The Hatchback

[stuartj]

Originally Posted by SteamWolf

oh man that could have been fatal. Going upside down into a dam was my greatest fear back in my rally days.

Here's an endless build thread of one Capri Perana Tarmac rally car

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.

[Don Ro]

Originally Posted by aigel

Works for me - as long as it isn't French.

I like a lot of things Fench, but their compact cars are not one of them.

This would be passable, but don't think it has a hatch.
.


G

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).
.

[Don Ro]

Here's my only ever hatchback...except I had enough room for just a couple of suitcases atop an engine deck.
.

.
.

[Don Ro]

Originally Posted by RWebb

not a bad looking hatchback, really:

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.

[stuartj]

Very cool cars above, DonRo.

[Heel n Toe]

Originally Posted by Don Ro

You had a SLINKY in your engine bay????

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

[Don Ro]

Originally Posted by craigster59

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

[Don Ro]

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

[Don Ro]

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

[Robert Adams]

[BeyGon]

merc

[BeyGon]

merc

[RWebb]

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:




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"...

[Racerbvd]

Originally Posted by Don Ro

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.

Here is a very FAST Pinto..

[mossguy]

Originally Posted by beygon

merc

maybach!

[BeyGon]

merc edes

[GG Allin]

A45 AMG

[azasadny]

My daily driver, 2010 MazdaSpeed3...

[Don Ro]

Originally Posted by GG Allin

A45 AMG

Excuse me?
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).

[JQ911]

80s Toyota Starlet Hatchback