The year was 1985. Just a year earlier, famous auto exec and future Chrysler and GM product Czar Bob Lutz had returned to Dearborn, Michigan. He was still working for Ford then, and fresh off…
Posts tagged 1980s
The Cadillac of Minivans: Oldsmobile Silhouette
GM’s first attempt at minivans, the long-lived 1985 Chevy Astro/GMC Safari, were more “van” than “mini.” This wasn’t so surprising since they were designed in a hurry and therefore based mostly on off-the-shelf truck components….
Modern Vanning: Toyota HiAce 4wD
In its first few years, it was only a Toyota, but the 4th-gen HiAce van has been in production in various countries since the spring of 1989 and is still being churned out in fair…
Alfa Romeo Milano: Raising Arese
The Alfa Romeo Milano was unique to the United States, or at least the name was. Everywhere else it was the Alfa 75, and the House of Arese’s replacement for the first “Nuova Giulietta,” which…
Raising Arizona: The Peugeot 309
When Chrysler sold off its European assets to Peugeot in 1978, the former Simcas, Chryslers, and Hillmans that comprised the disparate lineup mostly became Talbots for 1979 (though the Simca named lingered on some small…
Sporting Modern: Honda Civic CR-X Mk1
It wasn’t quite a sports car, it wasn’t quite an economy car, and it wasn’t quite a hot hatch – but cleverly, Honda’s original CR-X could be all three.
Fuel Crisis Fleetwood: 1981’s Cadillac V-8-6-4
The excellent downsized GM full-sizes of 1977 were reworked with a more formal look in the late fall of 1979 as 1980 models. The more upright looks belied better aerodynamics which, in some cases, yielded…
The Future is Now: 1986 Mercury Sable
The 1986 Ford Taurus and it’s close sibling, the Mercury Sable, were landmark cars six year in the making, and they revolutionized Ford’s U.S. operations.
All’s Rad: BMW 325iX
Some months ago, we looked at the BMW E30 Touring, noting that the all-wheel-drive E30 325iX was worthy of its own story – and here we are with Anthony R.’s excellent iX. 325iXs are rare,…
Saving the best for last: Volkswagen Scirocco 16V
The basic bones of the Volkswagen Scirocco were over a decade old by the time of the 16-valve version, but the 16V was definitely a case of saving the best for last. The fastest factor…
Iron Man: 1985 Toyota 4WD Pickup
These are the unmistakeable colors of eighties racing Toyotas and in particular the look of Ivan “Ironman” Stewart and his PPI (Precision Performance Inc.) offroad race trucks. The N50 Toyota Pickup (aka the Hilux) was…
AMC and Renault’s Alliance
Word of a potential merger between FCA and Renault can’t help but evoke memories of the long ago tie-up Renault-AMC tie up; which began in 1978 as both parties were struggling in North America and…