Blue Marlin Motori Auto & Žnoprešk Avtomobil

[NormanVauxhall]

[quote=“Razyx”]Nice these last cars, specially the Victoria, Narwhal and Teodora.
Keep it up![/quote]

Thanks, I’m really happy with the aesthetic results of them.

@squidhead

Serious brand recognition in work here. I love that.

Oh u! Too kind

After the launch of the Zap! the company economical situation allowed it to breathe again. The results were good and the technology debuted on the ZAP! was downscaled to cover the supermini segment, a segment that the Znopresk didn’t covered since the late 50’s.

Featuring the revised version of the 1968 SOHC 2valve inline 4 family debuted on the Z100.

Pictured here the experimental “world car” trim with: basic entry level with 5 seats, most economical and cheap to make 1 liter inline 4 with eco carb, drum front and rear, manual gearbox 4 speed and no entertainment.

Znopresk ZZ (MY1980)

1.0 Prima (market value for Fruinia)

[Speedemon]

If Znopresk was a real company it would crush evey single other company!

Good job!

[NormanVauxhall]

Blue Marlin America started in 1966 the first real steps to create a full american Blue Marlin, not anymore a european conversion for the american market. They started small, trying to squeeze out everything possible from a versatile compact platform.

In 1970 the BMA Californiana was presented to the public. Mild reaction welcomed the car, but the Italian HQ immediately see the potential to sell the car as a Premium Sport Car in the old continent, as the BMMA Tuna, sold as a coupe variant of the Dolphine. For the first time the car conversion was from America to Europe. Good job BMA.

BMMA Tuna

GTC-Sprint (market value for Gasmea)

[Awildgermanappears]

It reminds me of a certain Isuzu.

Also there should totally be a comparison between Pinto-bodied sports cars. I have already made one as well…

[abg7]

Even before I bought my copy of the game your company thread had me hooked with its rich and diverse history.

[NormanVauxhall]

The 1990 Znopresk Zap was a car on which ZM group put a lot of efforts and a lot of hopes.
After an undertone 2nd generation ZAP!, too wierd (as all the 80’s Znopresk were) and too boring, the engineering and design office started immediately after the cold reception of the press and the slow sales.

ZM couldn’t afford a failure so, along with the high tech mid sized inline 4 (mid sized for Italy and Europe!) under developement for the medium sized cars, a new small platform was developed taking care about the future technologies. The funding was high and the platform was designed to last for at least 10 years without major re-engineering and to be innovative.

At the end of the 1989 the car was shown at the Geneve Car Shows, featuring full indipendent suspensions, partial aluminium body (rarely seen for a compact car of the era) and the new 16v full aluminium block inline 4 ZL4Q-2014C. The car was launched in April 1990.
The car here shown is the mid trim with a mid range 1.4 16v injected inline 4 with VVT on intake ports (so fancy).

ŽNOPREŠK Zap! (3rd gen, MY 1990)

1.4i Linea (market value for Fruinia)

[NormanVauxhall]

Memories (now PAL version)

[Starfish94]

i remember that i have a vector m12 and i am totally kicking ass in gt2

[abg7]

Nice to see how you meshed your Zap compact with a dealership menu from the original Gran Turismo. That game featured only four Western manufacturers, all either American or British, so had Znopresk existed in real life, the developers would have seriously considered featuring it in their game!

[NormanVauxhall]

UPDATED VERSION HERE → Blue Marlin Motori Auto & Žnoprešk Avtomobil - #112 by NormanVauxhall

The first generation of Žnoprešk Zap! was in development since 1975 and was the most important car in the brand history.
It had the very complicated task to re-invent the entire brand perception in the car market.

Before this car, Žnoprešk brand was percieved as well built, but boring and very traditional in the design and in the engineering. Most of the Žnoprešk were still rear engined with a three box design.
But the Zap! car was designed to be cutting edge in every aspect, like:

• A hatchback design with front transverse engine front wheel drive layout and rear torsion bar. A totally new suspension system if compared with the past.

• A completely new fully aluminum inline 3 engine with 3 valves per cylinder (from 600cc to 900cc) featuring also a completely new Electronic Fuel injection system. Everything was developed with the help of the recently acquired BMMA and expected to be used also in possible smaller cars (like the ZZ).

• Also the name was a complete cut from the past. Instead following the usual “Z+Size+Displacement” formula (for example Z325 = Znopresk Size 3 2.5 liter engine) it had a name starting with the Z. The following cars will have the same formula, with longer names for bigger car and shorter name for smaller cars. (Like the small ZZ or the bigger Zest or Zenit).

The Zap! was presented right at the end of the 1978 with a warm, but not enthusiastic, reception and hit the market with a range of 3 engines and 3 trims in the 1979 proofing unexpected popularity.
The most important trim in the Director board strategy plan was the entry level one: the 800cc Prima. Featuring a very basic mass motoring, with decent performance and 5 comfortable seats.
Even if the EFi was available, for this trim a SU carburetor was fitted allowing the car a great fuel economy thanks to the 4th overdrive gear allowing a very small retail price of 5.992$

[color=#ffffcc]ŽNOPREŠK Zap! (1st gen, MY 1979)[/color]

[color=#ffffcc]800 Prima (market value for Gasmea)[/color]

The middle trim was the 900cc EFi Linea: fitted with radio, 5 speed manual gearbox, 5 doors, dented front fascia, catalytic converter and extra black plastic finishing, it was the “ideal” version of the Zap! The fuel consumption was higher due the cat, but it was necessary to commercialize the technology for the future.
This was the trim that everybody deserved to buy, drive and enjoy. 6.993$
[color=#33cccc]900i Linea Cat.(market value for Gasmea)[/color]

The upper trim was the 1100 Sala. The more luxurious version of the Zap, with better interior, automatic gearbox coped with the older 4 cylinder 2 valve SOHC engine from the Z200 series. Unfortunately the small power of the inline 3 wasn’t enough to make the car enough “fast” in the traffic with the torque converter.
[color=#990033]1100 Sala (market value for Gasmea)[/color]

A couple of year later, after the great sale results on the market, the ZRP tried to push the small inline 3 engine at its limit and beyond. In 1982 the 900 Sport trim was exactly that: the inline 3 beyond its limit.
An interior not very different from the 800cc Prima (but with rev counter and other dials to cope with the sporty expectation of the car) and the top trim looking exterior with a small wing in the back and forged allow wheels. The car had an amazing 65 horsepower out of the 900cc engine granting a decent sportiness sensation to the driving.
[color=#d92626]900 Sport (MY1982 market value for Gasmea)[/color]

Before the huge model revamping of the 1985, in 1984 the ZRP presented their own model of the Zap! for satisfy the request for a truly powerful trim (because the car can mount a bigger inline 4 engine, the one used in the Sala) and to test the MPFI system.
Available only in ZRP orange, with the same barebone interior of the Sport but 90 horsepower, a 0-100 sprint in 8.9 seconds and a top speed of 175km/h.
[color=#f7c06e]1300 ZRP (MY1984 market value for Gasmea)[/color]

[DeusExMackia]

I was hoping we might see a new Znopresk (or rather, an old one) with this new body, me likey!

[NormanVauxhall]

In the 1987 the 3rd generation BMMA Dolphine had a strong restyling that helped it to sell properly during the latest 4 years of its carreer.

Compared to the 1983 edition, the restyled version had partial aluminium body panels, revised suspension geometry that allows it to had installed an AWD system and new front and rear fascia.
The reception was warm, but not enthusiastic.

[color=#68696b]BMMA Dolphine (3rd gen, MY 1987)[/color]

[color=#68696b]1.9 Opicina (market value for Gasmea)[/color]

The 1.9 Opicina is the mid trim, with the perfect balance between price and percieved value, is the most sold one. It feature the revised full aluminum 1.9 liter inline 4 with 131 horsepower, pushing the car through 195/55 R15 rear tyres. As all the BMMA, it had 4 comfortable seats and a pair of driving gloves.

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[color=#841f20]1.9TS (TurboSprint) (market value for Gasmea)[/color]

The 1.9TS is the high-end trim featuring the 1.9 inline 4 engine. For this version BMMA had turbocharged the engine that reached a striking 195 horsepower. This, coped with the new AWD system, allows the car to cover 0-100km/h in 6.1 seconds.
The interior is the same of the Opicina, but with a couple of little gauges more on the dashboard.
A more mild turbocharged version of the engine was also available for all the 4 cylinder engine. It allowed a better fuel consumption then the naturally aspirated 1.9 liter granting also 15 horsepower more.

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[color=#dbb788]1.6 Gorizia (market value for Gasmea)[/color]

The Gorizia was the new entry level of the Dolphine, trying to gave an upscaled version of a not very well received Znopresk Zenit.
It feature a standard interior, a 100 horsepower 1.6 liter inline 4m and lack the aeropackage of the standard version. Still it had the ABS and the power steering like all the other trims.
The car was solid, but the market didn’t appriciate the effort enough to make it sold more than 1 year. Right now, it is more of a collector curiosity due the low amount of trim sold.

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[color=#505964]GT-Sprint-R (market value for Gasmea)[/color]

The GT-Sprint-R is the last step before the track version. It feature the 2 door coupe body, the famous inline 6 engine from BMMA, turbocharged with a peak power of 260 horses and the AWD transmission. It has only 2 seats but, unlike the track version, it is drivable, comfortable and it have a stereo system.

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[color=#2f2f2f]Sprint-R (market value for Gasmea)[/color]

The beast. The rough trackday trim for the one who dare.
This is the closest trim possible to the BMMA Dolphine Group B. Stripped out interiors, no sound syste, no power steering, no ABS.
357 horsepower of joy, or terror. Depends on your driving skill.

(don’t mind the 1986 Dolphine Mk.III of several post before… as soon I’ll decide to make a clear timeline I’ll get rid of all the discrepancy.)

[DeusExMackia]

Man that Sprtin-R trim is one determined looking thing!

By the way, that slightly faded blue you use with a lot of BMMA cars (seen here on the GT-Sprint-R trim), does it have a name?

[NormanVauxhall]

Thanks!

Yes, that color does have a name . Blue Marlin Metallic. (not much fantasy)

[DeusExMackia]

Nah! It’s a good name, and a seriously nice colour.

[NormanVauxhall]

Thank you very much.

[Rk38]

I have to say the whole line up looks great! I love the way that even the tamer sedan versions keep that distinctive B-pillar vents. Plus that Sprint-R is gorgeous excellent work.

[NormanVauxhall]

Thank you very much.
I’ve rationalised a bit the car, compared to the entry I’ve sent you for the CSR (i choose stainless​ steel for DeLorean reason…) but I’m very happy with the outcome.

Do you want the lineup file?

[Rk38]

Yeah, if you like just tell me which version you would like photoshopped and I’ll come up with something for you.

[Rk38]

Sorry for double post but here are the photoshops of the BMMA Dolphine complete with bonus Kurt Russel aka Snake Plissken driver