Guess the car and year.

Reminds me of Mr. Bean

Reliant Regal Supervan​


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1762201004782.webp
 
Dave91TM said:
If you haven't seen the Top gear episode when Jeremy Clarkson tries to drive one, google , good for a laugh.
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Oh yes , a classic. You could just flip it back up on its three wheels and carry on . I think I have seen every episode. Some twice, lol. The episode where they tried to kill a Toyota Heilux is always worth another watch. Unbelievable. May have been partially what influenced me to buy a Tundra .
 
1st Vette said:
View attachment 135204
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On first glance I thought "Batmobile". Google gave me "The car in the image is the 1954 Alfa Romeo B.A.T. 7, a concept car designed by Franco Scaglione and built by the Italian design house Bertone." I got the BAT part right, do I get a partial score??
 
Dave91TM said:
On first glance I thought "Batmobile". Google gave me "The car in the image is the 1954 Alfa Romeo B.A.T. 7, a concept car designed by Franco Scaglione and built by the Italian design house Bertone." I got the BAT part right, do I get a partial score??
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I thought James Bond back to the end of the roof.... then I had no idea...
 
1st Vette said:
Hens teeth......View attachment 135208
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OK. This should look really familiar but I bet few know what it really is......or why it looks familiar. So here goes....

The Story of the Oldsmobile F-88 Concept​


The Motorama "Dream Car"​


  • Debut: The F-88 was a star attraction at the 1954 General Motors Motorama, a traveling auto show that displayed futuristic "dream cars" to the American public.
  • The Idea: The concept was Oldsmobile's vision for a high-performance, two-seater convertible roadster—essentially a more upscale, powerful alternative to the newly introduced (and at the time, slow-selling) Chevrolet Corvette.
  • The Power Battle: While the Corvette originally used a modest inline six-cylinder engine, the F-88 was equipped with Oldsmobile's potent "Rocket" 324 cubic inch V8 engine, giving it a clear performance advantage. This created internal conflict within GM.

The Corvette Connection (and Conflict)​


  • Shared Platform: The F-88 was built on the chassis of the Corvette, sharing its 102-inch wheelbase and, like the Corvette, featured a fiberglass body.
  • The Cancellation: Ultimately, General Motors decided not to approve the F-88 for production. The prevailing theory is that GM brass did not want a higher-powered, V8-equipped Oldsmobile sports car to undermine the still-fragile launch of the Corvette, which was the corporate sports car project. The following year, Chevrolet introduced its own V8 into the Corvette, essentially adopting the F-88's core advantage.

Rarity and Survival​


  • Built to be Destroyed: GM's practice for most Motorama concept cars was to destroy or dismantle them after the show circuit ended to prevent liability and keep design secrets from rivals.
  • Survival: Only an estimated three or four F-88 concepts were ever built, and the one you see (the gold roadster) is the sole confirmed surviving example.
  • E.L. Cord: The car's survival is credited to legendary auto magnate E.L. Cord (founder of Cord, Auburn, and Duesenberg). The story holds that GM styling chief Harley Earl, who was fond of the car, sold the dismantled parts of the gold F-88 to Cord as a "kit." Cord kept it disassembled for years.

Auction History and Current Home​


  • Restoration: The F-88 was eventually reassembled and restored in the 1990s.
  • Record Sale: In 2005, the car was sold at a Barrett-Jackson auction for an astounding $3.24 million, setting a new record for a collector car at that time.
  • Current Location: It is currently displayed at the Gateway Colorado Automobile Museum, which was founded by John S. Hendricks (founder of Discovery Communications), who purchased the car.

The F-88 remains a legendary piece of history, representing what Oldsmobile's performance trajectory could have been in the sports car world.
 

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