strangest was something very close to the car in the opening titles of the Pink Panther Show from the TV
It had an open mid mounted Jag v12 with an auto box coupled by a belt drive to the rear axle , unfortunately the belt drive lacked tensioners so the drive stuttered and jumped all over the place .
It had an aircraft type tail fin and the cockpit had a Gnat Jet canopy , the driving position was infront of the front wheels . Unfortunately I never took any photos of the car . It's an understanding that photos are not released of customers cars without permission. The vehicle was used for some promo work for the Ordnance Survey. The car was bright red and looked a bit like a road going Red Arrow .
I always thought that the S2 was only ever a hard top/coupe .
It's a factory official car and not a later chop job .
He does get some weird and wonderful creations in for work .
The strangest was something very close to the car in the opening titles of the Pink Panther Show from the TV
It had an open mid mounted Jag v12 with an auto box coupled by a belt drive to the rear axle , unfortunately the belt drive lacked tensioners so the drive stuttered and jumped all over the place .
It had an aircraft type tail fin and the cockpit had a Gnat Jet canopy , the driving position was infront of the front wheels . Unfortunately I never took any photos of the car . It's an understanding that photos are not released of customers cars without permission. The vehicle was used for some promo work for the Ordnance Survey. The car was bright red and looked a bit like a road going Red Arrow .
soxboy said:
biggbn said:
The metro van must be the ultimate sleeper!!
Potentially, although I thought that was an MGF test mule rather than the 6R4 (especially as it was registered a few years after 6R4 production ended).
Info sheet also mentions 2 other proposals for completely different layout for the MGF
BFleming said:
Swedish plate I think. It seems that before 1981, Vauxhall sold cars in Europe, in left hand drive guise, but it's widely thought they these were built by Opel on the continent. After 1981, Vauxhall was a UK-only brand.
Vauxhall's were sold in Canada too. 1950s/60s. I remember my Canadian uncle admiring a Royale when visiting us in the early 80s. He was lamenting the fact that he couldn't buy one and told me how he'd liked owning a "British" Vauxhall. At the time he had an Oldsmobile and a TR8.As a kid Opels seemed more exotic than their VX siblings. Monza Vs Roysle Coupe Cavalier Vs Manta.
Some great info here: http://www.audistory.com/old1/ecmobil.htm
Edited by BFleming on Saturday 28th March 00:23
BFleming said:
They could have called that the Ur Home. BFleming said:
Some great info here: http://www.audistory.com/old1/ecmobil.htm
Dunno if I should deplore the butchering of a poor Type 44 for this or congratulate the engineers coming up with that 
. One thing sure: thanks for digging that out -- very interesting!Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff