You learn something new... - Cars you didn't know existed, until now!

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Ferrari Conciso:
1989-Ferrari-328-Conciso-Concept-Car.jpg
 
This might come as a shock, but it's 2019.

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What's an even bigger shock is Mazda's weird anniversary schedule.
I'm so 2000 and late. ;)

I did a light search for a 50th Anniversary 323/Familia/3/Axela. Found a Canadian tribute( no pun intended) model. Nothing to right home about.
 
The Vandal One R:
View attachment 801920
An American built, Civic Type R powered track-day car.
Should we not maybe keep this thread for cars that have actually been around for some time to give people a chance to not have heard of them, rather than posting something that was just revealed a day or two ago and logically cannot have been known about until now?...
 
1960/1 Frua "Italia" Studebakers

In 1960 the Italian Studebaker importer, Renato Bornigia commissioned Pietro Frua of Carrozzeria Frua to build both a coupe and a sedan based on the V8 Lark. The coupe was completed in 1960, the sedan in 1961. I have no idea how many of each were made. At least one coupe, and at least two and possibly as many as seven sedans. The last two pics show two sedans rotting away in an Italian junk yard in 1984. They were bought in 2004 by Patrick Drnec of Bell Gardens, California and were imported to his garage where restoration work began. I have no idea what their status is today. This is some confusion in the name of these cars as they are often referred to as Lombardi Studebakers. Carrozzeria Francis Lombardi showed drawings of a Studebaker sedan in 1961 that strongly resembled the Frua sedan, but as far as I can determine, they never progressed beyond the design stage.

I like the looks of the Frua Studebakers. The front is a bit busy, but the sides and rear are very well done. I like the shape of the blade-like C-pillars, the strong lip over the trunk, and the way the rear window curves up and into the roof.










 
It looks pretty terrible to me. Like a bigger, blander Prius. That interior looks like a solid chunk of cheap plastic...
 
Found this browsing at Alfa Romeos.
1952 Alfa Romeo C52 'Disco Volante'
disco_volante_01pop.jpg
Alfa-Romeo-1900-C52-Disco-Volante-Coupe__01.jpg
Alfa-Romeo-1900-C52-Disco-Volante-Coupe__02.jpg

The car was designed by Carrozerria and was based on the Alfa 1900's chassis. The car being very streamlined and wind tunnel tested, it was nicknamed Disco Volante or Flying Saucer when translated. The car's drag coefficient was 0.25 making it more aerodynamic than a Tesla Model S. The 1,997cc engine produced 158HP and with the car weighing 735Kg allowed to achieve speeds over 140mph.
Alfa Romeo only built 5 C52s and 4 exist today. The car above is the only one converted into a coupe and some believe that this car was the inspiration for the design of the Jaguar E-Type.
 
That's why it flamed out of the US market almost immediately. Even with a Lexus badge, people didn't especially want a luxury economy car that wasn't notably economic nor particularly luxurious (now, it had cool stuff, but even 80s Cadillac had stuff). One of brand's first major misses, to contemporary GM-levels to boot.



Then they did what they should have done in the first place and just make a really nice Prius in the CT200h and that sold better than they expected it to.
 
The car was designed by Carrozerria and was based on the Alfa 1900's chassis.
Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera to be precise. "Carrozzeria" is a generic term basically meaning "design house" or "coachbuilder." At least half the coachbuilders in Italy were knows as "Carrozzeria (name of builder)" eg Carrozzeria Boneschi, Carrozzeria Allemano, Carrozzeria Fissore, Carrozzerria Ghia, etc.

And now that I've had my chance to be pedantic, here's a car I was unaware of until today: 1964/5 Oldsmobile Jetstar 1.

1964


1965


Offered only as a two-door, it was a competitor to the Pontiac Grand Prix. It was positioned below their more luxurious Starfire but with the same engine, a 345 hp 394 cid V8 in 1964, and a 370 hp 425 cid V8 in 1965. Only 16,084 were built in 1964, and 6552 in 1965.
 
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Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera to be precise. "Carrozzeria" is a generic term basically meaning "design house" or "coachbuilder." At least half the coachbuilders in Italy were knows as "Carrozzeria (name of builder)" eg Carrozzeria Boneschi, Carrozzeria Allemano, Carrozzeria Fissore, Carrozzerria Ghia, etc.

Are you sure the car wasn't made by Pioneer? :lol:

carrozeria_aviczh07_double_din_player_1534520336_71533fd7.jpg
 
Why!?

That thing is ghastly. I'm having war flashbacks to 2006 or whenever it was I first saw that... thing. :lol:
 
So experts, here's one for ya. Showed up at a local shop and we have no clue what it is.

View attachment 804023 View attachment 804024

Sorry for quality I did not take these pictures.
You've got a Bristol 405 saloon there. 265 built between 1953 and 1958. It uses a 2.0 liter straight-six licensed from BMW at the end of WWII as war reparations. The 405 was the only 4-door saloon built by Bristol.
 
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