In the spirit of the cars you love or hate threads, here's yet another one. This time you get to nominate vehicles that you like because of their eccentricities. The rules (yes, there are rules):
- Vehicles should be oddballs for one reason or another. This is totally subjective, but something like a '57 Chevy wouldn't make it because (despite being old) it's way too common as a collector car and, styling aside, doesn't really have anything all that unusual about it mechanically. Strange or unique sub-models are OK, though.
- You must state *why* you have made your choices - just saying something like 'I always thought Dodge Darts were weird' or 'K-Cars RULE!' doesn't cut it. Links expanding on this are encouraged.
- Exotics, low-production-run, mass-production-run, orphan marques, prototypes... It doesn't matter. It just has to have something that makes it not mundane (yes, that does somewhat contradict the first rule above, but I did say this would be subjective).
- You're free to disagree with someone else's choice, but again: THIS IS SUBJECTIVE. Let's keep it civil.
OK, kicking off, here're my by-no-means-complete selections in no particular order of preference:
American:
- Chevrolet Corvair Monza Turbo. This model specifically for being the first full-production American turbo. The fact that it's a Corvair doesn't hurt either.
- Pontiac Fiero. Great idea, poorly-marketed (is it a commuter or a sports car?), killed before it could've been properly developed into a real pocket rocket.
- Cord 812. Incredibly elegant, front-wheel-drive in the 1930s, and a supercharger. Proof of what American automotive engineering could have been.
European:
- NSU Ro80. World's first rotary-engined production vehicle; also used a semi-automatic transmission.
- Citroen Traction Avant (unit-body, IFS, FWD - in 1935), 2CV (novel suspension, mechanically indestructible, incredibly adaptable, twin engine / dual-transmission 4x4 Sahara model barking mad but highly-effective), and DS (hydropneumatic suspension, 4-wheel-disc brakes, incredible aerodynamics, better on the road 50 years after its launch than a good many modern cars).
- Peugeot: 402 Eclipse (hemi-head combustion chambers, world's first production electrically-operated steel-roof convertible), 205 GTi 1.9 (insane, brilliant), 405 Mi16 (fast for its time, unbelievable handling even 16 years on).
- Renault: R5 Turbo. Mid-engined, rear-drive monster derived from a competent but otherwise mundane FWD hatchback. Where the Peugeot 205 GTi was insane, the original R5 Turbo was criminally so. Later transverse-engined turbo models technically superior but not as fun.
- Rover P6. Originally conceived with a gas-turbine engine, had crisp transatlantic styling for 1963, four-wheel-disc brakes, and superb handling through its unconventional but very effective front and rear suspension design.
- Tatra 603. Rear-engined, air-cooled V8 landgoing torpedo. Earlier models were referred to as 'Czechoslovakia's secret weapon' during the war because of their propensity for killing German officers who didn't know how to handle them.
- Skoda S110R. Communist-built poor man's Porsche 911.
Japanese:
- Mazda Cosmo / 110S. Seven-tenths-scale Thunderbird looks with rotary power.
- Toyota 2000GT. Why did the Japanese stop making cars like this and turn them all into appliances?
- Suzuki Jimny LJ series. It's a 4x4, and it's tiny. What's not to love?
- Mitsubishi CJ-3A. On the most-wanted list; vital for WTF? value at Jeep meets.
Time to see what other folks have to say...
- Vehicles should be oddballs for one reason or another. This is totally subjective, but something like a '57 Chevy wouldn't make it because (despite being old) it's way too common as a collector car and, styling aside, doesn't really have anything all that unusual about it mechanically. Strange or unique sub-models are OK, though.
- You must state *why* you have made your choices - just saying something like 'I always thought Dodge Darts were weird' or 'K-Cars RULE!' doesn't cut it. Links expanding on this are encouraged.
- Exotics, low-production-run, mass-production-run, orphan marques, prototypes... It doesn't matter. It just has to have something that makes it not mundane (yes, that does somewhat contradict the first rule above, but I did say this would be subjective).
- You're free to disagree with someone else's choice, but again: THIS IS SUBJECTIVE. Let's keep it civil.
OK, kicking off, here're my by-no-means-complete selections in no particular order of preference:
American:
- Chevrolet Corvair Monza Turbo. This model specifically for being the first full-production American turbo. The fact that it's a Corvair doesn't hurt either.
- Pontiac Fiero. Great idea, poorly-marketed (is it a commuter or a sports car?), killed before it could've been properly developed into a real pocket rocket.
- Cord 812. Incredibly elegant, front-wheel-drive in the 1930s, and a supercharger. Proof of what American automotive engineering could have been.
European:
- NSU Ro80. World's first rotary-engined production vehicle; also used a semi-automatic transmission.
- Citroen Traction Avant (unit-body, IFS, FWD - in 1935), 2CV (novel suspension, mechanically indestructible, incredibly adaptable, twin engine / dual-transmission 4x4 Sahara model barking mad but highly-effective), and DS (hydropneumatic suspension, 4-wheel-disc brakes, incredible aerodynamics, better on the road 50 years after its launch than a good many modern cars).
- Peugeot: 402 Eclipse (hemi-head combustion chambers, world's first production electrically-operated steel-roof convertible), 205 GTi 1.9 (insane, brilliant), 405 Mi16 (fast for its time, unbelievable handling even 16 years on).
- Renault: R5 Turbo. Mid-engined, rear-drive monster derived from a competent but otherwise mundane FWD hatchback. Where the Peugeot 205 GTi was insane, the original R5 Turbo was criminally so. Later transverse-engined turbo models technically superior but not as fun.
- Rover P6. Originally conceived with a gas-turbine engine, had crisp transatlantic styling for 1963, four-wheel-disc brakes, and superb handling through its unconventional but very effective front and rear suspension design.
- Tatra 603. Rear-engined, air-cooled V8 landgoing torpedo. Earlier models were referred to as 'Czechoslovakia's secret weapon' during the war because of their propensity for killing German officers who didn't know how to handle them.
- Skoda S110R. Communist-built poor man's Porsche 911.
Japanese:
- Mazda Cosmo / 110S. Seven-tenths-scale Thunderbird looks with rotary power.
- Toyota 2000GT. Why did the Japanese stop making cars like this and turn them all into appliances?
- Suzuki Jimny LJ series. It's a 4x4, and it's tiny. What's not to love?
- Mitsubishi CJ-3A. On the most-wanted list; vital for WTF? value at Jeep meets.
Time to see what other folks have to say...
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