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Strange Cars You Don’t See Every Day PDF Print E-mail
Wednesday, 20 July 2011 12:00
We see hundreds of streetcars every day. Some are more popular than the others. However, there are certain cars, which we spot very, very rarely. 
Blower Bentley
The 1929 Blower Bentley is one unique car that has a supercharger forming the blower factor. W O Bentley designed it and Sir Henry Birkin persuaded him to include the blower. This is a fast car and looks like a tank. Its sole purpose was to be a race car and win. Early James Bond novels feature this car for its representation of power.
 
Mercedes-Benz “Count Trossi” SSK
The 1930 Count Trossi SSK was a really strange car from Mercedes-Benz, designed by the flamboyant Italian race car driver Count Carlo Felice Trossi. The long hood of this car enveloped a major part of its body. 
With stylish gullwing doors opening upward, the1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing Coupe was the favourite of famous movie stars like Sophia Loren, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Glen Ford, and music man Skitch Henderson. 
 
Bugatti
1933 Bugatti Type 59 Grand Prix: Bugatti built just eight of these cars, so it is not very surprising that it is one of the cars we don’t see every day. The Bugatti 59 Grand Prix is considered a really pleasing looking race car. The design is grand with a tapering tail and piano wire wheels.
1937 Bugatti Type 57SC Gangloff DropHead Coupe: Another rare Bugatti, the Gangloff Drop Head Coupe was built with rich people in mind. Leaning more towards looks rather than speed, just two of these were built. 
1938 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic Coupe: Bugatti built three of these, of which two remain. The Bugatti 57SC Atlantic Coupe is considered a great car with exposed seams and button head rivets along its fenders and spine. 
 
Alfa Romeo
The 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 Mille Miglia is a fast car. The design is aerodynamic so that it can move at great speed. The body is balanced in such a way as to be in sync with the flow of its panels, the specially shaped fenders and the tapering tail. 
 
Jaguar
Jaguar initially intended to stop at two hundred 1950 Jaguar XK120 Alloy Roadsters but the car turned out to be such a hit that more were made. The fact that movie celebrities like Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall liked it made it even more wanted. 
Another car built for speed is the 1955 Jaguar XKD. This Le Mans, France three-time winner seriously looks similar to a fighter jet, with its curved smooth front to the fin projecting from its tail.
 
Ferrari
Ferrari has a long list of strange cars we don’t see everyday. The 1954 Ferrari 375 Plus was a unique car creatively hand designed by its engineers who came up with a rounded form under the guidance of Pinin Farina, Ferrari’s coach designer. 
Sergio Scaglietti, an endowed coachbuilder at Ferrari influenced the design of the 1958 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa. Testa Rossa or red head indicates the red cylinder heads of this car’s V12 engine. The body is designed like a long torpedo, an almost conical headrest and stylish covered headlights.
Another Testa Rossa, the 1961 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa 61 Spyder Fantuzzi was the brainchild of Medardo Fantuzzi. 
Among the rarest of rare Ferraris is the 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO. It is also among the most expensive Ferraris. 
 
Porsche
Porsche is a major name in car companies. The 1955 Porsche 550 Spyder is a beautiful sports car that is very easy to drive. 
The 1988 Porsche 959 is a stylish vehicle that can easily go to a speed of 200 miles per hour. Similar in shape to the Porsche 911, the 959 is even sleeker and looks fabulous. Very few of these are still in the U S. In total about 337 of these cars were made by Porsche.
 
McLaren F1
Here’s the world’s fastest production car  the 1996 McLaren F1 that can go at 230 miles an hour and is capable of 60 miles an hour in 3.5 seconds. McLarens have always been popular for their fantastic auto designs and this one is no exception.
There are expensive cars like the Bugatti Veyron, the Enzo Ferrari, the Pagani Zonda C12F, the Koenigsegg CCX, the Porsche Carrera GT, the Mercedes SLR McLaren, etc. which are not often seen. 
 
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
 
Q. My 2006 Ford Mondeo tdci has a warm/hot starting problem but starts and runs perfectly when cold. However when warm/hot on turning the engine it fires as if on one cylinder, makes a heavy knocking (external as distinct from within engine - maybe exhaust) rev counter barely registers but after about 5 seconds the engine picks up and then runs normally. This occurs regardless of whether the clutch pedal is depressed or not and no smoke is emitted. Any ideas? 
 
A. Hot starting problems are virtually always a sign of lack of fuel pressure. Diesel loses its viscosity when it is hot and, combined with slow cranking speed the effect of leaks becomes noticeable. It could be a simple air leak allowing air into the fuel system which gradually clears itself when the engine is at idle speed. I would suggest you check the fuel filter/housing fit. If not that then the injector seals. If one of the injector seals is leaking the fuel rail will struggle to build pressure at cranking speed. Then there’s the worn HP fuel pump! Hot starting problems can be the first sign of a worn pump.  Try the first two first.

Tenerife News edition 429