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[BazaJT]

I read an article some while ago on these rare versions,didn't know until yesterday that there's one on display at RAF Cosford museum.Fascinating vehicle,oddly the boot badging says 3.0i yet the information board states it's a 2.8i

[Bojan]

Yes, there was a 4x4 version, made by styer.
It was mostly used by police (military police, IIRC) in Cold-war Berlin.

[Doctor Gollum]

The Holden version was publicly available as a 4x4

[Mr Gav]

Yes, there was a 4x4 version, made by styer.
It was mostly used by police (military police, IIRC) in Cold-war Berlin.

I read an interesting article on that in Straight Six News, I`ll have to see if I can find it.

[Bojan]

I suppose that this is the car from the first post (as it is in museum, it has 3.0i badge, and the board says 2.8i).

http://autoshite.com/topic/7252-opel-senator-4x4/

It was used by 'The British Commanders'-in-Chief Mission to the Soviet Forces in Germany' (BRIXMIS).

[Marks DTM Calib]

Its on display at Cosford air museum

[Diamond Black Geezer]

Often struck me that thwere's plenty of innovation with these hings, it's actually the market, and the general public that take a while to find such things 'palatable' 4WD is a bit of a case in point

4WD - that's just for military vehicles!
Land Rover 1948 - fine, but that's all it can be used for
Jensen Interceptor FF - nahhh, that's silly, a 4WD sports car? Why?
Audi Quattro - ok, so now a 4wd sports car is ok
Senator 4WD - ha, a 4wd saloon car, don't be daft, that's just silly
Cavalier GSi/Turbo 4x4 - ok, so a 4wd saloon's ok, so long as it's fast
BMW x-Drive/Merc 4matic etc - ok, so 4wd saloon's a good idea, then, fair do's
Toyota Rav4 - on off roader that's only two wheel drive? That's ridiculous!
Mokka/Rav4/F-Pace/a dozen other Chelsea tractors - 4 wheel drive? What's that? I like it because it's an SUV, and that. What's SUV mean?

Now most people don't car about their '4wd car' actually having 4wd, it's gone full circle, in many ways.

Enough socio-automotive claptrap...

As far as I'm aware this system is different to the GM one used in Cavs Calibras that famously died if your tyres weren't replaced as a four, not GM but Fergusen, correct?

[Bojan]

My mistake.
This senators have Ferguson 4x4.
Steyr was in calibra 4x4.

[tigers_gonads]

Often struck me that thwere's plenty of innovation with these hings, it's actually the market, and the general public that take a while to find such things 'palatable' 4WD is a bit of a case in point

4WD - that's just for military vehicles!
Land Rover 1948 - fine, but that's all it can be used for
Jensen Interceptor FF - nahhh, that's silly, a 4WD sports car? Why?
Audi Quattro - ok, so now a 4wd sports car is ok
Senator 4WD - ha, a 4wd saloon car, don't be daft, that's just silly
Cavalier GSi/Turbo 4x4 - ok, so a 4wd saloon's ok, so long as it's fast
BMW x-Drive/Merc 4matic etc - ok, so 4wd saloon's a good idea, then, fair do's
Toyota Rav4 - on off roader that's only two wheel drive? That's ridiculous!
Mokka/Rav4/F-Pace/a dozen other Chelsea tractors - 4 wheel drive? What's that? I like it because it's an SUV, and that. What's SUV mean?

Now most people don't car about their '4wd car' actually having 4wd, it's gone full circle, in many ways.

Enough socio-automotive claptrap...

As far as I'm aware this system is different to the GM one used in Cavs Calibras that famously died if your tyres weren't replaced as a four, not GM but Fergusen, correct?

Not forgetting that ultimate king of the mountains, the Fiat Panda 4x4 

[Kevin Wood]

Not forgetting that ultimate king of the mountains, the Fiat Panda 4x4 

Came across a little old lady driving one of those in the mountains in northern Italy. Proper little mountain goat. I'm ashamed to say that I was having to give it everything to stay with her in the MV6. Then again, her chances of death when meeting something round the corners was considerably less than mine.

I guess she was rushing to get home before the floor rotted through.

[Diamond Black Geezer]

That's true, perhaps that little Panda was the first 'soft roader' - albeit actually very capable off road for what it was, punching far above its weight. Maybe the only thing that Fiat got wrong for the market was the fact it actually was 4 wheel drive. Oh, and I also missed off the fabulous Matra Rancho, which looks like lots of stuff on the roads these day, but again, well ahead fo the game.

Hatchbacks another one. Renault 16, then a gap of a whole generation, as all the auto makers watched to see how it panned out, and then the mid-70s happened, and there was an explosion of hatchbacks 

[Marks DTM Calib]

The transfer box in the Calibra and Cavalier was a Steyr-Daimler-Puch  unit (joint development)

[Nick W]

That's true, perhaps that little Panda was the first 'soft roader' - albeit actually very capable off road for what it was, punching far above its weight. Maybe the only thing that Fiat got wrong for the market was the fact it actually was 4 wheel drive. Oh, and I also missed off the fabulous Matra Rancho, which looks like lots of stuff on the roads these day, but again, well ahead fo the game.

I've a soft spot for those, as I spent many kilometres in my uncle's, but fabulous? They were cobbled together using ancient mechanical bits(Simca 1100 van cabs) using the engineering flair and quality control that low-production French manufacturers are world famous for. The 1442 Simca engine is a case in point; its main attribute is the god awful rattle it makes when new and in good condition, which gets gradually louder until it eventually expires with an apathetic death rattle. FWD only too, which leads to the fun of digging the oppsing thing out of the dunes with kiddies beach spades.

[Diamond Black Geezer]

Well, fabulous from a stylistic / part of automotive history point of view, rather than 'as a car to own' type of thing, as I have never owned one can't comment on that aspect. Dont even recall ever seeing one at the Classic Motor Show, either. Suspect there's about three left to choose from, too, now 

[Nick W]

Well, fabulous from a stylistic / part of automotive history point of view, rather than 'as a car to own' type of thing, as I have never owned one can't comment on that aspect. Dont even recall ever seeing one at the Classic Motor Show, either. Suspect there's about three left to choose from, too, now 

Matras proposed mk2 version is far more important, as Peugeot/Chrysler weren't interested. So with a few nails and some string, Renault running gear was installed and the Espace was born.