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Respectively Lancia Thema '84 and Lancia K '94 were very common my first period of cohabitation in Italy, now that I think about it they are indeed so many years that I don't meet one, despite in my city it was quite common.
The Forgotten Cars Thread
- Thread starter el fayce
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- Plymouth, UK
- motorforum
@homeforsummer like the Audi A2, the Streetwise was just about a decade ahead of its time.
@Unknown GT I was leaving a bar one night and a dark green Kappa coupe was parked up. The only time I've seen a K in England. It was quite attractive.
@Unknown GT I was leaving a bar one night and a dark green Kappa coupe was parked up. The only time I've seen a K in England. It was quite attractive.
- 27,162
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It's funny because I've heard a lot of people say the same - but judging by that Starlet, it certainly wasn't the first small car to go down that route. Think the Rover predated the Polo Dune, Citroen C3 XTR etc (there's another actually...)
...but the Starlet definitely arrived before the Rover. I've been trying to think of others too. I know there was a VW "CrossFox" in some markets, which probably would have arrived after the Polo Dune...
...but other than that, none are coming to mind.
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The 2 lancias are not as common as they used to be here in Italy, but at least I saw a couple of Kappas still driving around; the Thema on the other hand is almost totally gone.
And let's not forget the K Coupé which is quite rare...
...but the styling leaves something to be desired.
It had a good choice of engines though, ranging for the 3.0 Busso V6 (with 204 HP and an optional 4 speed autobox), 2.0 Turbo I4 (with 205hp) and a 2.4 I5 (with only 175hp), the 2.0 Turbo I5 (the most powerful one, with 220hp, Brembo brakes and a front LSD) and it was planned a 2.4 I5 JTD Diesel which never saw the light of day other than a couple of prototypes (but at least one is still around).
It was a flop, with only 1600 cars made and it was in production for only 2 years, making it a rare sight on the road.
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- 3,655
- Elizabeth, New Jersey, USA
Speaking of forgotten Lancias, here's the second-gen Delta HF Turbo, produced from 1993 to 1999. Obviously, it is forgotten since it's performance did not live up to it's predecessor; it was slower, slightly heavier, and lacked 4WD. The '93 to '99 HF Turbo was based on the Alfa Romeo 145/146, was powered by a 2.0 turbo-four making 190hp and a 5-speed manual, and did 0-60 in 7.5 seconds, over a second and a half slower than the iconic Delta HF Integrale Evoluzione II.
[URL='https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwiJ4cnm6K_kAhWLMd8KHSE-DdwQjRx6BAgBEAQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsucksqueezebangblow-juice.blogspot.com%2F2012%2F01%2Flancia-delta-evo-500.html&psig=AOvVaw3GtaIx8uJ8xrZxqY5fRH_M&ust=1567433985522606']
[URL='https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwi2laPr6K_kAhUEm-AKHbseAuoQjRx6BAgBEAQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gieldaklasykow.pl%2Flancia-delta-hpe-evo-500-1997-24900-pln-krotoszyn%2F&psig=AOvVaw3GtaIx8uJ8xrZxqY5fRH_M&ust=1567433985522606']
[URL='https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwi5-bX66K_kAhUPnOAKHSpfBqcQjRx6BAgBEAQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gieldaklasykow.pl%2Flancia-delta-hpe-evo-500-1997-24900-pln-krotoszyn%2F&psig=AOvVaw3GtaIx8uJ8xrZxqY5fRH_M&ust=1567433985522606']
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[URL='https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwi2laPr6K_kAhUEm-AKHbseAuoQjRx6BAgBEAQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gieldaklasykow.pl%2Flancia-delta-hpe-evo-500-1997-24900-pln-krotoszyn%2F&psig=AOvVaw3GtaIx8uJ8xrZxqY5fRH_M&ust=1567433985522606']
[URL='https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwi5-bX66K_kAhUPnOAKHSpfBqcQjRx6BAgBEAQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gieldaklasykow.pl%2Flancia-delta-hpe-evo-500-1997-24900-pln-krotoszyn%2F&psig=AOvVaw3GtaIx8uJ8xrZxqY5fRH_M&ust=1567433985522606']
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- 28,765
- a baby, candy, it's like taking.
- TexRex72
Actually I think it has a simple elegance to it; it's graceful. I particularly like the fact that the headlights and taillights don't wrap around the corners at all, cleaning up the profile--it doesn't work on everything, but it does here.And let's not forget the K Coupé which is quite rare...
...but the styling leaves something to be desired.
I dare say I think anything more would be a step too far.
- 825
- Under some Spaghetti
I personally think it's quite interesting actually, but at the time its lines were criticized a lot because of this:
the 1995 Lancia K Bertone Kayak
This concept car (based on the K Sedan) was a success for its slick styling by Bertone, and it was expected for production in 1996, but never saw the light of day, 2 veichles were produced with one fully functional (with the I5 of the production car), pictured above.
And then, when the K Coupé was unveiled in the Turin Auto Show in 1997, the folks of the time found the styling underwhelming in comparison with the Kayak- many people here criticized the Coupé as "ugly" or "not that graceful looking", and basically very few people bought it.
It's sad, really, but oh well.
- 3,475
- Vilnius
They were around and then they disappeared seemingly overnight.
- 28,765
- a baby, candy, it's like taking.
- TexRex72
It's nice, I suppose. The front end is a little awkward, but it would likely have been dropped for something more conventional had it gone into production. Thing is...I can't see a single point of commonality between it and the Kappa; it's odd to think of that being offered as the two-door variant. And in 1997, what was the last Bertone design to make it to production? Fiat X1/9?
- 3,655
- Elizabeth, New Jersey, USA
It even came as a convertible!
- 27,162
- United Kingdom
Saw a basically pristine one at a race meeting a couple of years back. The convertibles were built by Karmann. Much better done than many hatchback-turned-convertibles of the time, as the tonneau cover was a hard, sculpted panel rather than just fabric, and it didn't have the ugly roll bar of Escorts, Astras and Golfs.It even came as a convertible!
- 3,655
- Elizabeth, New Jersey, USA
It's successor, the Megane convertible has some desirability to it as well. It ain't no Sport Spider, but it seems nice enough.
[URL='https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&ved=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.guide-autosport.com%2Fguide%2Frenault-megane-cabriolet-2l-16v.php&psig=AOvVaw2pTZzPsajTCSpBFHhHRQ9J&ust=1567520701499931']
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[URL='https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&ved=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.guide-autosport.com%2Fguide%2Frenault-megane-cabriolet-2l-16v.php&psig=AOvVaw2pTZzPsajTCSpBFHhHRQ9J&ust=1567520701499931']
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- 27,162
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Yeah, I'm a fan of the Megane Cabrio. It was also built by Karmann, and had the same sculpted tonneau cover design.
MedigoFlame
Premium
- 6,188
- Maine
- MedigoFlameX
May just be where I live, but I barely ever see Kia Forte Koups anymore. Both generations.
- 23,427
- It/It
- GTP_TheCracker
The 2nd-Gen Delta HF Turbo wasn't the successor to the 1st-Gen Intergrale. It was the successor to the 1st-Gen HF Turbo. Which was a much more modest FWD, 1.6 turbo-four making 138hp.
- 36,519
- Scotland
- GTP_daan
Yet another forgotten Lancia.
Lancia HPE Volumex by David Anderson, on Flickr
At a car show a few years ago with a Kappa Coupe* in front of it.
* A car I was completely unaware of and the only time I've ever seen one.
Lancia HPE Volumex by David Anderson, on FlickrAt a car show a few years ago with a Kappa Coupe* in front of it.
* A car I was completely unaware of and the only time I've ever seen one.
- 825
- Under some Spaghetti
Most people forget about the non-AWD Deltas for obvious reasons, but it's kind of a shame really...
Yet another forgotten Lancia.
At a car show a few years ago with a Kappa Coupe* in front of it.
* A car I was completely unaware of and the only time I've ever seen one.
And exactly in front of the HPE there's a Y10, another forgotten hatchback.
This one is the 1st gen Turbo Martini version, it's incredibly rare here in Italy (and it was sold under the Autobianchi brand).
And the Turbo was a car so unsafe, here it is known as one of the original "coffin cars" of its generation for the amount of teens that bought it and were injured or killed while driving one of these, because it was quite unpredictable in the corners.
Despite this, now it is fondly remembered for being a riot to drive and it had a quite punchy engine (a 1.0 Turbo I4 with 82 hp) and weighs only 780kg; and it was one of the first cars (italian ones, at least) to have a totally digital dashboard.
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- 28,765
- a baby, candy, it's like taking.
- TexRex72
You and your facts...
- 12,707
- Seattle-ish
Fiat Ritmo/Strada. Built from 1978 to 1988. The Strada name was used in almost all English-speaking markets, including the US. I remember the older brother of one of my best friends in high school bought one brand new in about 1980. It was a blue 3-door hatch just like the one below. I would see them on the road fairly regularly for a few years, but by the late '80s, they had mostly disappeared. It didn't help that Fiat pulled out of the US market in 1983 leaving almost no aftermarket support. I always liked the minimalist design, created by Sergio Sartorelli at Fiat's Centro Stile in Turin. I believe the US models came with a 1600cc inline-4.
Fiat Ritmo Super 75
Fiat Strada
Fiat Ritmo Super 75
Fiat Strada
- 825
- Under some Spaghetti
Fiat Ritmo/Strada. Built from 1978 to 1988. The Strada name was used in almost all English-speaking markets, including the US. I remember the older brother of one of my best friends in high school bought one brand new in about 1980. It was a blue 3-door hatch just like the one below. I would see them on the road fairly regularly for a few years, but by the late '80s, they had mostly disappeared. It didn't help that Fiat pulled out of the US market in 1983 leaving almost no aftermarket support. I always liked the minimalist design, created by Sergio Sartorelli at Fiat's Centro Stile in Turin. I believe the US models came with a 1600cc inline-4.
Fiat Ritmo Super 75
Fiat Strada
Call me biased, but I love the Ritmo! I wonder how many of them are left in the US, though (I can imagine they are not common cars at all, there).
And the Abarth versions are so underrated.
EDIT: I totally forgot about the Strada Lectric Leopard, an unofficial electric conversion for the Strada.
The conversion was made by U.S. Electricar, it had a General Electric motor with 23hp and a limited top speed of 104km/h, using a bunch of 6 volt batteries in the cargo area.
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- 3,655
- Elizabeth, New Jersey, USA
Another forgotten Fiat, the 2001-2007 Stilo Abarth. Sort of a successor to the Ritmo/Strada Abarth, but less interesting. It was powered by a 2.4L five-cylinder making 170hp, which may not seem so bad for the time, but sadly couldn't be had with a manual. And the automatic it did have, the Selespeed, was known for being quite awful.
- 15,074
- Melbourne
- ScottPuss20
- CheetahsMeow
Is the Citroen BX forgotten? Because I saw one today on the way to uni.
- 825
- Under some Spaghetti
Another forgotten Fiat, the 2001-2007 Stilo Abarth. Sort of a successor to the Ritmo/Strada Abarth, but less interesting. It was powered by a 2.4L five-cylinder making 170hp, which may not seem so bad for the time, but sadly couldn't be had with a manual. And the automatic it did have, the Selespeed, was known for being quite awful.
Actually, you could have it with a 5 speed manual in some countries in the last year of production, but they are incredibly rare (in Italy this particular version lasted less than a year, being replaced by the Bravo).
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- Grandville Mi
- Gotbeefboy564
- Got beef boy564
Mustang GTRs I keep forgetting about them
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- GranTurismo0517
- RandomCarGuy17
Probably because outside of the GT-R concept, they don't exist. That's just a sticker job applied to a SVT Cobra.
- 3,655
- Elizabeth, New Jersey, USA
1992-1993 Dodge Daytona IROC R/T
This was Dodge's short-lived attempt to tackle the Camaro Z28 and Mustang GT head-on with the Daytona. It was powered by a 2.2L turocharged I4 making 224hp and 217 lb-ft of torque, allowing for a 0-60 time of 6.2 seconds and top speed of 150mph. But unlike it's competitors, it was FWD only and didn't have an eight-cylinder engines, and sold pretty poorly in comparison. Though, it was a nice swan-song for the Daytona name.
This was Dodge's short-lived attempt to tackle the Camaro Z28 and Mustang GT head-on with the Daytona. It was powered by a 2.2L turocharged I4 making 224hp and 217 lb-ft of torque, allowing for a 0-60 time of 6.2 seconds and top speed of 150mph. But unlike it's competitors, it was FWD only and didn't have an eight-cylinder engines, and sold pretty poorly in comparison. Though, it was a nice swan-song for the Daytona name.
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- Where horsepower echoes in the mountains
The Hommell Berlinette:
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