Sorry I haven't come back sooner on my mystery French car, but it is a bit unusual. It's a Hotchkiss-Gregoire and whilst the normal one was a four door saloon, this is a "Coupe Panoramic" with coachwork by Chapron. They were only built in 1952/3 and there were about eight or ten. I think ion total there were perhaps 250 of the saloons. It was technically quite advanced with a flat 4 2-litre engine (developed by Gregoire) and FWD, but was apparently plagued with fualts and finished both firms really - not helped by the French Government increasing taxes on luxury cars so they were unaffordable.
The U.S. 1961 Ford Starliner is one of my all-time favorite Fords for styling and I think it's underrated...and I'm not a Ford guy. I just don't want one in Ford's ubiquitous tomato red of that period!
2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
forerunner of the *only* Jaguar sedan I ever loved...the 3.8. Make mine green with biscuit interior, wire wheels, 4-speed with overdrive..........sigh.......
1957 Morris Minor Traveller 1000, right hand drive, which gets the owner plenty of attention when he goes through the bank drive-through the "wrong" way. Another shot:
I believe that is it s Puma GT, made in Brazil off a VW Kharmann Ghia floor-pan, but lots sexier. I think the window glass is Alfasud, wheels look USA and nose looks like a Marcos. The whole is sexier than than the parts.
Yup, it's a Puma GT with a fiberglass body built on a VW chassis in Brazil ca. 1970s.
I don't recall if these were ever badged as Volkswagens or not.
Note to Grahampeters: Unless I'm mistaken Karmann-Ghias 1200/1300s were built on the same platform, w the same engines as Beetles. K-G 1500s were based on the Type 3 (Squareback/Fastback in US).
PUMA -- first produced in Brazil in 1964 using components from the 3 cylinder, two stroke DKW. Then they quickly switched to a VW Beetle floorpan once VW ate up DKW in 1967.
They made a series of coupes and convertibles. PUMA tried to get into the UK but Ford had divs on the name "Puma" so that never happened.
From 1973 to 1979 PUMA made a front-engine coupe called the GTB, using Chevrolet chassis and engines (4 and 6 cylinder).
PUMA went out of business in 1985, but someone else bought it up and tried again with both VW and Chevy versions but things seemed to have faded away by 1990.
Yup that is the late 80s/early 90s Eagle Premier, essentially a Renault 25 enlarged for the North American market and styled by ItalDesign. It's not one of Giugiaro's better efforts.
I saw more than a few of those as a kid. Definitely caught my eye, beautifully simple styling.
More show than go, and lots I mean LOTS were fakes.
That trend died down and people started doing other things with Beetle chassis, notably Dune Buggies and Baja Buggies, most custom.
The Baja Buggy trend died down, but dune buggies thrive to this day. There are beaches with parking on the sandy side for those and 4x4s, and the parking lots fill up.
If you ever visit NE Brazil, go to Fortaleza and take a buggy tour of the dunes in Cumbuco. You feel like you're in the middle of the Sahara, except you look down at the coast and see the prettiest beach in the world, pretty much.
Comments
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
Will it come here?
Stay tuned...
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Yep, a 2.5L with something like 189HP.
There is also a 2.2L diesel SA available as well ... that may be coming to the US in the 3 and/or CX-5.
2009 BMW 335i, 2003 Corvette cnv. (RIP 2001 Jaguar XK8 cnv and 1985 MB 380SE [the best of the lot])
Mazda Luce Mark 2, sold as RX4 with rotary or 929 with a conventional engine.
A very nice car but nowhere near as pretty as the Guigiaro designed previous generation which has to be one of the all time prettiest cars.
A very popular car in Australia over its whole model life and a lot of them are still on the road.
Cheers
Graham
The one year only 4-6-8 1981's were an ill conceived nightmare and the HT 4100's were pure junk.
Loyal long time Cadillac owners left in droves!
Oh, and of course, we can't forget those lovely diesels of that era!
When the 1980 Sevilles came out a family friend said she thought they looked like a garbage truck from the rear and I had to agree!
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
Mine was kind of golden/bronze. For some reason they called it 'pearl metallic'.
2009 BMW 335i, 2003 Corvette cnv. (RIP 2001 Jaguar XK8 cnv and 1985 MB 380SE [the best of the lot])
2009 BMW 335i, 2003 Corvette cnv. (RIP 2001 Jaguar XK8 cnv and 1985 MB 380SE [the best of the lot])
The U.S. 1961 Ford Starliner is one of my all-time favorite Fords for styling and I think it's underrated...and I'm not a Ford guy. I just don't want one in Ford's ubiquitous tomato red of that period!
Yowza!
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
I once saw a full sized 1965 Pontiac that had been built on a Chevrolet chassis. The wheels looked like they had been stuck up underneath the car!
It had a Chevy 283 engine in it!
Right, originally sold as a 1959 Jaguar 3.4 Saloon
(since there was not yet a Mk II).
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
PS: Not the S-Type that came later.
Morris Minor Traveller; absolutely no idea on the year
Cheers
Graham
1957 Morris Minor Traveller 1000, right hand drive, which gets the owner plenty of attention when he goes through the bank drive-through the "wrong" way. Another shot:
Heh, just noticed the parking brake.
That's a frugal Yankee for you.
Maybe he was just born in the same year I was. Riding in that rig could be a Magical Mystery Tour. :shades:
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
I don't care what it is; can I have one?
I believe that is it s Puma GT, made in Brazil off a VW Kharmann Ghia floor-pan, but lots sexier. I think the window glass is Alfasud, wheels look USA and nose looks like a Marcos. The whole is sexier than than the parts.
Does anyone know the full story? ... Juice?
Cheers
Graham
I don't recall if these were ever badged as Volkswagens or not.
Note to Grahampeters: Unless I'm mistaken Karmann-Ghias 1200/1300s were built on the same platform, w the same engines as Beetles. K-G 1500s were based on the Type 3 (Squareback/Fastback in US).
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
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I love the original XK120 and the 1965 E-Type from back in the day. The inline 6 was one of the best engines EVER made.
(I am speaking of the red Jag picture from 3 cars back...not the white Camry - looking thing above. )
They made a series of coupes and convertibles. PUMA tried to get into the UK but Ford had divs on the name "Puma" so that never happened.
From 1973 to 1979 PUMA made a front-engine coupe called the GTB, using Chevrolet chassis and engines (4 and 6 cylinder).
PUMA went out of business in 1985, but someone else bought it up and tried again with both VW and Chevy versions but things seemed to have faded away by 1990.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
More show than go, and lots I mean LOTS were fakes.
That trend died down and people started doing other things with Beetle chassis, notably Dune Buggies and Baja Buggies, most custom.
The Baja Buggy trend died down, but dune buggies thrive to this day. There are beaches with parking on the sandy side for those and 4x4s, and the parking lots fill up.
If you ever visit NE Brazil, go to Fortaleza and take a buggy tour of the dunes in Cumbuco. You feel like you're in the middle of the Sahara, except you look down at the coast and see the prettiest beach in the world, pretty much.