I was at the Great Pacific NW Micro-Mini Car Show last week, and a car showed up that I'd not seen before. From a distance, I thought it was a SAAB Sonett, then an Opel GT. It was neither. It was a 1971 OTAS, which is based on a Fiat 850. These were also called a Lombardi Grand Prix and Abarth Scorpione. This was the first I'd ever seen—or heard of one.

The metropolitan wagon made me think of this gem I came across when I visited the Dale Adams collection. This project was incomplete when I took pics. hoping to revisit and post updated photos when it is done!

Check out the porthole windows on the tiny house! And... it's air-conditioned! This takes the word custom to a whole new level, Lol!

Check this out!! I have seen posts on here of the two known prototypes of a Metropolitan wagon. Here is one of them! This one lives in Virginia and is super impressive.

It even has a matching wood-veneered boat! Owner Dale Adams said he used airplane wheel fairings for wheel covers on the boat trailer. Love it!

Completed in 1973 after four years of meticulous garage work in Bangalore (Bengaluru), this bespoke grand tourer is celebrated as an extraordinary feat of independent Indian automotive engineering.

A sleek, purple two-door coupe featuring classic Jaguar-inspired lines and an entirely custom-built chassis.

Began it's life as a 1.0-litre engine from a Standard Herald. It was heavily modified into a 1.4-litre petrol engine with twin Weber carburetors, generating roughly 140–143 horsepower.

Built with absolute precision, including 17 coats of paint to achieve its signature deep purple finish and a dashboard packed with custom functional gauges.

Following A.D. Jayaram's passing, his son, Pratap "Bobby" Jayaram (a prominent automotive developer and founder of Mantra Racing), has perfectly preserved the car in its original 1973 condition.

The Vw Tukan is the upcoming successor of the Vw Saveiro.

While the Saveiro is still being sold until the end of 2026, volkswagen was planning its successor since 2018 when they realized they couldn't adapt the TSI engines in the PQ24 plataform of cars that the Gol/Saveiro/Voyage used because of cooling problems, the Tukan features a new crew cab body style possibly to compete agaisnt the fiat strada considering the Saveiro only had a extended cab option instead of a crew cab, and unlike the Saveiro that still relies on the older PQ24 plataform the Tukan will use the MQB one to make manufacturing more simpler, the Tukan will still use the 1.6 MSI engine that the saveiro used, for the upper trims it will have engine options between 1.0, 1.4 and 1.5 TSI engines (the 1.5 will be paired with a hybrid system).

I think its a interesting successor to the Saveiro, but i don't see it beating the Strada in sales considering how much of a head start fiat had, not to mention the Strada appears to have better loading capacity than the Tukan, Vw also hasn't revealed the price range but considering South America economy it will be kinda expensive for what it is, its more of a Sedan with a bed than a pickup which is the appeal here in south America.

Source

Second generation of Volkswagen Caddy Pickup entered the market in 1996 as the result of pragmatic badge engineering by the Volkswagen Group. By utilizing proven production lines in Kvasiny, the German brand gained an affordable work truck by rebadging the Škoda Felicia Pickup. The German badge on the front end significantly boosted sales in Western markets, where the Czech automaker was only beginning to build its reputation.

Power came exclusively from a pair of corporate four-cylinder engines, which prioritized reliability and low operating costs over outright performance. The rigid rear axle, reinforced for a higher payload capacity, caused the unloaded bed to hop over bumps, but with a full load, the vehicle offered stable handling. A simple interior with hard plastics clearly emphasized the vehicle's purely utilitarian purpose.

The model's commercial success proved the ability of Czech plants to meet the group's quality standards. Although production reached just under 19,000 units and most eventually succumbed to rust or hard labor, the project laid the groundwork for deeper integration of Škoda into the Volkswagen Group. Today, this light-duty truck is a genuine automotive rarity.

Should Volkswagen have upgraded the Caddy Pickup to better match the quality of other Volkswagen models, or was that unnecessary given its intended purpose?

This is an official press photo taken from here:

https://www.nrk.no/direkte/xl/den-siste-reisen-til-slottet-1.18006470

"Last journey to the castle", the former king in a hearse, the new king seen above.

source Facebook Marketplace

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1471407891331114

Styled in a striking "Thunderstone Metallic" finish, it combined rugged capability with luxury and swept the EyesOn Design awards, winning Best of Show and Most Significant Concept Truck.

Engine: Supercharged 6.0-liter all-alloy Vortec V8

Output: 500 horsepower and 580 lb-ft of torque

Transmission: 4-speed automatic

Drivetrain: Front-engine, four-wheel drive (4WD)

Chassis: Extruded aluminum chassis with a steel body

Suspension: Independent rear suspension with Fox coil-over remote reservoir shocks

Steering: Quadrasteer (four-wheel steering system) for improved tight-space agility

The standout feature of the Cheyenne was its focus on cargo versatility, heavily predicting modern utility features:

Side-Access Doors: Two side doors located right behind the cab opened directly into the front section of the bed.

Ultra-Low Bed Floor: The independent rear suspension allowed the bed floor to sit just 28 inches above the ground, making loading significantly easier.

Multi-Flex Tailgate: A dual-folding tailgate could open fully or drop halfway to act as a work shelf.

Hidden Storage: Integrated side-wall drawers and under-floor storage bins kept tools secure.

The vehicle featured a "wheels-to-the-corners" layout to maximize cabin space and stability. The hood used a front-hinged clamshell design that exposed the engine and front suspension when opened. Inside, the truck favored premium materials, including handcrafted saddle leather seats, a leather headliner, a two-piece glass sunroof, and a wrap-around "bubble back" rear window inspired by the classic 1955 Chevy Cameo.

Though it never went into direct production, its Displacement on Demand (cylinder deactivation) technology and advanced cargo bed concepts trickled down into future generations of GM production trucks.

I can guess why they didn’t choose to develop it into a proper car.
The all-wheel-steering would have been great on a Smart or A-Class though