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Not sure what it is called in the USA, but clearly the daddy (or mum) of the Australian Fairlane of about a year later.
Cheers
Graham
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
This one was really a one-off... I'd never heard of it until I saw it, but it was called Alart. I think it had about a 1200cc Renault engine, and although I assume it was intended for production I couldn't find any evidence that it went ahead. About 1958, I think.
Yup, I recall those wheels from that era but I don't know if they were on that car.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
It is indeed a '64 GP but '63 was the first year they really styled the Grand Prix to look different from the Catalina it was based on>
The '63 Ponchos were all great looking and IMO the Prix was the best looking GP they ever made.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
One word: aerodynamics (there's only so many ways you can shape a vehicle to get good airflow for fuel economy; can you imagine the drag coefficient on a 1960s full-sizer?))
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
But, those 60's full-sized Pontiacs, if you got a Catalina with a low-output engine, could still break 20 mpg on the highway if you were gentle, yet if you needed the power, were good for 0-60 in about 10 seconds. That might sound pathetic today, but remember back then, many base V-8's were taking more like 12-13 seconds, some compact 6-cyls were as bad as 18-20, and the much-vaunted VW Bug was good for about 26-30!
I think the biggest factors in design these days are space efficiency and crash protection/pedestrian safety. That '63 Grand Prix is probably about 210-215" long, yet for practicality, is no more comfortable for four passengers than your typical midsized car of today. It would make a better six-passenger car than any car built today, thanks to the shoulder room. But 3-across seating loses its charm really fast for any significant distance. And, that GP would have a much bigger trunk than most cars of today.
But, most people today don't want something that big. Also, being a low-slung coupe, it's going to be hard to get into and out of. Most cars today are probably about 4-5" taller, and with bigger door openings. That's going to make the proportions less sexy, but does make them more practical. And as for crash protection/pedestrian safety, I'm sure that tones down a lot of styling choices.
I wonder if another reason cars lost a lot of that style of the old days is simply cost? All those complex shapes, angles, creases, etc are probably harder and more expensive to stamp than the simpler designs of today. And even details like grilles, bumpers, trim, badges, etc, were much more intricate back then, and no doubt more expensive.
It may not seem like it today, but when you factor in all the technology, safety, performance, features, etc, today's cars are dirt-cheap in price. A 1963 Grand Prix base-priced at $3,489. In today's dollars, that's $26,250. However, by the time you equipped one nicely to roughly correspond with today's cars...power windows, locks, seat, air conditioning, and so on (I wonder if power steering and brakes were still optional on a GP?), you'd probably have that car up to $5,000. Which would be around $37,600. For a car that doesn't have air bags, ABS, traction control, etc. So, to keep prices somewhat affordable, over the years, manufacturers had to cut costs somewhere.
I have a feeling that if they tried to put the detail and intricacy into a modern car that they did into a '63 Grand Prix, the price would be so high that few people would bite.
Yep, it's a '90s Mercury Cougar which was basically a rebodied Ford Probe/ MazdaMX-6.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
I love the '65 big Pontiacs best of all, but the Grand Prix lost some distinction with the addition of fender skirts, and the Bonnevilles of that entire '60's era are a little too long in the caboose IMHO, with the few extra inches of wheelbase although they have beautiful interiors I think.
I was glad they did away with that enormous Bonneville emblem they used to put on the side of the cars...it looked like a big spaceship. It was most weird I think on the '64 car, when it was placed ahead of the front wheel openings.
I've mentioned this before, but in '67--Andre's year--the choice in full-size Pontiacs was truly amazing. Catalina, Ventura option on Catalina (removed all Catalina nameplates), 2+2, Executive (identical trim level as Ventura but on the longer wheelbase), Bonneville, Bonneville Brougham, and Grand Prix. Grand Prix, Catalina, 2+2, Bonneville, and Bonneville Brougham convertibles available! Even a two-door sedan in the Catalina series. Ahhhhhh, what choice.
Yeah and that was just one division of GM. How many other divisions had the same cars as well? How the executives at the time could think having so many different models/colors/options/etc was a good thing I'll never know. I guess the fact that they were selling boatloads of cars and were the "king" of the industry clouded their judgement!
2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Ram 1500 Bighorn, Built to Serve
Add in probably eighteen paint colors, and the chance of you never seeing a duplicate of your car was the norm. Now, I see two identical cars, and I mean identical even per the window sticker, sitting next to each other on a dealer's new-car lot. Sigh.
It got bad in the 70s and especially 80s. There was a Ciera in my family - not much differentiated it from its platform clones. An uncle had a Firenza - even worse. Although the cars could still be individually specified to a good degree, the consumer got wise. The suits didn't get it, so much.
Back in 2010, I went out to a classic car show in Macungie, PA. I parked my '67 Catalina, and a moment later a '67 Impala convertible parked next to me, and then a '67 Olds 88 (can't remember if it was a Delta or Delmont?) parked next to it. What are the odds of seeing three '67 GM convertibles of different brands parked side by side, I wonder?
It also seems that the pale creamy yellow on my Catalina is fairly rare. There was a similar color, that I think Chevy called Butternut and Pontiac called Mayfair Maize, but it's a bit more, well, buttery, and less washed out. That Butternut/Mayfair Maize seems like it was the more common of the two.
And, as for options, I guess my Catalina would be a bit rare for having air conditioning and a tilt steering wheel.
If I still had my '68 Dart and took it to the Mopar show in Carlisle, I'm sure I'd see at least a few twins to it. Going to that show, you'd think that every single '67-69 Dart hardtop and convertible survived. But then again, most of them are GTs or GTS'es with 340's. Mine was just a 270 with a 318 V-8.
Also, I don't think I've ever seen a '57 DeSoto that's a twin to mine, but there used to be one that was close that lived about 40 miles away. It was a Firedome hardtop coupe, like mine, but was a salmon/white, whereas mine is red/white. And it had the single headlight setup, whereas mine has the quads.
But, nowadays, choices are so limited that I see twins all the time. Even with my 2000 Park Ave Ultra, I see clones of it on a regular basis. Its sandstone/driftwood color must have been very common. One of my friends, who's not really into cars, even commented jokingly, was that the only color Buick offered?!
But even though you may have the only purple eggplant '94 Voyager with a 4 banger and manual transmission, gold badging and factory leather, that doesn't mean it's worth any more than a more common one.
It's a mystery (and don't worry, I'll spare y'all a car pic of a Voyager in that color. :shades: )
And yeah, often if something is only one of 1000 made or whatever? Well, often the reason it's so rare is because nobody wanted it when it was new! :P
My E55 is a very rare color, definitely less than 100 units in the country in this color over the 4 model year span of the model on the platform. Doesn't add any real value.
I kid you not.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
For some reason IIRC Chrysler products seemed to be the most popular in the Eggplant/Gold and the Hunter green/Gold configurations. GM and Ford not so much.
Lots of hunter green 92+ Camrys as well.
2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Ram 1500 Bighorn, Built to Serve
This, for some reason, reminded me that the domestics used to, generally, be on a two-year styling cycle. As a kid from a Chevy family, I loved hanging around the local dealer when I knew they'd be getting the new models in and sticking them inside, or way out back.
Every year (early to mid'70's), I'd be thinking, "Time for a new Impala and Caprice". Year in, year out, I'm like "It's still basically the '71!". Those are the first GM's I can remember having a six-year styling cycle. Of course, the '77 was huge automotive news and it's hard to imagine if you weren't around, or aware, then.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
Odie
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"how much is a brazillion?"
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The Ford Falcon Utility is a distinctly Australian invention. It arose from a letter from a Victorian farmer's wife to Ford Australia asking for “a vehicle to go to church in on a Sunday and which can carry our pigs to market on Mondays”. The 1934 Ford Coupe Utility was the result.
Holde and Valiant, also produced Utilities (or Utes as they are usually known)
They remain very popular, although far less utilitarian today, often tricked up like the current model above. They have usually had leaf springs and live rear axle, often mated to large straight six cylinder or V8 engines. The light rear end and powerful engines make for tricky handling, but fun for burn outs, if you are a young country boy (sometimes girls) and ideally well fuelled up on over-proof rum or too much beer.
A culturally important event is the "Deni Ute Muster", held each year at Deniliquin, in Southern New South Wales. Last year, 2,939 utes turned up. http://www.deniutemuster.com.au/events/?EventGroupID=2
As a general rule, I give utes a wide berth, especialy if they loook too shiny. There is a fair chance the driver is inexperienced and dangerous.
Cheers
Graham
I don't think so Graham, car-based Utes were running around the USA long before 1934, many of them were Model Ts like this 1927 Ford>
I've long thought it curious that the El Camino/Ranchero style "Utes" are so popular in Oz with it's huge Outback areas and many unimproved roads. You'd think real pickups would be more suitable.
Meanwhile here in the US with it's unmatched highway network we use big pickups to drive to the mall or go to work. Hardly any of them ever see dirt.
Go figure? :confuse:
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
There was a non-M version known as the Z3 Coupe.
The blue car parked behind is an E39 Five Series identical to my 2000 528i.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93