Mystery car pix

jlbl

I dare say… Renault Alpine Special Edition 'Le Mans', 1990.

Engine V6 Turbo (catalyst) 185 bhp
Max speed 240 km/h
0 to 100 km/h in 6.67 s
1000 m standing start in 27.3 s

Regards,
Jose

andys120

And the answer is...Renault Alpine GTA/A610 1986-95, some versions had over 200HP.

lostwrench1

It's a Riviera. The door chrome side trim descends.

hudsonthedog

There was a grey market company that privately imported those, I think the majority were sent over in 1987. Some XMs were also imported after that.

It was never officially imported by CITROEN. CX Auto imported them under their own brand until Peugeot left the US in the early 1990s when CX Auto replaced the CXA models with the Citroen XM. Both were certified and officially registered as imported vehicles. There were far more CXA models imported than the XMs...rumor has it that only 7 XMs were imported. I have a picture (somewhere) of two of the XMs which were introduced at the Philadelphia Auto Show in 1992.

andys120

lemko

1974 Chevrolet Chevelle/Malibu. Don't really care for the "Colonnade" style, but thought the Laguna S-3 was somewhat attractive.

sharonlpk

"The age could be anywhere from new to 10-20 years old but because of the platic's condition (very clean, out and underneath, I would guess it was newer rather than older.

Ok, give me a few days, I'll work on it and figure it out. Unless omeone else solves this mystery. "

Thanks for any and all help I kind of think it may be a rear-end piece just because of how it would have had to enter the tail light...?... and since the impact was enough to get my van's left sliding door/rear windows out of align. It's so darn frustrating, and I hope I can stop eyeing every potential vehicle that I see while I'm driving, it's kind of distracting lol

The plastic is definitely newer, and since it's deep black and not smooth, that has ruled out alot of potentials that I've come across...! Again, thanks!

andys120

<img src="http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/07/new7k.jpg

andre1969

Is that a '73 or '74? I thought the '73 was the only one that still had the two round taillights on each side, while '74 had a horizontal rectangular piece? I think that style looks really good with the large rectangular window and no vinyl on the top. I wish Pontiac still offered that type of window by the time the '76-77 LeMans came out, but by then you could just get the opera window, like what mine has, or louvers like what's on the Can Am.

Did they still offer a Chevelle SS in '73? Maybe that one above is an SS? I wonder what that back seat came out of? It's certainly not stock.

lemko

The bumper is the giveaway. In 1973, the 5-mph bumper was used only on the front. In 1974, it was extented to the back as well.

qbrozen

now that's a good mystery pic. They all look too damned similar now. I know it ain't the Genesis. Could be Lexus/Bimmer/Toyota. Or maybe Kia is trying their luck with a luxo barge. ;P

I'll say new bimmer 7-series (although the taillights look more like Infiniti style).

jlbl

New bimmer 7-Series.

:P I've no merit; I've just seen some pictures of the new bimmer in the Luxury Lounge here at Edmunds, as posted by other poster fellow! (But the shark-shaped antenna should be unmistakable.)

#13715 of 13716
Revealed: 2009 BMW 7-series by louiswei

Regards,
Jose

fintail

It's funny, a couple of those XMs hit ebay from time to time. Those independent CX imports hit ebay frequently...they all have to be a labor of love.

qbrozen

I think other companies are using that sharkfin, though, ain't they?

For me, it is the roofline that is definite bimmer. But the Genesis stole the c-pillar slope, so nothing is really "definitive" anymore.

ssoperator

Sharp looking Chevelle (Malibu?), The 73's were the last ones with the round tailights. They are the best looking year of the new for the 73 model year body style. My uncle bought a new one in 73, turned into a 'wish I had not let that one go story', with the exception of being in a flood and standing in water over the roof. I think that the simple uncluttered two round tailights worked on the '68 Chargers (the best looking cars of the first mucle car era), which this body reminds me of. :shades:

andys120

That's correct Jose, it's the '09 version, a refresh of the 7er. Unfortunately for BMW everyone has adopted their signature "Hoffmeister Kink" on the C-Pillar so it does indeed look like a Hyundai or a Lexus.

andys120

ateixeira

I guess Hyundai succeeded when several of us are thinking a new BMW resembles a Hyundai.

lemko

<img src="http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/2029/california5.jpg

ateixeira

Ford....LTD?

Flush headlights make me think early 80s.

texases

Not a Ford - a Plymouth or Dodge, mid 80s?

edit - 1980 Dodge St. Regis?

tmart

Dodge Diplomat?? :confuse:

andre1969

It's a St. Regis, most likely a '79, because that was the only year they were semi-popular. They sold 34,972 in 1979, but only 17,068 in 1980 and a mere 5,388 in 1981, which would be a short model year. They made great police cars and taxis, but were not that popular with the general public.

I read somewhere that the 1979 St. Regis was actually voted, by cops, as one of the best police cars of all time. It didn't have the raw power of a '69 Polara 440, but was still a well-rounded police car that handled well, had plenty of room, was durable, if not always reliable, and was still the fastest full-sized police car available that year.

Just to show how bad things got after 1979, it wouldn't be until 1989 and the Caprice police pursuit, that full-sized copcars actually got back up to '79 St. Regis levels of performance! I think the Michigan State Police got a St. Regis with the 360-4bbl to do 0-60 in 10.1 seconds in their annual testing. The '89 Caprice did it in around 9.9. If these numbers sound slow, the MSP tested their cars differently from how MT or C&D might. They just put two cops in the car and let them take off as fast as they could, but without any power-braking, manually holding the gears, etc. So, this was probably more in line with the kind of numbers Consumer Reports might have gotten if they were testing police cars.

The St. Regis itself took a hit after 1979. For 1980, a 360-4bbl was still offered, but down to around 185 hp, from 195. 0-60 was more like 11.1 seconds...although that was still quicker than what Chevy or Ford were offering. The car's reputation also took a hit with the CHP because CA banned the 360 that year, so the cars just had 318-4bbls, putting out around 155-165 hp. Cops started carrying on about how VW Bugs would pass them going uphill, and anyone with a real musclecar would just taunt them, knowing they could easily walk them like a dog. In truth though, the 318-4bbl was good for about 13 seconds 0-60, and would still break 100 mph. While the power was down considerably, a lot of these cops were going through big-block withdrawal, probably having traded in late 70's Royal Monacos that still came with powerful (even by choked 70's standards) 440's.

andre1969

Ford....LTD?

Flush headlights make me think early 80s.

Actually, that is a good guess, because it was designed by Ford stylists. Some Ford people jumped ship to Chrysler before Iaccocca went over, so the same group that did the crisp, angular Fords also did the crisp, angular Mopars.

lemko

Correct! Dodge St. Regis, but this one's a 1980 model.

steelydanfan

The Dodge Diplomat was more of a mid-size vehicle for Chrysler........

andre1969

As big and clunky as the bumper on that Chevelle looks, GM managed to find a way to make it bigger and clunkier. Check out the this 1974 I found, for comparison.

In looking at pics of the '73 and '74 GM intermediates, it looks like the Malibu, Monte Carlo, and LeMans made some attempt to plan for the upcoming bumper standards, even though they did end up changing the bumpers in '74. But the '73 Grand Prix had a dainty looking bumper that looked easily damaged, while the Century and Cutlass had bumpers that were integrated into the style of the car, which left the taillights a bit vulnerable in the event of a rear-ender.

andys120

Here's some classic American Iron to celebrate the Fourth>



The Bucket List(2008)

urnews

Don't see any photos?

Edit: Whoops. Now I do. Cool Mustang and a Dodge Charger, I think.

andys120

It's not a Charger and someone should be able to guess the approximate year as well as the year and model of the 'Stang.

Hint: the Mustang is a fake, not the model it looks like which is...?

tmart

Yellow: 1970 Dodge Challenger

Red: 1966 Mustang posing as a Shelby

An excellent movie.

boomchek

Sharon.

I went through some of my buyer's guides and I can't find anything that matches it. i'm sorry. If the piece would be bigger and more defined I might have better luck.

Have youy thought about taking it to your insurance company?

andys120

Yep, the Challenger is a T/A, you can just make out the lettering below the radio antenna.

It's hard to say what year the Mustang really is, it looks like a '65 GT-350R (R=Race) with louvers rather than a small window behind the B -post but lacks the rear brake scoops of the Shelby cars. It has the big intake scoop in front that distinguishes
the R-versions but those did not normally have bumpers.

andys120

No answers yet for #17303. Come on, these are easy, here they are again>

stever

'59 Chevy Stepside?

Well, while you are waiting for the right answers, here's a rerun of one of yours from a couple of years ago - turns out my neighbor had one in high school:

andys120

That's the Honda Z600 Hatchback, I once rode the navigator's chair in one during a TSD Rally. I didn't know you could Rally in a roller skate.

The pickup is a Chevy Stepside but it's not a '59 and Stepside is a body style, not a model designation. Somebody should be able to get closer.

Doesn't anybody know what the silver car in the picture is? :confuse:

boomchek

Honda Z600 from early 70s. I have an old Motor Trend from 72 I think and I remember that car being advertised in there.

boomchek

That's an early 90s, most likely a 91 Porsche 911 Carrera Convertible.

kyfdx

That's what I was thinking... Looks like a Carrera II cabriolet from '91-'92

boomchek

I still have the brochures for that car from back in the day.

stever

My neighbor said his Honda was a 1971 and a half. I didn't see that model year designation while looking for an image. He also said it had a shifter in the dash.

andys120

You guys are in the right ballpark, the Porsche 911 Carrera is a '93, one of the last generation of air-cooled Porsches (aka 993), still highly sought after by old line Porsche types.

The Chevy truck BTW is a 1959 model 3100.

andys120

wgrafer

Sleek it is..also, a real 'mystery car'. I'll take a wild guess: Jensen Interceptor???

andys120

Sorry, you've got the right era but it's not a Jensen. Like the Interceptor, it is a Euro-American hybrid (big hint ).

andre1969

I'm really bad with sporty little 2 seaters, I guess because for the most part, they're not my thing. I have to admit though, that one, whatever it is, is one sexy little number, IMO.

boomchek

Is it another Monteverdi? It looks like it. Or it could be a Bristol, but no, Bristols are way uglier in my opinion.

andys120

Yup, that sexy little number is the convertible version of the Monteverdi High Speed, the 375S, we did the yellow coupe (375L) last week. :P

Powered by Chrysler V8, styled by Frua, body built by Fissore.

jlbl

Bodywork is european style, whereas wheels is american. Good mule.

andys120