2004 Ford Maverick/Ranger/Courier (depending upon the market) In this alternate timeline, Ford had a falling out with Mazda in the early 2000s, resulting in losing their license to build B-series trucks as the Courier/Ranger. Thus, they needed to come up with an alternative. Ford then took the presently in-development SX Territory, a falcon-based SUV aimed at the likes of the BMW X5 and Volvo XC90, and adapted it into a midsize truck by grafting the back half of a Falcon Ute chassis onto it. The Maverick (named for the Rebadged 80s Nissan Patrol which preceded it) also saw production in Southeast Asia and South Africa, where it was sold as the Courier. Buyers were initially skeptical of a semi-monocoque truck, and the Maverick never became a particularly iconic off-roading platform, but it did see relative success for commercial fleets, and mostly with buyers who rarely went offroad. The Maverick came standard with Ford Australia's "Barra" 4.0 Petrol I6, or optionally with Ford Europe's "Puma" 2.4 Diesel I4. for bodywork, it used a tub which shared many components with the smaller falcon Ute, notably the taillights, tailgate, and rear valance, and Available bodystyles included the Single Cab and Dual Cab. Then in 2008, Isuzu cut ties with GM, preventing them from building the Rodeo. Simultaneously, the Australian government provided funding to GM for a new "All Australian plant", to build an "All Australian vehicle" (whatever that meant). And after seeing the Success of the Maverick, GMH put these funds into a "high-body" Zeta Platform, which would be the basis for the Nullarbor SUV and the Pilbara Truck...
1976-2006 VAZ 3101/Lada 2000 It is a rebadged version of the Fiat 132 built and sold by VAZ. VAZ wanted a car that was above the Zhiguli, but below the GAZ Volga. They decided to take the Fiat 132, modify it to be better on Soviet roads, and sell it. The 3101 used a 2 liter engine used in the Fiat 132 and a 5 speed manual or 3 speed automatic from 1976-1988, when it got a 2 liter M102 engine from the Mercedes-Benz W124 and a 5 speed manual and 4 speed automatic from the W124. It was also facelifted in 1988. It was sold as the Lada 2000 outside of the USSR from 1981-2006. It was only available as a 4 door saloon.
1971-1980 Chevrolet Opala SS V8 327/Opala SS V8 327-S/Caravan SS V8 327-S In an alternative timeline, Chevrolet decided to release the Opala SS in Brazil in 1971 with the 327 small block V8 that used to be offered in America, in Australia and in Germany in the 1960s. With 225 hp, it was the most powerful car offered in Brazil at its time, and it became an instant classic. It was also a beast on track, winning races everywhere. When the Opala was facelifted in 1975, and facing competition from the Charger R/T and the Maverick GT 302, Chevrolet decided to upgrade the V8 engine, creating the 327-S engine, which developed 260 hp. With a weight advantage when compared to its competitors and more power than any car ever built in Brazil, the Opala SS V8 327-S is a legend to enthusiasts, being able to reach 240 kph and to accelerate from 0 to 100 kph in less than 7 seconds. In 1978, Chevrolet decided to release the Caravan SS V8 327-S, which was the only V8-powered station wagon ever built in Brazil, and it's safe to say that it has anticipated the Audi RS2 Avant in more than 15 years. After 1980, due to low sales, Chevrolet stopped offering the SS, and the 327 V8 engine was now avaliable in the newly released Diplomata, the most luxurious version of the Opala.
Jensen Interceptor Mk.IV/Jenson FF2/Jenson C-R6/Jenson C-V8/Jensen FF3 1978-1984 In 1973, British Leyland aquired Jensen. They had already killed of Austin-Healy, a sportscar oriened brand that was doing nothing but competing with MG and Triumph. Jensen was more upmarket, and already had ties to Austin and Wosely through Neale. The FF's ABS system was experimented with quite a bit by BL, and got to the XJS and SD1. Buisiness went on, with the Jensen-Healey Project (which was being developed at the time) being mergd with projects for the MGB secccessor and TR7 successor. The Interceptor III was going to be replaced by an SD1-based coupe, positioned just below the XJS. The new Interceptor IV was powered by the SD1's 3.5L V8, 2.4L I6, and 2.6L I6. It was based on a shortened SD1. It was available as a liftback or a convertible. There was also a 4WD variant, the FF2. In 1982, it was facelifted, renamed the CV8 (CR6 for the inline-6 versions, there was never a I6 FF), and the FF3 recieved triple LSDs.
1994-1996 Merkur Cosworth RS It is a rebadged version of the Ford Escort RS Cosworth sold by Ford through its Merkur brand in Lincoln-Mercury dealerships. After the success of the Merkur Scorpio and Fiesta RS1800, Ford decided to take the Escort RS Cosworth and modify it to be okay in the American market. It used a 2 liter Cosworth I4 which was modified to meet American emission regulations, with a 5 speed manual. 1000 were imported from Germany and 3500 were produced in Michigan. It wasn't sold as the Escort RS Cosworth because there was already a North American Ford Escort, which was related to the Mazda 323.
Volkswagen Vista (1993-2011): Throughout the 1980s Volkswagen kept experimenting with the idea of a really cheap car for the Chinese market, one that could be sold for less than the Santana or Jetta. After obtaining a stake in Skoda, the German manufacturer decided to take the prototypical Skoda Favorit sedan and reengineer it into something better suited for the Chinese buyers' needs, including creating a front end reminiscent of the then-current Polo. The powertrain - a 1.3 I4 coupled to a 5-speed gearbox - was carried over from the regular Skoda. In 1993 the car entered the lineup of Volkswagen's Shanghai arm. The Vista was successful enough among both private and fleet (police, taxi) buyers that a station wagon version, named Vista Variant and based on the Skoda Forman, was introduced in 1995. In 2004 the car was facelifted and, in accordance with the Santana's nomenclature, renamed Vista 3000. Its new front styling was rather similar to the VW Fox, while the taillights resembled the VW Polo Classic units. The car was withdrawn in 2011, as decreasing sales made continued production hard to justify. Its indirect replacement was the Volkswagen Up.
1971-1987 Armstrong Siddeley Meteor It is a British luxury car built by Rolls-Royce's subsidiary Armstrong Siddeley. In 1965, Rolls-Royce bought Hawker Siddeley, which was a British aircraft company. Hawker Siddeley also owned Armstrong Siddeley, which made cars. Rolls-Royce decided to replace Bentley with Armstrong Siddeley because Bentleys weren't selling well. The Meteor is named after the Gloster Meteor, which is a jet fighter built by Gloster, which was a subsidiary of Hawker Siddeley. The Meteor is a variant of the Rolls-Royce Corniche. It used a 7 liter V8 and a 3 speed automatic. It was available as a 2 door coupe or 2 door convertible. About 8000 were produced at Armstrong Siddeley's Coventry plant. It was replaced in 1987 by a variant of the Rolls-Royce Corniche II.
2012-2019 Mercedes-Benz SL (Alternate R231) As the SL had been getting progressively more heavy and less competitive, Mercedes decided to bring it back to its roots as a light, 2-seat, racing oriented sportscar, and left the proper GT-car stuff to the CL and CLK. The new SL was able to get under 1600kg, and was very succesful in GT4, GTE/GTLM, and GT3 racing. It got a new generation in 2019. Models included- SL 350- M276 DE35 3.5L N/A V6, 306hp, 273lb/ft, open diff, chrome grille and trim, optional 4matic, 7-speed auto SL 400- as above, plus M276 DELA30 3.0L TT V6, 329hp, 354 lb/ft SL 450- as above, plus M278 DEAL46 4.7L TT V8, 429hp, 516lb/ft, larger wheels SL600- as above, plus M279 EL60 6.0L TT V12, 523hp, 612lb/ft, 9-speed auto, low wing SL55 AMG- SL350 plus M157 DEAL55 5.5L TT V8, 530hp, 590lb/ft, widebody, black trim and wheels,hidden active deploying spoiler (like on IRL AMG GTS), 11 in brakes, 19 in wheels, downforce undertray, and adaptive sport suspension, 7-speed dual-clutch or 6-speed manual, tinted headlights, and tinted tailights, 4-mode exhaust, unique AMG interior SL55s AMG- As above, plus M157 DEAL55 5.5L TT V8, 570hp, 590lb/ft, eLSD, different exhaust tips SL65s AMG- SL55s, plus M279 EL60 6.0L TT V12, 603hp, 664lb/ft, and different hood. In 2017 there was an update that included all-aluminum panels on AMG models to further reduce weight. Models included- SL 300- M256 E30 DEH LA GR 3.0L Twincharged I6, 362hp, 369lb/ft, open diff, chrome grille and trim, optional 4matic, 9-speed auto or 7-speed dual-clutch SL 300 EQ Mild Hybrid- as above, plus M256 E30 DEH LA GR 3.0L Twincharged I6 + 48V (21hp, 184lb/ft) Mild Hybrid EQ Boost, 383hp (combined), 553lb/ft (combined) SL 350 EQ Mild Hybrid- as above, plus M256 E30 DEH LA G 3.0L Twincharged I6 + 48V (21hp, 184lb/ft) Mild Hybrid EQ Boost, 450hp (combined), 568lb/ft (combined) SL 400- as above, plus M176 DE40 LA 4.0L TT V8, 463hp, 516lb/ft, larger wheels, low wing, nicer interior SL 400 EQ Mild Hybrid- as above, plus M176 DE40 LA 4.0L TT V8 + 48V (20hp, 133lb/ft) Mild Hybrid EQ Boost, 483hp (combined), 649lb/ft (combined) SL 300 EQ SuperPHEV- SL 300, plus M256 E30 DEH LA GR 3.0L Twincharged I6 + Electric Motor (148hp, 325lb-ft), Torque Vectoring 4matic, blue accents, 510hp (combined), 694lb/ft (combined) SL40 AMG- as above, plus M178 4.0L TT V8, 563hp, 550lb/ft, widebody, black trim and wheels, hidden active deploying spoiler (like on IRL AMG GTS), 11 in brakes, 19 in wheels, downforce undertray, and adaptive sport suspension, unique AMG interior, 7-speed dual-clutch or 6-speed manual, tinted headlights, and tinted tailights, 4-mode exhaust SL40s AMG- As above, plus M177 4.0L TT V8, 604hp, 630lb/ft, eLSD, different exhaust tips SL40s AMG GT4 Evo- As above, plus GT4 bodykit and wing, carbon-ceramic brakes, GT4 EVO graphics, etc. Dropped in 2018 when SLK got GT4 duty. SL60s AMG- SL40s, plus M279 EL60 6.0L TT V12, 621hp, 738lb/ft, and different hood. SL60s AMG Black Series- as above, plus M 279 E 60 AL 6.0L TT V12, 661hp, 738lb/ft, ducktail spoiler, even wider widebody, carbon-fiber 18 in wheels, black accents, carbon-ceramic 12 in brakes SL63 AMG GT3 Evo- SL40s GT4 Evo, plus M159 6.2L N/A V8, 725hp, 479lb/ft and GT3 EVO graphics
1973-1976 Kaiser 1500 It is a compact car built by British Leyland and sold by AMC's subsidiary, Kaiser-Frazer-Jeep. In 1970, AMC bought Kaiser Jeep and decided to revive the Kaiser and Frazer marques. Frazer made mid-level luxury cars that competed with Buick, Mercury, and Oldsmobile. Kaiser sold cheap, fuel efficient cars that competed with Volkswagen, Toyota, Honda, Datsun, and Opel. AMC decided to take the Morris Marina and sell it as a Kaiser. The car used a 1.5 liter BMC E Series I4 engine used in the Australian Leyland Marina. It was only available as a sedan, but there were plans to import the coupe and estate. The car sold well at first, as it was released 3 months before the 1973 oil crisis. By the end of 1974, 45000 were sold. By 1975, significant issues with the car, like its understeer and unreliability, started to get noticed. From 1975 to 1976, about 12000 were sold. It was discontinued in 1976 and was replaced by the Kaiser Colt Lancer, which was a rebadged Mitsubishi Lancer, and the Kaiser Colt Sigma, which was a rebadged Mitsubishi Galant.
Instead of thinking about individual models, I had some thoughts on how GM could have structured its brand lineup if the companion makes had survived. - Low priced - Chevrolet, - Lower-medium priced - Pontiac, plus Marquette as a less sporty, more mature alternative to it, offering Buick's image at a slightly lower price and expanded to lower segments. - Upper-medium priced - Buick and Oldsmobile, plus Oakland as a sportier B/O alternative, basically a more expensive Pontiac (think differently-badged Grand Ville, or a Firebird-based Cougar rival). - Entry-level luxury - Viking and LaSalle, with Viking placed slightly lower. The former would be the more stately brand, selling cars for those who want something nice, but less flashy than a Cadillac. The latter would be aimed at younger buyers who either can't afford a Cadillac or want something more youthful. - Luxury - Cadillac. --- Post updated --- Given the very tight relationship between Chrysler and Mitsubishi, I doubt that any of Chrysler's rivals would have sold a Mitsu product.
2008-2013 NextMove Crow In 2006, businessmen Igor Suchánek and André Ganzeboom started the Dutch-Czech car manufacturer NextMove. Two years later, they released their launch model, the Crow. It was meant to take on the Renault Clio, Peugeot 206+/207/208, Skoda Fabia, VW Polo and Seat Ibiza. The car was available as a 3-door hatchback, 5-door hatchback, for eastern europe and between 2008 and 2011, a 5-door sedan and between 2008 and 2011, as a 5-door station wagon. In 2011, the car got a facelift. In 2013, NextMove was fully taken over by Volkswagen and Skoda, marking the end of a 7 year era of NextMove. Levels: -Basis: Lots of plastic, 2 airbags, radio, starting at €15.000 -Comfort: Cruise Control, 4 airbags, touchscreen (2011-2013), starting at €19.000 -Limited: Automatic, Adaptive Cruise Control, rain sensor, starting at €23.000 The car was available with the following engines: -1.0 PBI Petrol (Basis, manual) -1.2 PTI Petrol Turbo (Basis&Comfort, manual & automatic) -1.2 DTI Diesel Turbo (Comfort, manual & automatic) -1.2 Gas (Comfort, only available in the 2008 model year and only as 5-door hatchback) -1.4 HP Hybrid Petrol (Comfort, only in the 2009 market year and only as 5-door hatchback and station, automatic) -1.6 FPTI Petrol Turbo (Comfort, sportier, manual) -1.6 PTI Petrol Turbo (Comfort&Limited, manual&automatic) -1.8 PTI Petrol Turbo (Limited, automatic) -2.0 DTI Diesel Turbo (Limited, automatic) Photo's of the 2008-2011 trims (pre-facelift) Photo's of the 2011-2013 facelift: (more NextMove cars coming soon )
Lancia Pangea/Dodge Hornet (2017-): The Lancia Pangea/Dodge Hornet duo was introduced in 2017, with the Lancia aimed at the European and Chinese markets to bridge the Fiat 500X/Alfa Romeo Stelvio gap, as well as introduce Lancia to China, and the Dodge sold in North America for Dodge to field a competitor for the Ford Escape and Chevrolet Equinox. The pair offers the same engines as the Jeep counterpart, including the hybrid version; the only difference is the addition of the 1.75T (Lancia) and 3.2 V6 (Dodge) at the range's top end. The new crossovers are reasonably successful in both Europe and America, selling enough units to justify an upcoming 2nd generation (now with an electric option). However, keeping with the pattern of FCA's limited success in China, the Pangea was unsuccessful there - the Lancia brand got withdrawn from China in 2021.
2014-2017 Chevrolet Impala/Buick LaCrosse/Holden Commodore/Holden Ute/Holden Calais/Holden Berlina It's a... E-segment RWD/AWD sedan availsble under three brands. Holdens looked the same as IRL. Buicks are rebadged Holdens, though Series II brought an IRL LaCrosse style rear. Chevrolets have Malibu facias until Series II update, which brings a front like the IRL Impala (with a special bumper for S and SS models) and a rear like the Camaro, but with C8-style vents under the taillights. Holdens are sedan, wagon, or ute, while Buicks and Chevys are sedan only. Changes to Holden include Adventra, Berlina, SV8 (with SS being more serious LSD-equipped performance car) models, as well as Gen V engines after Series II update. The next generations of these cars were kn the Alpha platform. --- Post updated --- 2014-2017 Chevrolet Impala/Buick LaCrosse/Holden Commodore/Holden Ute/Holden Calais/Holden Berlina It's a... E-segment RWD/AWD sedan availsble under three brands. Holdens looked the same as IRL. Buicks are rebadged Holdens, though Series II brought an IRL LaCrosse style rear. Chevrolets have Malibu facias until Series II update, which brings a front like the IRL Impala (with a special bumper for S and SS models) and a rear like the Camaro, but with C8-style vents under the taillights. Holdens are sedan, wagon, or ute, while Buicks and Chevys are sedan only. Changes to Holden include Adventra, Berlina, SV8 (with SS being more serious LSD-equipped performance car) models, as well as Gen V engines after Series II update. The next generations of these cars were kn the Alpha platform.
1964-1978 Rolls-Royce Java/Bentley Burma It is a British full-size front-longitudinal rear-wheel-drive saloon. The Java and Burma were Rolls-Royce and Bentley's mass-produced entry-level models. The Java and Burma were co-developed with BMC and are rebadged variants of the Pininfarina-designed Vanden Plas Princess R, with the front and rear of a Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow/Bentley T1. The Java was the more luxurious model, while the Burma was the sportier model. Both models used the 3.9 liter Rolls-Royce I6 used in the Princess R, as well as a 4.2 liter Jaguar XK engine. About 45,000 Javas were produced and 60,000 Burmas were produced. While the Java and Burma were sales successes, they also cheapened both brands, which was seen with a small but noticeable decline in sales for both the Silver Shadow and its replacement, the Silver Spirit. The Java would not have a successor, but the Burma was replaced by the Jaguar XJ-based Bengal.
Modern Saab Lineup- 9-0: B-seg FWD 3/5 door hatchback, SCCS platform. Sold in Europe and Asia. 9-1: C-seg transverse FWD 3/5 door liftback, 5 door 2 row wagon, and 2 door convertible, D2XX platform. Available as crossover-esque 9-1X. Sold in Europe, Oceania, and Asia. 9-2X: C-seg transverse FWD/AWD 5 door 2 row crossover and 3/5 door 2 row crossover coupe. D2XX platform. Sold globally. 9-2 Family: C-seg transverse FWD 5 door 2 row MPV, D2XX platform. Sold in Europe, Oceania, and Asia. 9-3: D-seg transverse FWD/AWD 3/5 door liftback, 5 door 2/3 row wagon, and 2 door convertible, E2XX platform. Available as crossover-esque 9-3X. Sold globally. 9-4X: D-seg transverse AWD 5 door 2/3 row crossover and 3/5 door 2 row crossover coupe, C1XX platform. 9-4: D-seg transverse FWD/AWD 5 door 3 row MPV, E2XX platform. Sold in Europe, Asia, and Oceania as 9-4 Tourer and in North America as 9-4 Family. 9-4 Family: D-seg transverse FWD 5 door 3 row MPV, D2XX platform. Sold in Europe, Asia, and Oceania. 9-5: E-seg longitudinal FWD(or RWD, haven't decided)/AWD 3/5 door liftback, 5 door 2/3 row wagon, and 2 door convertible, Alpha platform. Sold globally. 9-6X: E-seg transverse AWD 5 door 3 row crossover and 3/5 door 2 row crossover coupe, C1XX LWB platform. Sold in North America and China. 9-6: Fullsized transverse FWD/AWD 5 door 3 row MPV, Lambda platform. Sold in North America, soon to be discontinued. 9-8X: E-seg longitudinal AWD 5 door 3 row crossover and 3/5 door 2 row crossover coupe, Omega platform. Thoughts?
Bentley Bacalar (2017-): Following the preorder (and later sales) success of the Bentayga, the British luxury marque decided to take its formula downmarket by designing a Porsche Macan-based crossover, which hit the market as a 2018 model. An interesting feature of the model was its extensive options list, making the new model capable of being everything from a "cheap entry-level" model to a credible replacement for larger Bentleys. The earliest models only had the 440 HP 2.9 V6 shared with the Macan Turbo and Cayenne S and the 460 HP 4.0 V8 shared with the Cayenne GTS; those were later joined by a 550 HP Bacalar Speed with the Cayenne Turbo's V8, a 347 HP Bacalar Diesel (Audi SQ5 engine) and a Bacalar Hybrid with the Audi Q5's 367 HP plug-in hybrid powertrain. While there are complaints that offering a midsize car brought Bentley's image down, it remains a fact that its sales are way beyond what any other Bentley in history has achieved; an all-electric 2nd generation is scheduled for a 2023 launch.
1990 Chevrolet Chevette SRi In the 1988 São Paulo Motor Show, Volkswagen presented the Gol GTI, which was the first ever Brazilian car equipped with an electronic fuel injection system. It was a great performer, and it also looked sporty, with a rear wing, auxiliary headlights and Recaro seats. Chevrolet knew they had to do something to compete against such a car, and they released the Chevette SRi in late 1989. With a 2.0 Family II SOHC engine, the Chevette SRi was also equipped with electronic fuel injection, and made 120 HP. Being a light car, weighing only 910 kg, the rear wheel drive Chevette SRi performed very well, since it was able to accelerate from 0 to 100 kph in 8.7 seconds and to reach the maximum speed of 208 kph, the best performance numbers among all Brazilian cars of that time. The only avaliable gearbox was a 5-speed manual. Like its competitor, the Chevette SRi also had sporty looks, with a pronounced rear wing (borrowed from the Chevrolet Monza 500 EF), smoked tail lights, front spoiler with integrated auxiliary lights, external details painted in red, 14 inch alloys, Recaro seats, a three spoke steering wheel wrapped in leather, optional sunroof and a dashboard with a rev counter. The Chevette SRi was a great success among enthusiasts, and it was made until late 1993, when the Chevette was discontinued in Brazil.
Haval P7 (2018- ): During a period of expansion, Great Wall's crossover/SUV brand decided to expand its range into passenger cars by adding a station wagon - however, to stay in tune with the marque's image, the car was one of the "off-road" wagons, much like Volvo's Cross Country series or the Subaru Outback; its measurements placed it just a few centimeters short of the Volvo V60 or Subaru. The car looks mainly like a stubbier version of the Opel Insignia B Country Tourer. Its pre-facelift variant (2018-2021) has a front end similar to the Haval F7, while the facelift brought a Haval H6 5G-like fascia and 6th gen Honda CR-V-like taillights. Power is supplied by a 1.5 or 2.0 turbo four, and goes to either the front wheels or all wheels through a 7-speed DCT. Owing to disappointing sales in China, for the 2022 model year the P7 could have gone two ways - be discontinued or get a facelift to improve sales. The second option won as a result of OK sales in export markets, such as Australia or Russia. However, the facelift was limited to cosmetic improvements, and the P7 didn't get such additions as a 9-speed transmission or 5G connectivity.
Volvo 132/133S/134/135 (1969-1977): In the 1960s Volvo decided that instead of continuing production of older models (as they had done with the PV and Amazon), they could offer a smaller and cheaper contemporary alternative to their regular model - and so the idea of the 130-Series was born, yielding a 2-door/4-door sedan/5-door wagon in 1969. The 130-Series' lower portion resembled that of the Opel Ascona A, while the greenhouse resembled that of the Ford Taunus TC. Its front end featured the first appearance of the "crossbar" grille, later seen on the 1971 Volvo 140, while the rear end was similar to Hillman Avenger's. The new Volvo's option list included a 2.0/2.1 engine shared with the 140/240; since Volvo did not have the resources to design base model engines on its own, the 1.3 and 1.6 motors were license versions of Renault's Cleon-Fonte. It came with a 4-speed manual, or an optional Borg-Warner 3-speed automatic (from the 144). While the company flirted with front wheel drive during the development phase, the final product was RWD in order to lower costs and differentiate it from Saab's offerings. Following the 1800ES' discontinuation, in 1974 Volvo introduced the 133S - a sports version of the 130-Series, featuring an Alfa Romeo Alfetta GT-like greenhouse (but with thicker pillars) and a 140 HP engine in the top spec. Because of the then-recent fuel crisis, the 133S also offered regular 2.1 and 1.6 engines as an option. While the car was reasonably popular, it was not as profitable as Volvo had hoped. As a result its successor, the 232/234/235, was largely an updated version of the preceding model.
The... Eeeeeeeehm... Hmmm... Ferrari Multipla Isetta (1969-1969) Help me Ferrari, fiat, and BMW joined forces to create this... Thing... The car was first shown on the DamSon Car Show. It was so ugly, only 7 were sold. Stats, Specs, Numbers, IDK Engine: 1100cc 3 cyl. Horsepower: 125 Torque (nm): about 100 Top speed (kph, not mph, sorry): 160 0-100kph: 18 secs
