Nostalgic Pictures of Great 1980s Classic Cars That Time Forgot
The 1980s were a time of weird music and weird fashion, but it was also a time of innovation for many car companies.
In this article, we're taking a look at some of the best cars from the 1980s that many people may have owned at least once. These were not fancy or expensive cars; They were the ones that people drove every day.
One of the most distinctive features of 1980s cars was their boxy and angular designs. From sedans to compact cars, the aesthetic favored a straightforward and functional appearance.
Models such as the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, and Chevrolet Cavalier became staples for individuals and families seeking affordable transportation.
In response to the oil crisis of the 1970s, greater emphasis was placed on fuel efficiency in the 1980s. Car manufacturers responded by creating vehicles with smaller engines and better gas mileage.
This decade was the era of hatchbacks. Offering a versatile design combining features of sedans and station wagons, cars such as the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Escort became popular choices.
The Ford Escort stood as the epitome of practicality and reliability, cementing its place as one of the most popular compact cars of the era.
As part of Ford's lineup, the Escort met consumers' everyday needs, offering a cost-effective and fuel-efficient solution for drivers seeking reliable transportation.
Built in three generations, the Escort was the first world car developed by Ford, with the first generation American Escort being designed with Ford of Europe, converting the Escort Mk III to front-wheel drive.
During its production, the Escort also made extensive use of platform sharing and rebranding.
The first generation served as the basis for the long-wheelbase Ford Tempo/Mercury Topaz, the two-seat Ford EXP/Mercury LN7, and was rebranded as the Mercury Lynx.
The Ford Sierra debuted at the 1982 British International Motor Show in Birmingham, followed soon after at the 1982 Paris Salon de l'Automobile.
Sales began on 15 October 1982, replacing the Ford Taunus TC3 (UK: Ford Cortina Mark V).
Its aerodynamic styling and absence of a saloon/sedan configuration were such that many conservative buyers (including company car drivers) disliked its design.
Introduced at the 1March 1980 Geneva Motor Show, the Fiat Panda was internally designated as the Type41 and was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro and Aldo Mantovani of the newly formed Italdesign.
From its inception, the Panda was designed to be an affordable, easy-to-maintain, utilitarian and robustly simple car.
"Weird" music? I grew up in the 1980s and that decade produced some of the best and most innovative music ever. Many of the musicians performing then were educated in the 60s and 70s as true artists- i.e., people capable of singing and playing instruments live without the need for autotune, looper pedals or digital samples. Most could also read and write sheet music. As for the cars, it appears the writer was not around for the 80s as they neglected some of the finest examples of automotive excellence available to people of average means. Toyota became a powerhouse, offering the Supra, MR2, and AE86 Corolla, the latter still coveted today by the drifting scene. VW gave us the Golf GTI, Cabriolet, and Scirocco. SAAB gave us the terrific and quirky 900 Turbo. Mitsubishi offered a twin-stick turbo hatch GTS which was an absolute hoot, as well as the technologically advanced Starion. Alfa Romeo produced the Milano, GTV6 and 164 sport sedan. A Callaway twin-turbo version of the GTV6 was for a time the fastest production car made. I know about these cars because I owned variants of nearly all of them at some point during the "weird" 1980s. Don't even get me started on the motorcycles of the 80s, were were simply revolutionary.
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