Upper Middle Petrol Head:

It surprises UMPH that more car makers haven't embraced the Fiat X1/9 concept, by which he means creating a mid-engined sports car from essentially stock mechanicals. In the case of the X1/9, Fiat took a 128 motor, gearbox and other running gear and slotted it into a sexy little coupe body. It's arguable that Toyota took their lead from Fiat, given the first of the MR2s follows that same concept - and, quite obviously, the styling - from the Italian manufacturer's iconic model.  Mechanically, the second series of the MR2, like the one shown here, follows the same basic formula, again using what is essentially a front wheel drive Corolla drive train but this time fitting it to a slightly Ferrari-esque coupe body. The third of the MR2s - a spyder-style sports car - again followed the same convention and took its componentry from the same source, although its styling is more reminiscent of a Porsche Boxter than its predecessors. The example shown he...

Highjacked Upper Middle Petrol Head: Celebrating Penang's Classic Car Culture. Look at this little beauty. A celebration of the Malaysian car industry from the early 90's. On 15 August 1992, the Proton Saga Iswara was launched (to the dismay of the world). It shares the older Mitsubishi platform used in the original Proton Saga, but its exterior and interior styling are unique to Proton (as it started to rust when leaving the factory). The Saga Iswara was widely used as taxicabs in Malaysia during the 1990s and 2000s, and many continue in service (doubtful). On 21 May 1993 the Proton Wira was introduced, a car which was better equipped and larger than the Saga and Saga Iswara (still rubbish). The Wira is based on the fourth-generation 1991 Mitsubishi Lancer (god help us) and was sold in a four-door saloon guise at launch. The Proton Wira Aeroback, a five-door hatchback variant featuring a Proton-designed rear-end, joined the range in 1994. The Wir...

This lovely Mustang was spotted by UMPH correspondents Matt and Marita during a recent trip to the Land of the Long White Cloud.  It's a leftie, so, like so many Mustangs seen here in Oz, it's almost certainly been imported to NZ from the US.  Nice! Do you have car photos you'd like to share with UMPH readers?  If so, please feel free to email them to alastair.watson1463@gmail.com. U M P H (uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au)