This is a thread where you can post your automotive creations, be they products of brands you made up, fictional offerings of real carmakers or even completely otherwordly creations from fictional universes. What I want to see is a short writeup of each car, possibly accompanied by drawings, renderings or pictures of similar real-life cars. To start things off: Duesenberg Model J (1969-1977): In the late 1960s, Chrysler was looking for something to surpass Cadillac and Lincoln in the luxury car game, and came up with the idea of buying the Duesenberg Model J trademark and Virgil Exner's design for a Duesenberg revival to put the marque back on the marketplace. The car was built on a reworked version of the C-Body platform, re-engineered to provide better comfort and handling. Power came from a larger version of the B-Series V8 engine, upsized to 496 ci and optionally fitted with a supercharger that raised the horsepower output, up to 485 HP (SAE) in 1970 cars. The Model J was available in seven versions: coupe, SWB and LWB sedan, 2-door convertible, SWB and LWB 4-door convertible and limousine, and received yearly styling updates until the 1978 model year brought a new generation. The Duesenberg was a profitable success for Chrysler, and launched a wave of other "neo-classical" high-end luxury cars, such as GM's revivals of Bugatti and Cord. OK, now what are your ideas for fictional cars?
Yugo Avala/Zastava Avala In (1997 - 2009) I made these drawings using photos of a scale models made in Zastava Institute, which I can't find ATM. In late 1980s, after the introduction of Florida, Zastava assessed that they need to expand their range. They wanted a model that would fit between Yugo (Koral) and Florida. At first they bought a license to produce Fiat Unos with Yugo 903cc 45 HP engine, which wasn't really succesful, as Uno was pretty pricy. Instead in early 1989, Zastava management gave the green light to the Institute, and development started. The car was required to be mostly domestically developed, with an existing engines and gearbox, and also to have much rounded lines than Florida and at least 2 body styles. Next year, Zastava engineers teamed up with Fiat's, who were developing what will become the Mk1 Punto. They mostly used their solutions for suspension and drivetrain. The construction of the car was similar as Florida's, but it was slightly shorter and narrower. While presenting the new Florida Estate on Belgrade Motor Show 1991, Zastava officials first time said that they are in development of a new car. Name hasn't been mentioned, only the code name, which has been Zastava 106 for the first body style and 107 for second. Few weeks after the motor show, first functional prototypes was seen driving around the factory. The car was expected to be introduced in 1993, at earliest, or in 1995, at the latest. Early 1992 saw the Fiat acquiring the 25% of Zastava, as they were producing significant amount of parts for them, mainly mechanical. One other thing that happened in 1992 were the sanctions to FRY. Fiat didn't want to lose major component producer, so they made a lex specialis, and Zastava was allowed to export only parts for Fiat. By that time name of the new car was know, and that was Avala, by the mountain near Belgrade (IRL that name was one of proposed names for Florida). In late 1992, overall design was finished, and there was two versions: sedan and 5 door hatch (see the photos). In the meantime, sanctions took away most Zastava's market, and parts trade with Fiat didn't bring much income, so they haven't got the money to officially start the production. The car was ready in late 1994 (some problems were solved before that, during the prototype testing). Official press release was in April 1995, when journalists tested both variants. Car was officially named Yugo Avala. Journalists were generally pleased with the car, but were concerned about production and price, when it starts selling. These were the variants that factory made and that were showed in automotive magazines: Avala Hatchback 1.1i 63 HP Avala Sedan 1.1i 63 HP Avala Hatchback 1.3i 68 HP Avala Sedan 1.3i 68 HP Avala Hatchback 1.4i 75 HP Avala Sedan 1.4i 75 HP Avala Hatchback 1.6i 85 HP Avala Sedan 1.6i 90 HP There haven't been mentions about trim levels. Journalists tested 3 cars: basic grey hatch with 1.1 engine, pretty basic looking, yellow hatch with alloy wheels, radio, aircon, central locking, front power windows and quite large steering wheel (which was expected to have an airbag, but wasn't confirmed). That one had 1.4 engine. Then there was only white sedan with 1.3 engine, in some mid trim. In late 1996 Zastava sold the license for Florida to Chinese company FAW, and got needed money. On Belgrade Car Show in March 1997, Avala was officially showed to public. First brochures were printed then and also trim names was formed. There were 3 trims: SX - basic trim, with 13" steel wheels, dogdish hubcaps like on Yugo, black bumpers, mirrors and door handles, grey interior. Options were rear seatbelts and body colored bumpers. CX - SX + body colored bumpers, bigger hubcaps, radio, rear seatbelts, central locking, etc. LX - CX + 14" steel wheels, different hubcaps, aircon, body colored handles and mirrors, front electric windows, foglights, etc. There were also 2 special models: Splash and Sunrise. Splash featured a metallic turquoise color with alloy wheels, Splash sticker, ABS and airbag for driver. Sunrise had orange metallic color and same equipment as Splash. Options such as ABS and airbag were sourced from Fiat. First 500 cars were sold to state and police. On the show it was also announced that 2 new engines will arrive next year: 1.6 16v 103 HP from Fiat Palio and 1.7 63 HP diesel from Punto. Right after the show first exports started, to Hungary, Poland and Bulgaria. Avala had many problems in the beginning. Most notable was leaking water into the cabin. At first, many cars were recalled, and rubber between windshield and body shell was replaced. Later they found out that there was contruction flaw, which was sorted out relatively quickly, and all customers got their cars replaced. That was quite a hit for Zastava, and moves like brief entering markets like Lebanon or Egypt and additional purchase of 15% of Zastava by Fiat, saved their situation. Models from 1998 onwards were pretty decent in terms of quality, but bad reputation had already been made. Exports were stopped in the 1999, during the bombardement, but luckily factory wasn't damaged thanks to Fiat, who had major stake in Zastava. Production was never big, and even after facelift in 2002, which brought some very good equipment as standard and also PSA engines, car never had big market appearance. In 2005 there was also an engine change, as PSA 1.4 HDI 68 HP engine swapped the old Fiat 1.7. From 2005 to 2009 there wasn't any changes and last Avala was produced in May 2009, with number 75364. Main reasons why this car hasn't been a success were initial problem with water leaking and higher price than expected. Also, many buyers who wanted to buy an Avala, changed their mind and bought a Florida, which was cheaper, roomier and equally modern (from 2005). Other part of buyers bought more expensive models like Dacia Logan, Renault Thalia, which were more quality built.
Well, this is awesome, especially with details like the water leaks. The only problem is that you've whitetexted half of the post. Also, "melty" isn't really a positive adjective.
Another thing I noticed was the "from 2005" disclaimer on the Florida. Does it mean you imagine a new Florida coming in 2005?
I'm not sure whether such a big update would make business sense in a cheap old car. New engines and cosmetic touches, maybe. Though with a big enough market... --- Post updated --- Ford Capri (2007-2014): Shortly before the financial crisis, Ford decided to return to the sporty RWD coupe market and created the Capri. It was built on a smaller version of the S197 Mustang platform, but with a suspension setup derivative of the Jaguar XF and X150 XK. The Capri was powered by a variety of engines, from a 158 HP 2.0 turbodiesel to a 425 HP 5.0 V8 petrol engine in the RS model, and offered a 6-speed manual and a 6-/8-speed automatic transmission. It was originally planned to be an Europe-only model, but ultimately was sold worldwide. While the Capri was well-received and favourably compared to such rivals as the Mazda RX-8 or BMW 3-Series E92, a combination of being released right before the crisis, a lack of prestige and a niche market placement led to the Capri getting cancelled after just one generation. Its indirect replacement was the S550 Ford Mustang.
Alfa Romeo Giulia SportWagon (2017 - present) Essentially, just a wagon of an existing Giulia. Introduced in 2017 on NY Car Show. Comes with all the same engines and trim level as standard Giulia, including Quadrifoglio. Its main target are German premium models, such as BMW 3-Series, Audi A4 and Mercedes C-Class, but also Lexus IS and Infiniti Q50. It had more success than sedan, especially in countries like Germany.
Mercury Mustique (1971-1976): Debuting for the 1972 model year, this was supposed to be a sportier alternative to the Ford Thunderbird. It was based on the same body as the Thunderbird and Lincoln Continental Mark IV, but with a front end similar to the smaller Cougar (but with hideaway headlamps). The model offered only one engine - the 460 ci V8, paired with a 3-speed automatic transmission. A notable option was the ESC (European Sports Coupe) option package, introduced for the 1974 model year to attract some of the buyers of European luxury cars. It featured sportier suspension, a limited slip differential, tighter bucket seats, a 3-spoke steering wheel, rear antilock brakes, Mercedes-style alloy wheels, auxiliary headlamps and rather large windows in the C-pillars.
Peugeot 6008 (2007-2014): It was Peugeot's highest-priced model, being a fusion of an E-segment wagon, minivan and crossover (especially with the Outdoor package, available for all trims but the base one, which added crossover-style plastic cladding), inspired by the 2004 JDM Honda Odyssey (to which it was externally similar). It replaced the 608 and 807, and introduced Peugeot to the world of crossovers. The 608 was offered with FWD or AWD, various engine options (2.0 petrol (replaced by 1.6 turbo) I4, 3.0 petrol V6, 2.0 and 2.2 I4, 2.7 and 3.0 V6 turbodiesels), and a choice of a 6-speed manual or automatic transmission. Customers could order it with 5 or 7 seats. While its sales figures were modest, the 608 was one of Peugeot's most profitable models, and received a second generation in 2014. At that point, the 608 also got a DS (DS9 Crossback) counterpart.
Saab 9-2 (2008-2013) Saab C-segment model, badge engineered version of Subaru Impreza. Things that are different on Saab are front and rear, which is similar to 9-3, style-wise. Interior is same as Impreza's, but with different steering wheel and cluster. The car was built on the same production line as Impreza, except model that had Saab engines. Engines on this car were: 1.5 boxer 107 HP, 2.0 boxer 140 HP and 2.5 224 HP (only for sports Aero model). These engines were Subaru's. There were also GM engines: 1.8 120 HP and 1.9 TiD diesel engine with either 118, 148 or 178 HP (depends whether it has or hasn't got turbo). Transmission options were same as Impreza's. Models with GM engines were built in Sweden and with Subaru's in Japan. The car was available as sedan and hatchback. As I said, there was sports Aero version with same engine as Impreza WRX STI, as well as 9-2X model, based on Impreza XV, with AWD. The car was sold globally. It was never a hit, but it was sold in decent numbers. From 2008 to 2014 (some cars left in stock until September of that year) 306762 cars reached their buyers. Many journalists agreed that, because of boxer engine, 9-2 is fun and exciting to drive, but that lacks individuality. Next 9-2, based on Opel Astra K, appeared in 2015 and it's totally opposite to this one.
I do like the idea, but the Impreza's small engine compartment likely wouldn't fit inline-4 engines. A smaller version of the 2.0 flat-four and the 2.0 Boxer Diesel engine would be more suitable engines.
I think they would have to reshape the whole car, which would probably cost much more than a different engine.
Fiat Croma (2003-2014): It was Fiat's re-entrance into the D-segment, offered in sedan and wagon body styles. During its long life, it had two facelifts (the first one in 2007, similar to our world's facelift Croma, the second one in 2011, similar to the RL Bravo's Brazilian facelift) and was offered with a variety of engines, from the 1.4 FIRE to the 1.75 TBi and from the 1.9 non-turbo diesel to the 1.9 twin-turbo Multijet. Its long life was a result of having to offset high development costs, stemming from a long development process and a more throughout revision of the Type 2 platform than originally anticipated, as well as the slow sales, caused by the Croma's relatively low quality when compared to other D-segment cars. The large Fiat ultimately sold in fewer than 450,000 units, or less than what the Volkswagen Passat could sell in 18 months at its peak.
MagFo H140/H145/H150/H360/H365/Reason (1970 - 1992) MagFo H-Series is a Hungarian car, license-built version of Ford Escort Mk1. MagFo stands for Magyar Ford, and it's a predecessor to Magyar Suzuki. Cars they produced were: Ford Anglia 100E as MagFo 703 (Hungarian model had 700cc 30 HP 2 stroke engine) (1958-1973), Ford Cortina Mk1 as MagFo H250/H560 (1964 - 1980), Ford Granada Mk2 as MagFo Special (in CKD kits, from 1979 to 1986) and Ford Fiesta as MagFo E150/E160 (1985 - 1992). First number in MagFo model names stands for second number of displacement and other 2 for power output. Letters E and H come from Hungarian words for front and rear, denoting whether the car has FWD or RWD. Exceptions are 703 and Special. In late 60s old 703 model was starting to show its age, so management of factory decided to buy a license for new car that will succed the 703. After a lot of thinking, the choice was Mk1 Escort because it complied 90% of requests that were proposed by the company. Start of production was in May 1970. Model with round headlights was only made. 2 engines were available: 1.1 I4 40 HP and 1.3 I4 65 HP, paired with 4 speed transmission. Major change was suspension, which was tuned for bad Hungarian roads at that time. It was available as 2 and 4 door sedan, and 2 door pickup ute (which came out in 1982). Starting price was similar as Wartburg 353 for 1.1 model, and as Lada 1200 for 1.3. First changes came in 1975 when stronger H150 model was introduced, with same engine but 50 HP. In 1978. the range was facelifted. The car got new front, with headlights from Ford Capri Mk2 and rear lights from Mk1 Fiesta. Also, new plastic bumpers with chrome inserts were introduced, as well as new interior, similar to Fiesta's and new mirrors and handles. In 1980. cheaper H360 model was introduced. From 1970 to 1978 two trims were available: Standard and Luxe. After the facelift, they had their names changed to S and SL. In 1972 exports started to: Yugoslavia, Romania, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Bulgaria, Greece, East Germany, and in 1979 to UK, Belgium, France, Netherlands, Austria, Ireland, as well as Australia and New Zealand, where the car was sold as Ford Escort Classic. The car was known as MagFo Reason on export markets. In Western Europe, especially in Benelux, cars were fitted with Ford Escort Mk3's 1.6 diesel engine, starting from 1982. Most success it had on British market, quite logically because it's Ford, actually. Next facelift was in 1988, when it got front and rear like on Fiesta Mk2. In 1991, after the fall of communism, Suzuki took over the factory, and last models of this car got Suzuki 1.0 G20 engine with 50 HP. Next year production was stopped both for H and E (Escort Mk1 and Fiesta Mk2). MagFo H-Series was produced in total 767,942 examples. Some 95K examples have been exported.
I love this idea, but I don't think they would have been waiting until 1981 to get the sweet foreign currency money.
Probably, but I don't think they will enter the foreign markets especially Western early, when there was a real Escort. But, I will change something.
