Biggest improvement between a car and its direct successor

[Timberwolf]

Thinking about this from the dismal cars thread: Ford replaced the Mk6 Escort with the Mk1 Focus, and with that model change went from one of the worst cars in its class to one of the best. In almost every aspect the Focus was massively better. Handling and ride being the biggest improvements but refinement and interior quality (not even seen as a Focus strong point these days!) were also a big step up.

Are there any other times where a manufacturer has made a like-for-like replacement of an outgoing model with a car that is hugely better? Any even more so than the Escort to Focus?

[kiethton]

I reckon you’ve nailed it in the first post tbh

Likely a few others but would have to go a few decades prior so the relative improvements with tech made improvements far easier

[Nickbrapp]

Land Rover defender and the new model, better in every single way.

[Timberwolf]

I think for modern ones where the basic template in each segment is fairly set and new models are mostly generational improvements it's a hard one to beat.

I was wondering if there'd be a few around the '80s and the shift from old RWD, live-axle chassis to FWD and aero styling - amid a few moans of well-loved models being replaced by something blander.

[Kuwahara]

Mk1 Mondeo,liked the late Sierras but they felt old compared to the Mondeo ,not a significant jump like the Focus but a big jump in refinement and road manners…

[robbieduncan]

You could argue the AX replaced the 2CV. Whilst the AX might not have been amazing it’s a pretty big advancement from the 2CV!

Or you could look to resurrected brands. It could be argued the Bugatti Type 101 was immediately succeeded by the EB110!

[Kuwahara]

robbieduncan said:

You could argue the AX replaced the 2CV. Whilst the AX might not have been amazing it’s a pretty big advancement from the 2CV!

Or you could look to resurrected brands. It could be argued the Bugatti Type 101 was immediately succeeded by the EB110!

Would that not be the Visa…

[s94wht]

Old style A Class to new?

[98elise]

kiethton said:

I reckon you’ve nailed it in the first post tbh

Likely a few others but would have to go a few decades prior so the relative improvements with tech made improvements far easier

I would agree.

[LimaDelta]

Land Rover Defender.














Sorry

[alscar]

Nickbrapp said:

Land Rover defender and the new model, better in every single way.

I’m sure you’re absolutely right other than in how it looks, what it costs and the fact it won’t get under your skin.
I accept this may mean better for some.

[andrew]

mini to Mini was pretty significant

although maybe pushing "like for like"
...and not everything improved

[Truckosaurus]

s94wht said:

Old style A Class to new?

The original A-class was a genius piece of design with lots of clever features especially around crash worthiness, all spoiled by the 'moose test'.

The new A-class is pretty much a Megane

Rovers engineered from Hondas or BMWs:

Rover 100 which was basically an original Metro with a K-series, to the Rover 25.

Rover 800 to 75

Triumph Acclaim versus anything else '80s BL, followed by the Honda based Rover 200/400 loads better than a Montego/Maestro.

Edit to Add: Wikipedia suggests the Acclaim came a year after the end of Dolomite production. They definitely seem from different eras.

Edited by Truckosaurus on Tuesday 31st January 18:15

[Carguy44]

alscar said:

Nickbrapp said:

Land Rover defender and the new model, better in every single way.

I’m sure you’re absolutely right other than in how it looks, what it costs and the fact it won’t get under your skin.
I accept this may mean better for some.

I prefer the look of the new one and the old ones were rather expensive for what they were. To be honest I think the old ones are awful things, I do get why people might like them though.

[Alex Z]

Not so much an individual car, but an entire brand. The new range of Vauxhalls are a huge step up from their GM predecessors.

[robbieduncan]

Kuwahara said:

Would that not be the Visa…

That’s probably more reasonable but they made the 2CV up to 1990. The Visa was gone (apart from China) in 1988

[300bhp/ton]

Nickbrapp said:

Land Rover defender and the new model, better in every single way.

Seeing the thread title I knew this would be in here.

The new model is great, but is is hardly a like for like replacement in the way the Focus replaced the Escort. The new Defender is not in the same class or market segment, not even remotely. It is massively bigger, much more luxury orientated and vastly more money.

[samoht]

Quite a few from the glory days of the Japanese car industry:

Nissan Bluebird (dull taxi) to Nissan Primera (150hp & 'ring-tuned chassis)
Nissan 300ZX Z31 to Z32
Toyota Supra A70 to A80
Mazda RX-7 FC to FD
Toyota Space Cruiser (forward control van-based MPV) to Previa Mk1
Nissan Skyline R31 to R32

In many cases the newer car was no heavier but much better looking, better rigidity, double wishbone suspension, more sophisticated and substantially more powerful engine, torsen diffs etc etc.

[thebraketester]

Mk4 to mk5 golf was a pretty vast improvement.

[300bhp/ton]

Truckosaurus said:

The original A-class was a genius piece of design with lots of clever features especially around crash worthiness, all spoiled by the 'moose test'.

The new A-class is pretty much a Megane

Rovers engineered from Hondas or BMWs:

Rover 100 which was basically an original Metro with a K-series, to the Rover 25.

Rover 800 to 75

Triumph Acclaim versus anything else '80s BL, followed by the Honda based Rover 200/400 loads better than a Montego/Maestro.

Edit to Add: Wikipedia suggests the Acclaim came a year after the end of Dolomite production. They definitely seem from different eras.

Edited by Truckosaurus on Tuesday 31st January 18:15

The A-class I agree. Not sure I get the rest of your post. I don't know of any Rovers developed from BMW's? And mostly the Honda stuff was joint or taking in turns. It most certainly wasn't one sided on the Honda front.

Rover 25 was an evolution of the 200, which replaced the previous 200. All good cars, nothing really radical.


TBH the biggest step cap was probably Mini to Metro. The Metro being far superior in almost every regard, apart from the cutesy looks. But of course we all know the Mini stayed in production with a cult following, so the Metro never actually replaced it in the end.