Our next feature is a rather unusual car. Do you desire more style and practicality than a sedan? More style and less practicality than a station wagon? The Subaru equivalent of a Saab 900 turbo? Well, here’s your choice (the only one, really). In the eighties, Subaru’s Leone range included a 4-door sedan, 5-door station wagon, and 3-door coupe. You can find this 1987 Subaru GL Turbo Coupe for sale for $1500 in Martinez, CA.
Here we are again, looking at cheaper alternatives to a BMW icon, namely, the E9 coupe of 1968 – 1975. The obvious and nearest choice is the BMW E3 (2500/2800/Bavaria/3.0S), but if you prefer the style of a coupe, the E24 6-series comes pretty close in terms of elegance and performance. You still get a nice open greenhouse, the forward-angled shark nose, and the famous BMW six, along with a reduced (although far from eliminated) propensity to rust and the enhanced reliability and comforts found in a more modern car. Check out this 1981 BMW 633 CSi, for sale for $3000 (negotiable) in Walnut Creek, CA.
Some cars that came to the American market were obvious failures. Look at early Toyotas and Nissans, for example, or the Renault 4CV. More recently, some of the badge-engineered GM frenemies like Isuzu and Saab were also not destined for success – their core customer base preferred the type of car they were already making, while any new conquests would rather stick to the original version of the car, with the benefit of the massive GM distribution channel making purchasing and service more straightforward. The Daihatsu Charade was not quite so obvious – while it was somewhat low on power by American standards, it was recognized for being nice to drive and well built, before that was a given for Japanese cars. Check out this 1988 Daihatsu Charade CLS for sale for $2750 in American Canyon, CA.
Rusty But Trusty 