yes, and you'll see the WRX the Perana nearly landed on is on its roof. 2ft of water is enough to drown if your knocked out, door inoperable- or perhaps just in panic. I forget the name of that stage but its a very bumpy bit of road around Huon Vale near Hobart.

Only an engine lid aft of the window on that pretty blue Alpine.
See the louvers on the engine lid of my ugly orange Alpine (Willys Interlagos).
.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1360825242.jpg

Here's my only ever hatchback...except I had enough room for just a couple of suitcases atop an engine deck.
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http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1360825630.jpg
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http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1360825712.jpg

Yrs. ago, my neighbor bought a Pinto for her daughter - after a while, they all liked driving it. A few weeks later, she bought one for her son - but that wasn't enough. She bought a third one for herself. I drove one of them, I think it was a 3 spd. or a 4 spd. on the floor w/the six cylinder. Weird days, then.

Very cool cars above, DonRo.

You had a SLINKY in your engine bay???? :eek: :D:D:D

Seriously, I know it's ducting... was it bringing cooler air into the engine bay, or exhausting hot air downward and out?

I'd like to ride in the back seat of this dreamboat.
"To the polo club, Saffington."

Thanks guys.
"...exhausting hot air downward and out", via fan, John.

Top 10 Cool Hatchbacks
 

Fast-forward to the present, and watch out, America-hatchbacks are back.
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"FIAT Sells Out of High-Performance Abarth Model. The automaker says all 2012 FIAT 500 Abarth models are spoken for. Read more"
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Top 10 Cool Hatchbacks - AutoTrader.com
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http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1360828302.jpg

1967 Lancia Fulvia Zagato
 

merc

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1360869293.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1360869314.jpg

merc

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1360869448.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1360869463.jpg

One problem with a hatchback can be that the sloping rear promotes adhesion and eddy formation (see Kamm tail).

You sometimes see big wings stuck on the back in an attempt to fix this. Here is a Toyota Soupra like the one I used to own:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1360872259.jpg


The problem is that the wing actually harmed the aerodynamics.

I was able to verify this by crossing the state of Nevada in this car and then later in a Honda Prelude. I did it in 3 hours in the Quaalude and it was very stable at speed. The Supra was not at all stable even tho I drove slower. I loved that nice inline 6 cylinder tho. The Honda was fun when you revved the little 4.

Toyota started calling the wing a "sunshade"...

Here is a very FAST Pinto..http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1361074951.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1361074971.jpg

maybach!

merc edes

A45 AMG

http://uncrate.com/p/2013/02/mb-amg-a45-xl.jpg

My daily driver, 2010 MazdaSpeed3
 

My daily driver, 2010 MazdaSpeed3...

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1361126253.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1361126264.jpg

Excuse me? :eek:
2 liter, 26 lbs. of boost, 353 hp, and 332 lb-ft of torque?
A little porky at 3,100 #...but still, Excuse me?
.
Me want but not for $64k (Germany).

80s Toyota Starlet Hatchback

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1361160476.jpg

Audi Quattrohttp://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1361160780.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1361160873.jpg

Peugeot

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1361161156.jpg

Is that MB AWD or FWD? Thats really not so heavy for a new car. The hot Renault Sport RS265 is also 3000 pounds - 265hp, a very trick front diff, current holder of the FWD Nurburgring record.

AWD - no way you could put that power on the front wheels only without major steering problems.

G

Don't forget Dodges and Shelbys' mid 80's urban terrorizer.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1361193737.jpg

My 1986 Dodge Omni GLH Turbo

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Yes, I have to remind myself that the newer small Hi-Perf cars have much more wt. due to more hardware to handle the extreme HP.
My two Renault R5 T-2s were 2,100 lbs. with little 1.3L pushrod, charged, industrial engines. Not a lot of beef needed to handle 210 HP.
Also, unlike the new cars, the spartan interior of the R5s was not luxurious, by any means.
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I'm a fool for small, yet strong, cars.
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ps "Limbaugh Akba" :D
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Who would think? :eek:
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Renault Sport Megane RS 265 time record on the Nordschleife Nurburgring - YouTube

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Looking alot like a Peugeot 205 T16. It just looks like fun, eh?
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I sold my 2nd Ren. R5 T2 (the black one) to a liver transplant Dr. in SoCal who owned one of these - along with a couple of Ferrari's in his stable of rare cars.
A yr. later he called w/Qs about the Renault - said that he had not driven any other car since buying the Peugeot & my Ren. :D

This car always caught my eye. Nice - especially in black.

.

Say more about this car, please.

The late Caroll Shelbys had great influence in the production of the Dodge Omni GLH Turbo and other fwd chrysler. Stock form they were 146 hp 2.2L turbocharged. Shelby took 500 of the last 1986 turbo models, modified them to produce 175 intercooled hp and added beefier suspension(adjustable Koni's) all in black and badged them as GLHS. The one pictured has been highly modified and the goal is 350-425 hp. The weigh in is around 2400 pds.http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1361225764.jpg

GLH = Goes Like He77. :)

Exactly...it was almost named Wolf..to compete with the VW rabbit...or more or less eat it.

Thanks for the info.
That one slipped through the cracks for me.

Tall narrow tires are sloppy on the street, but for unpredictable roads they soak up the bumps.
Not mine, but this little model spanked 4-5 cars on the night twisties through the mountains of highway 1.
It would carry a 25gal compressor, small tool chest, and probable a couch as well.
Everything else on top or on a trailer.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1361239952.jpg

Ugh, that was not a good day.


Before
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1361250327.jpg

Ugh
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1361250338.jpg

After
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1361250346.jpg

My friend driving was ok, his navigator wasn't feeling too good though. Both the guys in the upside down car were ok.

I'm tempted to try dealing on this one...

2013 FORD FOCUS ST

Nice. This was mine back in the early 1990's:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1297002175.jpg

On the 401 en route to Toronto from Ottawa for the annual Spring Fling Mopar show at the Chrysler parts depot in Mississauga. SmileWavy

I have been shopping craigslist and autotrader for a good ole shelby charger for the fleet. Hard to find one that was not beat to He77 and back or hasn't been owner modified. Some of the prices though are outrageous for the condition of the vehicle.:eek:

I had that exact colour combo on my Shelby Charger back in 94. Not near as nice as yours though. It was replaced by a black TurboZ Daytona...another fun hatchback!