Cars 30 years old in 2018

[flat4alfa]

What cars become 30 years old in 2018? 

 

Many of these make me feel young still...

 

Audi V8
Flagship, fitted with Audi's first V8 engine in a passenger car.

Also the first Audi to mate its 'Quattro' 4WD technology with automatic transmission as standard.

 Colour dates it nicely.  


BMW 5-Series (E34)
3rd-generation of the 5-series, the first to have an estate car body offering, also the first to offer 4WD: in the 525iX.

Originally designed by Ercole Spada (an Italian), Engines ranged from 1.8 to 4.0 litres. Almost 1.4 Million built; where have they all gone?



Opel Vectra A / Vauxhall Cavalier Mk3
Designed by Wayne Cherry, yes that Wayne Cherry who gave us Vauxhall Viva Droop Snoots and that angular Cadillac look in recent years.

A total of 20 engine types fitted in its lifetime



FIAT Tipo  (literally: Type-dot)
The first FIAT to made entirely out of galvanized body panels, the size of Escort but having interior dimensions beating Sierra.  Euro COTY.
Spanned many derivatives of the platform across the Alfa and Lancia brands and including Fiat's own Coupe.
 Be like Inspector Montalbano!



I'm sure there are others

 

I am no Miles Chapman nor do I pretend to be

[RayMK]

I was told by someone on here that Tipo floors including the sills are not galvanised.  The logic of why not escapes me but ours (nearside) is being welded today for its MOT.  Offside was done earlier last year.  

[timolloyd]

Funny how your mind plays tricks. I guess because the 5 series is still a model (albeit with a thousand variations I don't understand) I think of it as much newer than the Cav.

 

Only '88 launch car I can think of is the XJ220. Not very shite, but there you go.

[SiC]

Not quite there yet, but the MX5 mk1 was released at the start of 1989.

[bramz7]

I was told by someone on here that Tipo floors including the sills are not galvanised.  The logic of why not escapes me but ours (nearside) is being welded today for its MOT.  Offside was done earlier last year.  

 

Yeah I believe that is true, the front floorpans are renowned to let go. As are the window drains in the rear doors....

 

Mine hasn't had any welding ever, although it did live down a Bristol city street its entire life. But the rear doors are bubbling pretty well at the top. Nice one Fiat.

[Cleon-Fonte]

Fiat were obviously inspired by pre-facelift Citroen BXs, which also feature galvanised panels sitting on a non-galvanised floorpan.

 

1988 seems to have been a bit of a dry year for new car launches but it did give us the Renault 19 and the only Passat I like, the B3.

 

 

 

 

[Mr Bump]

Had a test drive in a Cav mk3, launch weekend and met Giles Chapman I is old

[puddlethumper]

Mine is 30 this year. Does that count ?

 

[Jerzy Woking]

VW Corrado also launched in 1988 I think. Still looks modern today

[Junkman]

[timolloyd]

VW Corrado also launched in 1988 I think. Still looks modern today

Good shout. Wonder how many are left on a G (?) plate?

[phil_lihp]

I'll take an Audi V8 home please.  

 

Actually, maybe a Hyundai Scoupe, which was also launched in 1988 apparently, although only in the US.  We had to wait patiently until 1990.

 

[dollywobbler]

XJ220 was unveiled 30 years ago, which makes me feel bloody ancient as I was there!

 

Not actually there in this photo, but I remember seeing it, and thinking it was gorgeous. And huge!

[Matt]

I was told by someone on here that Tipo floors including the sills are not galvanised.

 

 

Yeah I believe that is true

 

Citroen XM had the same baffling setup; galvanized on top, plain old steel underneath. Stupid stupid stupid.

[Tadhg Tiogar]

Citroen XM had the same baffling setup; galvanized on top, plain old steel underneath. Stupid stupid stupid.

....and the XM will be 30 in 2019. Scary. Didn't sell as well as the CX it replaced, either.

[Matt]

This has me thinking. Are there any cars that were new in 1988 that we could now sell to the septics for profit? I can't imagine there is much demand for a MK3 Cavalier though...

 

These are 30 this year apparently.

[Sir Snipes]

 

 

Both ‘89, so almost.

[face]

XJ220 was unveiled 30 years ago, which makes me feel bloody ancient as I was there!

 

Not actually there in this photo, but I remember seeing it, and thinking it was gorgeous. And huge!

 

I was the production planner for the chassis construction in Duxford.

 

It has an aluminium honeycomb sandwich panel chassis.

[dollywobbler]

Ooh, might need to talk to you.

[tooSavvy]

XJ220 'racers' ??

 

Is it right that the 'marque racing series' was a ruse to get the unsold units moved on?

 

I have seen some action on the TV and 'banger derby' came to mind.... Megga Dollari knobbheads having a [literal] bash around the circuit :/

 

TS

[Tadhg Tiogar]

Ooh, might need to talk to you.

Do I detect honeycomb sandwich chassis for an Invacar?

[NorfolkNWeigh]

Not just a car, a manufacturer. The Rover Group. Which was sold to British Aerospace in 88 and The Austin name was killed off.

With typical joined up thinking the Montego had two face lifts and changes of badge in a year.

It should have been a triumphant year in the fleet market for the Montego with the launch of the first direct injection diesel and 7 seat estate . The only decent dizzlers were French and companies wanted to buy British so with typical shenanigans that BMC would have been proud of they created an atmosphere of uncertainty to sabotage sales.

 

They did manage to get one thing right in 1988, of course they managed to fuck that up by losing the engine by selling out to the Germans then making a half arsed head gasket blowing boat anchor of their own.

If I put a ???? here, maybe Kv6 pervs not be offended.

[treehugger]

Further to the OP, my mate has an E34, least I think it was. April since I saw him/it.

[tul66]

I'll leave this eyesore here

[Vince70]

I still think of the mk3 Fiesta as a modern, but it must be coming up to 30 years now since the things first started hitting the roads.

[AlabamaShrimp]

Mk3 Fiesta is 1989. What are you going for in this thread just cars that are 30 this year or stuff that came out in 88?

[flat4alfa]

I still think of the mk3 Fiesta as a modern, but it must be coming up to 30 years now

 

Not 1988 tho is it

[Junkman]

Amazing the fact that the last proper cars ever built are 32 years old by now.

[bramz7]

Apart from the not too great rust proofing in some areas I love my Tipo. The space inside is ridiculous and I don't think I've had as much legroom on anything else.

 

I also like the R19. Again pretty fragile (rear arches dissolve like no tomorrow), but comfortable and good in town and motorways.

 

The Suzuki Vitara was also introduced in 1988.

[flat4alfa]

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Both ‘89, so almost.

 

Not more 1989 talk in this 1988 thread of desire