Vehicles with an unusually long production period

[lesapandre]

Renault Master MK1. 1980 to 1997 or 1999 if counting the 4x4 version.

[MiniMinorMk3]

Peugeot 504, 1968-2006. Last place it was produced was Nigeria.

[somewhatfoolish]

8 minutes ago, lesapandre said:

Either that or they were fitted with a friction dynamo on the back wheel. Both a whole lot of faff involving wiring and bulbs that generally went wrong in numerous ways. Sometimes the past is indeed rubbish.

On the plus side that tube is big enough for 3-4 18650s which will run LEDs bright enough to illuminate the moon.

[lesapandre]

Reliant Robin/Rialto and variants - 1973-2002.

[SiC]

On 19/08/2024 at 23:13, SiC said:

Fiat 500

Not just the old, classic original. 

The new one has been in production since 2007 without any major chassis or even major cosmetic changes. A 17 year production run, that still is in production, for any modern car is a very long time. I don't even know of any replacements they've got planned for it either?

I can't think of any other mainstream car still in production that is as old as it?

In 2021 they had made 2.5 million of the things too. The classic was 4 million, so it won't be long surely before it'll get to that level. Even the classic was in production for 18yrs, which the new gen will be nearly there now.

And just like that, it's coming to an end:

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/fiat-500-and-abarth-595-retired-after-17-years-sale

 

[Urko]

22 hours ago, MrBiscuits said:

These deserve a mention. 1974 (sherpa) through 2005 (Pilot). The rear sheet metal basically the same as the sixties J4. I think there was a Turkish version too that might still be made.

I remember seeing J4s badged as Sava and Pegaso (and possibly EBRO) in Spain.  Early ones were just rebadged J4, later they did their own front end.

[Eyersey1234]

On 19/08/2024 at 20:00, Dyslexic Viking said:

In terms of cars, the ones I can think of are 2CV and Beetles and Lada Niva/Riva. But surely there are more?

Original Mini

[MiniMinorMk3]

Not a vehicle, but a part, Morris Marina door handles 1970 to...

1998, on the Series 1 Disco, with many others inbetween.

[iainrcz]

Corolla. 

60's  onward. +50million sold. Best selling car ever afaik.

[artdjones]

5 hours ago, lesapandre said:

Either that or they were fitted with a friction dynamo on the back wheel. Both a whole lot of faff involving wiring and bulbs - that generally went wrong in numerous ways. Sometimes the past is indeed rubbish.

Not really true with a Superbe. There's a dynamo built into the rear hub. The batteries took over when you came to a stop.

The quality of those bikes is amazing. For many years after Brits had gone over to lighter bikes, they kept on being popular in Africa, especially Nigeria, because they could stand up to a lifetime of hard use. They were a means of transport, not a lifestyle accessory.

[MJK 24]

On 21/08/2024 at 14:42, iainrcz said:

Corolla. 

60's  onward. +50million sold. Best selling car ever afaik.

It’s been a multitude of different cars along the way though?

The Beetle, Mini etc, they remained true to the original concept from start to finish.  Corolla is just a name Toyota stick on cars that change to something completely different next time around?

[Noel Tidybeard]

On 20/08/2024 at 12:49, grogee said:

Maestro? 

BLARG 83-95ish

Apple, then Ledbury (or possibly the other way around) 

then until 2007 in china

and the reskinned by Yema until 2017

[SunnySouth]

On a related note - because it probably doesn’t warrant its own thread - thinking of how VW decided twice that they couldn’t be arsed to make a new Golf ragtop to go with the new model, and so just kept churning out the old one instead (at least they fitted the new face to the MK3, albeit the end result looked wank); are there any other mainstream examples of old/previous models carrying on because the new range didn’t provide a replacement?

[adw1977]

23 minutes ago, SunnySouth said:

On a related note - because it probably doesn’t warrant its own thread - thinking of how VW decided twice that they couldn’t be arsed to make a new Golf ragtop to go with the new model, and so just kept churning out the old one instead (at least they fitted the new face to the MK3, albeit the end result looked wank); are there any other mainstream examples of old/previous models carrying on because the new range didn’t provide a replacement?

Usually estates, like Mazda 929 continuing for many years in the 1980s as an estate only because there was no estate version of the contemporary 626.

[captain_70s]

2 hours ago, SunnySouth said:

are there any other mainstream examples of old/previous models carrying on because the new range didn’t provide a replacement?

I think this often used to happen with car derived vans like the Citroën C15, Renault Express and Bedford HA.

[Metal Guru]

On 20/08/2024 at 10:54, reb said:

Cessna Skyhawk

Introduced in the 50s and in production ever since (with a 10 year gap from 1986 according to Wikipedia)

Many planes have very long production runs. 

C130 Hercules 1954- present

Boeing 737 1966- 

747   1968-2023

 

[GeordieInExile]

4 hours ago, adw1977 said:

Usually estates, like Mazda 929 continuing for many years in the 1980s as an estate only because there was no estate version of the contemporary 626.

Ford just sticking the new headlights on the Escort MK1 estate as well. They did it with the Cortina and then later with the Granada/Scorpio but the Escort was definitely the laziest.

[Conan]

5 hours ago, SunnySouth said:

On a related note - because it probably doesn’t warrant its own thread - thinking of how VW decided twice that they couldn’t be arsed to make a new Golf ragtop to go with the new model, and so just kept churning out the old one instead (at least they fitted the new face to the MK3, albeit the end result looked wank); are there any other mainstream examples of old/previous models carrying on because the new range didn’t provide a replacement?

The best (worst?) example of this was the Aussie Ford Falcon Ute from 1979 to 1999. 20 years lifespan might not be all that long for a commercial vehicle, but the execution was quite something. Brace yourself and try searching for XH Falcon Ute, especially the sporty (read: aspirational) model.

Also, yeah, the more commercial centric a design, the longer lifespan they usually have, as they don't have to follow fashion, only regulation.

[New POD]

On 20/08/2024 at 15:01, Stinkwheel said:

So similar to pretty much all ‘peoples’ cars over the years. 
2CV, Beetle, Morris Minor,  Model T, Renault 4, Fiat 500, Trabant etc all built to a price, all flawed in some way and all called shit at some point or another by someone or another. 

Usually their 7th owner, when they realise what a poor choice they had made. 

[lesapandre]

5 hours ago, captain_70s said:

I think this often used to happen with car derived vans like the Citroën C15, Renault Express and Bedford HA.

Citroen Visa and then derived C15 van range ran 1978-2006 - 28 years. 1,180,000 produced of the van version 

Bedford was 1964-83 - 19 years. A massive 689,000 produced. What a profit winner that must have been. They were everywhere at one time.

[EyesWeldedShut]

Bini carried over their original ragtop into the R56 era and made the older R52 for a couple of years after the new models were out.  Thus, the R52 allowed owners to continue the joy of owing* a Tritec engine.
Tritec stopped manufacture in 2007 when BMW pulled out of the original agreement with Chrysler and sold them their portion of the engine plant. Fiat then became notional 100% owner so, yes, you can still buy a Tritec (albeit re-engineered and rebadged).

 

[brownnova]

Has anyone mentioned the Hillman/Paykan Hunter? 

1966-2005 I believe.

[brownnova]

Also Vauxhall Victor FE/Hindustan Contessa 1972-2002

[brownnova]

Volkswagen Type 2 1950-2013 in total or even just the second post split screen second generation one from 1967-2013! 
 

[MorrisItalSLX]

3 hours ago, Conan said:

The best (worst?) example of this was the Aussie Ford Falcon Ute from 1979 to 1999. 20 years lifespan might not be all that long for a commercial vehicle, but the execution was quite something. Brace yourself and try searching for XH Falcon Ute, especially the sporty (read: aspirational) model.

Also, yeah, the more commercial centric a design, the longer lifespan they usually have, as they don't have to follow fashion, only regulation.

How it began:

And how it ended:

But the van version goes all the way back to the XA Falcon of 1972!

[Erebus]

MK1 Golf introduced in 1974 continued being sold as the Citi Golf in South Africa until 2009

[grogee]

10 hours ago, SunnySouth said:

On a related note - because it probably doesn’t warrant its own thread - thinking of how VW decided twice that they couldn’t be arsed to make a new Golf ragtop to go with the new model, and so just kept churning out the old one instead (at least they fitted the new face to the MK3, albeit the end result looked wank); are there any other mainstream examples of old/previous models carrying on because the new range didn’t provide a replacement?

Slightly different to your example, but here's a couple that immediately spring to mind:

Fiesta Mk3 continuing as the Fiesta 'Classic' in 1995 when the Mk4 was launched, because Ford

Range Rover 'Classic' after P38 was launched in 1994, because BL

Montego continued forever alongside R8 (without a marque) because someone forgot to switch Longbridge off

[Dobloseven]

Think the Mini is going to take a bit of beating.Over 40 years, essentially still the same size ,shape,layout,engine.Continuous production in the same factories as well, admittedly under a lot of different owners.Stuff like the British cars that got made abroad ended up with different running gear etc.Like the Standard Vanguard engined Rover SD1 in India!

[chaseracer]

1 hour ago, brownnova said:

Also Vauxhall Victor FE/Hindustan Contessa 1972-2002

10 year gap though, between the end of VX2300 production and the Contessa coming on stream dribble.

[Timewaster]

2 hours ago, grogee said:

Slightly different to your example, but here's a couple that immediately spring to mind:

Fiesta Mk3 continuing as the Fiesta 'Classic' in 1995 when the Mk4 was launched, because Ford

Range Rover 'Classic' after P38 was launched in 1994, because BL

Montego continued forever alongside R8 (without a marque) because someone forgot to switch Longbridge off

Renault 5 soldiering on as the Campus long after the Clio replaced it, then the MK2 (I think) Clio repeated this trick in mis 2000s.

The 1983 205 refused to die quietly and  carried on untill 1999. It intended replacements the 306 and 106 only lasted to 2001 and  2003.