~Weird One~ When the world was still in the Cold War era, where in the global political arena there were two dominating poles, namely the western and eastern blocks. Well, at that time, each party showed off their superiority in all lines, including automotive. But uniquely they forbid the use of the products of their opponents. Even though some of the people, especially those in the eastern block, also want goods from the west, including cars.
1963 KD Sport 900 is designed by a group of designers working for the NAMI (National Automobile Institute) in Moscow. (Picture from: Classic and Recreation Sportscars)
And around the end of the 1950s to the early 1960s, when Porsche succeeded in dominating the circuits and roads in Europe and even the world, apparently it also attracted interest from industry players in the eastern block to make similar cars that were intended to have Porsche-like performance to be used as rivals.
The Soviet Union made sports cars, which is said to be similar to Porsche looked very stylish on the Moscow' busy streets at the time. (Picture from: EnglishRussia)
As qouted of Autoevolution, in Russia (when it was still the Soviet Union) there was a group of designers working for the NAMI (National Automobile Institute) in Moscow to design a sports car, which was envisioned as a Soviet Porsche. But it wasn't state commissioned in any way, which meant there was no official backing. Of course this would have been troublesome and could have even ended the project early.
1963 KD Sport 900 is built on the basis of the ZAZ-965 as a small 2+2 sports coupe. (Picture from: EnglishRussia)
If not for Kuzma Durnov, who at that time that time served as Director of ZAZ (Zaporozhsky Avtomobilny Zavod), a Sovyet Union state's automaker based in Ukraine who was supported the development of the sportscar.
1963
KD Sport 900 had two seats ahead and two small ones in the back with
the front console was turned to the driver like we could see later in
many more contemporary cars. (Picture from: EnglishRussia)
This Soviet-style sports car, which is
said to be similar to Porsche, was built on the basis of the ZAZ Zaporozhets 965,
as it is known that the first prototype was built in 1963 as a small 2+2
coupe called KD Sport 900. And the initials KD in the name refer to the name of Kuzma Durnov, who was the driving force behind the project.
One of the KD Sport 900 is planned to be restored. (Picture from: EnglishRussia)
For your info, the ZAZ manufacturer is known to have started producing cars in 1958, having previously produced combine harvester. Its first passenger car was the ZAZ Zaporozhets 965, which was basically the eastern version for the Fiat 600.
And this is one more car stays abandoned and maybe someday it would be restored too. (Picture from: EnglishRussia)
The car looked very stylish on Soviet streets at the time. It had two
seats ahead and two small ones in the back with the front console was
turned to the driver like we could see later in many more contemporary
cars (it was sort of the Soviet designers findings). The KD Sport 900 built upon a tubular steel chassis with an aerodynamic 2+2 fibreglass coupe bodywork. At glance, it have looked swift, but it's not.
A modern interpretation of KD Sport 900 in digital rendered image made by Artem Popkov. (Picture from: AutoEvolution)
Why is that? Due to the car utilizes the mechanical components of a ZAZ-965 with a rear mounted, air-cooled OHV V4 887cc engine with a 4-speed manual transmission. The car's engine only capable spewed a small power of 30 hp and a top speed of just below 75 mph. It's clearly the car is not an equal rival to Porsche, even if the car tipped the scales at only just over 500 kg.
Here's the Russian-made car is depicted in what is seen as partly a muscle car, and a swoopy European coupe. (Picture from: AutoEvolution)
The car project running in between 1963 to 1969 with initial plans were considered for small-scale production. But as late as 1969 before the project got shelved, less than ten vehicles had been produced (only five more KD’s were built) all with detail differences.
The modern KD imagined is one of the most stunning digital creations we've seen so far. (Picture from: AutoEvolution)
In present day, as published on Autoevolution there's an independent automotive designer named Artem Popkov made a series of modern interpretation images of this KD 900 Sport car, and it's clear that the modern KD imagined is one of the most stunning digital creations we've seen so far.
Here's the Russian-made car is depicted in what is seen as partly a muscle car, part a swoopy European coupe. Its simplicity, the strange but true to the original proportions, and the overall quality of the execution all come together to make this something you instantly fall in love with. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | AUTOEVOLUTION | CLASSICANDRECREATIONSPORTSCARS | DRIVENTOWRITE | HOTCARS | ENGLISHRUSSIA | QUIRKYRIDES | MOTORJUNKIE ]
~Wild Card~ Actually, in the world's automotive there are lots of exotic cars that escape the spotlight of mainstream media coverage cameras, which usually prefer well-known brands to be reported on. And the following exotic car is one of those that may be less known to the public today.
1972 Marciano 268A built by a small Italian workshop based in Ponsacco in Tuscany named Marciano Prototipi owned by Vincenzo Marciano. (Picture from: Marciano Prototipi)
The mentioned car known as the Marciano 268A made in 1972 by a small Italian workshop based in Ponsacco in Tuscany named Marciano Prototipi owned by Vincenzo Marciano who was 23 years old when the car was built. The car's name has meaning around its engine, which is 2.6 liters, 8 cylinders and A = Anterior (front engine). As quoted of DrivesToday, this hand built exotic car story begins when Vincenzo Marciano took a crashed Alfa Romeo Montreal to be the basis of his dream car.
1972 Marciano 268A was built by hand and inspired by the Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale, Ferrari 250 LM and all the Italian sports cars of the 1970s. (Picture from: Coachbuild)
Marciano designed the tubular chassis, then combined with still useful Montreal's original components, while the aluminum bodywork was built by hand and inspired by the Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale, Ferrari 250 LM and all the Italian sports cars of the 1970s.
1972 Marciano 268A was built by hand upon a crashed Alfa Romeo Montreal and several components taken from many exotic sports car such Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale, and Ferrari 250 LM. (Picture from: Coachbuild)
Some of the components installed on the car are taken from several other sports cars, for example the rear suspension came from a Jaguar E-Type, while the 13" wheels are originally from 33 Stradale and the windshield, headlights and taillights as well are taken from Ferrari 250 LM.
1972 Marciano 268A's interior has a simple and focused dashboard with a pair of four-point harnesses leather bucket seats. (Picture from: Marciano Prototipi)
Then the drivetrain of Marciano-made car is a 2,593 cc V8 engine developed from the Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale coupled with ZF gearbox. According to the automaker, the car which has a fairly light weight of around 800 kg is capable of accelerating from rest to 62 mph in 6 seconds and reaching a top speed of 150 mph.
1972 Marciano 268A is powered by a 2,593 cc V8 engine coupled with a ZF gearbox. (Picture from: DrivesToday)
The car's interior looks simple and focused. There are a pair of four-point harnesses leather bucket seats, then on its windows tucked a small section of the window slids back, and the aluminium doors were opened by simple straps. Meanwhile, behind the Luisi' wooden steering wheel is the dash filled with the Alfa Romeo instrumentation.
1972 Marciano 268A has a fairly light weight of around 800 kg is capable of accelerating from rest to 62 mph in 6 seconds and reaching a top speed of 150 mph. (Picture from: Coachbuild)
The car making project begun in 1972, and finished in the late 1990s. It was very slow and took years, because this was only ever a part-time project for Marciano. At last, the car made its public debut at Alfa Romeo's 100th anniversary celebrations in 2010, where it received a lot of praise and attention.
It's a proof of the Marciano-made car's quality is totally different from most other home-made projects. Once a time, the automaker had ever considered to put this car into production, but unfortunately this failed to do so due to financing problems, and the 268A remained a one-off.😉 *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | MARCIANO PROTOTIPI | HISTORICAUTOPRO | DRIVESTODAY | LOVECARS | COACHBUILD | GEARHEADSANDMONKEYWRENCH ]
~One Piece~ We first found how unique of this car, when we've seen it on the status of the French automaker in Twitter some time ago. After searching, turn out the car was one of Peugeot' prototypes that has a quite interesting shape named the Peugeot 406 Toscana Concept is presented at the 1996 Geneva Motor Show.
1996 Peugeot 406 Toscana Concept sat on display at the Musée de l'Aventure Peugeot (Peugeot Adventure Museum) in Sochaux. (Picture from: VroomVroom)
Besides its name refers to the Tuscany region in Italy, it could be interpreted as an early anticipation of the French' marque in partnership with the Italian coachbuilder based on one of their famous production models.
In fact the 406 Toscana Concept was designed by Pininfarina based on the Peugeot 406 series, and wasn't intend to realize into production version, but rather to announce the arrival of a new body version in the Peugeot 406 family, which for many known as one of the most beautiful cars in the history of the French brand.
1996 Peugeot 406 Toscana Concept is built based of the Peugeot 406 saloon, ranging from the nose, taillights, body swage lines to the sci-fi canopy. (Picture from: ABCMoteur.fr)
At that time the French manufacturer said that the Toscana concept borrowed the ideals and classic proportions of Renaissance architects, and made it a kind of natural evolution of the 406 sedan as its basis. And when making the Toscana, the Peugeot designers are like creating a sculpture in movement.
1996 Peugeot 406 Toscana Concept sat on display at the 1996 Geneva International Motor Show. (Picture from: DrivenToWrite)
Besides being designed by the famous Italian auto design company Pininfarina, it turns out that the concept vehicle is also produced at the coachbuilder's production facility in San Giorgio Canavese near Turin, Italy. A few months after finished, the Peugeot 406 Toscana Concept was presented at the 1996 Paris Motor Show.
The concept car comes with a body that combines the main style elements of the 406 saloon, ranging from nose treatment, rear lamps, body swage line to the sci-fi canopy. So it is not surprising if many seen that the front of the prototype is identical to the first generation Peugeot 406, as is the rear (except the spectacular airfoil).
1996 Peugeot 406 Toscana Concept 's interior looks similar to the 406 Coupe production version. (Picture from: ABCMoteur.fr)
Although in this case, it's no longer a sedan, but a kind of targa-type convertible featured with a capsule-style glass surface, with a wide windshield, windows narrow, and a retractable glass roof, so it rather like a yacht than car.
Its cabin also looks similar to the 406 Coupe production version, although the showroom model uses more striking color combinations, such a combination of green and salmon tones. What is clear from such car' appearence, there're some who say that the Toscana is a frivolous concept even though it's still built based on a production model.
1996 Peugeot 406 Toscana Concept designed by Pininfarina and built at the coachbuilder's production facility in San Giorgio Canavese near Turin, Italy. (Picture from: VroomVroom)
Not only that, there are some doubtful design attributes if they're coming from Pininfarina. Yet if it's an internal work, it shows Gérard Welter's sense of humor as being somewhat leftfield. Furthermore, it would be reminds us of some of GM's Motorama concepts of the 1950s or even Adam West's Batmobile.
Surprisingly, the Sochaux-based automaker's ad execution for the Peugeot 406 models (at least in the UK) featured the hit single 'Search For the Hero' from M People. In the case of Toscana Concept, no search is required, and its driver instantly granted superhero status. Guess what the Toscana Concept actually is? A Gallic' batmobile or a 406 Speedster? All of your guesses are as good as mine. What it was however, is it really worthy of being a Batman's car ride?😌 *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | OLDCONCEPTCARS | DRIVENTOWRITE | PEUGEOTUK ON TWITTER ]
~Dragon Wheel~ Why is this strange car being sold at such a high price? This uniquely shaped car was first seen on display at the 2021 Guangzhou Auto Show, was introduced under the name of Saloon Mecha Dragon, and reportedly will distribute to the owner in the next 2022.
2022 GWM Saloon Mecha Dragon electric-powered car sat on display at the 2021 Guangzhou Motor Show. (Picture from: CarNewsChina)
The Chinese manufacturer made car reportedly sold in limited quantities, which is only 101 units. While it sold with a not cheap price tags, but all of them were immediately sold out in just 3 hours since the exhibition opened though!
In fact, the Mecha Dragon is only intended for consumers in China and is offered at a price of CHN ¥488,000 or approximately Rp.1.093 billion. But in less than a day, all of the Saloon Mecha Dragon units that were planned to be produced have been ordered out. So, what's so good about this oddly designed four-door sports car?
2022 GWM Saloon Mecha Dragon has an appearance full of angled, and almost does
not has dynamically flowing like an exotic sports car in general. (Picture from: Car250)
Then related to the car's name is chosen, the Saloon Automobile itself is a sub-brand of Great Wall Motors (GWM), one of the Chinese lead automotive companies. Meanwhile, Mecha Dragon is taken from the Mega Man 2 game theme.
No wonder if the car's appearance is indeed made in the style of a monster robot from the virtual game. Of course, this sports car enthusiast does not come from ordinary people rather than the gamers and ones whose want to appear eccentric on the highway.
2022 GWM Saloon Mecha Dragon also has the fake hood scoop but made it looks badass, and so do they air vents above the lights. (Picture from: Keinthuc.net.vn)
According to Wen Fei, CEO of Saloon Automobile that currently 10 of the new cars released, 9 of them are SUVs. The market seems weary of this state of affairs and needs something very different. Moreover, the offer of a car with an authentic aesthetic is very rare. "Because we are not used to it, we will do it ourselves," he said.
If you look of its statures, the Saloon Mecha Dragon does not imply that the car has a price of billions. How not, its appearance is full of angled, does not has dynamically flowing like a Ferrari or Maserati.
2022 GWM Saloon Mecha Dragon is powered by a high-performance dual
magnetic motor equivalent to a 5.0-liter supercharged petrol engine
combined with an intelligently adjustable four-wheel drive system. (Picture from: e-Go.by)
On the front, there's a wide juts inward bumper model and given an impression that the hood is more advanced than its bumper. Meanwhile the headlight is also rectangular, then on the hood given a red accent, equivalent to the affix on the corner of the bumper.
Continuing to the sides, the Chinese unique car also uses a kind of fenders as where its black-colored multi-spoke wheels install. Well, as the name implies, the car is a 4-door saloon type and then the bottom of the door is also given black and red accents.
2022 GWM Saloon Mecha Dragon's interior showing a dashboard with a 10.25 inch instrument panel and a 27 inch 4k touch screen that can be configured to show 3 streams. (Picture from: Id.Motor1)
Uniquely at the back, the car looks like a fastback with a combination futuristic light design combined with an agressive bumper and rear diffuser. Are You agree if We called the Saloon Mecha Dragon is weird rather than unique.
Compared to the exterior which is quite difficult for everyone to accept, the Mecha Dragon Saloon' interior design can even invite admiration. The dashboard is filled with an elongated monitor that is divided into three sections. That is one to help the driver when driving, then it can be an entertainment screen, and it can also be used to enable several features in the car.
2022 GWM Saloon Mecha Dragon's interior has four seats which are all wrapped in soft premium materials with colors that can be chosen according to consumer tastes. (Picture from: TopelectricSUV)
In the car's cabin, there are four seats which are all wrapped in soft premium materials with colors that can be chosen according to consumer tastes. In addition, on the center console and door trim there is also ambient light to add a dramatic impression to the cabin space.
2022 GWM Saloon Mecha Dragon's seats are seem very wide with center seat in the back only big enough for a child. (Picture from: Id.Motor1)
Meanwhile, to assist the driver, the Saloon Mecha Dragon is equipped with 4 surround cameras, 5 millimeter wave radar, 12 ultrasonic radars, and one high-precision positioning camera unit. Meanwhile, in terms of sound quality, an audio system product from Harman Kardon is used.
Although
the 2022 GWM Saloon Mecha Dragon is an electric-powered car, but
it has really cool 'fake exhaust pipes' would be light up in red when
accelerating. (Picture from: TopelectricSUV)
The Saloon Mecha Dragon uses a high-performance dual magnetic motor equivalent to a 5.0-liter supercharged petrol engine combined with an intelligently adjustable four-wheel drive system, so that the car gets about 543 PS of power and 700 Nm of torque from the drivetrain. The automaker also said that the Salon Mecha Dragon featured with 115 kWh battery will offer a 250 mile range in just a 10 min quick charge.
2022
GWM Saloon Mecha Dragon's bodywork uses many sharp lines and angles combined with the fastback-style tail. (Picture from: Auto.cz)
In order to support the performance of the Saloon Mecha Dragon, the automaker has paired 20-inch alloy wheels wrapped with Michelin High Performance tires combined with the Brembo's four-piston caliper brakes system.
So that the driver does not lose the thrill of driving, the Saloon Mecha Dragon is also equipped with a sound system that can be adjusted so that the car can deliver sounds like a conventional engined vehicle. And the sound can be muted if the driver wants to drive quietly as drove an electric powered car in general.
2007 Stola Phalcon Coupé sat on display at the Geneva Motor Show 2007. (Picture from: AllCarIndex)
Not only that, it turns out that the Turin-based coachbuilder company had ever made an exclusive high performance luxurious car named the one-off Maybach Exelero back in 2004 for a German's brand Maybach. As the German' brand made one unit only, so the Italian coachbuilder Stola intends to build it exclusively as well under its-owned brand in limited numbers.
Possibly
the existence of a peregrine falcon's head ornament on the
front-grille, as one the reason why the car called the Phalcon (Falcon)
Coupé. (Picture from: CarBodyDesign)
The mentioned vehicle (initially there was no name) then known as the Stola Phalcon Coupé Concept, was built to be exhibited at the Geneva Motor Show 2007, defined as "100% made in Stola," and also intended to underscore the company's maturity as a limited series manufacturer of highly exclusive car niches.
2007 Stola Phalcon Coupé intended to underscore the company's maturity as a limited series manufacturer of highly exclusive niche cars. (Picture from: AllCarIndex)
Possibly the existence of a peregrine falcon's head ornament on the front-grille, as one the reason why the car then known as the Phalcon (Falcon) Coupé, in addition there was a much neater touch was the fitment of a windscreen that extended right over its roof and way down the rear to form the back window.
2007 Stola Phalcon Coupé's legs used the Mita designed rims with the AEZ's chromed alloy wheels consists of nine slender spokes that are gently curved to create an extraordinary lustre, then wrapped with the Pirelli PZERO tyres. (Picture from: AllCarIndex)
As quoted of Allcarindex,
the concept car is built based on ultra-high performance mechanics.
With the construction of the luxury coupe, which at that time was
planned to be produced soon as posible, Stola has walked a step further to become the
first haute'couture automotive brand that's not only allow its clients to define the new car's interior and exterior based of this concept, even to decide the car's name.
2007 Stola Phalcon Coupé
is powered by the Brabus-tuned twin-turbo Mercedes V-12
powertrain-platform, with a 6.3 litre engine capable producing power of
740 hp and 1,360 Nm of torque. (Picture from: Autoblog)
As previously mentioned, the company plans to build these ultra-exclusive cars in a limited number of 25 units only, it has been made possible by the contribution of three great names in the automotive industry such Brabus, Alcar and Pirelli.
The car is powered by the Brabus-tuned twin-turbo Mercedes V12 powertrain-platform, with a 6.3 litre engine capable producing power of 740 hp and 1,360 Nm of torque, so no wonder if the car boasts a top speed in excess of 330 kph (200 mph).
While for its gorgeous legs, the Phalcon used the Mita designed rims with the AEZ's chromed alloy wheels consists of nine slender spokes that are gently curved to create an extraordinary lustre, then wrapped with four 315/25X22 Uhp Pirelli PZERO tyres. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | ALLCARINDEX | AUTOBLOG | CARSTYLING.RU | CARBODYDESIGN ]
~Almost Forgotten~ Among the many sports car models made by Ferrari, it turns out that there is one name of its sportscar model that has a beautiful wedge style typical of the 1970s, but is now almost forgotten.
1968 Ferrari P6 Berlinetta Speciale by Pininfarina first unveiled at the 1968 Turin Auto Show. (Picture from: WheelsAge.org)
The mentioned car named the Ferrari P6 Berlinetta Speciale designed by Pininfarina and first unveiled at the 1968 Turin Auto Show. This Pininfarina designed car was inspired by the Berlinetta Boxer and the 308/328 series and was originally made as a model without an engine.
1968 Ferrari P6 Berlinetta Speciale by Pininfarina posed along with its designer Leonardo Fioravanti and the inspiration sources Ferrari Berlinetta Boxer. (Picture from: WheelsAge.org)
The car design with tapered lines were drawn by Leonardo Fioravanti to explore the idea of a road car that would carry Maranello’s legendary V12 behind the cockpit rather than the front, as some successful contemporary models such as the Lamborghini Miura and the De Tomaso Mangusta, as well as their heiresses Countach and Pantera, the Maserati Bora, etc.
1968 Ferrari P6 Berlinetta Speciale by Pininfarina is the first Maranello's model carries a mid-mounted V12 engine. (Picture from: Supercars.net)
Only the rear section looks less harmonious than the rest of the car, due to the stubby tail, recessed headlights in the lower section, and the massive upper section, which luckily has been significantly redesigned in the transition to future cars from series.
1968 Ferrari P6 Berlinetta Speciale by Pininfarina is powered by a 2,989 cc V12 engine capable of spewing out around 400 hp. (Picture from: Supercars.net)
As a consequence, the sparkling white colored car with a conservative design and exudes an elegant image of a future sports vehicle then given a 2,989 cc V12 engine capable of spewing out around 400 hp.
1968 Ferrari P6 Berlinetta Speciale by Pininfarina used as the basis for the Ferrari 365 GTB/4 which was launched in 1971. (Picture from: Auta5p.eu)
Unlike other models and prototypes marked with the letter P, the P6 Berlinetta Speciale (that was its full name) was for all intents and purposes a production car. Unfortunately, it is not having obtained the green light for the next stage, the Berlinetta Speciale P6 was temporarily put aside.😔
Later the design of the P6 Berlinetta Speciale was used as the basis for the Ferrari 365 GTB/4 which was first launched in 1971. The car was also powered by a mid-mounted 60° V12 engine, and its prototype was built on the chassis of the rolling Ferrari P6 Berlinetta Speciale Pininfarina concept. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | AUTA5P.EU | SUPERCARS.NET | CARROZZIERI-ITALIANI ]
Here's the Russian-made car is depicted in what is seen as partly a muscle car, part a swoopy European coupe. Its simplicity, the strange but true to the original proportions, and the overall quality of the execution all come together to make this something you instantly fall in love with. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | AUTOEVOLUTION | CLASSICANDRECREATIONSPORTSCARS | DRIVENTOWRITE | HOTCARS | ENGLISHRUSSIA | QUIRKYRIDES | MOTORJUNKIE ]
