40 Years Young

[cookiemonster]

The first Quattro. Car enthusiast, and keen cyclist, Mr Catchpole takes one for a spin.


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYk7XTAxmQ8

 

[Drago]

My Ma had one of ghe original 10 valvers. Quite a machine in its day.

 

[gbb]

I knew a guy who knew a guy who had one. Apparently it had a simple 'economy' display. green to red so the driver could see how it was performing. He put some insulating tape over the display, got fed up of seeing it in the red

 

[Chris S]

Gene Hunt drove one of these in 'Ashes to Ashes'. What the scriptwriters didn't realize was that in the 1980s our patriotic police always bought British. Not only that but CID cars were really easy to spot because they didn't have a dealer's stick in the back window.

 

[Brandane]

Not only that but CID cars were really easy to spot because they didn't have a dealer's stick in the back window.

Not that easy in the Strathclyde area. They had Telecom vans, Scottish Gas vans, black hackneys, and just about anything else that might not attract attention! Nowadays the mainstream CID vehicles have "POLICE" in giant lettering along the sides - and front and back. What a genius idea , all in the name of reassuring the public with highly visible Policing.

 

[Grant Fondo]

This one is for sale near me at £50k but some low milers are double that!

 

[oldwheels]

Not that easy in the Strathclyde area. They had Telecom vans, Scottish Gas vans, black hackneys, and just about anything else that might not attract attention! Nowadays the mainstream CID vehicles have "POLICE" in giant lettering along the sides - and front and back. What a genius idea , all in the name of reassuring the public with highly visible Policing.

And at one time they had a couple of Hillman Imps to patrol Loch Lomondside. Popularly known as Pinky and Perky.

 

[Chris S]

And at one time they had a couple of Hillman Imps to patrol Loch Lomondside. Popularly known as Pinky and Perky.

One had been all blue, the other all white. They just swapped the doors, bonnets and boots over to make panda cars.

 

[Tail End Charlie]

To my mind, the slightly later Quattro, more curved (Coupe) version, is one beautiful looking car.

 

[oldwheels]

One had been all blue, the other all white. They just swapped the doors, bonnets and boots over to make panda cars.

You may be right but to my memory they were identical. It was a long time ago but I do remember some of their extra curricular activities

 

[Chris S]

You may be right but to my memory they were identical. It was a long time ago but I do remember some of their extra curricular activities

I can't remember where I read it but this site says the same thing, "... the two Imps used by the Dunbartonshire Constabularly in 1967: GSN 840E and GSN 860E. The force bought a blue and a white Imp and swapped panels."
https://www.imps4ever.info/misc/police.html

 

[oldwheels]

I can't remember where I read it but this site says the same thing, "... the two Imps used by the Dunbartonshire Constabularly in 1967: GSN 840E and GSN 860E. The force bought a blue and a white Imp and swapped panels."
https://www.imps4ever.info/misc/police.html

Seems you are correct.
The Superintendent must have been quite junior when he drove them and was not part of the initial crew. There was one alleged incident when Pinky got bogged down in Glen Douglas and was unable to radio to Perky for assistance as he should not have been there on an alleged deer shooting expedition. He had to walk to the bottom at Loch Lomondside to get assistance. Unfortunately Perky when arrived to tow him out also got bogged down. Ooops.

 

[Chris S]

That seems familiar, I'm beginning to think that I heard it on a radio or TV programme rather than reading it on the internet.

 

[Ridgeway]

Another example of Gumpert's genius work

The original "Stig" car in the early 80's

 

[Drago]

For all the hallowed talk of the UR and WR Quattro, my Integrale was a better car...sometimes for as long as 10 minutes at a time. Much quicker, much better handling, better brakes, 5 door practicality. I'm not a car man and never have been one for getting moist over a tin box, but I think I could make an exception and excuse myself for the Inter.