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Factoid: The Rover 75 Tourer wasn’t just the 1st ‘executive-class’ estate offered by what had been BL/Leyland Cars/Austin Rover since the days of the Triumph 2000/2500 Mk2 but I think the 1st factory large Rover estate car… (📸: Autocar)

Glenfrome had a long history & it’s all noted in this excellent article (though sadly there’s no mention of the Laurel)…(2) share.google/CS8IsiwUi8Ug...

The story of Glenfrome's Range Rover conversions on Below The RadarAn insight into Glenfrome's Range Rover conversions, with images, on Below The Radar, the website that looks beyond the motoring mainstreamshare.google

Factoid: In 1988 Glenfrome, a Bristol-based coachbuilder & better known for Range Rover conversions converted a 5th-gen C32 Nissan Laurel into a limousine. Extended by 36ins, the car had a suitably limo ‘name’, being called the Wessex but were any ever sold & if so, do any survive? (1) (📸: Autocar)

Friday Commitment: Skilled & controlled driving (tks to Gavin Green) of a great car (the 1st BMW M5) combined with a great pic, that’s really what ‘Friday Commitment’ is all about & this pic is the perfect embodiment of it… (📸: CAR Magazine)

Factoid: The Nova Luxe + was a runout model for the car that ultimately lasted almost 10yrs on the UK market which was longer than either the Chevette or Viva HC had been sold in their respective production lives.

Factoid: Now, that’s how you use side decals to good effect though it was only Belgian Vauxhall buyers who could benefit from this snazzy bit of stick-on superbness… (📸: Autocar)

Factoid: This shot of a crash tested Manta A isn’t too surprising as ads ‘selling safety’ had become more & more frequent in the early ‘70s but what might be was Opel outsold VW in Germany in 1972 & ‘73…

Factoid: Unlike the original Renault 5 which had only minor exterior tweaks, Fiat’s 127 went through 2 facelifts with the original’s purity diluted each time. Here’s the 1st with 1977’s Series 2… (📸:IG a/c autofdate)

Well you can’t mention ‘that ad’ without linking to it, can you? (2) youtu.be/eEVTorBHhOo?...

Fiat Strada - Handbuilt By Robots (1979, UK)YouTube video by The Hall of Advertisingyoutu.be

Factoid: Marketed as a vision of the future (that robot ad certainly helped), the Ritmo/Strada never made the impact Fiat hoped compared to its conventional looking, but far more influential 128 predecessor…(1) (📸:IG a/c plankhond)

Factoid: Strictly speaking the Mk1 Panda was only launched in the UK a year after its introduction in Italy (May 1981 vs. Mar 1980), but 500k cars sold over two years was still an impressive achievement…

share.google/Eykn7jj3844I...

From Containers to Cars – The Short-Lived Dublin-Built Lloyd Cars | Season 6 – Episode 65 - Ireland MadeThe story of the 244 Lloyd cars assembled in Ireland between the early 1950s and 1962 began in Germany in 1950, when engineer Carl F. W. Borgward revived a former subsidiary of the Norddeutscher Lloyd...share.google

Yes, I think it was a firm called PR Reilly.

Factoid: While the quick Abarth was an early A112 variant, a luxury option was the Elegant which in a nod to the Mini was originally available with a contrasting coloured roof… (📸:IG a/c finecarbrochures)

Factoid: A fascinating little fact for you all in this CAR Magazine profile of BL from Jan 1971. Could you imagine De Lorean running BL? Now, that would’ve been v interesting indeed. (📸: CAR Magazine)

Factoid: No, BL never offered a Vanden Plas Allegro Estate nor was the VDP 1500 ever sold in LHD (though one was made), so this car pictured in CAR Magazine’s February 1991 ‘Sir!’ letters page ticks a lot of obscurity boxes… (📸: CAR Magazine)

Factoid: In an interview for Practical Classics, the late & undoubtedly great Harris Mann said the Austin Morris 18-22 Series/Princess was the design he was proudest of. You may not agree with him, but I do & it’s a nice way to end the evening. Bye for now 👋 (📸: IG a/c classicsbychance)

Factoid: Thankfully the Allegro Super’s interior wasn’t so stark with a silver finish to the dash & instrument surround, full-length door cards complimented with a proper door pull, better upholstered seats that reclined though, don’t worry, you still got THAT wheel… (📸:IG a/c finecarbrochures)

Factoid: It was a mark of the ‘rightness’ of the NSU Ro 80’s design that it had only detail changes over its life. For example, this car (with std wheels) actually comes from 1976… (📸:IG a/c finecarbrochures)

Factoid: Following the 3dr 200 in 1991 the next derivative of the R8 Rover 200/400, the 200 convertible made its debut alongside the 800 Coupé at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1992 & was actually the 1st time a convertible appeared in the range since the Triumph TR7 Drophead… (📸: Autocar)