What's the most amazing car from a minor-league car nation?

"MegaSuper" (megasuper)
04/12/2015 at 11:29 • Filed to: None

No disrespect meant by "minor". (I also meant "Minor-league car manufacturing nation" but it doesn't fit.) I just mean a car that's not from the USA, Japan, Korea, Italy, France, Germany, the UK, and I suppose Sweden as well. I will also exclude China and Russia, as they are a major manufacturers within their own domestic markets. I have no clue what to do with Romania, as Dacia's plant there is the 5th largest factory in Europe, so...maybe if there's something worth mentioning? So I'm mostly looking at this from a North America/Europe perspective, sorry! (It'd also be nice to keep this discussion to PRODUCTION car, but as you'll see below it can be quite hard to determine what is and what isn't just vaporware!)

So that leaves us with, off the top of my head:

The Netherlands: The first 4WD car was a Spyker, wasn't it? And then DAF was the first CVT, no? And then there's the utterly bonkers Donkervoort. Fabulous stuff either way. I hope to see more cars from this country. My Dutch friends tell me though that it's a non-starter. "We also invented the speed camera" and "too many damn traffic jams in such a small country, especially in the summer" they tell me.

Belgium: If you've ever played Gran Turismo, you remember the Gillet Vertigo. Did they ever make that thing? Where would you even go to buy one? Was it just vaporware? I think it's pretty spectacular. I've read that the more recent ones have Maserati V8s...wow.

Spain: SEAT and Hispano-Suiza right? What was SEAT like before they were part of VAG? Is there such a thing as a "classic" or "collectible" SEAT? There's also Tramontana and Tauro (no clue if these are vaporware or not.)

Czech Republic: Skoda...same question as above. Anything classic or collectable from them?

Australia: OK, maybe in Australia they're major league, but I know the Aus-market Ford Falcon and various Holdens get a lot of attention on here. (Plus Holden is on life-support ;_;) I thought I'd mention them. Such a shame the Ute never got exported. Oh yeah, and also representing Australia is Elfin and Joss. (Did the JP1 actually get built?)

New Zealand: Anything?

Canada: HTT Pléthore. Again, is it vaporware or not?

The extremely Canadian Frontenac was sort of its own thing, sort of a Ford, right?

The Bricklin SV-1.

Campagna T-Rex.

Lebanon: W Motors Lykan Hypersport. I'm guessing they were able to sell those 7 cars after all that promotion in Furious 7, haha.

Monaco: Venturi (based in Monaco from 2001 onwards): So maybe we can't include the pre-2001 Venturi Atlantique (WHAT A CAR). Did they ever build the Fétish? I'd imagine it looks pretty overpriced compared to a Tesla these days...Wiki claims 30 were delivered in 2011. Hmm. Never seen one on ExoticSpotter or anything like that.

Morocco: Wow, Laraki already has a 2nd model? (The Borac) Did they even deliver any Fulgaras? (I'm noticing a potential-vaporware trend here! Haha)

Denmark: Any Zenvo fans?

Ireland: Technically Delorean, right?

Mexico: I quite like the Mastretta MXT. (The car Hammond had to drive as "punishment" for finishing last in the race to the Mexico border. He alluded to his statements on Top Gear that provoked ire in Mexico.) Sort of Lotus-like. They could do quite well if the price is right.

Poland: Arrinera

What else did I miss?