Wipes dust off topic
1974: Thinking Too French
Okay, so. The facelift on the second gen Foreia lasted quite a bit. Because for once, it was gorgeous, and… also because FAAL has been experimenting a bit too much in the late sixties and early seventies.
Y’know. The whole “let’s get crazy, it’s not like we’re finally gonna notice we’re gonna run out of oil, thus driving the price of petrol through the roof, right? … … Right?”
…
Hmpf.
So, yeah. FAAL has been experimenting. New body styles, new drivetrains, new engines.
Especially some weird dorito looking thingy that was supposed to make more power in a smaller package with fewer moving parts, and was the future of the combustion engine. Pretty neat… So neat, in fact, that the whole 1975 redesigned Foreia lineup was to run on those. They were even gonna release a car more luxurious than the Foreia: the KLINOS, who was running not two, but THREE doritos in a row.
…
except, well, 1973 happenned.
Every single engine experimentation grew obsolete. There was no point. As for the Foreia III, well… They had to release it with engines derived from the 1965 Mesaia GTI’s 184S block, which also powered the outgoing Foreia… At least it still fit the “Today’s performance engine is tomorrow’s efficient engine” theme, I guess?
1974 Foreia
Yo wtf is that bodytype?
Issa l i f t b a c c.
Some weird study determined that people loved hatchbacks for their practicality… But also sedans for their prestance. So, by combining the two, FAAL hoped to attract twice the buyers.
And wtf is that nose?
Issa
a e r o d y n a m i c b o y e
Efforts have been made to make the car as aerodynamic as possible with that profiled nose, fewer openings than in the previous generation Foreia (which was pretty much a brick compared to this one), and more efficient, smaller engines.
As a result, with a slightly bigger (4.49m VS 4.42m) and infinitely more spacious (3469L vs 2265L of passenger area) car, not only the weight was roughly the same, but the power figures were slightly better (though not matching the competition anymore) and fuel consumption too.
Okay, okay… But WTF is that plastic trim that goes all around the windshield and meets with the back window?
French quirks. Don’t ask, idfk.
Apart from that, the car had a longitudinal FWD layont and kept the semi trailing arms rear / McPherson front suspension setup of the outgoing model. The chassis was galvanized, though.
Down with FAAL’s model designation, instead of Foreia 162, 182M, etc… you get engine displacement and trim in clear view at the back of the car.
At launch, two trims available, with two engines:
Foreia 1.6 BL
Basic seats, basic AM radio with two speakers in the dash, three point seat belts, power steering, a big clock instead of a tach.
15" steelies with 165/80R15 tires
Plastic trim galore
1.6L 184S16Ce2UE engine which is an evolution of the 1.6 184S from the previous generation Foreia, running unleaded fuel, with hypereutectic cast pistons. At 71hp, it’s four hp stronger than its predecessor… Aaah Rotary, why hast thou faileth me.
Oh yeah, fuel consumption: 12.9L/100 instead of 13L for the outgoing 162
(here in Blanc Banquise)
Foreia 1.8 GL
Standard seats, standard 8 track, still only two speakers.
Extra cladding.
Alloy wheels with optional body colour wheel paint.
Half chrome door handles, and chrome grille.
16" alloy wheels with 185/65R16 tires
1.8L 184S18Ce2UE engine, evolution of the outgoing unit with the same changes as the 1.6 on the BL. 85hp, and a fuel consumption almost 1L/100 less than the outgoing model.
(Here in Bleu de Game Crashed and for some reason I need to reinstall it to see my database again and I can’t remember my colour names by heart so bear with me)
And that’s it.
Yep. No L trim equivalent with 6 cylinder engine and hydropneumatic suspension.
…
Unless…
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