11 long-forgotten SUVs

Toyota Land Cruiser, Nissan Patrol, Mitsubishi Pajero, Land Rover, Jeep Wrangler, G-Class, Hummer ... The list of the most famous SUVs, or at least the ones people have heard of, hasn't changed for decades. However, this does not mean that the world of these SUVs is monotonous. The scale of the 4x4 universe can be compared with the Roman Empire during its heyday, just many of its inhabitants are forgotten today and are forced to live out their miserable existence on the outskirts and periphery. Motor Company has compiled a list of 11 such SUVs that some people have not even heard of.

Alfa Romeo 1900M

Don't be surprised, but this is the Alfa Romeo 1900 M, also known as Matta ("crazy") - not the passionate southern beauty with charming design, as we are used to seeing a real Alfa, but a raw military SUV. Matta can rightly be considered exclusive and very rare - from 1952 to 1954, 2007 army modifications of the AR 51 and 154 versions of the AR 52 were produced.

The model was commissioned by the Italian Ministry of Defense. It looks gruff and sloppy, but it's not: it has a 1,9-liter 65-horsepower engine with a dry sump lubrication system and an aluminum hemispherical cylinder head. The front suspension is independent on a double wishbone suspension. Technical claims ruined the model - a few years later the Italian military switched to a simpler Fiat Campagnola.

International Harvester Travelall

Navistar International Corporation, formerly known as the International Harvester Company, is known for its trucks, but Travelall SUVs built on the chassis of R-Series trucks are erased from collective memory. A big injustice, because this is one of the first full-size SUVs and rivals in every sense of the Chevy Suburban.

From 1953 to 1975, four generations of Travelall rolled off the assembly line. All-wheel drive has been available as an option since 1956. The engines are represented by an in-line "six" and a V8 with a volume of up to 6,4 liters. Travelall looks like a giant and it is not an optical illusion. Its latest generation SUV is 5179 mm long and has a 3023 mm wheelbase. From 1961 to 1980, the company produced the shorter International Harvester Scout in station wagon and pickup.

Monteverdi Safari

The International Harvester Scout is the basis of the luxury SUV Safari of the famous and, alas, no longer existing Swiss brand Monteverdi. The three-door car is designed to compete with the Range Rover, but outperforms the Briton in terms of power - the engine range includes a 5,2-liter Chrysler V8 and even a 7,2-liter engine with 309 horsepower, allowing it to reach a top speed of up to 200 km / h.

The body design, by Carrozzeria Fissore, with clean, clean lines and large glass, still makes a good impression today, almost half a century after the Monteverdi Safari debuted. The model was produced from 1976 to 1982. The dashboard is a clear nod to the Range Rover, which was a trendsetter in the nascent luxury SUV segment at the time.

Dodge Ramcharger

The full-size 1974-1996 Dodge Ramcharger, which competes with the "big" Ford Bronco and Chevy K5 Blazer, does not prove the existence of an unknown hero such as its Plymouth Trail Duster clone. But there is another Ramcharger that few have heard of. Produced from 1998 to 2001 in Mexico and for Mexicans. It is based on the shortened chassis of the second generation of the Ram pickup with a wheelbase of 2888 mm. The SUV is equipped with a volume of 5,2 and 5,9 liters.

An interesting feature of the model is a row of seats installed parallel to the side - uncomfortable for a long trip, but clearly suitable for shooting. The Ramcharger is not sold in the US for obvious reasons. In the late 1990s, short wheelbase SUVs lost ground in the local market. In addition, DaimlerChrysler's interests in the SUV segment were protected by the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango - a third in their company is clearly redundant.

Bertone Freeclimber

Fans of true old-school SUVs are well aware of the Daihatsu Rugger, which is called the Rocky in most export markets. But not everyone remembers that he is the basis of the exclusive freediver of the Italian studio Bertone. Luxury SUV for European markets based on the usual "Japanese" - how do you feel about this? In the 80s, Bertone found himself in a difficult situation - the Fiat Ritmo convertible and the sports Fiat X1 / 9, produced at his plant, began to lose ground. We need a new project, which is becoming Freeclimber.

The Daihatsu in question is equipped with a 2,4-liter BMW diesel engine as an alternative to the 2,0- and 2,7-liter gasoline engines. The front part was slightly changed, rectangular optics were replaced by two round headlights, the equipment was expanded. According to some reports, from 1989 to 1992, Bertone produced 2795 Freeclimber aircraft. The second version of the luxury SUV is based on the more compact Feroza model and is powered by a 1,6-liter BMW M40 engine with 100 hp. The refined Daihatsu Rocky was sold not only in Italy, but also in France and Germany, and the Freeclimber II, of which 2860 units were produced, was mainly bought in its second homeland.

Rayton-Fissore Magnum

Created by the now defunct Carrozzeria Fissore, this model is one of the contenders for the throne of the king of forgotten SUVs. Designed to compete with the Range Rover, it is based on a stripped-down military Iveco all-wheel drive chassis. The rough base is concealed by the body, the work of the American designer Tom Chard, who has had a hand in a huge number of models, including the De Tomaso Pantera. Initially, Magnum attracted the police and even the military, but later civilians became interested in it, for whom more expensive versions were created.

The SUV is equipped with gasoline engines, including a 2,5-liter "six" Alfa Romeo and a 3,4-liter six-cylinder BMW M30B35, as well as a four-cylinder turbodiesel. From 1989 to 2003, the premium model tried to conquer the New World before changing its name to the sonic Laforza and the engines to a V8 with a 6,0-liter from General Motors, which is more in line with the tastes of the American public. For Europe, this very interesting SUV was produced from 1985 to 1998.

volkswagen golf country

Volkswagen Golf 2 is an immortal classic and eternal value. Even more paradoxical is the fact that in a wide range of versions there is an already forgotten SUV - Country. Even if this is not a 1989% SUV, the model is definitely interesting, cute and not helpless on the pavement. A pre-production cross hatch was shown at the Geneva Motor Show in XNUMX, and a year later production began in Graz, Austria. The basis is the five-door Golf CL Syncro with all-wheel drive.

Country turns it into a 438-piece kit that includes a longer-travel suspension that raises ground clearance to a serious 210mm, engine crankcase protection, cross member and rear tire stock. The Golf Country was limited to only 7735 units, including 500 with chrome accents and 15-inch wheels with wider 205/60 R 15 tires. For added luxury, these cars also had leather interiors.

ACM Biagini Pass

The Golf Country story takes a very unexpected turn in... Italy. In 1990, decades before the introduction of the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet and Range Rover Evoque Convertible, ACM Automobili created the Biagini Passo convertible with increased ground clearance. And what is its essence? That's right - Golf Country with a 1,8-liter gasoline engine and all-wheel drive.

Passo with a modified first-generation Golf body gives the impression of an unfinished homemade product, which is not far from the truth. The headlights are from Fiat Panda, the taillights are from Opel Kadett D, and the side turn signals are from Fiat Ritmo. According to some data, only 65 pieces were made from the model, according to others, there are hundreds of them. However, the Biagini Passo has now been forgotten and is a little easier to find than the unicorn, also due to its low corrosion resistance.

Honda Cross road

Badge development flourished in the 1990s, spawning oddball cars like a redesigned Ford Explorer called the Mazda Navajo or an Isuzu Trooper posing as an Acura SLX. But the history of the Honda Crossroad, which is actually the first generation of the Land Rover Discovery, is unprecedented. The introduction of the H mace Discovery in the grille is the result of a collaboration between Honda and the Rover Group that has seen the world see British Japanese like the Rover 600 Series, essentially a reinterpreted Honda Accord. The Crossroad was produced from 1993 to 1998 for Japan and New Zealand, which explains its obscurity.

Honda makes such a strange move because of its own sluggishness. When Toyota, Nissan and Mitsubishi, not to mention European and American brands, have long ago carved up the SUV market, the brand is suddenly shocked and decides to fill the gap in its range with vehicles with engineering badges. In Europe, it was the Passport, the revamped Isuzu Rodeo and the Isuzu Trooper, which changed its name to Acura SLX. The Crossroad is the first and only Honda with a V8 engine.

Santana PS-10

Spanish brand Santana Motor, which sailed the river of history in 2011, originally made a Land Rover from CKD kits and later began to change the British SUV. Her latest creation is the PS-10 SUV (also known as Anibal), which was once in demand in Europe and Africa. Bearing some resemblance to the Defender, it does not copy the famous SUV, but is much simpler. Spartan to the core, the PS-10 was introduced in 2002 and was in production until the demise of Santana Motor. In addition to the five-door station wagon, a two-door pickup is also available.

Unlike Land Rover, which switched to leaf springs in the 80s, the Santana uses leaf springs front and rear. Four-wheel drive is not permanent. The equipment is as simple as possible, although the PS-10 offers a steering wheel with hydraulics and air conditioning for an additional fee. The engine is a 2,8-liter Iveco turbodiesel.

Iveco Massive

Just imagine - the Italian Iveco is not only commercial vehicles and heavy trucks, but also massive SUVs. It also looks like a Land Rover Defender, as it's... a redesigned Santana PS-10. The model was produced from 2007 to 2011 on Santana Motor equipment, and differs from its simpler counterpart in body design, the design of the legendary Giorgio Giugiaro.

The "Spanish Italian" is equipped with a 3,0-liter Iveco turbodiesel engine (150 hp and 350 Nm, 176 hp and 400 Nm) paired with a six-speed manual gearbox and all-wheel drive with non-differential front axle and reduction transmission. According to the British edition of Autocar, about 4500 units of models are produced annually in the back of a 7-seater station wagon and pickups. If you want to see the Massif live, head to the Alps - it's quite difficult to meet this SUV outside of them.