GTP Cool Wall: 1979-1981 Talbot Sunbeam Lotus

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jahgee
  • 54 comments
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1979-1981 Talbot Sunbeam Lotus

  • Total voters
    119
  • Poll closed .
Sub-Zero. These things have always been seriously cool. The looks aren't the greatest but at the same time it's all the reason for people not to give it a second glance, giving it a sleeper status.



I think I will take the liberty of saving @Slash a post in this thread and quote his words from the Fiesta XR2 thread, no doubt he will feel the same way about this piece of legendaryness.


Slash
Boring to look at, underwhelming power figures, probably crappy handling, ugly configuration, typically rust buckets, eh just nothing cool about this car for me. Just look at it. Nothing cool. Nothing is more uncool than that. Seriously uncool.
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A Lotus powered hot hatch with RWD and rally pedigree is always cool in my book, and a very high one at that, almost sub-zero
 
I'm totally drawn in and I have no idea why. Sub zero.
 
Cool - fun, rear-drive hot hatchback that's just obviously retro enough to not look like just an old banger to non car-people.
 
A friend's dad had a standard Sunbeam when I was a kid, which I got a lift in once or twice. As a supposed car person I was impressed by the fact that it was a car I'd never heard of. I called it a Tablot.

Add in the Lotus-ness of this version, and the fact that almost any old-school hot hatch is automatically cool, my choice is easy for this one.
 
Tornado
lol Omni
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Except it's not an Omni. The Omni was based on the European Horizon, which is a different (although similar looking) FWD car where as the Sunbeam was RWD .
 
Normally "hot" hatches are Seriously Uncool. However, this one is rwd, making it a slightly higher SU.
 
TheCracker
Except it's not an Omni. The Omni was based on the European Horizon, which is a different (although similar looking) FWD car where as the Sunbeam was RWD .
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Tornado
Which is completely distinct from but looks shockingly close to the one that they replaced it with, to boot.
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Well, okay. I missed that subtle addition :O
 
MoLiEG
-Sigh

Meh.

-Sigh
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I don't get it. This gets a Meh, while the Corolla-on-stilts current Rav4 gets this response:

MoLiEG
Yes.

Sub-freaking-zero.

The only thing I don't like about it is the fact they eliminated the V6 engine. Other than that, I'd drive one of these daily and absolutely love every milisecond of it. The engine has a very good response, the transmission is flawless, I love both the exterior and interior (except for the fake carbon fiber), it's comfortable, it has plenty of space & it drives magnificent...

This would be my number one choice for an SUV if the Mercedez Benz GLK didn't exist.
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@homeforsummer @SlipZtrEm

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Fair enough. I don't understand many of you either. :p

Too each it's own :cheers:
 
MoLiEG
@homeforsummer @SlipZtrEm

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Fair enough. I don't understand many of you either. :p

Too each it's own :cheers:
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If you're on a forum then it's generally expected for you to be able to defend and justify your opinions, especially when they are inconsistent and defy common reasoning. The whole "to each their own, I'm entitled to my opinion" thing is great and all, but it's a cop-out that makes people think that you really don't know what you're talking about.
 
Let's not forget as well that this car actually won the WRC for Talbot in 1981.
 
Inconsistent???

Well, the RAV4 pushes my buttons and this one doesn't. It's boxy, rims are ugly, and it has no appeal for me. It's not either ugly or beautiful. Overall, it's uninteresting little car.

Plus. I hate almost all boxy cars from the 80's.

You could blame my previous job for being a little bit too gentle with the RAV4, but it's still a cool car for me and many times cooler than the Talbot.

Better now?
 
I learnt to drive in the non-Lotus version :)

I drove one of these back in my late teens... compared to the Escort Mk2 Mexico I had at the time, it was much harder to oversteer... the short wheelbase made it a bit unstable!!

Cool.
 
It gets a cool, just because it's different, being rwd and all. Oh, and also a classic.
 
So much head lights, so uncool. Plus so much square.
 
RWD? Cool! Hot hatch? Uncool! Older hot hatch, when they didn't look like they were taller than they were wide? (*coughFIESTASTcough*) That's better, and it is RWD. Hmmmmmmm...
 
I think it's funny how much more appealing the front end is with the auxiliary lamps and lamp covers installed. Must be the rally pedigree seeping through (or that it looks incredibly bland without them).


Also, Black/Silver > Moonstone/Black.
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I voted cool. It seems like a fun little car.
 
I wonder if someone has shoehorned a V8 in there.. And if it has been done, it's probably the Rover 3.5l lump.
 
SlipZtrEm
I don't get it. This gets a Meh, while the Corolla-on-stilts current Rav4 gets this response:
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Well I mean it is his opinion.
 
Doodle
Well I mean it is his opinion.
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It absolutely is, which is why I didn't say he's wrong. I simply can't think of the reasoning - and haven't seen any provided - for how one would come to that conclusion.
 
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