Take one car back to 1980. Which one?

[MissChief]

I did this on another forum and it produced some interesting answers.

Take one car on sale today, it can be new or used and you get to take it back 32 years. Do you take something incredibly sophisticated that they may. Or understand? Something that you can show to them and say 'this? Terrible idea. DON'T!'

Would you take back something that was so good that it almost put your favourite manufacturer out of business because it was made by a rival? Do you tell Peter Wheeler 'that Russian bloke? Utter tt and will ruin your beloved company'?

Take an NSX back to Honda and say 'never stop this'?

[martin84]

I think if you appeared in 1980 with a 59 plate Mondeo people would gather round it in amazement. Today people go 'meh.'

[Swoxy]

Focus.

[Wadeski]

I think saving the British car industry would be nice.

Maybe showing MG or Triumph a 1989 Mazda MX-5...

or Austin a Honda Jazz...

Or Rover a Lexus LS400 so they could see how a luxury car should be built...

[DukeDickson]

The old favourite 335d, especially in Touring form and maybe breathed on a little would be interesting. Given the diesels of the time, I wonder what people would make of a diesel estate that would be able to keep the supercars of the time reasonably honest and yet at the same time be able to deliver @ 40mpg when required, lug stuff around, be comfortable, well equiped etc.

[Wadeski]

oh f*** it it would be quite entertaining to give a car journalist excited by the "terrific" 210hp horsepower of an Esprit Turbo a Pagani Huayra or a Nissan GT-R and an open track.

[Pommygranite]

Take a Lada Riva back. That'll mess with their minds.

On a serious note Veyron.

[mboon]

V8 Atom

[m8rky]

Interesting thread this,really got me thinking but the best looking car for years and one that I would take to Citroen and say "keep the faith don't go bland on us" it has to be..

A Citroen DS5

Edited by m8rky on Monday 27th August 07:34

[ClaphamGT3]

I don't think any super/hyper car would impress as much as, say, a 3 year-old modern supermini turbo-diesel. The idea of a family shopping trolly capable of delivering 120mph performance, 50mpg, aircon, remote central locking and electric everything that had done 100k miles and still looked and drove like new would be inconceivable.

I also think that they'd be agog at the sheer size of the things. I saw an A reg Sierra in our local Sainsburys car park a few weeks ago - it was about the size of a modern Fiesta

[RosscoPCole]

A new Morgan 3 Wheeler. Would confuse a few people.

On a serious note a 1.0 Focus.

[williamp]

1980? So BL still existed, therefroe the last MG Midget and MGB were being made, we had Triumph still being made, and no Japanese companies manufacturing in this counry.

So I would take something like the XF, Evoque or the humble Micra back and show the current manufcturing that good quality care can be made in the UK- even at the ever-troubled speke plant. But point out the ownership, and highlight what happens if it things dont change.

..and then take an MG ZS back and run over Patricia Hewitt MP

[McHaggis]

They wouldn't listen. The unions would then have you burned for witchcraft...

I'd take the most tech filled car - a McLaren to a young Gordon Murray for him to reverse engineer.

[Bungleaio]

On a slightly different note (I may get burned at the stake for this) but sending a Nissan Leaf back would give alternative fuel vehicles a massive head start.

[Pontoneer]

MissChief said:

I did this on another forum and it produced some interesting answers.

Take one car on sale today, it can be new or used and you get to take it back 32 years. Do you take something incredibly sophisticated that they may. Or understand? Something that you can show to them and say 'this? Terrible idea. DON'T!'

Would you take back something that was so good that it almost put your favourite manufacturer out of business because it was made by a rival? Do you tell Peter Wheeler 'that Russian bloke? Utter tt and will ruin your beloved company'?

Take an NSX back to Honda and say 'never stop this'?

I would probably take one of my W126 S Classes ( which were on sale in 1980 ) back and say to Mercedes-Benz " Well done . You said it would last well into the 21st century , and it did . Only do something about that rear window seal , and don't let the bean counters take over .

[DavidY]

Anything Japanese would amaze them, in the 70's they were not the best for build quality. I think the OP's suggestion of a NSX is a good one, but so would be a Nissan GTR, Impreza or EVO.

Having said that a regular car with 250k on the clock would leave them completely speechless!

[marmitemania]

A Golf, A4 and Passat and I would show them to the British car industry and tell them this is what everybody will drive in the 21st century and I would make clear to them that it is imperative that this must be stopped at all costs.

[Dave Hedgehog]

McHaggis said:

They wouldn't listen. The unions would then have you burned for witchcraft...

I'd take the most tech filled car - a McLaren to a young Gordon Murray for him to reverse engineer.

superb idea, take the MP4-12C and say "OI! bellend, turbos work perfectly well"

[em177]

Dave Hedgehog said:

McHaggis said:

They wouldn't listen. The unions would then have you burned for witchcraft...

I'd take the most tech filled car - a McLaren to a young Gordon Murray for him to reverse engineer.

superb idea, take the MP4-12C and say "OI! bellend, turbos work perfectly well"

[anonymous-user]

Bungleaio said:

On a slightly different note (I may get burned at the stake for this) but sending a Nissan Leaf back would give alternative fuel vehicles a massive head start.

We couldn't burn you, all the carbon dioxide produced would kill all of the kittens and pretty flowers wouldn't it...