It looks like a Maserati BiTurbo coupe and in a sense it is – but it’s not like other BiTurbos. It’s a Maserati 228 – also known as Tipo AM334. Until the 1990s and the…
Posts tagged Cars of the 1980s
The New Wave Eighties: Renault Fuego
The Renault Fuego was old news by 1985, and definitely *not* a success in the U.S., where survivors are very rare now, but it was a nice car to drive and had a style all…
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…
Solid Gold: SA22C Mazda RX-7 LS
“An enthusiast’s dream come true,” said one review, and in many ways, Mazda’s original SA22C (later “FB”) RX-7 was exactly that. It was affordable, fast, good looking, well made, and earned praise from all quarters…
O.G. G-Wagen: Mercedes 460-Series Geländewagen
Nobody would have predicted that the military surplus Mercedes Geländewagen would end up a coveted luxury item, but that’s what it’s best known as today. This particularly true in the USA, where the truck’s best-ever…
4WEverything: Mitsubishi Galant VR-4
Mitsubishi was still a new brand in the United States when the 6th-Gen Galant was introduced for 1988. For a little while, a version of the previous Galant continued on sale alongside the new Galant…
Special Performance: Saab 900 SPG
The original Saab 900 was a darling of the Turbo era – vigorous to drive, comfy, reliable, and accessible. The 900 was so good that despite being rooted in the circa-1969 Saab 99 it still…
Oh What a Feeling!
1981 Toyota Corona
Before Camry, there was Corona. Of course, after Camry, there was still Corona – indeed, the name continued into 2001, but you couldn’t get those later Coronas in the USA. In the early 1970s multiple…
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…