Car nostalgia

OK - is it just me that really likes that one...

Looks like it, but it's a Suzuki X90. With a bit more thought they could have made it look like it could be driven forwards or backwards (and I don't mean in reverse).

Interesting style. Wonder how well it handles, looks like a very short wheelbase

Great for thrill seekers, but not recommended for Irish weather

Built just down the road from me. Don't see any around here though.

Clarkson's drive of one of these a few years back was a rare bright spot in the Top Gear world.

Mr ugly himself !

That's the one....

One for the memory banks. The lotus sunbeam. Another attempt at a hot hatch !

One of the guys in my rally club used to race one of these and then went weird and installed a rotary engine into it ?

Somthing to do with the power out of the Rotary and it's relative measured engine size , to compete in a certain engine class of race

Another beast in its day, the mini metro 6R4, designed to take on the rally world. Fitted with a mid engine mounted rover 3 litre V6 engine and 4 wheel drive train

At least one of our members has a Sunbeam.

I was once passed by one of these on the M6 near Lancaster. It was during the RAC rally and driving between stages. It came screaming past me like a banshee, scaring the life out of me. Supposedly, they kept to the speed limits. Yeah, right !!!!!

Interesting Tony. The mid eighties would have been my rally time as well. I had a good few years driving rally cars, but was also heavily involved in marshalling, including a number of RAC rallies. I was involved in the initial set up of the national marshals register for the UK.

One of the things I recall was spending time in Kielder forest on a marshals training course, during which time Hanu Mikola was  there testing one of his cars. He was flying down a straight forest track at well over the ton when the bonnet flew up into the windscreen. He put the car sideways so he could see where he was going, and promptly rolled the car several times. My claim to fame was helping him get out of the wreck. Turns out the mechanics had forgotten to refit the bonnet pins

You old romantic !

Nice one!

My first Saab was a 900 5-door. Set me on to them for life. Wonderful car that could carry just about anything (including model railways around the country) and was supremely comfortable for long or short drives. Handy as the woman who is now my wife lived in Scotland and I was in Maidenhead. It was also the chariot that carried her away from the banks and braes to the Home Counties.

The convertible shown earlier is my 5th Saab. We have 2 others a red 9-5 saloon with Abbott tweakery and a 9-5 Estate Aero Hot with 250 bhp on tap. Lovely motors all.

Why didn't all you other b*gg*rs buy them too? Then the company would still be going.

steve

Slightly off thread Steve, but has someone taken over spares management?

How do you get parts now?

They are great cars

HSR.

Jono

I'm not certain of the exact position these days. On the Saab forum I'm on people seem to manage using specialist suppliers with existing stocks but some items are becoming in short supply.

Certain parts are common with other GM products so can be subbed where possible.

steve

I used to think that model (308 GT4) was incredibly ugly, but it has aged well, IMO. A brief flirtation with the design house Bertone, as I recall.

Perhaps prettier without the US-spec low speed collision bumpers.....