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[Brabs]

Oil & filter change on my brilliant 1.1 Passion today. It really is a little gem of a car. Anyhow, bearing in mind the recent government announcement I’ve got to make it last until at least 2035! 🙄😀

[mr singh]

there will still be ICE cars on the road, just thee wont be any ICE cars that will be registered after 2035

[BlackCDI]

.. still cant believe that utter nonsense going on with ban on fossil fuel cars.. Ban the darn Cruiser ships floating around.. Norway will ban FF cars 2025

[Brabs]

.. still cant believe that utter nonsense going on with ban on fossil fuel cars.. Ban the darn Cruiser ships floating around.. Norway will ban FF cars 2025

Yep, plus 1000’s of aircraft each day! 🙄😖

[jmariog]

Gas heating for new houses will be banned by 2025, the Chancellor has said,

[CrazyG]

OK...let's get back on topic here....
which was  "Gotta make them last !"   namely about the ForFour
without any politics etc.

[El Tel]

If I won the lottery, I'd convert my forfour to a custom electric vehicle.

I know, I know - I could just buy a tesla if I had miiiiiilions, but it would be an awesome project all the same.

I suppose once we are truly into the FF car ban, around 2035 or so, more and more custom companies will be doing conversions. They already do a lot of custom EV conversions in the US. The Teslonda is bats**t crazy but there are more 'pedestrian' conversions out there already.

[mr singh]

im sort of with El Tel. if i came into money, id send my SB3 to brabus in Bottrop and get it nut and bolt restored, and buy a 454 with a knackered engine and send that to brabus and get them to convert it to an EV.

[CrazyG]

Zytek at one time developed a hybrid 454....diesel and electric.

Alex and I both posted links to an aarticle about it that
was quite informative with decent pictures/photo's....however,
the link we provided is no longer 'valid' (page error 404).
Such a shame...but I have managed to dig up another link
that is still available with information, but only one picture 

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2006/12/zytek_introduce.html

[Scoobysook]

Very interesting concept. I wonder what happened to the actual cars? With what is known with current EV/hybrid conversions i imagine it would be more efficient and economical done now.

[Coverman]

Thinks have moved on zeons since then.
Purpose designed platforms are always going to be way better than converted ICE vehicles.

[mr singh]

i agree with you, Coverman, when you sat purpose built EV platforms will be better than conventional platforms but given how flat the floor is on the 454, i think it it would make a good EV. look at the Polestar 2, they used the platform on which the XC40 is built on and adapted the batteries and motors to suit. the I-Pace... it used the platform the XE, XF and F-Pace are built on. even the original Mini is being converted to electric by specialist companies, its only time before someone converts a 454 to electric.

anyway we digress... trying to keep the 454 on the road as long as possible will become harder, if its used as a daily driver, as most of us do. its only a matter of time before most are either scrapped (as a few have been done), or they will be locked up and used occasionally like classic Mercs, Jags and the like.

its owners and enthusiasts like us, that know how special they are, will keep them going and as numbers start to dwindle, prices will eventually start going up in the UK and catch up with the EU market prices.

[Coverman]

I don't think that prices will ever catch up.wirh Europe. They were not very popular at all in Britain when new, compared to how they sold in Europe. If you look at the trend in pricing for (what were everyday) 40-50 year old cars in Britain, it is old Ford Escorts and Cortinas and Capris and Fiestas( in their hotter variants) that are really in demand , and also Minis, and the other mundanery lags way behind price wise. Specialist firms are supplying parts and panels for Fords and Minis which helps the pricing enormously. I cannot imagine  that many young eoplevof today dreamt of having a 454 like the young people of 30 or more years ago dreamt of having an Escort Twincamm  or a 1275 Cooper.

[CrazyG]

Agreed to some extent....
But eventually, the very rarety of the likes of the Brabus 454 will
eventually filter trough, collectors will scramble for them, and
then the prices will sky rocket.

[mr singh]

once the rarity of the brabus is noticed and prices start going up, im sure it will have a knock on effect on the non-brabus variants to some extent... and it will DEFINATLY help the future values of my SB3