@RallyDarkstrike yeah I mean we survived with a 138 hp Previa that weighed 4000 lbs. No big deal!

@Taylor-Martin OK, ok....FINE. 😛 I'll just wait with bated breath for more Fargo updates!

@іди-на-хуй-Влад-formerly-known-as-Distraxi Hmmm....I think I'm good 😛

@Just-Jeepin x1/9 plz.

@amoore100

I'll take the Lancia.

The Cadillac BS was a complete dud. Hideous, higher depreciation than a leaking carton of milk and then there's the badge. There are few redeeming factors, except for it being an oddity. Just get the Saab or the Opel instead.

The Seat is part of the VAG company, which kind of dismisses it outright in my book. Other than that, over the years they came with a wide range of engines. One even more unreliable than the next one. With only few exceptions. And then there's the optional DSG. So, finding a decent one that is not only in decent condition but also has the correct engine and transmission is a chore.

That leaves the Lancia. Much more reliable than the Seat, much more uniquely styled than the Cadillac BS. Do I love it? No. But I have sympathy for the car. Something I don't have for the other two.

@MUSASHI66 There's a local guy in town here who has a first-gen Caddy with a truck cap on the back! We got them as the 'Rabbit Pickup' here.

@Cé-hé-sin

Their cultural links to Italy are so deep that quite perversely our esteemed friend almost got it right, somehow.

@pip-bip Never heard of this concept before! Not my thing, but very cool nonetheless! The lights even all look bespoke for the concept!

@pip-bip No, but I would buy one.

@Arch-Duke-Maxyenko
I feel there my be a Summer Logo in this...

@Mark-Tucker Alas too late

@Cé-hé-sin nor did i

@Future-Next-Gen-S2000-Owner They're less obtrusive, certainly, don't detract from the vehicle as much with less color and designs. Although my state isn't too bad, just plain lettering on a plain background, I don't mind it. Been the same since the late '50s, too

@Just-Jeepin said in Hour rule:

@Mark-Tucker @Vondon302 This one was for sale locally on Craigslist, posted about it to Kinja/Oppo in February 2019. There were 19 comments; I imagine if I had any way to find the comments I could find out what price they were asking, but I'm pretty sure it was closer to half of $10k. A shame.

alt text

Oh, that one is very nice....love that front bumper!

@Just-Jeepin said:

[BaT: last refuge of the Collector's manual transmission?

FTFY. 😉

@pip-bip
Who said Italy never invaded Russia?

@pip-bip Thanks sir! It was a pretty good day!

@pip-bip Yes please! I think yellow and this blue are my favorite colors for the Coupe 😄

@WBizarre Funny fact - in Yugoslavia, Polski FIAT 126 has been known as "Peglica" , which means Little Iron (for ironing clothes).

I grew up in a Zastava 750, which is a rebadged FIAT 600, so I am team cute round-eye all the way.

@amoore100 I hate it, thanks.

@pip-bip That would be about the smile I would have back then if I were the same guy standing there...would love a classic 695, properly fun little machines!

@pip-bip I guess we will forgive you this one time 😛

@flatisflat Agreed. The 124 is 5.5" longer than the Miata and all of that is in the overhangs, which really detracts from the "shrink-wrapped" sports car look.

@pip-bip

I don't think I've seen this line in advertising before.

b6fbb98d-ead6-4070-ab52-526cf7c111f2-image.png

@1969r16 said in People's Choice: Mid-Engined Musings:

@glemon Yup, it’s mid-front engined and front wheel drive. The LeCar/R5 is the same way.

Many Renaults and Citroens of the period were. Traction, DS, SM, R4, R5, R16, probably more I can’t think of offhand. Also the Saab Sonnet Mk1, which used a Saab 93 powertrain turned 180 degrees in the engine bay and rotating backwards!

@pip-bip My baby does the tankki pankki...

@AuthiCooper1300 I just feel like the Fumia Ypsilon was an unfortunate styling "dead-end" if you will, taking very few cues from the resolutely angular I.D.E.A. cars that defined the brand through '90s. If the Fumia Lybra had come to light it would validate the swoopy lines of the Ypsilon which are more coherent and attractive on the larger car anyway, IMO. I especially like Fumia's concave rear end on his Lybra where the production car would end up with a flat panel and generic 2000s 'Euro' taillights:

alt text

I know I know, but it just so happened that there were three 'Italian' compacts at that time and I find the magic number of comparison to be three; if you have two it's too bipartisan, and four starts getting confusing. Besides, I figured the acquired taste of the Ypsilon's looks would sway some towards choosing the others, and at the end of the day it's all just a theoretical poll meant to spark conversation.

I guess when I muse on Fiat's success I am also implying their long term future success. I would argue that for as well as it's sold up to now, the Trepiuno has kind of pigeonholed Fiat into being a purveyor of 'retro' style and the brand is having trouble selling cars outside of the 500 segment. That could entirely be down to brand mismanagement as Fiat are wont to do, but the retro trends can only be contrived so far. I really am amazed Mini has managed to make it 3 generations just restyling the same idea of a '50s compact; in 50 years, will it even be able to be considered 'retro' anymore?

alt text

Agreed on Stephenson, his stuff is generally excellent and it's crazy realizing how many relevant (semi)modern cars you see these days were done by him.

@fintail Here's my favorite. I actually have a copy probably cut from the original Auto week or road and track framed in my shop....

e311da29-600b-44f9-a4c3-ee600ccd7bf7-image.png

This guy has some neat ads
https://www.pinterest.com/rickcasefiat/fiat-from-old-to-new/

@SmallScaleSydney Ooooh, closest I've seen yet to a modern example but earlier! What a fascinating ute!

Cool concept. Them scoops. Thanks. G'night!

@pip-bip I want to wear it like a clog.

@pip-bip alt text

The new 124 might not really represent the original, but it's also much more attractive. And that in-between thing is terrifying, can we make it go away?

It reminds me of the Thunderbird reboot:
Screen-Shot-2018-09-04-at-11.39.12-AM.png

@beefchips They didn't market it well. And by "well", I mean, like, at all after the first few months following the launch

@just-jeepin

0BCA3878-BDA7-4AA7-A3A0-DC56C9F9998B.jpeg

@pip-bip Oh wow, that is VERY cool! I've never heard of this before and I really want it! pity it was only ever a concept!

@pip-bip Nice. A friend of mine had a 125, but I didn't know the 125T existed.

@pip-bip said in late night oppo:

it remained a one-off.

I wonder why?

@john-norris Good eye, I didn't even notice that. Who knows what other rust it is hiding.

@SSfancy Ha! It's got odd alloys too, from an earlier Fiat.

<Goes back to prettying up the 100hp>

Rears.jpeg Rear Beam.jpeg Fronts.jpeg

@napoli Hit Mirage or Micra would be the first two things on my list when I end up replacing Humdrum as a DD. But even a base Mirage is like $13k or 15k or somewhere thereabouts here brand new, and there is only one Mitsu dealership in our province over an hour from me, so there aren't ALL that many around 😞

@pip-bip I need the details and a pic of a real one. Ithought it was just an amagam of something like a Fiat500, Citroen c2v and maybe a little LADA Niva thrown in for good measure!

@gmporschenut-also-a-fan-of-hondas I thought so too.....maybe slightly restored and repainted or something? It's obviously had a little bit of love!

@1969r16 Wow this is cool. I'd have been seriously tempted by it, but it didn't end up in my garage.

@nick-hynds I made it up to the Fs and have only insulted one country.

@pip-bip
"Fiat: the best selling make in Europe". Plus ça change and all that.

@pip-bip said in OK...which of you wants to lend me the money to save this?:

@rallydarkstrike ask

I have messaged him for the hell of it...no answer yet, lol.

@pip-bip Oh, that's a cool pic! I don't have that one, but have some other 500 snow pics 0 I like #2 because maybe not so great for rust, but good on that guy for DDing his 500....rear-engine and rear-wheel drive would mean it's gotta be fun for snownuts! 😄 😉
6818263381_a01d50d93c_o.jpg 5493057778_00e2bbde48_b.jpg 5478625992_67f8f17cde_o.jpg 5266743308_33a2804f5e_b.jpg 4350662497_bea95a2979_b.jpg 4256176685_4949874c31_b.jpg 4198460360_07563575a7_b.jpg 149920463_a3fa820044_b.jpg

@wbizarre I love how the Abarth stripe stays for almost the whole morph. I can almost imagine the regular Ferrari with one now.

Is the in betweener a Smart Roadster revival?

@annoying_salman Har har....very funny 😛

That 850 of yours is just a WEE bit different! 😉

@pip-bip A guy at Cars & Coffee over the weekend had a 1970 that was imported from Sicily earlier this year (fortunately, I'm not in Maine, Rhode Island, or New Jersey, otherwise, I guess he'd be restricted to driving in circles on his front lawn)

IMG_20211212_102840119.jpg

Says it has no trouble holding a 50-55mph cruising speed once it gets up there, it just takes forever to get up there.

@pip-bip
Box. Rocket.

@silentbutnotreallydeadly About sums it up. The 850 Sport Spider managed to sell decently though and some even stuck around.

@urambo-tauro didn't notice.

@facw It was! I mean, how can anyone say no to this face?!?!
1969_fiat_500_l_08_sb.jpg

@notsomethingstructural I could see how the color wouldn't appeal to everyone. I suppose I'm a bit biased.

IMG_1295.jpeg

@just-jeepin I wish I had money, that little guy is GORGEOUS!

@pip-bip This is still probably the ideal sized car for either congested areas, or just homes with limited off-street parking capacity. I mean, if you could get a 4-seater with those outside dimensions, and that level of character and style today, I'd be tempted

@pip-bip
Yuck. I think we had a Dodge Journey taxi where I live. The taxi driver was an odd ball when it came to cars, he had a Toyota Prius, Dodge Avenger, Dodge Journey and a few others.
One of the most recent was a Dacia Logan MCV.