The Hatchback
 

You don't want a station wagon, but you'd still like easy access to your luggage and... stuff.

There IS an obvious solution.

The Hatchback. It has a slanted rear glass unlike a wagon but still opens up for loading and unloading 2x4's, camping gear and your wife's unduly heavy luggage.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1360720323.jpg

Here is another French car, and it seems to be the earliest example of this design.


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1360720377.jpg

Here's my 640HP hatchback.... :)

http://imageshack.us/a/img41/6999/suprarearqtr.jpg

Vietnam gangsta car

My Audi A3 was a badass hatchback. As much negativity that there is on Audi products, I never had a problem.

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.

http://www.boldride.com/image/http:/...024&height=770

G

Mini
 

http://asbury.smugmug.com/By-Land/Hu...IMAG0245-L.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1232134179.jpg

http://www.caradvice.com.au/wp-conte...red-bull-3.jpg
This is a pretty cool French hatch. Seriously fast also.

"heaters gonna heat!"

Winnah!

I don't know why hatch backs fell out of favor. Loved my VW Rabbit. I'd load it up with camping gear and head out for the weekend. Hauled furniture, lumber, you name it.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1360773556.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1360773578.jpg

That's a station wagon! :)

First new car I bought was exactly like this. Soft wheels, though. I bent 7:

http://swecars.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/saab900.jpg

Here you go!
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1360773987.jpg

+1 for hatchbacks!

I REALLY miss my '96 900SE turbo.

By far the best combination of utility, economy and performance in any car I've ever driven.

- Huge carrying capacity (took 2 kids to college, and at times hauled a full kitchen set, a treadmill, and a dishwasher)

- Great fuel economy when off boost, and a big gas tank for long range

- Very entertaining performance when the 15 psi (!!) of boost starts kicking in at about 2800 rpm. Nice 5 speed manual transmission.

- Lots of room for tall drivers (I'm 6' 1")

- Good creature comforts (200w stereo, 6-disc CD changer, full leather, sunroof, etc.)

- Great winter performance. When using dedicated winter tires, I would put it up against most SUV's in the white stuff.

WHY CAN"T I BUY A NEW CAR LIKE THIS IN THE U.S.A. ?!?!?!

The good stuff from Europe or Japan doesn't seem to make it over here!

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1360777207.jpg

Audi S7 is my wife's current lottery car. She likes to drive cars. Doesn't spend a lot of time on the subtleties of how the look, but every time she sees and A/S7 she starts rubbernecking. -J

http://www.caradvice.com.au/wp-conte...Audi-S7-11.jpg

I use these to ferry stuff from the house to the shop to the warehouse & Hardware store and today, to Publix(this afternoon:D)

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1360785992.jpg

Yes, it has a D piller, and hatchbacks don't.

BTW - this is also not a hatchback as the rear hatch does not allow access to the passenger cabin, only to a puny 4-banger:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1360788922.jpg

My second car (and first one I competed in motorsport) was one of these:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi..._16_TS_001.JPG

was a weird but fun car.

Always wanted one of these:

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2337/2...f0c0395a_z.jpg

but then I was always a Brock fan.

Current daily parts chaser is one of these.

http://www.yiparts.com/2008/pic/mode...2777cb6761.jpg

Cost me a grand and while it's well appointed it's less reliable than an English car and I have quickly grown to detest it.

not a bad looking hatchback, really:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1360800523.jpg

but cost-cutting led to this:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1360800599.jpg

Still going strong!

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1360801219.jpg

I could get into that!

The car ain't bad either :cool:



http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1360801285.jpg

^^^^ and you can buy this car today!^^^^

ok, guess I have to,

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1360802023.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1360802043.jpg

not sure about the piranha (perana)...
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1360808153.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1360808173.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1360808206.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1360808231.jpg

Nope.

Still a very successful tarmac rally weapon, that. A South African Capri with a stonking V8.

Yep, perana is one of the lost muscle cars, but hatchback it wasn't.

Targa Wrest Point 2012 - Ford Capri Perana Crash - YouTube

Heres one.....

I used to have a 400HP 900SE.

That car was a lot of fun. Had to weld in a lot of structural supports though.

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

One of my favorites... penned by Guigiaro, so there was much genius behind its lines...

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1360823475.jpg

Man! These kind of lines just send me. Definitively beautiful. Timeless.