2020 is a benchmark year for Ford as they celebrate the 40th anniversary of their first XR badged car. Devised to take over the RS series, Ford quickly realised that both sporting sub-brands could complement each other, using the XR brand to introduce the market to what Ford correctly assumed a new episode to their […]
There were plenty of option if you were in a position to buy a large saloon car in 1982. We’ll set a budget of 8.5K to 10K for this review. There is a real motley crew of prestigious brands, value-oriented cars loaded with everything, FWD load carriers and cars designed to go on forever. We’ll
Early ’80s Executive cars Read More »
1991 was an interesting year for new car releases, it was dominated by deep recession yet the cost of motoring had significantly gone up. It was notable for being the year that the wearing of rear seat belts became law, but not something that was particularly well observed. We have a nice variety of cars
With the very best restored classic VW vans now reaching 50K in value, this could be the perfect opportunity to explore the alternatives from the ‘50s and ‘60s. The criteria are something that will host 6 people (as currently recommended for these Covid times) a dog or two and several picnics. One of the prettier
Classic alternatives to the VW Type 2 Read More »
1974 Ford Capri 3.0 Ghia. Five years after the launch of the original Capri, Ford decided to introduce a practical element to their market-leading Capri. The original car is well known as being influenced by the iconic Mustang but interestingly for the new 1973 Mustang II, Dearborn had a good look at what their European
1974 Ford Capri 3.0 GT Read More »
The early ‘60s was an era of personal freedom and relative affluence, allowing hard-working families to enjoy their fruits of the money after several decades of relative austerity. The cars offered reflected this change in society with small family cars being the most popular choice for many. The UK market had been dominated by homegrown
Small Family cars from the ’60s Read More »
The South African division of Ford marketed their own version of the MK3 Cortina pick-up. First introduced in 1971, from the B-pillar forwards it is all 2 door Cortina. The rear deck had been carefully designed too, with provisions for some style but if the customer wanted a bespoke flat deck or custom rear fitting
MK3 Ford Cortina pick-up Read More »
Despite the ‘80s being known as the decade of the hatchback car, it was evident that mid-sized saloon cars still had huge appeal. Perceived security, with more balanced styling and prestige, may have played a part in their continuing success. We use the turn of the decade, as a vantage point to review a selection
Late ’80s mid-market saloons Read More »
A lot of consideration goes into the interior design aesthetics, material and how the ambience makes the driver feel when driving the car. I’ve picked a handful of executive cars from the early ‘70s that were noted for their driver comfort. Not a complete list so I suspect this will be continued in another post.
Executive cars from the early ‘70s Read More »
They were the biggest selling sector and resulted in some fierce forecourt pricing and competitive packages to help counterbalance the recession. The Mazda 121 was a genuine novelty for a number of reasons, a small saloon in a market full of superminis. It was roomy with a good-sized boot and in GLX form utilised that
Superminis from the early ‘90s Read More »
