Trafikjournalen (Test: 1955 TORSHALLA POESY KOMBI)

[Knugcab]

REPRINT FROM #24 2000
REVIEW OF HIROCHI EXATIMA

BETTER LUCK THIS TIME?

The old Exatima impressed us in 1993, but when doing an in depth look, it was far from flawless. Now, after 8 years, we take a look at its successor.

The previous generation Hirochi Exatima was kind of a diamond in the rough. When it came out in 1993, it was a very pleasant car to drive to a very competitive price. The tradeoffs were, among others, disappointing crash test results and a build quality on the early examples that left much to be desired. When all those bugs finally were sorted out, the Exatima was actually a very good car - to a price much higher than it originally was. The buyers were a bit reluctant. Hirochi probably learned a lesson or two, at least we hope so, but to find out we have taken a closer look on the new Exatima, a car you probably haven’t missed. By now we have probably all seen the campaign where Hirochi is celebrating its 75th birthday by giving away 75 new Exatimas. But is it a car worth buying if you’re not lucky enough to get one for free?

DRIVING CHARACTERISTICS
A bit disappointing is that Hirochi now have abandoned their earlier double wishbone setup up front, and gone for McPherson struts. That generally means a bit more bland driving dynamics. A 0.89 G skidpad rating is by no means bad - but the previous generation felt more sharp here, and more well balanced. Also, the brakes are weaker than in the previous generation. 40.6 metres to a complete stop from 100 is still a good result, but the fading problems from the previous generations are still there. ABS is of course standard equipment.

Relatively compact dimensions and an easy to handle electric power steering means that the Exatima feels well suited to city driving. It is not as easy to drive as the most tiny cars on the market, of course, but still by all means pleasant in conditions like that.

VERDICT: ***

PERFORMANCE
107 hp and a 4 speed automatic may not sound impressive, and the car weighs in at almost 1300 kg, but fact is that its performance is adequate. 0-100 takes 12.3 seconds, top speed is 208 km/h, 80-120 takes 8.76 seconds and the quartermile is done in 18.91 seconds. Hardly a rocket, but you will keep pace with traffic without any major troubles.

VERDICT: **

COMFORT
Comfort is fair. Suspension has a rather soft tuning, the engine is well muffled and sound insulation is adequate, but it is a bit rev happy at highway speeds. Seating comfort is nothing remarkable, they are doing their job, but power steering and automatic transmission of course contributes to a quite relaxed driving experience.

VERDICT: ***

Small, stubby boot means that the space for luggage ain’t overly large. Of course, the upcoming station wagon version may solve that.

ROOMINESS & PRACTICALITY
While the luggage space is a bit small at 380 litres, but like the previous Exatima, the passenger compartment is roomy. Maybe the sedan body hampers some flexibility, but we still think that the Exatima is a decent performer here.

VERDICT: ***

EQUIPMENT
There is nothing special about the standard equipment here. It has most of the things you will take for granted today, but nothing more than that. The sound system has a quite tinny sound but at least features a CD player. ABS and power steering could more or less be considered standard in this class today, and is of course included here, too.

VERDICT: **

ENGINE AND DRIVETRAIN
The 1.5 litre inline 4 is maybe not impressive when it comes to pure numbers. However, it features all the latest technology like double overhead camshafts, VVT and VVL. It runs smooth, quiet and is very flexible with an usable powerband. A shame, though, that it could not be mated to anything else than an old fashioned 4 speed automatic, with no electronic management whatsoever. Also, the gearing makes it annoyingly revvy at highway speeds.

VERDICT: ****

QUALITY AND RELIABILITY
Gone is the questionable build quality of the past - the current Exatima appears to be about as well built as most of its competitors. It should not cause any major problems. What is amazing, though, is how well protected it is against rust. Probably among the best cars on the market regardless of class.

VERDICT: ****

ECONOMY
Even if the Exatima by no means is the price fighter it was once upon a time, $21500 is a sane purchase price. $640.95 for servicing is not too bloody and 7.7 litres per 100 km is an acceptable fuel economy figure. Ownership of an Exatima is probably not going to break the bank.

VERDICT: ****

SAFETY
Hirochi probably didn’t want to flop in crash testing this time too. This time, they seem to be almost sure about a 4 star Euro-NCAP rating. We almost dare to say that things like 4 airbags, headrests and 3 point belts all around, well engineered crumple zones etc. makes this one of the safest vehicles in its class.

VERDICT: ****

FINAL VERDICT: 29/45
The previous generation Exatima was generally a good car when it was released in 1993, but not without some major flaws. The flaws got sorted out as the years passed by, but at the same time competitors raised the bar and Hirochi couldn’t keep the pricing down.

Now 8 years later, competition have catched up, the new Exatima is not much of an improvement and it has a risk of being just one compact sedan among others. Absolutely not a bad car, just a bit anonymous, and if it will live for 8 years like the previous Exatima, we wonder how fresh it will feel by then?

Still, the Exatima is a good allrounder, and a bit cheaper than the outgoing model, so - why not?

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Thanks to @nicholasrams774 for the car!

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[Knugcab]

REPRINT FROM #16 1976
USED CAR REVIEW: THREE SPORTS CARS

THE CHEAP SPORTS CAR: A DISASTER OR PURE JOY?

Three good representatives of what a wallet-friendly used sports car could look like: A 1965 Mayster triumf (yellow), a 1969 Keystone Q2600 GP (dark green) and a 1970 RAUK PM3 (light green).

For most people, a sports car is of no use as a daily driver. Sure, if you don’t have a family, don’t care about practicality at all, and is willing to abuse yourself a bit to get that pure driving experience, it may be fine. Most of us won’t apply for that, though, and most of us aren’t made of money either. That means that a sports car is something that is out of reach, because it is simply too much money for something that is just a toy for adults. That is, of course, if you buy a new one.

But what if you are willing to sacrifice some of the new car smell and get one as a second car that might fit your budget? Is that actually a sane thing to do, or will it end up as a disaster? After searching through some used car lots, we found three good examples of what an used sports car could look like. A six year old RAUK PM3, a seven year old Keystone Q2600 GP, and the veteran of the gang, an eleven year old Mayster Triumf. How do they stand up when looking at them today?

Mayster Triumf: Sporty but sane

Thanks to minimalistic and timeless design, the Mayster still looks modern despite its old roots.

Despite its 11 years, our Mayster looked great on the outside. The reason is simple - its fibreglass body means that it simply can’t rust. Of course, nothing lasts forever, not even fibreglass, but repairs can be done quite easily, should for example a crack occur. It is also resistant for minor dings, since the material more or less springs back.

The fibreglass body covers a chassis that is of a space frame design, which is also quite resistant. Another interesting thing is that even the rear axle carries a double wishbone suspension. Other than that, it is more or less tried and true technology chassis wise. And results for the annual safety inspection shows results that are about average - except for better than average results on rust and steering related components.

The engine is a flat four, 1.6 litres and 87 hp. It is important that the twin carburetors are properly synchronized for the engine to run like it should, it should also be noted that since it features overhead camshafts, there should be no rattling noises from the valvetrain - that can be an expensive thing to fix.

Overall reliability is about average - the car is old and anything can happen, but on the other hand it is generally a simple car to work on. Our test example still felt fresh and could sort of be a testimony to a not too shabby build quality. It is not a very risky bussiness to buy an used Mayster Triumf, as long as you buy the right car.

For its time, the Triumf had impressive driving dynamics, being able to corner 1.03 G. It is a bit tail happy at slow speeds but can be driven very hard before something serious happen, and then it will be warning you in time by understeering. Brakes (discs up front, drums in the rear) stops the car in a short 35.6 metre distance from 100 km/h but are somewhat (not seriously) fading sensitive.

Top speed is 172 km/h, 0-100 is done in 10.6 seconds and it does 18.07 second times on the quartermile. On our test track, it managed a time of 2:42.07.

Comfort is not amazing but adequate for a sports car. It is not too cramped, seats 2 adults and 2 kids, 467 litres of luggage. Fuel economy is not too shabby either, 14 litres per 100 km, servicing and purchase price not the cheapest for an old car, but still not alarming for a competent sports car either.

If it is as nice as our example - not even an 11 year old Mayster Triumf is something you should be afraid of buying.

Keystone Q2600GP: Rusty but fast

Not everyone accepted the futuristic looks of the Keystone when it was released, but today they make the car look newer than what it is.

Unfortunately, we could already find rust on our Keystone. That is not too uncommon either. There is a regular steel body, on a steel unibody chassis and no efforts were done at all to improve the rust protection. If you are looking at an example, check it through for rust. Twice.

Other than that, the Keystone might not be the worst buy possible. Except for chassis rust, the annual safety inspections says that the results are about average. The feeling of build quality is quite average too, and it probably won’t fall apart in your hands. The six cylinder engine is a bit above 2.5 litres in displacement (2600 being a stretch for marketing), and is quite an ordinary lump, probably won’t cause any major troubles but the 90 degree V6 layout makes for a rough running engine.

Unfortunately, it feels less like a sports car than the Mayster. Being front heavy, the front end is plowing when cornering hard. 0.83 G on the skidpad is a joke compared to the Mayster, even if it is by no means dangerous. The brakes could not be compared either. 47.7 metres to a stop from 100 km/h is only considered average nowadays, and there is some fading problems.

The Keystone does not feature some overly advanced technology that makes it hard to work on, but servicing is more expensive than for the Mayster. On the other hand, fuel economy is better at 12.6 litres per 100 km, but keep in mind that it requires premium. But you can get a Keystone that is a couple of years newer for the same price as a Mayster, that should not be forgotten.

Compared to the Mayster, the interior of the Keystone feels like a crypt, and even the luggage area is smaller at 258 litres. The interior is more well appointed than in the Mayster, but overall the comfort is not better in the Keystone. Also, the Keystone is a pure 2-seater.

Performance wise the Keystone is fast, though, so it is maybe more of a gran turismo than the Mayster. 213 km/h top speed, 0-100 in 9.43 seconds and a 17.1 second quartermile time. However, it does the test track a bit slower in 2:44.63.

Our warning is to watch out for rust, but other than that, the Keystone might be worth a look.

RAUK PM3: Sporty swede

The Swedish pride has a more classic look than the other two cars, but many people finds it handsome.

The RAUK with its fiberglass body, and being the newest car in the bunch, still looked fresh of course. The pressed steel unibody underneath was not showing any sign of rust, either. It should be said, though, that RAUK bodies are of lower quality than Maysters. Look for cracks and shoddy repairs.

RAUKs generally pass the safety inspection with flying colours. They are better than average regarding rust, brakes and suspension related problems. Watch out for cracked windshields, failing seatbelts and door locks, though. The feeling of build quality is a bit kit car like, but there are no more troubles with the RAUK than with the Mayster or Keystone.

The RAUK has absolutely no comfort at all, though, saving weight has been their only priority. There is no comfort equipment, not even a radio, and the passenger compartment is even more cramped than in the Keystone. At 366 litres it offers more space for luggage, too.

The B20 engine is known from the Volvo Amazon and 140-series. That might sound like a safe bet but keep in mind that the tuning from 82 to 125 hp done by RAUK has not made the reliability of the 2 litre inline 4 any favours. It’s loud, runs rough and is nothing like the humble Volvo in your driveway.

Also sourced from the Volvo Amazon is the suspension. A bit more primitive than in the Mayster, which limits the cornering ability to “only” 0.99 G, and the tuning has made it a bit unpredictable. It feels like if it’s gradually turning towards understeer but the tail can snap out at quite high speeds - the RAUK is best suited for the hands of an experienced driver. Especially considering that there is absolutely none of the passive safety of modern cars to be seen anywhere inside it. But the brakes are good. Only needing to stop a much lighter vehicle than the Amazon, there is no fading and the car stops in 37.8 metres from 100.

Accelerating to 100 in 9.66 seconds and with a top speed of 219 km/h, the PM3 is decently fast. Quartermile is done in 17.34 seconds. And around the test track, it is quite obvious that the RAUK is the real sports car of the trio, 2:34.58 is 10 seconds faster than the Keystone.

The RAUK can be had for about the same money used as the Keystone. Servicing is a bit cheaper, but don’t buy the “RAUKs are made of Volvo and Olsson parts so you can get them everywhere” talk. So much special tuning is done that in most cases you can’t buy Volvo or Olsson parts and expect the same performance. The fuel economy is the worst of the bunch, though. 16.9 litres per 100 km.

So here they are. Three affordable used sports cars that you can buy without risking any major disaster. Which one you choose is really up to you, since they are completely different personalities.

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Thanks to @AndiD for the Mayster and @VicVictory and @HighOctaneLove for the Keystone!

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Player, choose your weapon!

• Mayster Triumf
• Keystone Q2600GP
• RAUK PM3

[Knugcab]

REPRINT FROM #16 1990
REVIEW OF HINODE TEMPEST GT

This is probably how most motorists will find themselves. Being passed by the Tempest GT.

“A wolf in sheep’s clothing”. We bet that most people are tired of hearing that cliché. But when it comes to the Hinode Tempest GT Turbo, that’s sporting an updated engine for this year, it’s at least close to the truth. Because absolutely nobody can accuse it for having an avantgardistic styling. But what’s worst, the bite or the bark?

DRIVING CHARACTERISTICS
For an unexperienced driver, the Tempest may feel a little bit scary to start with. It is easy for the wheels to spin loose and it is prone to wag its tail when accelerating from low speeds. However, the skidpad rating is pretty high at 1.01 G. When pushed hard it will gradually turn more and more against understeer, warning its driver in time.

What’s impressive, though, is the brakes. Stopping in 36.1 metres from 100 and with absolutely no fading, they are among the very best on the market. ABS is standard too.

When it comes to city driving, it is a bit less clumsy than the largest behemoths on the market. The power steering is of the variable type, giving it good feedback from the road and yet being easy to maneuvre in tight spots.

VERDICT: ****

PERFORMANCE
274 hp from its 2.5 litre inline six makes the Tempest a fast car. 0-100 is done in a fast 5.82 seconds, 80-120 in a blazing 3.31 seconds and it manages 13.98 second times on the quartermile. A 240 km/h top speed may not beat any records but with our speed limits, it is enough to lose your drivers license by great margins. The Tempest’s performance should really be more than enough for everyone.

VERDICT: *****

COMFORT
Of course, a sporty car like the GT Turbo has a quite stiff chassis setting. But the adaptive damping does help a little bit. Also the seating comfort is great, sitting inside well bolstered, supportive bucket seats. The engine is very quiet for being an high performance engine, and there is a fair amount of sound insulation. Steering is light, the clutch maybe not as much, as the high performance engine it is.

VERDICT: ***

ROOMINESS & PRACTICALITY
Being a 4 door sedan, it has an advantage over a sports coupé, which maybe would be the alternative for many buyers. The amount of room is not impressive, though, but fair, and even if it may not be comfortable for longer trips, the rear seat CAN fit three adults, it is not as contoured as in many other sporty cars.

At 460 litres, the luggage space is fair, if not excellent, but of course the sedan body means that there is not a lot of flexibility.

VERDICT: ***

EQUIPMENT
All you need and some extra gizmos over that is standard in the Tempest GT Turbo. Thick carpeting on the floor, nice velour upholstery, a leather wrapped steering wheel, electric mirrors and windows, a simple air conditioning system, a tape player with premium sound, ABS, alloy wheels, variable ratio power steering, limited slip differential and adaptive damping are just some examples. Sure, you miss out on the very latest and most advanced gizmos, but that’s more or less to expect in this class a drop below the most exclusive luxury cars. To most people the amount of equipment in the GT Turbo will be more than enough.

VERDICT: ****

ENGINE AND DRIVETRAIN
The inline six puts out 274 hp at 6600 RPM and 331 Nm at 4000 RPM. It is also very quiet and of course smooth, as the inline six it is. But there is still some turbo lag evident even if it is a lot tamer then some of the turbocharged engines in the 70s and 80s were. Overall, a very pleasant engine, almost a bit too civilized in a performance car.

Of course, being a sports model, the GT Turbo features a 5 speed manual. It works well but is nothing special above average when it comes to the feeling. With a quite close ratio it felt kind of sporty though and overall gearing seemed to be sane.

The standard limited slip differential is absolutely necessary, wheelspin is evident even with that one in place.

VERDICT: ****

QUALITY AND RELIABILITY
We predict the reliability to be about average. A buyer probably knows that it is kind of a risk to buy a car with lots of advanced technology. But the Tempest gives a feeling of being well built, and there was no squeaks or rattles present from the nicely finished interior. A galvanized structure and many body panels made of aluminium also makes it hard for the rust to get any grip of this car.

VERDICT: ****

ECONOMY
Honestly speaking, for what you get, $30100 AMU is not a bloody amount of money, and it will probably keep its value well. 9.7 litres per 100 km is also a good figure for a performance car like this. But the servicing is expensive at $1013.50 AMU. Maybe it should be said that a car like this rarely is a wise buy when it comes to economy anyway, but the Tempest GT Turbo is at least good for what it is.

VERDICT: **

SAFETY
The Tempest does not have all of the latest safety equipment, it lacks things like rear centre headrest, airbags and pretensioning seatbelts. But being a modern and well engineered body with decently large crumple zones, it should still be a relatively safe car, considering that it is larger than many other cars on the road too.

VERDICT: ****

FINAL VERDICT: 33/45

One of our favourites on the market at the moment. Strong words, but the Tempest deserves them.

No car can do everything, but for what it is supposed to be, a sporty family sedan, the Hinode Tempest GT Turbo is about as good as a compromise will get. The only major drawback we found was the expensive servicing, but there will never be any free lunches in this world. We are willing to go so far now, that we want to call the Tempest GT Turbo one of our favourite cars at the moment, and one of the best purchases you can make in its class.

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Thanks to @S_U_C_C_U_L_E_N_T for the car!

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[Knugcab]

REPRINT FROM #14 1987
REVIEW OF HAYAKU SEIKO

THE BLUE/WHITE CAR FROM KONSUM *

Both are basic, cheap transportation and both are the same colour. And while the bicycle isn’t without its good sides, the Hayaku has weather protection and a radio.

No, we’re not 100% serious here. You can’t buy a generic car in a generic blue and white box branded “CAR” for a low price at Konsum. At least not yet. But if you want to come close, the Hayaku Seiko may be the car for you. You don’t need to look twice to come to the conclusion that this is a car you buy for rational reasons and not out of passion. The question is however, is it rational enough to justify a buy?

DRIVING CHARACTERISTICS
They could be described pretty accurate with one word. Bland. The front wheel drive car understeers heavy already at slow speeds. Pushing it hard is out of the question. It manages no more than 0.76 G on the skidpad. It should be noted that it by no means equals a dangerous car - at least the Hayaku is warning its driver early and it is highly unlikely that most drivers will be pushing this to the limits since it is by no means inspiring.

For its class, the brakes are fair. By no means excellent, but fair. The stopping distance from 100 is 45.9 metres and they are somewhat sensitive to fading when loaded. There was no signs of premature rear lockup either.

In city driving, one could maybe complain a little bit about the lack of power steering, but the car weighs under a tonne, so it’s really not something that bothers a lot. Relatively compact dimensions are of course a good thing.

VERDICT: **

PERFORMANCE
The car is geared for economy rather than performance. That means that it eventually can reach a top speed of 178 km/h, but it takes forever to get there. 15.9 seconds to 100 is kind of sluggish by the standards of today, a 12.6 second time 80-120 also means that passing other cars requires some planning. The quartermile is done in 20.41 seconds. But with only 62 hp propelling the car forward, better should not be expected.

VERDICT: *

COMFORT
The suspension has a relatively stiff setup, making for a harsh ride. It doesn’t get better by the simple, kind of back-wrecking seats that does not offer much support. The sound insulation is sparse so the wind- and road noise will get annoying in the long run, but on the other hand, the engine runs pretty quiet and isn’t overly revvy. For shorter trips as a city runabout you can appreciate the Hayaku for what it is, but it is clearly not the car one would take on a long drive if there was another choice.

VERDICT: **

Big boot can swallow decent amounts of luggage

ROOMINESS & PRACTICALITY
Four doors is of course a good thing since many economy cars only have two - but maybe a hatchback would have offered better flexibility than a sedan body. On the other hand, the luggage space is decent at 458 litres, and the passenger space is not overly cramped either, considering the size of the car. At 551 kg, the cargo capacity is high for its class.

VERDICT: ***

EQUIPMENT
The only thing that you get, more or less, is a not too shabby tape player, that saves the car from scoring nothing at all in this area. Other than that there is absolutely nothing. Manual adjustment of the mirrors, vinyl upholstery, rubber floor mats and not even equipment we often take for granted today like a clock, interval wipers or reclining seatbacks. Flashy equipment like alloy wheels or technical advancements like anti lock brakes or power steering? Forget them. But on the other hand, this is an economy car so it is hardly surprising.

VERDICT: *

ENGINE AND DRIVETRAIN
The 62 hp, 1.4 litre inline four may be a bit gutless but it has a quite wide powerband at least. Fuel injection means less struggle with cold starting in a class where some cars still features a manual choke, and for what it is, it runs reasonably smooth and quiet. Technology is otherwise on par with most competitors, an all iron lump with a single overhead camshaft and 2 valves per cylinder. It has a catalytic converter, but of the old 2-way type so it is doubtful if it will cope with the more stringent regulations that is coming in a year, it is also less efficient, but of course, cheaper.

The gearbox is a 4 speed manual, but since the 4th gear is an overdrive, highway cruising is still pleasant, but it also means that there is a wide, almost truck-like spacing between the ratios. Not the most fun gearbox in the world - but it gets the job done.

VERDICT: **

QUALITY AND RELIABILITY
The Hayaku is all tried and true, simple technology. Things that does not exist will not break, and by now all the bugs should be sorted out. It will probably be as durable as a cockroach. Despite its low price, there was no signs of shoddy build quality anywhere. But we question the lack of rust protection a bit. Expect the car to be crusty around the edges in a few years if not being taken care of.

VERDICT: ***

ECONOMY
The purchase price is low at $12500 AMU, considering that it is a notch or two above the superminis in size. A low second hand value does not matter when there is not much to lose from the start. Servicing is also cheap at $421.20 AMU. But for a 62 hp engine we would maybe have expected even better fuel economy. 8.8 litres per 100 km are not really amazing figures - even if still good.

VERDICT: ****

SAFETY
Hayaku has not been cutting corners safety wise, it has the equipment that could be expected from a modern car, nothing less but on the other hand also nothing more. It is also probably a safer place to be in, should an accident happen, than the very smallest cars on the market. It fulfills all the european and american regulations at the moment, even if it hardly could be called a tank.

VERDICT: ***

FINAL VERDICT: 21/45
Don’t get blinded by the relatively low rating - the Hayaku Seiko is an appliance. It does its work and there is actually no major drawbacks that makes it a bad purchase, as long as you know what you are buying. But it is hardly more than an average car in any aspect at all either - and a very simple mode of transportation that should be treated as such.

But in our eyes, the Hayaku Seiko fills an important niche, an economical car that slots in between the superminis, that are too small for many people, or the old fashioned offerings from for example eastern europe, that may be larger but instead are crude and primitive. And as such, it is also a good buy in our eyes.

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Thanks to @Hilbert for the car!

• = “Blåvitt” (Blue-white) was a cheap, generic brand that was sold by the Swedish grocery store chain “Konsum” in the 80s and 90s, and the reference would have been spot on in a Swedish automotive magazine at the time.

[Knugcab]

REPRINT FROM #18 2015
CLASSIC CAR PAGES: HESSENBURG H100 T2

CAREER CHANGE: BUS DRIVER?

Some people will tell you that it’s not the right time to buy a H100 van anymore. That’s simply not true. Any time is the right time - it will not be cheaper the next time you look.

“A H100 T2? Sounds expensive, right?”

Yes, you are right. The chances of buying a cheap H100 T2 are gone since decades. But on the other hand, we wonder if every classic car has to be cheap? If you want to have a certain model that have gained in popularity, you probably have to accept that your wallet will be emptied too. Even if the hipsters would probably scream of joy, we won’t dedicate our classic car pages purely for obscure Mara models or faux woodgrain panelled IP Icarus station wagons spewing diesel smoke all over the highway. So, if you can’t accept our buyers guide of this popular and expensive model, browse some pages forward. We have an article there about how to do if you have gotten a faulty parking fine, and it will probably give a cheapskate like you some ideas how you should lie the next time you get a non-faulty one.

People are in love with the H100, and it’s no wonder why. In the 60s they were everywhere. From simple workhorses to the luxurious sunroof version pictured here. Everyone running a bussiness, small or large, seemed to have one. They were the obvious choice for anyone with a large family. And the Swedish army had lots of them well in use into the 90s, so most older and middle aged men have probably experiences from them, from when doing their service there.

But today it is different, like most workhorses, they have generally been abused to death. That have raised the value of the examples that’s left, since there is a cult surrounding this boxy van. But what are they like to live with, and what should you watch out for?

To start with, the comfort is actually decent for a 60s van, at least in the more luxurious variants. The coil sprung rear end is a notch above the leaf springs used by most vans, and in some of them you even got power steering. It should probably not come as a surprise that it is one of the more practical classics you could buy, either, and if you are running some kind of bussiness, think about the possibilities as a rolling billboard.

Boxy but hip. One of the most recognized shapes in the vintage car world.

Of course, it won’t be carving any corners but are more suited for relaxed cruising. The front-heavy front wheel drive layout means that it mostly wants to plow forward on its skinny crossplies. Neither does the engine want to go fast. Having fun is about other things than pure driving experience in a H100 (and if you want to use your wild imagination there, it is by no means our fault since this is a family friendly magazine). On the other hand, it is secure and stable on the road compared to many of its competitors, due to the front wheel drive layout.

Generally they are reliable, but of course, in 50 and more years, anything can have happened. The flat 4 is great in its simplicity, but servicing was not a fun task, crammed in under the front seats along with the transaxle as it was. Other than that, it is mainly tried and true technology. And most parts are still available from Hessenburg, since it’s not even 10 years ago when production finally ended in Brazil.

Rust? As in the case with any old car, yes. But the BOF layout means that the rust at least is “honest” most of the times. If the van is rusty, you will notice it.

Maybe the trap you should watch out for falling into is mainly owner related more than anything else. The H100 has been customized to suit the owners needs since new, with various results. Sometimes decent, sometimes a disaster, but we recommend you to look for one that is as stock as possible.

And the chances to find bargains when it comes to panel van or super bus versions are slim. The more regular passenger van versions are the ones that haven’t reached silly prices yet. So if you don’t want to pay an arm and a leg for one, that’s where you should look.

Who would have expected this in 1965?

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Thanks to @BannedByAndroid for the car!

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[Knugcab]

REPRINT FROM #19 1977
REVIEW OF THE CM SPANIEL

THE CAR OF THE 80s - TODAY!

The looks are controversial in the eyes of some people, but you should probably get used to them, we believe that this is how most cars will look like in the coming years.

The fuel crisis some years ago learned us lots of lessons. One of them was that manufacturers really needs to work on getting better fuel economy on their vehicles (in turn that is where aerodynamics will play a huge part), another one is that we need to ask ourselves the question if irrational, sporty cars that does exist just for pure driving pleasure really needs to exist (sob!).

With sporty ambitions in a practical 4 door sedan with a styling shaped by the wind tunnel, Cyanide Motors seems to have read the manual for building the car of the future already today. In theory. So, how well does the formula actually work out on the road?

DRIVING CHARACTERISTICS
The powerful RWD car is a bit tail happy, and even if it’s decently well-balanced (44% of the weight over the rear axle) the wheels will spin loose quite easily. We believe that winter driving with the Spaniel will need a set of good studded tyres to be pleasant. However, it doesn’t give any surprises when it’s pushed hard, even if the skidpad rating is a somewhat disappointing (not dangerous, but mediocre for the class) 0.82 G. 165 wide tyres are a bit skinny for a car with sporty ambitions nowadays so probably much of the explanation lies in there.

Something we liked better was the brakes. Pulling straight, with a decent 42.2 metre stopping distance from 100 and no fading evident. The Spaniel has 4 wheel disc brakes and the front units are vented.

A very exact and yet easy to turn power steering rack enhances the driving experience both on the highway and in the city. Since the dimensions aren’t enormous, city driving is far from a nightmare either.

VERDICT: ***

PERFORMANCE
145 hp in a relatively light car gives the Spaniel frisky performance. It tops out at 220 km/h, does 0-100 in 9.19 seconds, the quartermile in 16.86 seconds and an 80-120 time of 5.88 seconds means that safely passing other cars is done with grace.

VERDICT: ****

COMFORT
The passengers are sitting in comfy and well bolstered seats, surrounded by decent sound insulation that dampens the roar of the flat six very well (in itself a smooth unit and not overly loud). The suspension setting is firm but not stiff, the steering requires low effort. Don’t expect the Spaniel to be a luxury limousine, but it is comfier than both most regular family sedans and most of the sportier cars it is trying to compete with.

VERDICT: ****

ROOMINESS & PRACTICALITY
The luggage compartment is rather spacious, even if some people are sure that the car of the future should have been a hatchback, and well, we agree that it increases flexibility, but still the sedan is not dead in our eyes. It also offers decent space for its occupants, and four doors of course gives it an advantage against sporty coupé models.

VERDICT: ****

EQUIPMENT
Power steering is standard, as well as a good stereo system with tape player, velour upholstery, tinted glass, remote control mirrors (good, but why are they so small?), electric clock, tachometer, woodgrain inserts on the dash, leather wrapped steering wheel, dome light even for the rear passengers, central locking and a soft grip steering wheel, to name a few examples. What you don’t get is alloy wheels, but steel wheels with some cheap looking hubcaps on rather skinny rubber.

VERDICT: ****

ENGINE AND DRIVETRAIN
The flat six is smooth, has an useful power band, is not annoyingly loud (most of our testers liked the typical growl of the boxer, in fact), and overall a pleasant and modern engine with an overhead camshaft design and Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection. It also runs on unleaded gas which is probably good to know for the future.

Gearbox is a 5 speed manual that is smooth and pleasant to shift and gearing seemed to work well.

VERDICT: ****

QUALITY AND RELIABILITY
The Spaniel appears to be very well built, “like a bank vault” to use a saying we are all tired of, but in this case it is nothing but true. Not a single rattle or squeak were present and everything gives the impression to last forever. Predicted reliability is way above average, and rust protection among the best on the market. Nothing like Hetvesian engineering, huh?

VERDICT: *****

ECONOMY
A car this nice is of course not cheap. But $24700 does not feel too bad still, considering what you get. The aerodynamics haven’t really done wonders for the fuel economy since it still will need 11.8 litres per 100 km - but considering the performance of the vehicle that is still a good figure. Second hand value will probably be high too, we predict this to be a sought after car on the second hand market. At $827.70 servicing is not really cheap - as you might have been guessing of course.

VERDICT: **

Without knowing it, you are looking at things like energy absorbing bumpers, a surprisingly roomy trunk and effective crumple zones. The engineering is as futuristic as the looks suggests.

SAFETY
Worried about the plastic bumpers, huh? Don’t be, they take small dings better than the traditional metal types actually. And it’s what between the bumpers that counts when talking safety in accidents - and the Spaniel features lots of modern engineering there with well engineered crumple zones, a stiff passenger cell, anti intrusion beams in the doors, 3 point seatbelts and headrests on all outboard positions, a safe placement of the gas tank above the rear axle, and much more. Some crash testing done by the US government lately have hinted that the Spaniel actually offers more protection than some of the US land yachts because of its clever engineering.

VERDICT: ****

FINAL VERDICT: 34/45
Not everyone likes the looks - and that’s up to you to decide (but keep in mind that this sort of is a glimpse of the future). Other than that it is hard to find some major flaws in the Spaniel. Sure, it is maybe better suited for continental highways than for snowy forest roads in northern Sweden, and yes, it costs money, but you get what you pay for.

Even if we are usually careful with saying this, the Spaniel is probably one of the very best cars on the market at this moment. It is maybe not the car for everyone, but it sure feels a little bit like looking into the future already today.

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Thanks to @JANXOL for the car!

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[Knugcab]

REPRINT FROM #2 1978
REVIEW OF THE HANSEUNG SATURN

MORE FORGETABLE THAN FANCY.

Bold and bland at the same time. Maybe a strange way of describing the design of a car, but in the case of the Saturn, it is true.

“Hanseung? You mean the korean Hesselburg clone?”

Yes, we know that you probably think so when you hear about Hanseung but the times are changing quickly. For some years, Hanseung has been building their own cars now, and finally (?) they are arriving on Swedish ground. We take a closer look here at the large executive sedan, the Saturn, to see if it can match competitors from the west or if they still have lots to learn.

DRIVING CHARACTERISTICS
The Hanseung really does not like to be pushed hard. The front wheel drive vehicle is plowing hard on its skinny tyres at an early stage, a skidpad rating of 0.73 G is nothing to be proud of nowadays. The vehicle is set up more for relaxed cruising than for active driving, that means that power steering is standard. It works relatively well, not too light to lose all of the feedback from the road.

Brakes are fair but not perfect, with a stopping distance of 46.2 metres from 100, somewhat sensitive to fading only when loaded, something that probably could be solved with uprated brake pads since the korean originals seems to be somewhat questionable. They pull straight, though, with no premature lockup of the rear wheels.

Some wheel spin and torque steer is evident, but frankly, not too bad considering that it is a FWD car with quite a powerful engine.

But a car for the active driver is something the Saturn is not.
VERDICT: **

PERFORMANCE
133 hp does not sound too bad but the automatic transmission is chewing up a fair amount of them, and it is geared towards economy and comfort more than acceleration, meaning that it is not too impressive after all. A 190 km/h top speed, 12.5 second times to 100 and 18.91 second quartermile times aren’t too shabby but nowadays many executive sedans can reach those regions. Safe passing is not out of the question, though, with a 7.92 second time between 80 and 120
VERDICT: ***

COMFORT
The Saturn is not as well appointed as some of its competitors, with more rudimentary seats and less sound insulation. At least the V6 is not overly loud, and gearing makes the revs relaxed.

But the power steering is light, and the suspension is set up for a comfortable ride. Even if it is not cutting edge in any way, the Saturn still offers a decent amount of comfort.

VERDICT: ***

ROOMINESS & PRACTICALITY
The Saturn is very spacious both for passengers and cargo, stretching out the legs is not a problem in this vehicle. The somewhat limited flexibility of a sedan body is because of that nothing to worry about. At 530 kg the load capacity is decent, too.

VERDICT: ****

EQUIPMENT
The Saturn features some gizmos like power steering, alloy wheels and a decent stereo system. It also offers a canvas sunroof, which is something you don’t often see nowadays. The interior is more or less what you could expect as a minimum for an executive sedan, with carpeting on the floor, fabric upholstery, a rear centre armrest, clock, trip meter etc. - but no velour, leather or wood inside this cabin, and no electric gizmos like central locking or electric windows. But all in all, we see no reason to complain.

VERDICT: ****

ENGINE AND DRIVETRAIN
For being a V6, the unit is reasonably smooth and it is also well muffled. It needs some revs to really wake up but could still cruise on at a more relaxed speed without too much hassle. Fuel injection means that cold starting and throttle response are superb. It has an iron block, alloy heads and a single overhead camshaft for every cylinder bank. A modern engine that’s well suited for the car.

The 3 speed automatic takes some of the fun out of the engine though. Comfortable, yes, but boring with huge spacing between the gears and it eats lots of power. But sure, it is suitable for a car like this even if a 4 speed unit would have been a dream.

VERDICT: ***

QUALITY AND RELIABILITY
Predicted reliability is about average, and the car appears be about as well built as one could expect, too. There is really nothing special except for the galvanized underlying body structure that means that the car is decently protected against rust. The bad mouthing about Hanseung currently around in the US could be more of a bias against a korean vehicle than anything else, we don’t work that way and we could not find anything overly bad to say - but there are better competitors around.

VERDICT: ****

ECONOMY
$20 000 for an executive sedan is not too bad after all, but we question how well it will hold its value, it is thirsty on fuel (16.9 litres per 100 km) and servicing is not exactly dirt cheap at $773 AMU. Now, there is not many cars in its class that could be called “economical”, but some of them are better overall than the Hanseung even if sticker price might be higher.

VERDICT: **

SAFETY
The Saturn has all the latest safety technology and is probably also a very safe vehicle. It has 3 point seatbelts on its outboard positions, as well as headrests, the doors are reinforced, there is crumple zones front and rear, as well as a stiff passenger compartment, the gas tank is safely placed, the interior is well padded. Safety has not been compromised at the drawing board in this case.

VERDICT: ****

The Saturn is not a bad car in any way, but unfortunately it also challenges competitors that are much sharper, which will give it a hard time on the market.

FINAL VERDICT: 29/45
The Hanseung Saturn is a relatively nice car on paper, but it lacks soul. The korean engineers seems to have put a lot of effort in just making it good enough, but failed to give it anything that makes anyone desire a Hanseung Saturn.

Compared to a competitor like the amazing CM Spaniel, it has a low sticker price but loses in just about any aspect, and in the long run probably considering economy too, due to fuel thirst and questionable second hand value.

Still, it is hard to dislike the Saturn. It does everything it should good enough. And sometimes that is enough, like when we are talking small economy cars.

In this class we think that most buyers will expect more, however, so don’t expect a Saturn boom on the market.

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Thanks to @BannedByAndroid for the car!

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[Knugcab]

I am, once again, temporarily closing this for submissions.

And I don’t know if this is the right forum for being too personal, but I don’t want this “work” hanging above me now.

My grandfather, that is (hopefully ) turning 81 in a month, is in a very bad state now and it’s going rapidly fast. And sorry, I just feel that I have to vent this here. Because I don’t know how soon this is going down the drain, and if the worst should happen, I know that I don’t want to hear “hey, why haven’t you reviewed my car yet???”.

He might have had some strange ideas that was driving me nuts sometimes, but at the same time he has really been the most awesome man in the world and now when looking at it, he is probably the largest influence why I did become the man I am today. He sure contributed to me becoming a car nut, I remember that large parts of my childhood was spent riding around in the 1962 Volvo Duett he and my father had converted into a stepside pickup, looking for vintage car parts all over northern Sweden. Since the 1970s he has been restoring a 1929 Packard Roadster, a very impressive car and I have always hoped that he at least would get to drive it before he passes away. Now, there is only some small work remaining on it and I have been so hopeful that he finally will get to drive it, because he has been healthy for his age, until now, when the cancer that wasn’t even there half a year ago are spreading like crazy, and now I am doubtful that he ever will be able to enjoy all the work that has been involved in that project for almost 50 years.

He taught me to fish, to drive the tractor, to build things, to use all the tools, and much more. He learned me to think by myself and always be myself instead of just following the crowd without questioning anything. I realize now that nobody have influenced me as much as he had.

Sorry for the venting, it’s over now, but I need some rest from everything now, I will still do the cars you have sent me whenever I have the time and feel like doing it, though. I just dont want more of them in the queue now.

[T0M]

take care man. I hope u and your grandfather is doing well

[voiddoesnotknow]

take care man, just rest and look after your grandfather until he’s better again. after all, automation and the forums don’t come first, friends and family do.

i know what it’s like to have the threat of losing someone close to you, wether it be a friend, family member, or even a beloved car.

you have no obligation to make these reviews, heck, to even play the game. but you do, and you give us this amazing content for free.

nobody minds if you take a break, you deserve it honestly. just take it at your own pace and return when you feel ready.

take care man, -void

[DuceTheTruth100]

When it come to real life issues FUCK this game man. I wish you and your grandfather well bro, and I am sorry to hear that news.

[Vena.Sera423]

When it’s down to real life issues and emergencies, really who gives a damn about the games and communities in them. Especially if they’re being negative about you. Take this advice from one of the most hated players in this community.
Take the time to be with your grandfather. For everything we always wish for the best. Be there for them for better or for worse.
The game will still be here for whenever you are ready to take on the madness that is the Automation community.
I already lost all of my grandparents and nearly lost my dad and uncle to pneumonia.

[Knugcab]

Well, it’s not that I feel even a little bit sorry for this, at 35 I don’t let a computergame dictate my life, just that I want to give an explanation why I don’t want someone to stress me about this now. Sooner or later I’ll be back to doing this anyway.

[Madrias]

Hey, you do what you have to do. When it comes to family, spend time with them, because you never know how much of that time you have left. I had a bit of a scare a couple months ago with my 63 year old father and COVID (high blood pressure, pneumonia, and (thankfully) the most mild of mild strokes), and it scared the living hell out of me.

Cancer is an evil bitch. I hope that one day, we will have a cure for it and not just treatments for the symptoms, or treatments that can stop it, but are just as bad for us as it is for the cancer cells.

I hope your grandfather can pull through, and you take all the time you need to spend with him, no matter which way this goes. Family should always come first, and anyone who says otherwise can go get stuffed.

[Knugcab]

Yeah, but on the other hand, he is 81 and fact is, if it wasn’t this, it would be something else sooner or later (and probably not later), at that age you are living on borrowed time anyway. It has just been sad to see him in such pain. But I got some relief now since he is home from the hospital and in much better shape. Turns out that lots of the pain was caused by constipation because of his morphine pills, that turned into ileus. I honestly thought that it was a matter of days now, considering that it has been spreading to liver and lungs, and that he had such severe pain in those regions, now I have hope for some more time which is calming me down.

I know that this is the end anyway, but as I said, I try to be rational and accept that at 81, it is the end any way you look at it (I started to understand it five years ago when he had to do bypass surgery after trying to lift some truck wheels by hand all by himself, and yes, I know that I have the genes that will make me do the exact same stupid things when I get old just out of pure grumpiness, lol), and at least I am satisfied that his mind is still in good health because dementia is really nothing to wish even your worst enemies.

But as I said, I am just writing this because I rather make people understand here why I don’t have either the time or inspiration to review anything that is sent to me, rather than telling someone in anger to piss off via PM when I get a “when will you review my car” in my inbox at the wrong time… Not because I think anyone won’t accept my decision, or to seek any attention.

[Frostquake]

I am relieved to hear he is in better shape. I hope you both do good and I hope your grandpa gets more better soon. Take care of him and yourself. Nothing is more important than family.

[Knugcab]

REPRINT FROM #19 1980
USED CAR REVIEW: HESSENBURG C200 1700E

BARGAIN BEATER

The C200 Hessenburg has been more or less forgotten at the used car market. Good for you - it means that you can find a bargain.

We know that many of our readers - maybe you? - is looking to find a second car for their household. As much car as possible without breaking the bank. Sure, that will send us around 10 years back in time, a new car is probably out of reach. And among the cars that were made 10 years ago, one is standing out as very interesting in that crowd. The Hessenburg C200.

Now, we know that you are probably skeptical, but the car in itself was better than its reputation. Keep in mind, it came out when everyone was convinced that the rear engine layout was a dying breed (and well, in the end they were right too). That may have made the C200 kind of a lukewarm success but it is absolutely not a reason why you could not buy one today. Instead, it has lead to the prices being low for what you actually get.

The C200 may not be the most fun or inspiring car to drive, but despite its RR layout, it is decently stable on the road, and it doesn’t have the oversteering tendencies plaguing many other cars with the same layout. It doesn’t like being pushed hard, but that’s probably not the reason for buying it anyway. It offers decent comfort and is easy enough to drive, considering its age. For being a light car with 83 hp, however, it should be said that neither the performance nor the economy is any impressive when judged by modern standards, despite our test example being a fuel injected version.

It’s also not the roomiest car around - obviously because of its compact outer dimensions, but more modern competitors are better packaged. Safety is on par with the average car of the era - not up to moden standards but way ahead of some of the horrifying examples that was still around back then.

So, by the standards that we will expect in the 80s, the C200 series with origins from the 60s is of course a rather mediocre car. But the fact that it offers an “average” car for a lower than average price makes it a bargain if you need a cheap beater or a second car for your family. Also, parts and servicing are not a nightmare, but as stated earlier, the fuel economy is not up to modern standards. Still, a C200 can give cheap motoring today. Also, its 1.7 litre flat 4 will run forever, if being cared for, and since Hessenburg galvanized the body structure, it is more well protected from rust than many competitors. There are no typical faults or traps to fall into. We don’t say that the C200 is flawless - no car is - but if you find a lemon, you will usually notice that.

We dare to say that the 1968-76 C200 is a brilliant buy if you are looking for a cheap and useful allrounder today. Especially in its 1971 and later fuel injected variety.

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Thanks to @BannedByAndroid for the car!

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[voiddoesnotknow]

AYYYY HE’S BACK LETS GO!
ps. hope your grandfather’s okay

[Knugcab]

Not really “back”. I am reviewing what’s left in the queue whenever I feel like doing it. And yes, he’s better. Frankly, he was so bad when he got into the hospital last week so I thought that it was only a matter of days, but since he is moving now I have calmed down a bit. Might open for new reviews again if he stays in decent shape and I feel that I have time.

Also, the rear fenders of the Packard was still in the paintshop after waiting very long, might sound like a bad joke but the owner is a very skilled painter, but unfortunately even better at drinking and has barely even been there in the last week, we had to get them from there and take them to another paintshop because this can’t wait anymore. So it really has been a struggle with that too. Now the fenders are painted and the next big thing to solve is to get matching leather for the upholstery to the backrest. Why? Because the rest of the upholstery is done but due to Covid the upholstery for the backrest was stuck in Finland at the upholsterer. Now when we can go to Finland again, it turned out that the upholsterer died and that the relatives now had thrown away everything that still was left at the shop some weeks ago, including the upholstery for the Packard backrest…

So it has been quite a struggle with helping him finishing the Packard too, it would be too sad if it would trip at the finish line with the project of his life…

[voiddoesnotknow]

o-oh.

well, fuck. i don’t really know what to say, sorry.