A quick look at the Bertone Freeclimber.

BMW fans around the world were shocked at the launch of the X5. A BMW SUV? Sacrilege! What few people knew is that a BMW engine powered a luxury ute long before the X5: does the name Laforza ring a bell? It looked like a Fiat Uno on steroids and was sold in the US with a Ford V8 but the precious few sold in Europe had BMW engines starting in 1989. There was also another, lesser-known, luxury ute with "BMW" written on its valve cover.

The story starts in Italy in the early 1980s. Bertone was building Ritmo convertibles and picked up X1/9 production after Fiat axed the model from its lineup. All was well for a few years but by the late 1980s Americans had declared the X1/9s outdated and Europeans preferred the Golf Cabriolet over the Ritmo, leaving Bertone out of work. In need of a new project, they decided to enter the growing luxury 4x4 market.

Developing a new car from scratch would have been too expensive so they started with a Daihatsu Rocky, a small, boxy and rather basic 4x4 that was virtually unknown outside of Japan.

How does one turn a relatively plain Japanese SUV into a luxury 4x4 fit for the European market? The first step was to give it a more upscale look. Since this is Bertone we’re talking about one would expect a sleek new body but with the exception of a new grille, the exterior was pretty much identical to when it left the Daihatsu factory.

The interior was spruced up with new instrumentation, leather seats and a Bertone logo proudly featured on the leather steering wheel. It was better equipped than the Daihatsu: power door locks came standard and air conditioning was offered as an option. Buyers could order it with a hard top and/or a soft top.

Under the hood came the big surprise: the Freeclimber was available with one of three straight six engines, all sourced from BMW. First on the menu was the M20, displacing either 2.0 or 2.7, and those who wanted a set of glowplugs could choose the M21 2.4. All three engines were mated to the stock Daihatsu transmission. To increase off road capacity the rear suspension was modified and it had a limited slip differential. They finished the transformation with specific wheels.

The whole package had a base price of 167,937 francs in 1990. That same year a two-door Range Rover started at 197,200 francs, and a Jeep Wrangler could be had for 115,517 francs.

Assembled in Italy, the Freeclimber was imported in a small handful of European countries including France and Germany. France’s importer was André Chardonnet, who also imported Autobianchis and Lancias until 1988 and Maseratis until a little later. In Germany they were sold through the Daihatsu network. Only 2,795 Freeclimbers found a home from 1989 to 1992.

Daihatsu redesigned the Rocky for 1993 and logically, Bertone redesigned the Freeclimber. They also renamed it, calling it simply the Freeclimber II. It used the same chassis as its predecessor but looked different aesthetically thanks to bigger fender flares, standard OZ alloys and a body-colored grille. The straight-six engines were dropped, replaced by BMW’s 1.6 M40. By the time it was launched official imports had stopped in France and Germany so most were sold in Italy, where a few even went to the Carabinieri.

In 1995 Bertone landed a contract to build Fiat Punto convertibles and Opel Astra convertibles. Since the Freeclimber II hadn’t been a huge success they dropped the model at that time after building 2,860 of them. The Daihatsu Rocky soldiered on until 1998.

Below: a soft top Freeclimber.

Below: Freeclimber press photos showing the hard top model.

Below: a Freeclimber II press photo.

Ran When Parked's used car lot.

Welcome to Ran When Parked’s used car lot. Please, have a Seat:

We have some great deals on the finest selection of certified pre-owned vehicles anywhere. Take this w202 C180 station wagon, the perfect blend of luxury and cargo space. It comes with complete service records like any used Benz should. This car has been pampered all its life!

So you’re thinking, “Ran When Parked, I like the C180, I like it a lot, but I want something more luxurious”? Well, step up to a BMW X6. A car that stands out from the crowd and has an interior upholstered with the skin from an entire herd of cattle. Still under factory warranty but it has been slightly (and tastefully) modified by its last owner, including a custom paint job and a slightly lowered suspension:

The Peugeot 104 is perfect for crowded cities. It gets phenomenal gas mileage and can easily park anywhere. But it has two vocations: it can easily be transformed into a small rocket that’s perfect for auto crossing and hill climbs. That’s what we’re offering you today, a ZS 2 replica with period-correct accessories such as bucket seats and specific 13” rims. This car is ready to bring home the trophy.

If you follow the collector car market, you’ve noticed a growing segment called “youngtimers” or “young classic cars”. One of the cars leading this movement is the Volkswagen Golf I GTI and we have a stellar example for sale today. This car is 100% original, it’s never been restored and is a real eye catcher in red.

What’s there not to like about a 2001 Renault Twingo? Your heart will tell you to buy it for its huggable yet frog-like looks. Your brain will tell you to buy it because it’s the most stolen car in France so you benefit from great rebates on used parts. It’s a win-win situation!

This Simca 1100 VF2 is a new arrival on our lot. It’s the automotive equivalent of the mullet: business in the front, party in the back. Allow us elaborate. This car is powered by an austere 1118 cc four-cylinder borrowed from the Simca 1100. But, the back is cavernous and can carry just about anything you can throw at it; whether you’re going surfing or helping your brother in law renovate his house, this VF2 will take you there and back with all of your stuff. As a bonus, this car’s last owner used it to deliver bread in a village so it has very low miles, it’s absolutely like-new.

Finally, for those with a small budget we have two cars at very special prices, prices so low we can’t even print them. Choose a Citroen GS with its hydropneumatique suspension for its comfort or a Renault 12 station wagon for its practicality:

Come in today, we finance anyone! No credit, bad credit, credit card not in your name, these are all problems we can work around.

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Please note these cars are not ours or actually for sale.

2012 BMW F12/F13 6-series.

Providing information about upcoming cars is not what we focus on at Ran When Parked but we make an exception when the car in question is one we are likely to write about in twenty years from a collector's point of view.

Under the camouflage hides what U.S. BMW CEO Jim O'Donnell calls the "best-looking BMW in years": the 2012 BMW 6-series, code-named the F12 for the coupe (above) and the F13 for the convertible (below). As has always been the case with the 6-series the new model will be based on the 5-series sedan, this time the new F10 model, and will share both its gas and diesel engines. BMW has hinted that the new 6's interior will be roomier than the current car and a less controversial exterior design is expected.

Cars in the Vaucluse.

Going back to the roots of Ran When Parked when we featured mostly run-down cars hidden behind a foot of grass or a wooden shack about to collapse, here are a couple of junkyard finds in the Vaucluse department of France.

A Citroen HY pickup:


An Alfa Romeo Giulietta. Unrelated to the first Giulietta or the upcoming 2010 Giulietta, this model sits on an Alfetta platform and was only sold in Europe from 1977 to 1985:

An early 1980s Saab 900 Turbo five-door:

Early 1980s Citroen GSA:

A late 1970s Alfa Romeo Alfetta and an early 1970s Renault 12 in the background:

A late 1970s Renault 20 TS with a four headlight setup borrowed from a Renault 30:

Early 1970s Simca 1100 with a practical hatchback design:

Mid 1970s bay window Volkswagen Type 2:

An early 1970s Autobianchi A112 with a Renault Estafette in the background:

An early 1980s Fiat Panda bridging the gap between a Renault 20 and a Renault 16 while a BMW 318i turns its back to the trio:

An early 1960s Citroen Ami 6:

A mid 1960s Fiat 850 Coupe:

A mid 1980s Matra-Simca Rancho with a mid 1980s Renault 12 in the background:

A late 1960s Renault 6:

A pair of Citroen CX sedans:

And an early 1970s Alfa Romeo GTV:

Carlisle Import Nationals

To be precise, it's actually the Carlisle Import and Kit Nationals, but personally, kit cars (with the exception of Lotus 7s and some tasteful 550 Spyders) don't do much for me. The event consists of two main parts: a show, and a swap-meet. A decade or more ago, the swap-meet portion was enormous and one could literally spend an entire day browsing. Anything from endless British-car sundry items to say, an engine block for a Lancia Aurelia could be found. Unfortunately, it seems that perhaps the internet and the gloomy economy have taken a significant toll. I saw every vendor at the swap in just a couple hours. The car show is still pretty decent though. Interestingly it always seems that there are large groups of certain makes and models while others remain notably absent. Saabs, Opels, Audis, and Citroens are always in ample supply, along with a fair selection of Italian cars. The British Leyland sports cars and Japanese make a fair-sized appearance as well. Porsches are few and far between as well as most more "up-market" brands. (For that, the Pittsburgh Vintage GP offers a lot, actually.) Many of the same cars show up from year-to-year as well. Essentially, it's worth the trip if you're willing to take a drive for a few hours, especially if you've never gone before, but probably not worth coming from across the country for any longer. (Sorry, Ronan)

Anyway, here are a few highlights from the show, but by no means everything notable. For my full album, see: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=3142452&id=9370809&l=8fe6f05953

Tatra 603 light-housing/"grille" - it's been for sale at the same vendor for years. $350 "firm":

Renault R5 Turbo - beats the hell out of a LeCar, eh?:

Lamborghini Islero - only 250 were made between 1968 and 1969:

A few contrasting Citroens - HY and SM:

1924 Citroen Type C 5HP - 856cc engine with, you guessed it, 5 (taxable) horsepower:

A couple of Saab 900s - these are just the convertibles too:

Very nice "bullnose" Saab 93:

It's not often you see this masterpiece of East-German engineering. The iconic Trabant:

One of the greatest ultra-luxury cars of all-time, the Mercedes Benz 600:

Auto Union DKW Junior DeLuxe - in those days, they were part of Daimler-Benz:

Some rare BMWs - Z1 and M1:

And finally, when was the last time you saw a 2002 convertible?

Again, be sure to check out all the photos from the show at the above link or on the RWP Facebook page.

Great Automotive Failures: BMW Z1

The BMW Z1 raised a few eyebrows at it's 1986 press debut. The Bavarian company had not produced a proper roadster in decades, but the Z1 wasn't exactly ordinary. The unique (if not bizarre) styling was by Harm Lagaay, who designed some far less weird Porsches in his day. With slide-away doors and the stripped-down basic approach to design was not exactly the sort of BMWs motorists were used to seeing in the late 1980s.

Mechanically, the car borrowed much from the 3-Series like its Z3 successor. The engine was a typical 2.5 L 170 hp inline six mated to a 5-speed manual transmission as found in BMW's larger cars. The rest, however was more unique. All body panels were removable from the unibody chassis and made either from a special plastic developed by GE or fiberglass. In spite of taking aerodynamics into great consideration with a flat undertray and low hood the Z1's drag coefficient wasn't especially great at 0.36 with the roof up.

The doors slid down into the sills and the car could be run with them "open" or down for a more open-air feeling, though the car looks especially odd this way and leaves the door jamb area exposed for an oddly unfinished look. The mechanism seems rather overly complicated for what was supposed to be a back-to-basics light-weight sports roadster.

The potential for a great car was there, styling aside, but a mere 8,000 were made. One issue perhaps was the gasp inducing price tag of over $45,000. Another could have been the Z1's rather lackluster performance, particularly given all the other engineering that went into it. Acceleration wasn't too bad, but nothing to write home about at 0-60 in 9 seconds. The top speed was 140 mph. Handling was fair, though there are conflicting opinions. Perhaps due to its rather fat 2,800 lb curb weight, which in spite of all that composite bodywork, was about the same as a 3-series of the same era.

Inside the car was very spartan. Basic instrumentation, radio, leather sport seats and a heater were all you got for the princely sum you paid. Though BMW claimed to have over 30,000 orders at one point, the company lost money on the Z1. By 1991 production ceased. Most remained in Germany, and none were officially imported to the US though one or two have made it over.

Today, the Z1 is no so much lauded for its capabilities as an actual sports car, but more as a pioneer of technologies and as a rarity/oddity. The Z3 would eventually prove to be a better roadster, but they had to start somewhere.

The second, third, and fourth photos were recently taken in Koln, Germany by contributor Veronika Zubel who spotted this Z1 on the street.
The images below were taken by me at the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix. Possibly the only Z1 licensed in North America - note PA plate at the rear.

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For more BMW content click on the "BMW" tab on the right of this page or click this link. And, have a look at our Facebook page to find photos that aren't on this site and to discuss some of the cars we feature in these pages.