Wow!
I can see why though - I just bought a GenCoupe 2.0T GT and it's fantastic. Everyone I've shown it to so far loves it. It's obvious they're really trying to get it right and make a good impression, just laying on the features too.
Rhys Millen set a new record for 2WD time attack at Pikes Peak with a race-modded GenCoupe too, so it also looks promising in motorsport so far.
Shocked, just shocked. It's almost as if they make small, inexpensive, fuel efficient cars and the government was handing out thousands of dollars in cash incentives to folks wishing to reduce their fuel consumption.
Kidding aside, Hyundai has really impressed lately. That number is enormous compared to the other figures coming out today, but not entirely surprising based on CARS and their recent push for quality improvements.
The greatest car that nobody ever bought would be the Lotus Elan+2 in my opinion. Despite being far prettier than the two-seater Elan hardtop (but not as much so as the Series 1 Elan roadster), having something close to accommodations for four and good performance, only about 5,200 were sold worldwide between 1967 and 1973. Even by Lotus standards, that doesn't exactly add up to being a best-seller. The Elite/Eclat series that "replaced" the +2 couldn't hold a candle to the +2 in any respect except possibly safety and emissions, and made me think of the AMC Gremlin and Matador Coupe in respect to styling. Typical-of-Lotus poor reliability and build quality notwithstanding, the Elan+2 was an excellent Grand Tourer, and should have sold better.
@D.Wilhelm: Well, the first Elite series topped out at 2,535 units., which makes the +2 twice as good. Total Elan production was about 17,000, so the +2 was about 1/3 of that. 9,300 Europas. Total Esprit production was 10,675.
The Elan was a real breakthrough for Lotus. And Emma Peel didn't hurt. The Elite/Eclat were heinous successors. But I'd say that Elans weren't overlooked and that no one bought them. They found their market and sold well, given the circumstances. Lotus is still a small volume, niche producer of high priced specialty cars. A great car, but one that never had any expectation of selling hundreds of thousands. More's the pity. Good thing the Miata showed up.
@DrLemming: Not true. Studebaker was at death's door when they released the Avanti. It could have helped, but it wasn't going to save the company. At that point, they just couldn't compete in the full size and luxury markets, despite absorbing Packard.
Avanti was an amazing car for the time, and it's still in production. Pretty good for the last output of a failed company. A shame, because they might have been able to do better than AMC in the sixties.
@Van Sarockin, rogue trebuchet: There's a difference between something being "not true" and open to different interpretations. In 1961 new Studebaker management decided to axe development on a new generation of small cars in favor of the Avanti. Alas, the Avanti not only ended up costing the company much more than originally planned, but it suffered from production delays that badly hurt sales. Meanwhile, sales of Studebaker's aging family cars went south.
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The Avanti is one of my all-time-favorite cars, but I do think that Studebaker would have lasted longer if it had invested its meager resources into its volume products rather than a niche car.
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Yes, Avanti survived Studebaker as a limited-production vehicle for an amazing number of years. However, the original body went out of production quite a while ago and, last I heard, the parent company ceased production of a Camaro-based Avanti.
I guess these are all contempory, except the Tucker, and all are post-war, but I would put forth the 1935–1937 Auburn 351/352's which gave premium car looks and performance for mid-priced money; if you want to get more obscure, include the previous Alan Leamy styled Auburns (Gordon Buering was brought in to restyle them when the Leamy versions did not sell).
The 164 is a good choice but I would argue for the Alfa Milano (or 75 as it was known everywhere else). V6, 50/50 weight balance, rear wheel drive, drunken Italian ergos (window roller buttons on the roof...really?), inboard rear brakes, transaxle. Plus it was the last true Alfa Romeo (the 164 was built after FIAT got their greezy mitts on 'em).
I loved my 164-S, fast (160mph, don't ask.), reliable (no, really, It had over 370K miles on it when I sold it, and I put 110K on it in ONE YEAR, It still serves daily driver duty for the new owner.) good looking, comfortable, TERRIFIC in the snow, and sounded like a million bucks at WOT. A genuinely great car. The iron worm got to the suspension mounts pretty badly, but the Alfa 12v 3.0 V6 is bad ass, and the electrics and ancillary mechanicals are surprisingly well sorted. Not to mention that lovely Italian lazyness built into everything! People would reach up for the inside door handles and then look around in confusion trying to get out of it... this was my spiel: "Ok, relax, put your hands on your knees. take a deep breath. Now, you're relaxed remember, where does your hand want to go to open the door and let you get out? Thats right, just slide it off your knee and hook a finger on the latch, it's really that easy" There were hundreds of little touches like that on that car. despite using 100 gallons of Vaseline and a hydraulic press to cram that 3.0L into the engine bay they somehow managed to make servicing it a breeze. I still miss that car. I may try to buy another one some day...
Van Sarockin, rogue trebuchet promoted this comment
JawzX2: Hoon The Earth @ www.cafepress.com/jawzx2 was starred
JawzX2: Hoon The Earth @ www.cafepress.com/jawzx2 was unstarred
I see one or two Alpines with surprising regularity every time I go to France, which is about one a month. Clearly, some Frenchmen bought them and I would too!
Van Sarockin, rogue trebuchet promoted this comment
Edited by Nickyboy - cruising the Autobahn and listening to the Scorpions at 08/10/09 6:35 PM
Nickyboy - cruising the Autobahn and listening to the Scorpions was starred
Nickyboy - cruising the Autobahn and listening to the Scorpions was unstarred
The thing about the Buick Reatta is that it can and has been made RWD using a C4 Corvette rear subframe. GM did it at the factory using a Grand National turbo engine. One could use a supercharged 3800 without the worry of wiring troubles as the Reatta came with a 3800.
The VW Corrado can also be made AWD. I have (packed up back home) a magazine showing how one could make their own AWD Corrado.
Both cheap cars that can be made to be truly special. However, the herds will continue to flock to the Civics for fear of actually being an individual.
I rented both the Merkur and the XR4ii, the Merkur in Phoenix and the XR4ti in Houston. Both were super fun, eclectic quirky European rides. The Merkur sped from Phoenix to the Grand Canyon doing 120mph out in the wide open spaces with 4 passengers in quiet composure.
The XR4ti in Houston had an excellent ride and handling combo, but the engine took a bit long to get on song. But, power brake it, keep the peddle to the floorboard and the old girl hiked up her skirt and showed the world her bi-winged tail.
My friend rented a Lincoln LSC. The XR4ti matched him step for step but had way better brakes. We were doing about 110mph when we saw a police car in the bushes, I slammed on the binders, ABS flashing furiously, 50mph without drama. the Linc on the other hand, brakes a smoking made the "cherry blueberries" start flashing. While I puttered off to the Cajun restaurant for crawfish, laughing all the way.
Ah, the memories.
PS - The Reatta definitely doesn't belong on any list of "great" cars. YUCK! Replace that and the Alfa 164 (front drive Alfa - double YUCK) with the real Alfa's - GTV6 and the Milano 3.0 Verde. Yes, the Milano is ugly, but it drives beautifully.
09/02/09
I can see why though - I just bought a GenCoupe 2.0T GT and it's fantastic. Everyone I've shown it to so far loves it. It's obvious they're really trying to get it right and make a good impression, just laying on the features too.
Rhys Millen set a new record for 2WD time attack at Pikes Peak with a race-modded GenCoupe too, so it also looks promising in motorsport so far.
09/01/09
Could it be because Chrysler doesn't make the Camaro? C'mon, Wert, you can tell us, we'll keep it a secret.
09/01/09
09/01/09
Kidding aside, Hyundai has really impressed lately. That number is enormous compared to the other figures coming out today, but not entirely surprising based on CARS and their recent push for quality improvements.
09/01/09
09/01/09
09/01/09
08/10/09
08/11/09
The Elan was a real breakthrough for Lotus. And Emma Peel didn't hurt. The Elite/Eclat were heinous successors. But I'd say that Elans weren't overlooked and that no one bought them. They found their market and sold well, given the circumstances. Lotus is still a small volume, niche producer of high priced specialty cars. A great car, but one that never had any expectation of selling hundreds of thousands. More's the pity. Good thing the Miata showed up.
08/10/09
08/11/09
Avanti was an amazing car for the time, and it's still in production. Pretty good for the last output of a failed company. A shame, because they might have been able to do better than AMC in the sixties.
08/11/09
...
The Avanti is one of my all-time-favorite cars, but I do think that Studebaker would have lasted longer if it had invested its meager resources into its volume products rather than a niche car.
...
Yes, Avanti survived Studebaker as a limited-production vehicle for an amazing number of years. However, the original body went out of production quite a while ago and, last I heard, the parent company ceased production of a Camaro-based Avanti.
08/10/09
You forgot this one
08/11/09
08/10/09
08/10/09
08/10/09
08/10/09
08/10/09
08/10/09
The VW Corrado can also be made AWD. I have (packed up back home) a magazine showing how one could make their own AWD Corrado.
Both cheap cars that can be made to be truly special. However, the herds will continue to flock to the Civics for fear of actually being an individual.
08/10/09
The M45 was a killer machine for the $'s, and I'd have one of those had it not been for the orange cluster lights.
The Scorpio is a fave of mine, as is the Reatta.
I hope to find a Phaeton one of these days which hasn't been abused and is nicely priced.
Hey, a man can wish....
08/10/09
The XR4ti in Houston had an excellent ride and handling combo, but the engine took a bit long to get on song. But, power brake it, keep the peddle to the floorboard and the old girl hiked up her skirt and showed the world her bi-winged tail.
My friend rented a Lincoln LSC. The XR4ti matched him step for step but had way better brakes. We were doing about 110mph when we saw a police car in the bushes, I slammed on the binders, ABS flashing furiously, 50mph without drama. the Linc on the other hand, brakes a smoking made the "cherry blueberries" start flashing. While I puttered off to the Cajun restaurant for crawfish, laughing all the way.
Ah, the memories.
PS - The Reatta definitely doesn't belong on any list of "great" cars. YUCK! Replace that and the Alfa 164 (front drive Alfa - double YUCK) with the real Alfa's - GTV6 and the Milano 3.0 Verde. Yes, the Milano is ugly, but it drives beautifully.
08/10/09
08/10/09