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.
Posts tagged Cars of the 1980s
California Connection: 1981 Toyota Celica
The original A20 Toyota Celica was a break-out car for Toyota; introducing hundreds of thousands of new customers to a brand they might not otherwise have given a second thought. The Celica, a scaled down…
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,…
It’s Hip to be Square: Volvo 740 & 700 Series
The Volvo 700-series profile looks sharp to this day and these cars were the epitome of the popular “boxy Volvo,” around for years a hugely successful. But the Volvo 700 series didn’t get off to the easiest start.
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…
From the Forest to the Ranch: Subaru BRAT Mk1
Datsun and Toyota’s small trucks were selling like air conditioners in a heat wave. Ford and GM were getting in on the action with rebadged Isuzus and Mazdas (also sold under their own labels). Though…
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…
Good Old “Good Olds” Guys: 1990 Oldsmobile 98
It’s impossible to overstate the impact of the two 1970s fuel crises had on the automotive industry and, in particular, American giants like GM. By 1980, GM had enjoyed three consecutive major hits with downsized…
Totally Rad: 1987 Ferrari Testarossa
When you see a Ferrari Testarossa, you can almost hear Jan Hammer, although Prince’s “Lets go Crazy” would be appropriate too, since it peaked around the time the Testarossa first appeared at the 1984 Paris show.
Coming to America: Mitsubishi Tredia
All but forgotten today, this nondescript little sedan is a Mitsubishi Tredia. This a late Tredia with flush aero lamps instead of sealed beams, but the Tredia, along with its coupe companions the Cordia and…
Early Days: Y2 Hyundai Sonata
In these days of the Genesis G90, the early days of Hyundai feel very, very distant, but 30 years ago this month Hyundai USA expanded beyond basic economy cars for the very first time with…