Untitled

Khyzyl Saleem

Mazda Familia Rotary TSS, 1969. The 2nd generation Familia was the only one to be offered with rotary power, the TSS was powered by a 100hp 10A Wankel engine

AMG 450 SEL 6.9, 1979. The tuned version of Mercedes’ flagship W116 model

What a difference 38 years makes juxtaposition of Nissan Sentra, 1982 and Nissan Sentra 2020. The first generation Sentra was based on the B11 series Nissan Sunny which was the first front-drive generation of the long-running nameplate (the first Sunny dates from 1966). The new generation Sentra has been revealed at the Los Angeles Auto Show

bb-Mercedes CW311, 1978. A speculative concept built by Porsche engineer Eberhard Schulz and Rainer Buchmann of bb Auto Exklusiv Service using a 6.3 litre Mercedes-AMG V8. The car was built without the involvement of Mercedes-Benz though they allowed the use of the 3-pointed star. It remained a one-off but Schulz later productionised the concept as the Isdera Imperator 108i

bb-Mercedes CW311, 1978. A speculative concept built by Porsche engineer Eberhard Schulz and Rainer Buchmann of bb Auto Exklusiv Service using a 6.3 litre Mercedes-AMG V8. The car was built without the involvement of Mercedes-Benz though they allowed the use of the 3-pointed star. It remained a one-off but Schulz later productionised the concept as the Isdera Imperator 108i

bb-Mercedes CW311, 1978. A speculative concept built by Porsche engineer Eberhard Schulz and Rainer Buchmann of bb Auto Exklusiv Service using a 6.3 litre Mercedes-AMG V8. The car was built without the involvement of Mercedes-Benz though they allowed the use of the 3-pointed star. It remained a one-off but Schulz later productionised the concept as the Isdera Imperator 108i

Isdera Spyder 033i, 1983. The speedster Isdera used a centrally placed longitudinal six-cylinder Mercedes engine. It remained in production through various versions until 1992

Fiat 125 Mirafiori, 1978. Though the 125 ceased manufacture in Italy in 1972 when it was replaced by the 132 it remained in production in other markets including Argentina where a revised version using the Mirafiori name (actually the location of one of Fiat’s Italy factories) was on sale until 1982. The Argentinian version was also available as a wagon (“Familiar”) and a pick-up (“Multicarga”)

Peugeot 508 Paladine, 2011, by Heuliez. An idea that reprised their 607 Paladine concept of 2000 for a landaulet-style limousine with a folding hardtop over the rear compartment. As Heuliez was facing bankruptcy the 508 Paladine never made it off the page

What a difference 50 years makes juxtaposition of Suzuki Carry Van L40, 1969 and Suzuki HANARE, 2019. The L40 was actually the 4th generation of Suzuki’s kei-sized van. The HANARE is a concept for this year’s Tokyo Motor Show that is an autonomous driving mobile room. An interior space likened by Suzuki to a detached cottage (“hanare” in Japanese), it proposes the fun and excitement of a car with the need to drive it. What could they mean…

Suzuki Splash Concept, 2006. A prototype for the production Splash that was jointly developed with Opel when they were part of General Motors Europe. The production version was also sold as a Vauxhall and an Opel Agila and in India as a Maruti Suzuki Ritz

Mitsubishi Galant VR-4, 1996. The VR-4 version of the 8th generation Galant was powered by a twin-turbo 2.5 litre V6 driving all 4 wheels which could be supplemented by Active Yaw Control as used in the Lancer Evo. The Galant only made it through one more generation before the long running Mitsubishi model was discontinued in 2012. Obscurely the Galant name continued to be used on the hatchback version of Lancer for the Brunei market but was finally laid to rest there in 2017