Dacon was a Brazilian dealership and racing team who made semi-official modifications of air-cooled VWs and Willys cars, besides creating their own models with a mix of parts from other cars (like the PAG Dacon and the Dacon 828).
Dacon was a Brazilian dealership and racing team who made semi-official modifications of air-cooled VWs and Willys cars, besides creating their own models with a mix of parts from other cars (like the PAG Dacon and the Dacon 828).
The 1995 Brazilian Gol Rolling Stones. One of the greatest rock bands of all time and a base-trim VW Gol (the cheapest car of the lineup). Its only difference was coming standard with a radio antenna (the dirt-cheap base base models didn’t even came with one), a cassette player and Rolling Stones stickers.
The Ford Versailles over the VW Santana. During some years VW and Ford in Brazil formed a joint-venture called Autolatina, which produced these pairs of twins:
A fold-up car like George Jetson’s, that I can pack up in a suitcase and bring with me. No more parking dings in my doors!
Mk1 Ford Focus. Clean lines, no frills and a handsome design that still looks fresh
Came to comment this. Obvious answer is obvious
The Ssangyong Actyon. A coupé SUV before coupé SUVs were a thing, with the ugliest nose and butt to ever disgrace the roads (and yes I’m saying this knowing that the Edsel and the Aztek exist)
The least mechanical complex and with the smallest number of electronic nannies possible. Less stuff to break down means more years of serviceability.
Gurgel. The only 100% Brazilian car company, which built insanely quirky cars with whatever technology was available here.
Audi sedans. From the A3 all the way to the A8. It seems like at least 80% of Audi owners put those trombone exhaust tips in their cars
Since probably half of the comments will be about pop-up headlights I’ll say something else: Satellite dashboards and analog gauges.
How come nobody suggested the PT Cruiser yet?
The DKW Carcará. A heavily modified DKW 3=6 that set the Brazilian land speed record in 1966, 213 km/h (~132mph) with a two-stroke 1,100 cm³ engine with just 103 hp. The Carcará is not the largest, but one of the most aggressive Brazilian bird-of-prey.
It can be killed, but it can be easily brought back to life with some rubber banks, hair pins and cooking oil
The Suzuki SX4. A quirky and extremely off-road capable 4x4 hatchback, with a 3-speed auto that wouldn’t feel out of place in the 80's.
It pains me to say, but it was buying a SUV. I had a cool 1997 VW Parati which I loved, but it lacked 3-point seatbelts in the backseat, so I wouldn’t be able to put the baby seat there. I ended up buying a Geo Tracker (i.e., a Suzuki Grand Vitara with a bowtie), a tall body-on-frame SUV, with some modifications like…
The Renault Twingo. It’s a fun, joyous car that is even better in vibrant colors. Yellow in the outside and on the inside trim too
The Renault Twingo. It’s a fun, joyous car that is even better in vibrant colors. Yellow in the outside and on the inside trim too
The VW Parati, specially the first gen (which was sold in the USA as the Fox Wagon).
Excluding one-offs or kit cars, I nominate the Volkswagen SP2. It looks fast and slick as heck, but it’s powered by the good ol’ reliable VW 1,600cc air-cooled 4 cylinder from many other VWs. It took almost 21 seconds to go from 0 to 60 mph.