Which car best sums up the 1980s?

[Levin]

Impasse said:

Surely the eighties were Strosek, Dimma and Koenig et al?

One Mattig Manta for sir!



And if sir's feeling particularly extravagant, there's always the example from the German film "Manta, Manta".

[anonymous-user]

Ignoring the obvious supercar choices and focussing on what I actually saw on the roads, I'd say the XR3i nailed it, followed by Mk2 Golf GTI, Cavaliers, Sierras, big 2.8 Granadas (then later Scorpios), Renault 9/11/25, anything by Rover/MG and Mk2 Transits. Audi doesn't really ring any 80s bells with me. Ignoring the quattro, what else did they do of note?

[AvonRise]

Phil303 said:

Ignoring the obvious supercar choices and focussing on what I actually saw on the roads, I'd say the XR3i nailed it, followed by Mk2 Golf GTI, Cavaliers, Sierras, big 2.8 Granadas (then later Scorpios), Renault 9/11/25, anything by Rover/MG and Mk2 Transits. Audi doesn't really ring any 80s bells with me. Ignoring the quattro, what else did they do of note?

The world's first proper performance estate.

[TVRJAS]

robk84 said:

Many good suggestions have been posted...

But your Quattro post was the 1st car that entered my head.. Maybe because I had an Audi coupe GT in the 80's but was always miffed and looked in ore when seeing a Quattro.

[Tribal Chestnut]

What about an SD1? I think the Vanden Plas was early 80s.

[BarbaraLee]

Beer Man said:

close thread



Not just the Lambo. Both of 'em

This is cool! I really love this type of car especially the colors!

[cologne2792]

[cologne2792]

oldnbold said:

Here's two of mine from the early 80's. Suprised one hasn't popped up already.

Capri 1.6GL with expensive wheels that my Dad disaproved of


Capri 3.0S great car and very "interesting exiting roundabouts in the wet.

No sorry.

I'm a Capri nut - currently on my sixth - 84 2.8i

The Capri is of the sixties and seventies - the very nice mk2 in your picture is a mid 70's and the gorgeous 3.0S, still my all time favourite Capri, was born in 78 and onward.
That they carried on into the eighties was down to the 2.8i reinventing the brand but the 2.8i just isn't Capri enough when compared to the 3.0S.

[r11co]

Vyse said:

I was despairing that this was going to turn into another one of those 'post your favourite car that vaguely falls into half of the category specified in the topic title' threads until that picture turned up.

A good interpretation of the thread ie. which particular car rather than which make/model.

The one I was going to suggest was this....

[petrolsniffer]

MC Bodge said:

Before the Evoque there was:




Classy.

Loaadsaaaaa. Monnaayy

I'd say any of the lower end fast fords of the era while i'm a fan of the 205 gti which is arguably a better car than the escorts and fiestas if you ask me what car pops into my mind it would be a white xr3i cabrio or a red tintop one.

[oldnbold]

cologne2792 said:

oldnbold said:

Here's two of mine from the early 80's. Suprised one hasn't popped up already.

Capri 1.6GL with expensive wheels that my Dad disaproved of


Capri 3.0S great car and very "interesting exiting roundabouts in the wet.

No sorry.

I'm a Capri nut - currently on my sixth - 84 2.8i

The Capri is of the sixties and seventies - the very nice mk2 in your picture is a mid 70's and the gorgeous 3.0S, still my all time favourite Capri, was born in 78 and onward.
That they carried on into the eighties was down to the 2.8i reinventing the brand but the 2.8i just isn't Capri enough when compared to the 3.0S.

I guess that your right in that the 1.6 Mk2 was actually a late 70's model but the 3.0S was a late 80 or early 81 car from memory, it was certainly only a few months old when I purchased it.

Anyway what ever the year of manafacture they represent my memory of 80's cars because along with a 2.0S they were the cars that I owned and drove in the early 80's.

[interloper]

petrolsniffer said:

MC Bodge said:

Before the Evoque there was:




Classy.

Loaadsaaaaa. Monnaayy

I'd say any of the lower end fast fords of the era while i'm a fan of the 205 gti which is arguably a better car than the escorts and fiestas if you ask me what car pops into my mind it would be a white xr3i cabrio or a red tintop one.

Its an odd one, the XR3I probably sums up the era but I didn't like it at the time. The XR3I in my head at least was bought by people who wanted to be flash but weren't really petrol heads.

So I'm going with the Manta, partly just as a big two fingered salute to the XR mob but also because as a young lad I wondered past a row of Manta 400s lined up on Douglas prom in the Isle of Man, waiting to compete on the Manx National. Funnily enough that image is etched indelibly into my brain. Now that was a school trip to remember!

[Marc p]

I have a lot of love for 80's films and music, so year before last I decided to get myself something truly 80's and as original as possible.........came back with a 944 S2 in Guards Red with cream leather, I don't drive it much, but when I do, I have Hall and Oates blasting out on the tapedeck!

[s m]

interloper said:

Its an odd one, the XR3I probably sums up the era but I didn't like it at the time. The XR3I in my head at least was bought by people who wanted to be flash but weren't really petrol heads.

So I'm going with the Manta, partly just as a big two fingered salute to the XR mob but also because as a young lad I wondered past a row of Manta 400s lined up on Douglas prom in the Isle of Man, waiting to compete on the Manx National. Funnily enough that image is etched indelibly into my brain. Now that was a school trip to remember!

Tell the truth....you're going with the Manta because you had one

[hornetrider]

Dave G fsi said:

XR3i

This. In white. And convertible.

Oh, like above

[ShyTallKnight]

A valver..!!!

[DrDoofenshmirtz]

'The Sierra Touch'
'The Fiesta Touch'
And most worryingly, 'The Escort Touch'

[swisstoni]

Bloody terrible wasn't it.

[Beer Man]

Regarding dubious names for cars.

There was a bit of a penchant for cars that shared the same names as 'gentleman's literature' of the period.

Escort
Fiesta
Mini Mayfair
Many 'Club' editions of 'trim' level (Vauxhall???)

I'm sure there were more.

I think the Renault Razzle would have been good. Lada Knave ???

[Funkycoldribena]

Dave G fsi said:

XR3i

I was around in the eighties with my floppy fringe and gold earrings and this was what was mainly around,however in equal amounts were tarted up mk2 escorts,the seafronts were awash with them.