What is the Swiss Army Knife of Cars?

[SgtTowser]

Wasn’t sure where this question should go.

What kind of a vehicle should a Swiss Army Knight drive?

Saw a Mini Cooper painted red  with red wheels and one painted Blue with white wheels and the compactness made is seem suitable for a white, silver, or red cross on the door.

But then I thought Minis aren’t bullet proof reliable and are not universally useful?

An F150 seems too big.

Even Tacoma’s are big now.

A Smart 4 2 seems just too lame in performance for a Swiss Army Knife Car.

A Subie hatchback maybe?

A Honda Fit?

Maybe the new Tesla Truck?

I don’t know.

I’m thinking of junking the old Gen 1 Honda Odyssey minivan. New gens suck. 1st gen is my Swiss Army Knife of cars, but I am ready for a change after all these years. And it has to be fire engine red. I will Color the wheels and apply the cross on the door.

I might even just paint the Honda red. Not sure.

Note: I owned a Porsche and a Benz. No more German parts and labor, thanks.


Would like for some to weigh in.

[Thunderpants]

For the Bantam owner, definitely the Peel P50

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peel_P50

[SgtTowser]

 

[Boonies]

My Swiss Army vehicle has always been a Jeep, they’ve been around a long time and still going strong.  1st was a 1980 CJ-5 (it got dropped on the sidewalk a couple of times 😳), next was a Tombraider Rubicon....someone “borrowed” that one from work.....,current is Rubicon Limited, still going strong.  Takes me anywhere I need to go and some places where I shouldn’t.  😂.         

[SgtTowser]

Boonies,

Absolutely peak pics!

Now I get your name!!

Jeep has to be in the running.

Maybe blue with white wheels and a white cross?

Or berry red with a red Wenger cross on the hood and a left hand logo on the doors for left hand drive!!

[Frailer]

As much of a Mini fan as I am (I’ve put 300,000 miles on a pair of Mini Cooper Ss over the past 10 years), I think the Toyota Hilux is what we’re looking for here.

[SirVicaLot]

There is only one car a SAK should drive: The mighty Unimog! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unimog






Has attachment points for a wide variety of tools. For example:

[ToolJoe]

Unimog gets a vote for me. At least here in the states, I'd say a Subaru Outback or Forester.

[old Lefty]

Great Jeep pics. Boonies!

Now, whilst Unimog, Series Land Rover or indeed a Jeep does it all, I do think that they are all too purpose build looking to be considered the SAK car. They simply lack the sleek, easy to miss style traditional SAK has.

Hence, my proposal is a simple midsized Mercedes saloon/station wagon.
W115/W116, W123, W124, W201, W203 etc.

Base models are the standards and classics, 4-matics and other variations then the fancy multilayered ones.

A Range Rover might also to be considered here. From a working vehicle most versatile to status symbol that still can cut the mustard in any given situation if needed

Of course a traditional pick-up is also close, especially in parts of the world where a pick-up is considered an acceptable choice for a city/town/family etc. vehicle and not just a solid working vehicle. You could even say, that Chevy - Ford of US truck markets are kinda like Vic - Wenger in the old days (sorry Dodge guys, could not fit you into this metaphore).

However, SAK’s European roots do at least partially push the pick-up out (mainly working vehicle)I’m afraid

Thus, we’re left with the Merc. With the Range Rover looming right behind methinks.


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[SgtTowser]

SirVicaLot

Dang, I see the UNIMOG for sure!

A red one was even for sale near me 7 years ago or so. A retired fire fighting vehicle used only off road.

Why didn’t I buy it?!!!!

 

[ReamerPunch]

[Hevy (CT-782)]

On US: Jeep. Red, please.

Subaru is also very nice.

On my country, instead I would pick a Volkswagen Saveiro
I love these small pick ups. Have at least one on the last twenty years. Still keep my first one.

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[Zanza]

I only ride on two wheels vehicles 


And this is my Swiss Army Knife of Bikes

 

[old Lefty]

On US: Jeep. Red, please.

Subaru is also very nice.

On my country, instead I would pick a Volkswagen Saveiro
I love these small pick ups. Have at least one on the last twenty years. Still keep my first one.(Image removed from quote.)

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Are you in Brazil? Would love to get one of those Fiat Strada adventure lockers down here at reasonable price


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[39hotrod]

Tacoma.. Enough said..

[Aloha]

Swiss Army of vehicles  . 

I'd place my vote on a Volkswagen Syncro 4x4.  While a truck can do a lot this thing can do a few more things and better IMO.

[Hevy (CT-782)]

Are you in Brazil? Would love to get one of those Fiat Strada adventure lockers down here at reasonable price


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Yes! I'm in Brazil.
The Fiat Strada is affordable, reliable, easy and cheap to repair.

Fiat just released a new model last month.

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[Myron]

So many great answers here!

My Swiss Army cars are my '64 IIA Land Rover and a 2020 Jeep Wrangler.  But instead of SAK red, I roll with GAK green.  ;-)

Myron





And just to make it official:

[Mechanickal]

Obviously a Discovery or Commander "Victorinox Swiss Army" edition!

[gregozedobe]

Just like with SAKs and multitools, a lot depends on personal preferences.

When I was into off-roading and camping my Landcruiser 80 series was my all-purpose vehicle, as it was comfortable enough on-road, and great off-road, with plenty of room.

These days my preferences run to on-road only, so my VW Golf R wagon has all my current requirements covered:  fast(ish) (turbo petrol), good handling in all weather conditions (low Cog, AWD, UHP tyres), lots or room for dogs or stuff (wagon), comfortable (nice seats), safe (heaps of acronyms), good economy (relative to performance), and excellent adaptive cruise control (relaxing cruising on hwy, good licence protector).

[SgtTowser]

This was what I was hoping for. Thx 2 all!

Didn’t know VW was still making the golf based pickup. Sweet!

[SgtTowser]

Myron,

I was told by someone that seemed to know 4xs that the original Land Rover after WWII WAS A JEEP with a steering wheel in the middle and different front fenders.

True or false?

[SgtTowser]

Reamer punch

Swiss anti aircraft mobile platform.

 

[old Lefty]

Myron,

I was told by someone that seemed to know 4xs that the original Land Rover after WWII WAS A JEEP with a steering wheel in the middle and different front fenders.

True or false?

False. The original Center Steer did borrow parts from a Jeep. Gearbox and transfer box if memory serves, but it was designed and build by Rover as a Rover, not a dressed up Jeep at all.
However, that is not to say that brothers Wilks would’ve not looked Jeep very closely during development phase

Hats off to Myron, lovely Landy. Makes me miss my SIII Station Wagon...

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[enki_ck]

Hilux would be a good option, but the older models like the one they tried killing in topgear. All the other models mentooned by Range Rover, Volkswagen, Mercedes and similar are too big and too pricey.

Remember, SAK has always been an affordable knife. Inexpensive but versitile. And pocketable. So smaller format. I agree it should be an all terain vehicle, but one of the smaller ones without all the electronics and AI and spece ship cockpit looking one.

My vote goes for the Dacia/Renault Duster 4x4 (name depending on your location) or even the Fiat Panda 4x4 for the 84/85mm versions Heck even the Swiss mountain rescue service uses those.

[Rizio Il Ghiro]

Some great suggestions here, love the Landies and Jeeps (driven many over the years), Unimog - now there’s a vehicle! If it were to be Swiss, then perhaps a Monteverdi? Not very versatile, I know, but they do look good! I’m a bit like Zanza in that I don’t actually have or use a vehicle these days, preferring 2 wheels instead - this is one of my Ti steeds

[Frailer]

This was what I was hoping for. Thx 2 all!

Didn’t know VW was still making the golf based pickup. Sweet!

FWIW my maternal grandfather was on the development team for the first Rabbit-based pickup; my father still owns one. It was far from successful, and it had issues, but I still have a warm spot in my heart for it. Here’s a photo of some of the team members (my grandfather is in the back, third from the right) with the first truck to roll off the production line.

[Myron]

False. The original Center Steer did borrow parts from a Jeep. Gearbox and transfer box if memory serves, but it was designed and build by Rover as a Rover, not a dressed up Jeep at all.
However, that is not to say that brothers Wilks would’ve not looked Jeep very closely during development phase

Hats off to Myron, lovely Landy. Makes me miss my SIII Station Wagon...

This is correct.  The Wilks brothers were *inspired* by the Jeep and owned a war surplus one that functioned as a farm runabout.  They saw that the post-war world was going to be a developing one and knew that a Jeep-like vehicle would be a commercial success with farmers, utilities, etc.  Jeep came back to the US and did exactly the same thing.  So I really think of the two vehicles as cousins. 

Thanks, Old Lefty!  I've owned mine for 25 years.  It now enjoys a comfortable retirement at our summer home where it is pressed into duty making beer runs and carrying canoes.

[Myron]

FWIW my maternal grandfather was on the development team for the first Rabbit-based pickup; my father still owns one. It was far from successful, and it had issues, but I still have a warm spot in my heart for it. Here’s a photo of some of the team members (my grandfather is in the back, third from the right) with the first truck to roll off the production line.

This is very cool!  I remember when these Rabbit pickups first came out.  They are super scarce today.  Great family history, Frailer!

Myron

[Hevy (CT-782)]

FWIW my maternal grandfather was on the development team for the first Rabbit-based pickup; my father still owns one. It was far from successful, and it had issues, but I still have a warm spot in my heart for it. Here’s a photo of some of the team members (my grandfather is in the back, third from the right) with the first truck to roll off the production line.
(Image removed from quote.)

Tanks for share Frailer!
Real nice history!

My father was a VW worker for many years in the first plant outside Germany.
Some vehicles of his time on VW have a soft spot on my heart.





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