The GM Monza was one of a handful of 1980s premium coupes that served more as a halo piece rather than a volume seller. The Opel badge also carried a reasonable prestige, with the exception of the Vauxhall Carlton, all of the top-end GM models sported Opel badges. First seen in late 1978, the Monza […]
1986 Opel Monza 3.0E Read More »
1988 saw the last of a handful of a diverse range of cars, but rather disproportionately of a coupe persuasion. The Alfa Romeo GTV was an exception, and it took the company several years to line up a successor. Imports actually ended in 1987, but could still be found lurking in dealerships well into 1988.
Selection of cars that ceased in 1988 Read More »
1977 Coupe cars. A genre that has become virtually extinct today is the compact coupe. There was no rhyme or reason, other than pose value for these cars to have existed but bought by those who liked a little extra style by sacrificing the extra rear doors. A measure of status, rather than performance, it
By the late ‘80s, the coupe sector had moved upmarket, catering for those looking for a bit more substance than a pretty frock. However, it was still possible to buy a new coupe for less than 10K. Let’s wind back time, and review the ever-decreasing options. The cheapest by some margin was the Skoda 130
1980’s compact coupes Read More »
1975 was not a good year for buying a new car, the energy crisis still cast a gloomy outlook and inflation pushed prices up as demand slumped. But there was a prospect of improvement on the horizon, which was relayed by the confident choice of new cars announced for 1975. We’ve picked 10 middle to
For this sort of money, the appeal tended to revolve around value for money rather than performance. Technically we could throw in some small 2 door saloons, such as the Alfasud or Avenger but the following were specifically marketed as coupes. At the time the option of a coupe version was justified as the segment
Budget ’70s coupes Read More »
The Commodore was a game-changer for Opel, firstly as a genuine competitor in the executive car market but also gaining a reputation for competition. Some this came from the fact it was produced in several other continents, where its power and handling abilities were particularly liked by amateur competitors. One it’s best known UK victories
Former Andy Rouse Opel Commodore Read More »
The V8 engine has become something of a rarity these days, with the economy and environment consideration often overweighing the power, sound and smoothness benefits. Traditionally the reserve of North American or Australian cars, the format was also comparatively common in European sports models. Current V6 engines seem to offer a similar horsepower, but weigh
Classic V8 Saloons Read More »
Vauxhall Chevette. It may be hard to believe but a significant number of major manufacturers had yet to produce a small city car in the ‘70s, most notably Ford and GM who didn’t get into the Supermini game until relatively late. After years of watching the likes of Fiat, Renault and VW monopolise the market
It was quite possible to buy a stylish looking 4 seater 2 door coupe, with the mechanical simplicity of a family saloon in the early ‘70s. For those who didn’t need the two rear doors, but appreciated the cheap running costs, boot space, insurance and a little more panache. A natural place to start is
Coupes and their Saloon derivatives Read More »
