MP Lafer, a Brazilian Volkswagen-powered replica of the British MG TD

One of those Brazilian makeshift cars which emerged once the local market faced severe restrictions on imports from mid-'70s to early-'90s, the MP Lafer was made by a furniture factory, resorting to the very usual method of fitting a different body to a Volkswagen platform, with its rear engine and all, yet it had the styling cues from a traditional British roadster which was originally front-engined.

Right above the rear lid, which would be a trunk in the original model yet became an engine cover for the Brazilian replica, ventilation slots are clearly visible, giving a clue about what makes it so different from the British source of inspiration, yet the woodgrain dashboard makes for a period-accurate look, yet those modern pedals are mismatching the overall aspect of the interior.

Finishings were fairly good for what it was meant to be back in the day, when fewer options could be had by someone looking for a car which stood out of the crowd in a tightly closed market, all while the maintenance remained much easier than an exotic import to which eventually the replacement parts also became harder to find.

Even though not too many were made, as it was a low-volume model, once in a while some MP Lafer appears on the streets in my hometown Porto Alegre.