A new post will appear in the near future 
10 Likes
Salon Street
1961-1975
People's (sports) car
Engines:
60hp 1.4L OHV B4
72hp 1.7L OHV B4
86hp 2.0L OHV B4
Gearboxes:
4-speed manual
Weight:
767-987kg
Chassis:
Steel monocoque
Steel panels
MacPherson front suspension
Solid Axle Leaf rear suspension
Driving wheels:
Front
In 1956, a concept of a comfortable, sleek and small car was created in the Salon engineering department. The car had a fibreglass body construction on the existing Salon 923 chassis, which had proved itself to be a very stable and relatively comfortable to drive, although slightly prone to understeer. The point of this experiment was to create a GT/Sports car, for as little money as possible. The base model of this car should be at a similar price point to the top-spec Salon 923, which meant that engineers would have to get creative.
The release date was pushed some years forward, as it was decided that this car would be using the chassis of the next generation 923 (Which would be released in 1963 as the Salon Amigo), since despite its stability, the existing chassis was most definitely not fit for anything remotely sporty. It was also made clear that this car has to be only a 2-seater, as concerns arose about internal competition with the Salon 923, which would have higher profit margins than this almost-a-sports car.
In the late 1950s it was very clear that Salon would need to bring out something interesting for the global market, while the current lineup of the 3 main cars was solid and proven to be sensible vehicles, the brand lacked any interesting cars that would bring customers to the showrooms. A strict schedule was created, where the release date was set to 1961, and the car would be the first one to use the new generation of Salon underpinnings that would appear in the mainstream models a few years after this new budget sports car. This decision was made on the basis of ironing out the issues that might appear with the new generation parts, before the passenger cars with higher profit margins hit the market.
In 1961, the car finally appeared in the showrooms, along with the new PA22 van. The car was known as the Salon Street, being the second car after the Petit to have an actual name. Unlike the original 1956 concept, the body was made out of steel, as the concepts made out of fibreglass didnât offer favorable results. Street was also priced far below the competition which made the car rather desirable, even if it was clear that the car used the same interior parts from the existing cars, as well as engines and transmissions that were slightly tuned to achieve a more sporty performance. The design was also quite conservative by 1961, but many could overlook that fact since the car still had a rather elegant design.
The Street was offered in 3 main trims, Special being the basic configuration, Deluxe being midrange, and Super the highest end model. 1.4L, 1.7L and 2.0L engines were available, a familiar selection from existing Salon models. In usual Salon fashion, the car was front-wheel drive, which might seem like an odd choice for a sports car, but as the car used the underpinnings that were meant to be shared in the next generation front-wheel drive family car, the engineers just had to make sure they could get all of the cornering out of the front-drive setup they could.
Reviewers deemed the car to be far more modern-feeling than the rest of the Salon lineup, but compared to other sports cars of the same size, the Street clearly wasnât performing as well. Due to the front-wheel drive construction the car was more prone to understeer compared to small RWD British sports cars, and the 60 horsepower of the base model wasnât exactly a huge amount, but the low weight of the car made it surprisingly nimble. Despite some of the drawbacks and compromises, the car was praised for being surprisingly refined for the price, and it offered a quieter ride than most of the cars in the price range. While the car is quite small, the amount of legroom was quite generous as there werenât any backseats taking up space in the cabin. Headroom and shoulder room were acceptable for the size of the car, and the luggage space was deemed adequate for this sort of a car.
This low-priced âsportsâ car proved to be a bit of a success as it simply was a great deal, the base model being only slightly more expensive than the top-spec 923. While it was designed to be a sports car, it was also a popular hypermiler (before the term even existed), as the small engines, low weight and relatively aerodynamic body made the car quite fuel-efficient while remaining somewhat comfortable unlike the other fuel-efficient competition of the era. Some even modified the interior of the car by installing rear seats, so it could be used as a family car, although a very uncomfortable one if you were unfortunate enough to be placed in the rear seats.
Street ended up helping Salon to gain a stronger foothold on the foreign markets alongside the Petit, bringing a bit more charm to the brand. The United States ended up being the most profitable market for the Street, especially during the final years of the Street production in the early 1970s, during the fuel crisis. Despite that, the safety concerns of this late 1950s design resulted in the decision to discontinue the first generation street in 1975, after a 14-year production run. The Street was also the last car to use the Salon boxer engines, as other models in the lineup had abandoned the old boxer designs by the early 1970s, but due to the low bonnet line of the Street, the newer OHC inline engines released in the mid 1960s wouldnât fit in the engine bay.
Engines:
60hp 1.4L OHV B4
72hp 1.7L OHV B4
86hp 2.0L OHV B4
Gearboxes:
4-speed manual
Weight:
767-987kg
Chassis:
Steel monocoque
Steel panels
MacPherson front suspension
Solid Axle Leaf rear suspension
Driving wheels:
Front
In 1956, a concept of a comfortable, sleek and small car was created in the Salon engineering department. The car had a fibreglass body construction on the existing Salon 923 chassis, which had proved itself to be a very stable and relatively comfortable to drive, although slightly prone to understeer. The point of this experiment was to create a GT/Sports car, for as little money as possible. The base model of this car should be at a similar price point to the top-spec Salon 923, which meant that engineers would have to get creative.
The release date was pushed some years forward, as it was decided that this car would be using the chassis of the next generation 923 (Which would be released in 1963 as the Salon Amigo), since despite its stability, the existing chassis was most definitely not fit for anything remotely sporty. It was also made clear that this car has to be only a 2-seater, as concerns arose about internal competition with the Salon 923, which would have higher profit margins than this almost-a-sports car.
In the late 1950s it was very clear that Salon would need to bring out something interesting for the global market, while the current lineup of the 3 main cars was solid and proven to be sensible vehicles, the brand lacked any interesting cars that would bring customers to the showrooms. A strict schedule was created, where the release date was set to 1961, and the car would be the first one to use the new generation of Salon underpinnings that would appear in the mainstream models a few years after this new budget sports car. This decision was made on the basis of ironing out the issues that might appear with the new generation parts, before the passenger cars with higher profit margins hit the market.
In 1961, the car finally appeared in the showrooms, along with the new PA22 van. The car was known as the Salon Street, being the second car after the Petit to have an actual name. Unlike the original 1956 concept, the body was made out of steel, as the concepts made out of fibreglass didnât offer favorable results. Street was also priced far below the competition which made the car rather desirable, even if it was clear that the car used the same interior parts from the existing cars, as well as engines and transmissions that were slightly tuned to achieve a more sporty performance. The design was also quite conservative by 1961, but many could overlook that fact since the car still had a rather elegant design.
The Street was offered in 3 main trims, Special being the basic configuration, Deluxe being midrange, and Super the highest end model. 1.4L, 1.7L and 2.0L engines were available, a familiar selection from existing Salon models. In usual Salon fashion, the car was front-wheel drive, which might seem like an odd choice for a sports car, but as the car used the underpinnings that were meant to be shared in the next generation front-wheel drive family car, the engineers just had to make sure they could get all of the cornering out of the front-drive setup they could.
Reviewers deemed the car to be far more modern-feeling than the rest of the Salon lineup, but compared to other sports cars of the same size, the Street clearly wasnât performing as well. Due to the front-wheel drive construction the car was more prone to understeer compared to small RWD British sports cars, and the 60 horsepower of the base model wasnât exactly a huge amount, but the low weight of the car made it surprisingly nimble. Despite some of the drawbacks and compromises, the car was praised for being surprisingly refined for the price, and it offered a quieter ride than most of the cars in the price range. While the car is quite small, the amount of legroom was quite generous as there werenât any backseats taking up space in the cabin. Headroom and shoulder room were acceptable for the size of the car, and the luggage space was deemed adequate for this sort of a car.
This low-priced âsportsâ car proved to be a bit of a success as it simply was a great deal, the base model being only slightly more expensive than the top-spec 923. While it was designed to be a sports car, it was also a popular hypermiler (before the term even existed), as the small engines, low weight and relatively aerodynamic body made the car quite fuel-efficient while remaining somewhat comfortable unlike the other fuel-efficient competition of the era. Some even modified the interior of the car by installing rear seats, so it could be used as a family car, although a very uncomfortable one if you were unfortunate enough to be placed in the rear seats.
Street ended up helping Salon to gain a stronger foothold on the foreign markets alongside the Petit, bringing a bit more charm to the brand. The United States ended up being the most profitable market for the Street, especially during the final years of the Street production in the early 1970s, during the fuel crisis. Despite that, the safety concerns of this late 1950s design resulted in the decision to discontinue the first generation street in 1975, after a 14-year production run. The Street was also the last car to use the Salon boxer engines, as other models in the lineup had abandoned the old boxer designs by the early 1970s, but due to the low bonnet line of the Street, the newer OHC inline engines released in the mid 1960s wouldnât fit in the engine bay.
18 Likes
Very nice! Really like how you did the tail lights on that.
3 Likes
923 Update: I remade the car!
The design I made back in early 2022 was starting to look rather clunky, so some time ago I reimagined the 923 design completely.
Letâs also not forget the facelift:
Now the question is, should I redesign the 518 as well?
13 Likes
I am having no inspiration at the moment for a 1960s large Salon sedan (For around the model year 1962-1964)
Suggestions on what I should consider looking at for ideas would be appreciated!
This car would be a rival to cars such as Plymouth Valiant and Volvo 164.
Possible inspirations to look at?
GAZ Volga
Toyota Crown
Fiat 2300
Ford Zephyr-Zodiac
BMC Farina saloons
Vauxhall Cresta
Something like a Farina would be a good inspiration (especially considering the appaling state of the 1960s bodies in automation- pretty much all of them are too american or outdated and broken, or have the headlight âbumpsâ like the cortina body, which I probably have to end up using)
Thank you for the great list though!
Replacing the car of the people
Part 1: Project 922-B 𢥠Salon Sprint
1963-1975
Note: items in brackets â( )â are exclusive to the 1971 facelift model
Engines:
37hp 0.9L OHV B4
45hp 1.1L OHV B4
53hp 1.3L OHV B4
(42hp 1.0L OHC i4)
(50hp 1.2L OHC i4)
(61hp 1.4L OHC i4)
Gearboxes:
4-speed manual
(5-speed manual)
Weight:
708-788kg
Chassis:
Steel monocoque
Steel panels
MacPherson front suspension
Solid Axle Leaf rear suspension
(Semi trailing arm rear suspension)
Driving wheels:
Front
As soon as the Salon Street production had started, and the issues with its platform sorted out, all attention of the engineers and designers was focused on the replacement of the aging 923 series of cars. As planned, the new compact family cars would be heavily based on the same mechanicals that the Street used, reducing engineering time drastically. It was important to get the new series of cars out quickly, as the old model already appeared old-fashioned. To make matters more serious, it was expected that the import limitations of western cars would be lifted in the following years, which meant the domestic car market would become much more competitive.
Original plan was to create a single new car that would have mostly the same form factor as the 923, but there was a lot of heated discussions within the company regarding what the new car should be like. Others were on the side of making a conservative family saloon, and others were very keen on making a car of an unique form factor, sort of a sedan-wagon combination, that had a similar compact 2-box shape as the 923, but with a more wagon-like rear opening.
It was soon discovered that the Street platform was more flexible than originally expected, which meant that two new models could be created with relatively low cost. One that is slightly shorter and narrower, and one slightly larger than the 923. The smaller car would be the more innovative kombi-sedan, with the project name 922-B, and the larger, more conservative family saloon would be known as 1124-B.
Despite having a slightly shorter wheelbase, the 922-B would be targeted more towards the current 923 customers, being the cheaper model out of the two, and having similar trim level options to the 923. This meant basic equipment and a 900cc engine for the base model, and going up to 1300cc with the higher end trims. 922-B was also trying to achieve the same goal as the 923 when it was released in 1950, by being different from the competition. With the 923 the standout difference was the FF Boxer engine layout, but with the 922-B which shares such a setup, the standout difference would be both the sedan-wagon form factor. This would be later known as the hatchback which would start gaining more popularity as the 1960s roll into the 1970s, with the release of such cars as Fiat 127 and Renault 5.
Another standout design choice would be the design itself, as the car would be designed to have a very modern, squared-off look with much less round corners and soft edges than the previous models from Salon. This âboxierâ design served two purposes; making the car look modern but also maximizing interior and cargo space of such a small car.
In 1963, the 922-B, now known as simply the Salon Sprint, was released to the public. It was the third cheapest car in the lineup, after the Salon Petit and the older 518. The Sprint was mainly available in two shapes, as a hatchback and as a slightly longer wagon variant. The public was intrigued about this new offering from Salon, as it looked like nothing else in the lineup at the time. Reviewers werenât quite as impressed though, as the mechanicals were nothing new at this point, some even calling the Sprint a âdeflated 923â, despite the more refined chassis that was introduced with the Street. The Sprint did end up feeling slightly more cramped inside compared to the car it replaced, due to the shorter wheelbase and slightly lower roofline. Despite these flaws, the car started selling with moderate success in the domestic and surrounding European market, and the Sprint did start to make more sense as the 1124-B project, now known as the Amigo was released soon after, as it filled the gap that had appeared between the Sprint and the larger car models from Salon.
First generation of the Salon Sprint continued selling in decent numbers in the 1960s, but it received very little love from the United states, where it was seen as a bit of an unfashionable and slow little car, and the hatchback shape was also somewhat divisive within the customer base. In Europe Sprint was a relatively competitive car to cars of similar size and price range, such as the Austin A40 Farina and VW Beetle, and sales numbers were quite constant throughout the decade, partly thanks to the forward-thinking design, and affordable price.
As the year 1970 got closer, it was clear that a replacement for the Sprint would be relevant soon. The outgoing model still had a shape that was rather modern, so it was decided that the car would be facelifted instead of releasing a completely new model quite yet. Suspension and engines would see changes in the facelift model though, as engineers wanted to test the next-generation parts in the existing Sprint bodyshell. This meant the car received semi-independent rear suspension, as well as a completely new series of engines. The engines would be from the Salon OHC series of engines, which were inline engines unlike the boxer engines found in most Salons previously. Engine sizes would also get a bump, the base model now having a 1 Litre engine instead of 900cc, and the largest engine option would be a 1.4l variant.
Facelift model quietly appeared in the showrooms in 1971, with very little advertising. The facelift felt far more modern than the existing car thanks to the mechanical changes, but the looks of the facelift were considered cheap and less likeable than the old model. In the end, the facelift model ended up being more unpopular than the 1960s model, and was overshadowed by various superminis released in the early 1970s such as the previously mentioned cars by Renault and Fiat.
Another fact that brought a bit of trouble for Salon in the 1970s was the release of a new car model from the Soviet Union, known as the âLadaâ. In the early 70s, a Lada was an incredible deal compared to other cars in the price range, usually offering more space and features and superb heating. Compared to the Sprint which competed in the same price range in the finnish market, most would see a Lada as a better purchase for its 4 doors and larger interior, with similar specs otherwise, unless they happened to be ideologically against buying an âeastern productâ.
Having learned from this facelift, the next generation of Sprint would take design cues from the pre-facelift rather than the unremarkable facelift model.
8 Likes
Replacing the car of the people
Part 2: Project 1124-B 𢥠Salon Amigo
1963-1975
Note: items in brackets â( )â are exclusive to the 1971 facelift model
Engines:
45hp 1.1L OHV B4
53hp 1.3L OHV B4
60hp 1.6L OHV B4
65hp 1.7L OHV B4
73hp 2.0L OHV B4
(50hp 1.2L OHC i4)
(61hp 1.4L OHC i4)
(70hp 1.6L OHC i4)
Gearboxes:
4-speed manual
(5-speed manual)
Weight:
818-906kg
Chassis:
Steel monocoque
Steel panels
MacPherson front suspension
Solid Axle Leaf rear suspension
(Semi trailing arm rear suspension)
Driving wheels:
Front
Work on the 1124-B happened parallel to the 922-B, which made it easier to focus on making this larger, more expensive car feel different from the smaller car, which was technically a very similar car. Most obvious difference would of course be the design, which was made with a modern shape in mind just like with the 922-B, but the rest of the design elements followed a more conservative line. The design work utilized more chrome and complex shapes, which made the car look more mature. Underneath the prettier looks the changes focused mostly on the engines and suspension, as the suspension was tuned to provide a more relaxing drive than the 922-B, and engine selection would start from a larger 1100cc base engine, and up to 1600cc in the first model year.
As the 1124-B was designed to appeal more towards the family car buyers, much attention was paid in body variants to make sure that the buyers had plenty of options to choose to fit their needs. 1124-B would be available both as a 2- and 4-door sedan, as well as 3- and 5-door estate. One interesting design quirk of the 2- and 3-door cars was the unusually long front doors, that were meant to make the entry to the backseats easier, but some thought that it made the car look somewhat odd from the side, and that they might be a problem in tight parking spaces. Despite the objections, the car would be released with the said long doors.
The 1124-B would be released a few months after the Sprint, and the model name would change to âAmigoâ as production started. Amigo ended up having a far warmer welcome than its smaller brother, but it was also battling in a tougher market, dominated by cars such as the Ford Cortina, Vauxhall Victor and Opel Rekord. Reviewers found the car to be a very tame car to drive compared to the competition, mostly thanks to the front-wheel drive layout. Small boot size was criticized, and as expected the long doors received mixed attention. Interior space was deemed average, but it was mentioned that the base model felt quite bare inside, and if you wanted equivalent comfort to the competition, you really had to opt for a more expensive, better-equipped trim.
Sales-wise the Amigo ended up being less popular than the smaller sprint in Europe, as the car was still rather unexceptional aside the front-wheel drive setup, and it still lacked the prestige the other cars in its class had. In the United States though, the slightly larger car ended up having more success than the smaller Sprint, and it was seen as a trendier, compact alternative to what the American brands had to offer, like the Corvairs, Ramblers, and Valiants. It was still considered somewhat slow though, and most of the cars sold in America were equipped with the largest engine choice of the first model years, the 1600cc B4.
In 1965, to close the gap between the Amigo and the recently launched large car, Salon Touring, a new series of Amigos were released on the market, with more prestigious features, and a new front fascia with quad headlights. This sportier and fancier series was meant to compete with cars from brands such as BMW and Triumph, which meant more powerful engines were needed. The new series of Amigos had optional 1700cc and 2000cc engines, which gave enough power for this light car to feel rather quick. The engines were still slightly undertuned, so that the new series of Amigos wouldnât eat into the marketshare of the larger, more expensive Touring.
Despite being quicker and more prestigious, the new series of Amigo cars didnât end up being good sellers, most likely due to being associated with the more basic series of Amigo, which had built up a reputation of being rather unexciting family cars. This meant that in 1971 with the Amigo facelift, the more expensive variants were dropped, and the Amigo continued only as a basic family car. Like the Sprint, the facelift would also include changes such as new semi-independent rear suspension and new engines. Unlike the Sprint refresh, the refreshed Amigos ended up being rather popular for the few years they were sold, as the new design language suited the larger car much better than the Sprint.
As the more higher-end models were cut out of the Amigo lineup, a new model was introduced to fill the gap between it and the much larger Touring, which would be known as the Salon Companion.
9 Likes
Salon Bonus
1964-1973
"Steel barrel on wheels"
Engines:
53hp 1.3L OHC i4
64hp 1.6L OHC i4
74hp 2.0L OHC i4
Gearboxes:
4-speed manual
Weight:
829-964kg
Chassis:
Galvanized Steel Ladder
Steel panels
Double wishbone front suspension
Solid Axle Leaf rear suspension
Driving wheels:
Rear
4x4
By the early 60s the largest car in the Salon lineup, the 1425 was starting to show signs of aging. Especially with the release of the new series of Salons, such as the Petit, Street and especially Sprint, the 1425 was in a desperate need of an update. The family car segment was going to be filled by the upcoming Amigo, and the executive class was planned to be replaced by a more modern unibody construction car by the 1965 model year.
However, the ladder-frame 1425 had the sort of ruggedness and stance that the new cars lacked, which launched the plan for a more utilitarian Salon. This car would be aimed for people living in rural areas with tough terrain, and would also be offered with a 4x4 configuration. However, the rural regions of Finland werenât the wealthiest, so the goal was set to make this new car be as cheap as the compact Sprint. Aspects such as comfort, style, and refinement would be compromised to achieve a low price yet high reliability.
During the planning of this new car, engineering department was busy developing the new series of Salon engines, this time inline engines with an overhead cam, with an aluminium engine head. These engines would make their debut in the new model. The engines were rather tall, which meant the engine bay would have to be taller than on some of the previous cars, which made the front end of the car rather blocky.
To save on deveploment costs, the passenger car would only be offered as a station wagon, but for commercial use panel vans, and later pickup trucks were also an option. This new model, now known as the Bonus, also had a tall side profile and rode rather high, which in later years started debates about whether or not the Bonus was the first ever crossover. Technically it would be close; a short wagon with a tall suspension and side profile, but the ladder frame chassis could also define it as a compact SUV.
The Bonus was ready to be released in 1964, and they had nearly managed to price the vehicle as low as the Sprint, only being slightly more expensive, but undercutting the similarly long Amigo by far. The compromises made on the car were quite clear: the interior was very barebones, the car rode just like the outgoing 1425 since it was built on the existing 1425 frame to save costs. Some argued it rode worse, since the taller suspension and taller profile made the car have more body roll. To make matters worse, this poorly sound insulated car also suffered from a rough, unrefined engine, as the inline OHC engine wasnt nearly as smooth and silent as the boxer engines found in Salon cars up to this point. The Bonus was also only offered in RWD or 4x4 form, making the Bonus very different from any Salon made up to this point.
The car appeared in showrooms to little praise. Due to the very un-Salon like nature of the car, it was offered in Salon dealerships as a âBonusâ sub-brand, the car having no signs of Salon badges anywhere in the car. This decision was reversed in 1967, due to customer confusion, and marketing difficulties.
The Bonus was a rugged and a tough car, but most buyers were not happy about the tradeoffs. Reviewers called the car a âsteel barrel on wheelsâ, but they did mention the car was practical and spacious compared to the competition in this price range. Trim levels in the Bonus ranged from the very basic âSpecial 13â with little to no chrome trim on the car, 1300cc engine and very basic interior, to âSuper 20â with two-tone paint, 2 litre engine and some luxuries such as a basic radio, chrome trim, carpeted floor and cloth seats instead of vinyl.
It was soon clear that the Bonus was a slow seller despite filling in a potential market niche. It saw minor success in the domestic market for the first few years, even less success in the European market, however due to its low cost it had a moment of popularity in the rural areas of the United States, where a tough, off-road capable and more conveniently sized car had a small chance of thriving. However the demand dried up within a few years overseas, especially as the practical pickup and van variants werenât available despite the plans to do so in the United States, due to the chicken tax being set in place in 1964. (A 25% tax imposed on foreign light trucks)
However, by 1971 it was clear that the Bonus couldnât survive the new decade, the final nail in the coffin being the competition from the eastern markets; Japanese cars started to gain popularity despite the skeptical attitudes toward Japanese cars, but even larger chunk of the potential Bonus customers went to Konela dealers, where one could buy a brand new Lada for basically the same price as the Bonus, while offering better equipment, better ride, and an interior that wasnât about as bare as one found in a military offroader. Last Bonuses were sold in 1973, with large discounts to get the remaining cars off the dealer lots.
Engines:
53hp 1.3L OHC i4
64hp 1.6L OHC i4
74hp 2.0L OHC i4
Gearboxes:
4-speed manual
Weight:
829-964kg
Chassis:
Galvanized Steel Ladder
Steel panels
Double wishbone front suspension
Solid Axle Leaf rear suspension
Driving wheels:
Rear
4x4
By the early 60s the largest car in the Salon lineup, the 1425 was starting to show signs of aging. Especially with the release of the new series of Salons, such as the Petit, Street and especially Sprint, the 1425 was in a desperate need of an update. The family car segment was going to be filled by the upcoming Amigo, and the executive class was planned to be replaced by a more modern unibody construction car by the 1965 model year.
However, the ladder-frame 1425 had the sort of ruggedness and stance that the new cars lacked, which launched the plan for a more utilitarian Salon. This car would be aimed for people living in rural areas with tough terrain, and would also be offered with a 4x4 configuration. However, the rural regions of Finland werenât the wealthiest, so the goal was set to make this new car be as cheap as the compact Sprint. Aspects such as comfort, style, and refinement would be compromised to achieve a low price yet high reliability.
During the planning of this new car, engineering department was busy developing the new series of Salon engines, this time inline engines with an overhead cam, with an aluminium engine head. These engines would make their debut in the new model. The engines were rather tall, which meant the engine bay would have to be taller than on some of the previous cars, which made the front end of the car rather blocky.
To save on deveploment costs, the passenger car would only be offered as a station wagon, but for commercial use panel vans, and later pickup trucks were also an option. This new model, now known as the Bonus, also had a tall side profile and rode rather high, which in later years started debates about whether or not the Bonus was the first ever crossover. Technically it would be close; a short wagon with a tall suspension and side profile, but the ladder frame chassis could also define it as a compact SUV.
The Bonus was ready to be released in 1964, and they had nearly managed to price the vehicle as low as the Sprint, only being slightly more expensive, but undercutting the similarly long Amigo by far. The compromises made on the car were quite clear: the interior was very barebones, the car rode just like the outgoing 1425 since it was built on the existing 1425 frame to save costs. Some argued it rode worse, since the taller suspension and taller profile made the car have more body roll. To make matters worse, this poorly sound insulated car also suffered from a rough, unrefined engine, as the inline OHC engine wasnt nearly as smooth and silent as the boxer engines found in Salon cars up to this point. The Bonus was also only offered in RWD or 4x4 form, making the Bonus very different from any Salon made up to this point.
The car appeared in showrooms to little praise. Due to the very un-Salon like nature of the car, it was offered in Salon dealerships as a âBonusâ sub-brand, the car having no signs of Salon badges anywhere in the car. This decision was reversed in 1967, due to customer confusion, and marketing difficulties.
The Bonus was a rugged and a tough car, but most buyers were not happy about the tradeoffs. Reviewers called the car a âsteel barrel on wheelsâ, but they did mention the car was practical and spacious compared to the competition in this price range. Trim levels in the Bonus ranged from the very basic âSpecial 13â with little to no chrome trim on the car, 1300cc engine and very basic interior, to âSuper 20â with two-tone paint, 2 litre engine and some luxuries such as a basic radio, chrome trim, carpeted floor and cloth seats instead of vinyl.
It was soon clear that the Bonus was a slow seller despite filling in a potential market niche. It saw minor success in the domestic market for the first few years, even less success in the European market, however due to its low cost it had a moment of popularity in the rural areas of the United States, where a tough, off-road capable and more conveniently sized car had a small chance of thriving. However the demand dried up within a few years overseas, especially as the practical pickup and van variants werenât available despite the plans to do so in the United States, due to the chicken tax being set in place in 1964. (A 25% tax imposed on foreign light trucks)
However, by 1971 it was clear that the Bonus couldnât survive the new decade, the final nail in the coffin being the competition from the eastern markets; Japanese cars started to gain popularity despite the skeptical attitudes toward Japanese cars, but even larger chunk of the potential Bonus customers went to Konela dealers, where one could buy a brand new Lada for basically the same price as the Bonus, while offering better equipment, better ride, and an interior that wasnât about as bare as one found in a military offroader. Last Bonuses were sold in 1973, with large discounts to get the remaining cars off the dealer lots.
11 Likes