Based on its success as a pure lightweight track toy, it was inevitable that the 1991 900SE would receive a worthy successor. The 950QD, however, would not be it; instead the model was an attempt to broaden the brand’s appeal and entice those with more demand for practicality. Featuring a 2+2 configuration and enhanced boot space, the inspiration was clear: Quaque Die, that is, Every Day.
Despite having largely the same floorpan and 2190 mm wheelbase, the car featured plenty to be excited about: an all-new 1.7 liter turbocharged powerplant helped mitigate the 80 kilos it put on, while the widened rims, rear disc brakes, and full-fledged ESC kept it firmly under control. The numbers spoke for themselves: 162 hp at the crank propelled 973 kilograms into corners at 1.11 Gs through a 5-speed manual, driving strictly the rear wheels only. The car did the 0-100 sprint in 6.3 seconds, and the quarter mile in 14.7, up to the e-limited top speed of 210 km/h.
It’s hard to imagine living seriously with the 950QD however: the enhanced boot was still pitiful, the plain and plastic-y interior was more cramped than ever, and the suspension would definitely shake your fillings out on a less than pristine city road. While the mileage was excellent, the maintenance costs made it less than desirable, even more so with the aggressive markup on the sub-$10k production costs. The car was a commercial failure, in which the marginal safety features also played part, and only 5000 were ever produced and sold; the design and tooling were not much later recycled for the proper deal, the 950SE. It has been more sought after since however: they largely survived thanks to the better rustproofing, so toss the useless weight out, maybe the successor’s larger engine in, and you’ve got quite a capable machine.