Which Car Was the 1980's Widowmaker?
Discussion
Triumph Man said:
It was the Pinto.
It was indeed the Pinto that had a reputation of exploding into flames when hit from behind due to the location of the fuel tank.The bigger shocker was that Ford cynically did not recall the car because it calculated it would cost less to pay out damages than recall it.
The Corvair was a very wayward tail-happy car.
Both recently featured on Top Gear USA along with the "inclined to fall over" Suzuki Samurai.
The Pacer never had any reputation for anything other than being crap. I think the Gremlin may have had a reputation but can't recall what it was.
Anyway, back to the 80s....
Brilad said:
Although lots of supercars have been mentioned as potential widowmakers the car that comes to mind first for this title is the original Renault 5 Turbo.
I have not driven one, but I have heard it mentioned that the characteristics of the turbo meant that it had a tendency to suddenly give a wodge of power half way around 2nd gear corners.
Needless to say this not necessarily a good thing.
Now this is all hearsay, anyone who knows better please correct me!!
The Renault 5 Turbo was somewhat laggy if I remember correctly, quite on/off. Fantastic fun though. My brother used to lend me his when I was about 18 (I was insured) and it was a little hairy at times. Widowmaker though, no. I'd probably only been driving for about a year when I first got in it so wasn't very experienced (read: I was a sI have not driven one, but I have heard it mentioned that the characteristics of the turbo meant that it had a tendency to suddenly give a wodge of power half way around 2nd gear corners.
Needless to say this not necessarily a good thing.
Now this is all hearsay, anyone who knows better please correct me!!
t driver), but never had any really close calls.He stopped lending it to me when I ripped the front bumper off when reversing down a concrete/gravel/dirt hill at a farm where I was going to watch the moto-X. Thing is, I thought, best not go all the way up there 'cos I'll rip the bumper off. So gave up and did exactly that. He wasn't happy.
MC Bodge said:
Lots of women who's husbands drove these became widows in the 80s.
Showing my age, but as a 17 year old the Acclaim was one of the best performance:insurance deals at the time, and there were worse cars; Honda reliability, well equipped, etc.Back on topic, 930's should be the start and end of thread I'd have thought. I remember as a kid getting taken for a spin in an SSE flatnose and having the time to say 'is your foot right down' before it came on boost and I looked down the raised bonnet. Devastating in '87 or so...
drakart said:
I tend to disagree about the 911 being banded about as the dangerous one. In the 70s with Pirelli P6000s on they were deadly, but tyres had moved on by the time the 80s came about.
A 930 would sooner have had P7s (Pirellis top tyre and the original low profile tyre) as OE fitment, though. P6 was more at the Saab 900 Turbo sort of level (three doors had 195/60/15 P6s, five doors came with metric Michelin TRX'es), P6000 used to be an OE fitment on X300/08 Jags among others.
POORCARDEALER said:
Lotus Sunbeam a bit hairy
A colleague of mine who is a bit of a British car fanatic went to a used car dealer in the 80's to look at a Lotus Sunbeam. The salesman took him out in it first, stating that he was used to the car and it could be bit of a handful in the wet (and it was a rainy day). Within 5 minutes of the cocky salesperson setting off he had spun the car at a junction and ended up on the other side of the road in oncoming traffic!My colleague did eventually have a go himself and recall it was a tad lairy.
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