Once they found out its top speed of nearly 180mph, some members of the press, police and even Parliament called for the car to be banned.

This is the story of the executive saloon turned supercar.

Lotus was no stranger to turning ordinary road cars into something special.

But as outstanding as their tuned ‘60s Cortina and ‘70s Sunbeam were, they proved to be mere tasters for the main event, the earth-shatteringly spectacular Vauxhall Lotus Carlton of 1990.

Here was a car that could more than match a Porsche 911 or a Ferrari 348 for speed, but could also seat four in comfort and carry a fortnight’s worth of luggage.

Even though there were already sports cars on the road that could achieve outrageous top speeds, the fact that this was a humble Vauxhall, a recognisable family saloon, was too much for some.

Before anyone had even taken delivery of Lotus Type 104, the Daily Mail wailed that it was too fast and should be banned, aided and abetted by the Association of Chief Police Officers, who described it as “an outrageous invitation to speed”.

Questions were raised in Parliament, and even Bob Murray, editor of the respected Autocar magazine, doubted the wisdom of allowing a car that could reach speeds of up to 180mph on the road.

He took the view that the car’s top speed should be limited, though the 155mph the Germans had begun to adopt was still too fast for British roads…

“Nobody buying this car could possibly argue he either needs or will be able to use a top whack which is claimed to be around 180 mph,” argued Murray.

Vauxhall’s owner General Motors, and especially Lotus, were unmoved.

Lotus Carlton engineering

General Motors had bought Lotus in 1986, and Mike Kimberley, boss of the Norfolk firm, immediately spotted an opportunity to give the Vauxhall range an image boost.

To start with, he considered giving the top-of-the-range Vauxhall Senator the Lotus treatment, with a number of concepts and renderings drawn up.

But GM Europe had its own plans for the Senator, and attention switched to the slightly smaller Carlton, sold as the Opel Omega in Europe.

With GM on board, work got underway on the already impressive 3.0-litre, six-cylinder Carlton GSi 24v, which Lotus enlarged to 3,615cc by increasing the stroke.

Kimberley wanted supercar performance to push the envelope of what a family saloon could be, which meant bolting on a pair of small Garrett T25 turbos among a host of other engine modifications.

They included a stiffer block to deal with the extra power and torque, new Mahle pistons, connecting rods, and crankshaft, a reinforced cylinder block, a new induction system, cooling manifold and throttle bodies, better cooler and better oil flow.

Other changes included a beefed up clutch, a ZF six-speed gearbox designed for the Corvette ZR1, and rear differential from the Holden commodore V8.

Stopping the massive 17in wheels, shod with unique Goodyear Eagle tyres, was a braking system designed by AP Racing.

Four pot racing callipers at the front, originally designed for Le Mans, on 330mm vented discs, are joined by twin piston callipers on 300mm vented discs at the rear, while the standard GM/Bosch anti-lock system is retained.

There was also speed-sensitive power steering and self-levelling suspension from the Senator.

Available only in Imperial Green, the Lotus Carlton was clothed in a purpose-built body kit featuring a rear spoiler, side skirts, and two huge cooling ducts in the front apron.

Made in Norfolk

Kimberley secured permission to build the car at Lotus’s plant at Hethel, Norfolk, with right hand drive Carltons and left hand drive Omegas shipped from Opel’s plant at Russelsheim starting in 1990.

These were fully completed GSi models, so each car had to be stripped down and fully rebuilt in the firm’s Factory 3, with the standard engine sent back to Opel.

It wasn’t the most efficient way of producing a car…

There were 1000 new components in the car, and each engine – comprising all new parts – was handbuilt by one of five Lotus engine builders.

Eleven prototypes were manufactured at Lotus and put through a rigorous testing regime, with the firm’s elite test drivers unleashing the awesome power of a machine that would redefine saloon car motoring.

Lotus had originally wanted to extra 100bhp per litre from the engine, but in the end delivered 377bhp at 5200rpm, and a huge 419lb ft of torque at 4200rpm – Ferrari and Lamborghini levels of grunt.

An impressive 75 per cent of that torque was available from just 2,000rpm, while it was rumoured that even at idle, the Lotus Carlton produces more torque than Vauxhall’s 24-valve Carlton at full revs.

So what did all this add up to in performance terms?

Lotus’s test drivers covered to 0-60mph sprint in just 5.2 seconds, 0-100mph in 11.5 seconds, and saw top speeds of 180mph with a following wind.

It was the fastest car ever built in Britain, quicker than the Aston Martin Vantage at 170mph.

Not even the benchmark BMW M5 could compete, but it was also these figures that sparked concerns among road safety campaigners.

Maybe that’s why Vauxhall decided to offer a day of high intensive driver training with every car sold, included in the asking price, run in conjunction with the Institute of Advanced Motorists and the Jim Russell Driving School.

The course comprised lectures in the theory of performance motoring, followed by practical experience at the wheel of the driving school’s own Lotus Carlton, all conducted in the safety of the Donington track.

It wasn’t compulsory, and Autocar’s first road test described a chassis that “tames the fury so effectively that you don’t need to be Ayrton Senna to drive it well”.

“This is the only car we’ve ever recorded a 140-160mph time for, yet such is its overtaking ability and braking power that it’s incredibly safe.”

In the wet though, the combination of huge rear tyres, rear wheel drive and mighty turbo boost could cause the rear end to step out in the hands of the unwary.

“In the wet the choice was stark; leave the Carlton at home or tiptoe everywhere.”

Lotus Carlton: a road tester’s delight

While the naysayers decried the car’s speed, most of the motoring press couldn’t wait to get their hands on the new £48,000 fire-breathing super-saloon.

By the time Autosport tested the car after the Geneva launch, Vauxhall was already getting twitchy about reports of the car’s top speed. Indeed, the press information issued to road testers ignored it entirely.

Vauxhall preferred to focus on other factors instead, like the 0-60-0 time of 8.5 seconds: the time it takes to go from 0-60mph and back to a standstill.

It will stop from 60mph in half the distance of the average family runabout.

Autosport wrote that the Lotus Carlton, a “remarkable machine”, “really comes alive on A and B roads where its explosive acceleration, responsive handling and sheer grip are waiting to be unleashed”.

“It has the power, the acceleration and handling of a mid-engined supercar and none of the drawbacks. It will seat four in supreme comfort, is far easier to drive than the performance figures suggest and asks the driver to make no compromises.

“It takes 150 hours to create a Lotus Carlton, to turn a mass produced Vauxhall into a hand finished Ferrari frightener.”

The magazine’s only quibble was with the gearbox, which “verges on agricultural” compared with Alpina’s 5-series based B10 Bi-Turbo, which develops almost as much power and torque and “uses a delightful new Getrag 5-speeder”.

The Alpina, though, was £10,000 more expensive and only available in left hand drive.

“A Lotus from Luton might not have the cachet of a BMW or a Porsche – but there’s a heck of a lot else going for it,” Autosport concluded.

What Car? said the Lotus “looks like a prop from sci-fi film The Terminator, evil and gruesome, ready to devour anything in its path through those two huge nostril-like cooling ducts in the front apron.

“Initially there’s just a gentle rumble from under the bonnet, but as the revs rise there’s an altogether more menacing growl accompanied by the odd whistle and scream from the twin turbochargers.

“And boy, does this car go; floor the throttle at 50mph in third and you’ll reach Britain’s legal speed limit in under three seconds, which is enough to leave Porsche 911 Carreras and Ferrari 348s trembling in your wake.”

Also a joyrider’s delight

It wasn’t long before thieves and joyriders cottoned on to the awesome power of the Lotus Carlton, with no police car on the road able to keep pace.

One particular car, registered 40 RA, became an almost mythical beast after it was stolen from a home in the West Midlands in November 1993.

For months, it roamed the streets in the hands of thieves who used it in late-night ram raids to steal thousands of pounds worth of cigarettes and alcohol.

West Midlands Police admitted that they “simply haven’t been able to get near the thing and it looks unlikely that we ever will”.

Vauxhall originally planned to sell 440 cars in the UK, through 17 specially chosen dealers, with a further 660 available as Lotus Omegas in left hand drive.

In the event, the recession of the late 80s and early 90s hindered sales, and only 320 Carltons and 630 Omegas were produced.

This, of course, makes them even more rare today, although a fairly large percentage survive in the UK, with 181 either on the road or SORN’d according to How Many Left.

At the time of writing, there is just one for sale in this country, a 73,000 mile, 1991 example with an asking price of £90,000.

Over time, the Carlton’s 377bhp and 419lb ft of torque has been overtaken by more modern super-saloons.

For example, the latest Audi RS6 kicks out a ludicrous 592bhp, with 590lb ft of torque, and the BMW M5 Competition an even more massive 617bhp. They can both beat the Lotus Carlton to 60mph with ease.

But at the time, the Lotus had no real competitors. It was the only four-door car on the planet with supercar performance.

Autocar summed it up thus: “Imagine that you are drifting along at 3000rpm in third gear on a straight piece of track. If you floored the throttle now, gripped the wheel, held it straight, and kept your head erect against the strong rearward force, you’d be doing 100mph now. That’s memorable.”

The post Lotus Carlton: the car they tried to ban appeared first on Cult Classics.

By the end of its decade-long production run, the DB7 had sold more than all previous Astons put together, and turned around the perennially cash-strapped company’s fortunes.

It was also drop-dead gorgeous.

For all the glory of the original DB series of cars, and the mighty but less loved V8s, Aston Martin was regularly on the verge of running out of cash.

It was no different when Ford came to the rescue with a 75% stake in 1987, and then took full control in the early ‘90s.

By 1993, the Virage and Vantage were the flagship models, both hand-built in small numbers at Newport Pagnell – and both prohibitively expensive.

Ford also owned Jaguar at the time, and new Aston Martin chief executive Walter Hayes took an interest in Tom Walkinshaw’s project XX, based on the abandoned XJS successor, the XJ41.

While Jaguar rejected Walkinshaw’s proposal, Hayes could see that it contained the basic ingredients of the cheaper, entry-level car Aston Martin was crying out for.

He formed Aston Martin Oxford with Walkinshaw’s TWR Group, and gave designer Ian Callum a simple brief.

“We photographed the most beautiful DB4s and DB6s we could find, stuck pictures up in the studio and said ‘like that’,” he said.

An instant classic

Hayes got exactly what he asked for – a beautifully sculpted body that brought those glorious designs of the ‘50s and ‘60s up to date. After a break of a quarter of a century, the DB6 finally had a worthy successor.

Giles Chapman, writing in Autocar in March 1994, described “a body of astonishing beauty – a classic sports car look with long bonnet, short boot and a hint of gently waisted haunches”.

Jeremy Clarkson, not a huge fan of the car to drive, said it was “one of those cars that you simply cannot walk away from without turning for one last look”.

“It’s like sitting opposite a stunning girl in a restaurant; you can’t concentrate on your food, and you don’t even notice that your wife has got up in a temper and left,” he added.

“As a driving machine it’s worth about £4.50. The name adds another 40p. The looks make it worth a million.”

Writing in Motor Sport in December ‘94, Simon Arron said there were “few, if any, cars on the road today that would pip the Aston Martin DB7 in a beauty contest. Fact.

“Subjective an issue as taste may be, the new Aston’s aesthetic qualities are inescapable. Its proportions are exquisite, its purpose unmistakable.”

Across the Pond, where the DB7 didn’t arrive until 1996, Car and Driver’s John Phillips said it was “bewitchingly gorgeous”, and to Motor Trend’s Randy Lorentzen it was “a paragon of grace and modesty in a world of loud braggarts”.

“The DB7 doesn’t exude arrogance like a mid-engine exotic, but projects a quiet mastery of the entire universe instead,” he added.

Road & Track’s Kim Reynolds wrote that the DB7 “may be the best-looking car in many, many years, a thorough and seductive blending of past Aston Martin themes updated into a modern and yet also timeless form”.

There were no dissenters – the DB7’s looks were worthy of the initials of David Brown, who owned the company between 1947 and 1975.

As Chapman wrote: “A machine to return the venerable Newport Pagnell company to the ‘DB’ tradition of gorgeous six-cylinder sports cars with a unique British flavour even the Italians couldn’t quite emulate.”

Not that it would be built at Newport Pagnell – with the Virage continuing in production there, the DB7 was manufactured at Bloxham, Oxfordshire, previously used to build the Jaguar XJ220.

You could buy the DB7 in Cotswold Champagne, Mendip and Quantock Blue, Cheviot Red, Brecon Anthracite, Pennine Grey, Malvern Silver, or Chiltern Green.

Aston Martin DB7 under the skin

Power for the new car was provided by the six-cylinder, 3.2-litre Jaguar AJ6 engine, with an added Eaton M90 supercharger to produce more power and torque than the much larger Aston 5.3-litre V8.

Re-engineered by TWR and Jaguar-Sport, the engine featured an all-alloy head, with four valves per cylinder and twin chain-driven overhead camshafts.

The single supercharger is the same as that used on the Jaguar XJR, but running at 40% more boost, resulting in a whopping 335bhp, and 360lb ft of torque at just 3,000rpm, endowing the DB7 with fantastic flexibility.

It was married to a choice of the 5-speed Getrag transmission or 4-speed GM 4L80-E automatic, both used in the XJS.

Built on a modified Jaguar XJS platform, and using the same wishbone suspension (with new springs, dampers, geometry and bushings), the DB7’s weight was kept down with judicious use of composites in the body.

Still, it wasn’t light, weighing in at 4,023lb, but could still shift to 60mph in just over five seconds on its way to a top speed in excess of 160mph.

Keeping costs down

Hayes made no bones about using parts from the Ford group to keep development and production costs down, in addition to the use of the XJS floorpan and AJ6 engine.

“The acquisition by Ford of Aston Martin and Jaguar has enabled it to use the resources of these specialist companies,” he said. “I know exactly where to go in Ford for anything we might want. And if you have the opportunity to use these facilities you’d be damn silly not to.”

The window switches and air vents were pure Mondeo, other interior knobs were from the humble Orion, and the interior door mirror switches from the Scorpio. The electric seat controls are from the old Jaguar XJ40.

The tail lights were shared with the Mazda 323F, the door handles with the 323 estate, the indicators from the MX-5, and the wing mirrors with the obviously non Ford Citroen CX.

In all, the car was developed for $30m.

DB7’s sumptuous interior

No matter that the DB7 shared some of its knobs and switches with bog-standard cars, the new Aston’s interior was an opulent affair.

Under Callum’s watchful eye, 29-year-old designer Neil Simpson created a sculpted shrine to hand-crafted Connolly leather, Burr walnut and Wilton carpet, without being ‘olde worlde’ and anachronistic.

Lorentzen, in Motor Trend, said that the “Aston Martin is better with wood and leather than any tree or cow could hope to be”.

Car & Driver’s Phillips said there were few experiences more acutely British than climbing into an Aston Martin DB7, “short of rowing for Oxford at the Henley Regatta, with a double Tanqueray and tonic balanced on your knee”.

“It smells like Prince Charles’s polo closet in there, but with fewer riding crops strewn on the floor.”

Not everyone was impressed. CAR’s Gavin Green acknowledged the “marvellous” Connolly hide and walnut woodwork, but wasn’t having the presence of switchgear from Ford in an Aston.

“Even the key looks like a Ford’s, and where you’d normally find the Ford oval on the key head you find an ovalised version of the DB7 logo to fill the space, which looks naff,” he bemoaned.

Driving the Aston Martin DB7

So the new DB7 looked the part, and most were happy with its interior appointments, but what did road testers make of it when they put it through their paces?

Most agreed that the DB7 wasn’t an out-and-out sports car like the similarly priced Ferrari F355, but it was an outstanding grand tourer with supercar speed.

Green, writing in CAR in December ‘94, didn’t like its gear change, which “feels like an Escort’s, only not quite as light”. Ouch.

But a big prod of the throttle showed him that the new Aston meant business.

“The slight whine and groan of the motor under part load is banished, replaced by a guttural roar that sounds like a Boeing 747 at take-off,” he wrote.

“The noise isn’t that refined, or even that nice, but you know that somewhere in front of your toes there is an engine that means business, and when you do activate the roar the car rushes to the horizon with renewed vigour, like a high-speed train building up to its maximum.”

Motor Sport’s Arron praised the car’s “seamless ability to pull away smoothly from as low as 1,500rpm in top gear without a hint of protest”.

“No matter what your speed, nor which gear you are in, it is constantly strong and progressive.

“The DB7 is more than just a pretty face. It is also comfortable, well appointed, enormously fast and, if the mood takes you, fun. The DB7 needed to be good. Make no mistake. It is.”

Phillips, writing in Car & Driver, described a “lovely feline supercharger howl”, the engine at full pelt emitting a sound “something like an industrial furnace on the high-speed setting”.

The rebirth of Aston Martin

After years of producing the very low volume, hand-built V8s – a kind of upper class muscle car for those with deep pockets – the introduction of the more svelte DB7 breathed new life into Aston Martin.

Autocar said that the DB7 joined “the McLaren F1 in re-establishing Britain at the cutting edge of specialist car making”.

Once 300 deposits of £10,000 had been received around the time of its unveiling, the order book was temporarily closed for the car that was first priced up at £78,500.

As such, it competed head on with the BMW 850CSI at £77,500, and was only a little more costly than the ageing Porsche 928 (£72,950) and less sporting Mercedes 500SL (£77,400).

The Bloxham production line was capable of manufacturing three cars per day, hand-assembled if not truly hand-built.

Given Aston had only previously produced 13,000 cars in its 83-year history, planned production of 650 DB7s a year was a staggering figure.

When Aston took the DB7 to America for the 1997 model year, the coupe was accompanied by a Volante convertible version, along with a claimed 600-plus new parts, of which 200 were also fitted to the coupe.

Changes included the addition of twin airbags and new switchgear, seats, steering, brakes and softer suspension, along with a steel bonnet.

More than 4,000 six-cylinder cars were sold, a company record, before Ford decided to take the DB7 upmarket with a beefier new engine.

Arrival of the V12 Aston Martin DB7

Aston Martin had been developing a V12 engine for some time before they opted to put it into the DB7, using Ford’s high-tech, Duratec 3-litre V6 as the basis.

But this wasn’t just two Duratec units welded together – Aston Martin’s engineers, with significant help from Cosworth, spent five years finessing their new, all-alloy 5.9-litre V12 before it debuted in a production car in the DB7 Vantage in 1999.

The intention was to sell the V12 alongside the inline-six, but such was the success of the former that demand for the six fell off a cliff. It was soon quietly dropped.

The Vantage engine produced 420bhp and 400lb-ft of torque, with power available across a wide range of revs.

Top speed was now 186mph with the TREMEC T-56 six-speed manual, or a speed-limited 165mph with the ZF 5HP30 five-speed automatic.

The sprint to 60mph could now be achieved in under 5 seconds.

“Only Lamborghini makes a V12 that sounds better,” enthused Autocar.

Car & Driver tested the Vantage Volante in 2001 against the BMW Z8 and Ferrari 360 Spider, and found a car that was “reserved, tailored, rich in clublike leather and wood” and which “spoils the passenger almost as much as the driver”.

Despite a traditionally British vibe, the magazine scoffed at suggestions that DB7 was “an old person’s car”.

“Not so. As the performance figures show, this convertible has the power and exuberance to run with the best. This is a car that cruises effortlessly at 120 mph while remaining rock steady. It would be our choice of the three for a 1000-mile dash across the European continent, which is what we did, bringing the car from its English homeland to meet its rivals in Italy.”

DB7 GT and DB7 Zagato

The final evolution of the DB7 was also the most powerful and sporting, the GT (manual) and GTA (automatic), with output up to 435bhp for the manual version.

Launched at the 2002 British Motor Show, the GT’s shorter final drive ratio resulted in dramatically improved mid-range acceleration.

Other changes were updated suspension, a mesh front grille, bonnet vents, a boot spoiler, new wheels and vented Brembo disc brakes.

Only 191 examples of the GT were built, plus another 112 GTAs, making them the rarest and most desirable version of the standard DB7 range.

A number of special editions were made over the years, including 50 Jubilee editions to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth, and 55 Anniversary Edition cars (out of a planned 100) in Slate Blue to celebrate the end of DB7 Vantage production.

But the most exclusive and dramatic DB7 of all was the Zagato, first seen at a preview for potential buyers at the premises of Gieves & Hawkes, an exclusive bespoke tailor in Savile Row, London.

Unveiled to the wider public at Pebble Beach, California a few weeks later in August 2002,  the car was a throwback to an earlier collaboration between Aston Martin and Zagato – the DB4GT Zagato of 1960.

Based on a chassis shortened by 2.4 inches, the two-seater Zagato – 8.3 inches shorter overall – was clothed in a stunning aluminium body hand-formed in Italy.

It featured a huge front grille, a shapely rear end, and the hint of Zagato’s trademark ‘double bubble’ roof.

Just 100 cars were made, one for the Aston Martin museum, and 99 for the public, which sold out immediately.

Zagato also produced 100 examples of the DB AR1 (again, one for the museum), an entirely roofless roadster for the sunshine states of the USA.

Given the Aston Martin DB7 was widely regarded as a car of outstanding beauty, we’ll leave you to decide if Zagato made it better…

The post Aston Martin DB7 history and road tests appeared first on Cult Classics.

It wasn’t a commercial success, with only 12,776 of the 3-litre cars made between 1992 and 1995.

But that makes them all the more rare today and, in the mighty 968 Club Sport, Porsche created one of the great sports cars of the era.

The Porsche 968 story begins back in 1976 with the birth of the 924, the company’s first front-engined, water-cooled car.

Porsche took on sole responsibility for the 924 after Volkswagen, which had wanted a new flagship sports car, pulled out of the joint project in the wake of the 1970s oil crises.

Although derided by the Porsche purists, not least because of its Audi-derived 1984cc engine, the 924 sold well, and did wonders for the company’s finances.

It was joined in the line-up in 1982 by the 944, a revision of the 924 platform and packing a four-cylinder, 2.5-litre engine of Porsche’s own design (also later fitted to the 924).

Handling and performance were much-improved, with the engine expanded to 3-litres – the largest production four-cylinder engine of the time – for the 944 S2 of 1989.

But the basic design had been around for a long time, and sales were on the slide. It was clear the car was in need of a more major refresh.

Cash-strapped Porsche started work on what was to be the 944 S3 in early 1990, but soon realised that so many new or revised parts were to be used it was effectively a brand new car.

The Porsche 968 was born.

To save costs, production was switched from Audi’s Neckarsulm plant to Porsche’s factory at Zuffenhausen.

Porsche 968 design and spec

Designed by Harm Lagaay, also responsible for the 924 and 944, the 968 was an attractive blend of old and new, with a 928-style nose and headlight treatment.

There were hints of the 911, and the rear retained echoes of the 944, with a refreshed tail-light arrangement.

The interior was mostly retained from the 944 S2, with some new switches and control knobs.

There was no need to unduly meddle with the 944 Turbo’s superb chassis, while the brakes – Bosch ABS with Brembo aluminium callipers on vented discs – were also carried over.

Under the bonnet, however, there were big changes.

The 3-litre inline-4 from the 944 S2 was still there, but it was significantly revised, with a new dual-mode intake manifold, lighter crankshaft, crankcase and pistons, and a higher 11.0:1 compression ratio.

Beneath a beautiful twin-cam cylinder head with a polished aluminium cover lies the real secret to the 968’s newfound levels of horsepower (236bhp from 208bhp): Porsche’s VarioCam variable valve timing.

VarioCam uses a central camshaft chain drive, with the chain tension modified via electronic instruction from the Bosch Motronic ‘brain’, varying the intake camshaft by up to 15 degrees.

When the tensioning saddles are extended, between 1500rpm and 5600rpm, the torque curve is enhanced, providing superb mid-range performance.

Indeed, Porsche claimed that the unit was superior in torque delivery to most sixes and eights of similar capacity.

Its 225lb ft was the highest for any normally aspirated 3-litre engine, regardless of the number of cylinders – the V6 Honda NSX boasted only 210lb ft.

As well as the engine changes, there was a choice of a new six-speed manual gearbox and Porsche’s dual-mode four-speed Tiptronic automatic.

The new car – Porsche maintained that 80% of it was new – was available either as a coupe or cabriolet.

Porsche 968 on the road

Like the Porsche 944, the 968’s rear transaxle helped give it an ideal 50/50 weight distribution, and it was revered for its handling by early road testers.

Not all were entirely convinced by such a large capacity four-cylinder motor though, with its inherent vibrations and occasional coarseness.

One thing can’t be disputed: it shifted, hitting 60mph in 6.5 seconds on its way to 156mph.

But for an entry level model, it wasn’t cheap, at more than £32,000 it was under attack from, in particular, less costly Japanese performance coupes like the Nissan 300ZX Turbo.

Writing in Motor Sport magazine in September 1991, Jeremy Walton was distinctly underwhelmed by the revised new powerplant, which was “not the smoothest of units”.

“Even the counterbalancer shafts of Lanchester/Mitsubishi ancestry have a job to tame all the resonances and vibrations that emanate,” he added.

“For those that like to work for their fun beyond 5000rpm, there are more rewarding motors.”

Georg Kacher, for Automobile Magazine, agreed that the big four cylinder unit “sounds a bit more hoarse” than its 944 predecessor’s, and “needs to be pushed harder to deliver the goods”.

More positively, though, the “power supply is creamy and progressive, the throttle response is razor sharp and the willingness to rev is remarkable”.

He reported that Porsche hoped to produce up to 8,000 cars a year, and Brian Bowler, Porsche Cars North America (PCNA) president and CEO, said the 968 was “critical to us and our dealers”.

He said the 968 was not just a stop-gap between the 944 S2 and mid-engined Boxster, which was already in early development before the 968 went on sale.

The concept of a front-engined, rear-drive/transaxle sports car was here to stay.

In the event, it wasn’t.

World class handling and steering

There were plenty of positive noises from Wes Raynal, writing in Autoweek, who noted that “the joy with the 968, as with other Porsches past and present, is in the driving”.

“In a nutshell, the 968 is faster, and stops, rides and handles better than the 944 it will replace,” he added. “One of the most glorious aspects of a ride in the 968 is the steering. If there’s a production car out there with better steering communication, or feel, or turn-in quickness, or straight-on-centre tracking, please, please let us drive it; we haven’t yet had the pleasure.

“We can vouch for the car’s performance and handling and say that yes, the 968 is a great car. It’s for you to decide whether it’s a great car for the money.”

Road & Track agreed, describing a drive at speed: “The tautness of the car, the precision with which it can be placed and controlled, and the efficiency of the brakes inspire the utmost confidence.”

There were doubts again, though, over the asking price – in the USA $39,850 for the coupe and $51,000 for the cabrio.

Even though this was cheaper than the outgoing 944 S2, the 300ZX cost less, and the soon-to-arrive Mazda RX-7 would undercut the Porsche by a whopping $8,000.

CAR summed things up for struggling Porsche in a face-off between the two when the RX-7 reached these shores in 1992.

“As if Porsche hadn’t enough problems! Sales have slumped as the world, almost inexplicably, has fallen out of love with its cars.

“And now that the recession is ending, a host of Japanese upstarts have carefully targeted the Stuttgart car maker’s ageing products.”

After the 300ZX came the Honda NSX for 911 money, and now the smooth, rotary power of the a much-improved RX-7 was aiming its guns squarely at the 968.

While the Mazda was an all-new design, not just a revamp of its predecessor, Porsche had produced “a heavily compromised basic design, but expertly and painstakingly developed”.

Despite high praise for a “classy, sturdy machine” that “felt almost hewn from the solid”, and “wonderful handling”, CAR plumped for the Mazda.

“Porsche, poor embattled Porsche, now has another hurdle to jump before it can extricate itself from the mire.”

Tha RX-7 would go on to sell more cars in one year (26,654 in 1992) than the 968 did in its entire production run.

Porsche 968 Club Sport

In 1992, just 156 customers in the UK bought a Porsche 968, but something very special was just round the corner.

The track-focused 968 Club Sport was 50kg lighter than the standard 968, with a host of features stripped out.

Gone were the back seats, air conditioning, electric motors for windows, mirror, seats, rear wiper, alarm and central locking, and some of the sound deadening.

Lightweight racing Recaro seats from the 911 RS were fitted, and Porsche even removed the cassette holder, centre console storage space, air bag and the luggage compartment cover to save as much weight as possible.

Buyers could choose from four colours: Guards Red, Speed Yellow, Maritime Blue, Riviera Blue, or Grand Prix White, with colour-matched wheels if they wished.

In an echo of the 911’s Carrera graphics, customers could have Club Sport written along the side between the wheels.

The pauper’s spec carried a significant price reduction – £4572 cut from the standard 968 – and resulted in a pick-up of 968 UK sales on the back of a series of glowing road tests in the motoring press.

Such was the fuss around the Club Sport, it became something of a halo car, attracting customers into showrooms, where they may have been persuaded to pay the extra cost for all the bells and whistles of the standard 968.

For those put off by the absence of creature comforts, Porsche introduced the UK-only 968 Sport in 1994, which retained the ethos of the CS while adding back in an alarm, power windows and mirrors, central locking, sunroof and rear seats.

The Sport was still much cheaper than the standard 968, and outsold it by some distance.

“One of the greatest”

It’s not often a motoring magazine completely changes its mind about a car, but that’s what happened when Motor Sport got hold of the 968 CS for a road test in March ‘93.

Having sampled no fewer than seven 968s since the car’s launch, the magazine admitted it would “not expect extra experience to change our opinions significantly”.

“But in the case of the 968, the CS has completed a conversion from apathy to positive enthusiasm. From start to finish, we loved it. It’s a pure driving delight.

“The price tag (£28,975, against the standard car’s £33,547) should be enough to tempt most potential 968 customers.”

Self-confessed 911 fanatic Ian Kuah was another journalist to revise his early impressions of the 968.

Writing in 911 & Porsche World, he said: “When the 968 arrived, I was not entirely convinced about this obvious facelift to a basic shape that was now getting on for a decade and a half old.

“If Porsche’s original plot had been simply to move more cars by reducing the price, then they inadvertently produced their best ever handling car in the process.

“But nothing at Porsche happens by luck, and the Club Sport was a properly thought through model in its own right.

“As a total package the 968 Club Sport is one of the greatest sports cars of all time.”

Performance Car magazine named it their Car of the Year, ahead of some big hitters including the Lancia Integrale, Ferrari 348 Spider, TVR Griffith 500, Toyota Supra, and Lotus Esprit S2.

Wild Porsche 968 Turbo S

There was one more string to the 968’s bow – the £70,000 Turbo S, which shared the same body and interior as the Club Sport, but came with forced induction.

It was distinguished from the CS by NACA bonnet hood scoops, adjustable rear aerofoil, three-piece speedline wheels and deeper front spoiler.

With 305bhp on tap, it was the most powerful roadgoing four-cylinder Porsche ever made, capable of 0-60mph in just 4.7 seconds and a top speed of 175mph.

It was the ultimate evolution of the 924 Carrera GT released in 1979, and led to the 968 Turbo RS race-car, just four of which were produced to add to only 14 of the Turbo S (all sold in mainland Europe).

The Turbo S was, according to Georg Kacher, a little too hot to handle.

Writing in CAR magazine in August ‘93, he noted its “impressive…mid-range grunt”.

“On the Weissach test track, the car regularly left black marks on the road as it catapulted out of the slower bends.

“Just when you’re beginning to think that this car will hang on forever, all hell breaks loose and it’s the devil’s own job to keep the fire under control.

“Your reflexes have to be razor sharp. At nine-tenths, you don’t have to be a hero to make the thing work. At ten-tenths, however, only the likes of Mansell and Prost can draw the line between drama and catastrophe.

“This awesome machine is simply too wild for public roads.”

And you could get the awesome Club Sport for less than half the price…

In many ways an under-rated car, the 968 simply didn’t sell well – production numbers falling each year from a peak of 5,353 in the first year to just 1,156 in its last.

With the mid-engined Boxster on the way for 1996, and the 928 also bowing out along with the 968, it was the end of the road for Porsche’s front-engined sports cars.

The post Porsche 968 history and road tests appeared first on Cult Classics.

There was the raucous brilliance of the 205 GTi 1.9-litre, its awkward-looking but awesome big brother the 309 GTi, and the manic little 106 Rallye.

But the 306 GTi-6, launched in 1996, and the stripped-down, limited edition 306 Rallye, might just have been the best of the bunch for all-round greatness.

The handsome Peugeot 306, styled – like the 205 – by Pininfarina, was a significant improvement on the stodgy-looking 309 it replaced.

Launched in March 1993, the 306 got favourable reviews as a nimble and fun drivers’ car, almost identical under the skin to the Citroen ZX, but wearing much prettier clothes.

Standard models used the TU 8-valve engines, with the 1.6-litre proving a popular and flexible unit suitable for most drivers’ needs.

But it’s with the larger engines, the XU-generation 2-litre units – a development of the 1.9-litre engine seen in the 205 GTi – where things got interesting.

With GTis falling out of favour as insurance premiums soared, Peugeot called the 306 performance models the XSi and S16.

The XSi used an 8-valve version of the XU engine, with a 16-valve head turning it into the S16.

Despite the less evocative badging, the 123bhp XSi could show the Golf GTi 8V of the time a clean pair of heels, while the twin-cam S16 pumped out an impressive 155bhp.

In October 1994, CAR magazine praised the XSi’s “kart-like niftiness”, its “mildly intoxicating verve”, and “sharp, uplifting handling”.

Pitched against the Golf and the new BMW 316i Compact, the magazine wrote that the Pug was “the only car here that should be wearing a GTi badge (but don’t tell the insurers)”.

Despite the horsepower deficit, most reviewers at the time considered the XSi a better car than the S16, including CAR.

“It has been said before but it’s worth repeating: the agile XSi offers more unbridled fun than its senior sibling, the muscle-bound S16,” it said. “There’s a wonderful fluidity to its cornering. It squats all square and turns in decisively, without the knife-edginess that made the 205 GTi so hyper-sentive.”

Enter the Peugeot 306 GTi-6

There were two chief complaints about the Peugeot 306 XSi and S16.

For the XSi, its sprint gear ratios emphasised the car’s zest, but denied it decent motorway legs – a sixth gear was needed.

Meanwhile, the extra power of the S16 was partly negated by its extra weight, and the 16-valve unit was said to be coarse and thrashy at higher speeds.

Peugeot solved both of these issues, and then some, with the 306 GTi-6 introduced in 1996.

Yes, the GTi badge was back – it was officially OK to have fun again.

Power was up from the S16, the reworked 16-valve 2-litre powerplant now producing 167bhp, with peak torque up 10% to 145lb ft, albeit at higher revs.

This smoother and more flexible engine was given lighter internals, a new alloy cylinder head, harmonically optimised inlet and exhaust plumbing, along with Magneti Marelli’s latest sequential ignition and twin-jet fuel-injection system.

The clue as to what really made the GTi-6 different was in the name – a new six-speed gearbox developed by Peugeot’s motorsport division, a first in the hot hatch arena.

Top gear was significantly taller than in the old car’s five-speed box, providing far more relaxed high-speed cruising, but Peugeot had retained its predecessor’s racey nature by closing up the lower ratios for maximum performance.

The XSi and S16 already handled supremely, so there was no need to meddle with the chassis or suspension (front struts and rear torsion-beam).

Inside, the GTi-6 came with dark leather and alcantara trimmed seats, while its ‘Cyclone’ alloys were shod with 195/55 VR 15-inch tyres.

Peugeot 306 GTi-6 on the road

After the boy-racer flamboyance of the ‘80s the GTi class came of age in the ‘90s, and there was no better example of the new, grown-up hot hatch than the classy Pug.

Out went extravagant graphics and spoilers – this was a drivers’ car, and not one for posers.

Apart from anything else, crash regulations meant we would never again see a new car as light and lively as the Peugeot 205 GTi.

And those buying hot hatches as the ‘90s wore on had a new set of priorities that the 306 and rivals like the Golf needed to address.

As Richard Meaden wrote in Performance Car magazine in September 1996, “the GTI-6 isn’t a flimsy, bare necessities kinda car”.

“Peugeot realises that hot hatchers now have more sophisticated tastes,” he added. “Most of them are going to be old gits for a start, which is why it comes with air conditioning and other heavyweight creature comforts.”

Meaden was hugely taken with the GTi-6, describing it as “quite simply, the biz”.

It could be both “refined mile-eater” and “boisterous road-racer”, depending on your mood, while the new engine was “16-valve head and shoulders above the old S16 unit – smooth where the other was harsh, torquey where it was flaccid”.

“Silky and strong from idle to red line, it develops a hard-edged Williamsesque growl at the top end,” he wrote.

“(It’s) the best new hot hatch money can buy. The GTI-6’s strength comes from its depth and range of abilities. Buy one, and you’ll have a bloody good time, all of the time.”

At £16,675, the GTi-6 wasn’t cheap, about the same price as the Golf GTi 16V, but it fully deserved to be in that bracket.

Exhilarating 306 GTi-6 handling

As well as the strong engine, the Peugeot 306 GTi-6 scored top marks for its handling and gearchange from road testers.

According to Meaden, “no other hot hatch has the magical combination of pointy, confident turn-in, unflappable traction and exhilarating mid-corner adjustability”.

Meanwhile Autocar, reviewing the Peugeot in December ‘96, said the gearbox was even more impressive than the engine.

“The gearchange is so precise and smooth that you find yourself changing gear for the hell of it,” it wrote.

“Peugeot has always been the boss of hot hatch handling, knowing just what the keen driver wants and providing it. It’s fanciful and unrealistic to keep looking for the 205 GTi’s successor, but the 306 GTi-6 is as near as anyone has got so far.”

There was some disagreement among testers about the 306 GTi-6’s performance, ranging from the 0-60mph of 7.8 seconds achieved by Autocar, to up to 8.5 seconds elsewhere.

Whatever the exact timing, Auto Trader gave it 10/10, describing its pace as “torrential”.

“There’s good pull from low speeds, but above 4,500rpm these 306s really fly,” it added. “It offers unrivalled entertainment in its class.”

Stripped down Peugeot 306 Rallye

How to make the 306 GTi-6 even more fun to drive? Strip it down and call it a Rallye.

Peugeot had successfully pulled off this trick before, with the 205 and 106, and the 306 Rallye was the ultimate version – as long as you were happy with a no frills experience.

The 167bhp engine was exactly the same, but out went the GTi-6’s fog lights, air conditioning, sunroof, electric windows, temperature sensor, and some sound deadening material.

It all added up to a weight loss of about 65kg, allowing the Rallye to rocket to 60mph in under 7 seconds.

As a bonus, it came in at just £15,990, a £2,500 drop from the GTi-6’s asking price.

Just 501 were made, all for the UK market, and they came in three solid colours – 100 black, 200 cherry red, and 200 bianca white, and one blue, all marked out with the same yellow, blue and red Rallye flashes that featured on the 205 and 106.

Interior trim was similarly austere, with the leather and Alcantara seats replaced by a special Rallye cloth, and the steering wheel made from cheaper plastic.

Unlike previous Rallyes, which used white steel wheels, the GTi-6’s five-spoke alloys remained in place.

Rave reviews for Rallye

The press loved the Rallye, with evo acclaiming its “five-star performance” on a road test in January 1999.

A “healthy, guttural roar” provides the soundtrack to enthusiastic acceleration, while the “chassis filters out all of the distractions and feeds back delicate information through the rim of the wheel and copious notes through the seat of your pants”.

CAR magazine’s Brett Fraser enthused that the Rallye “outclasses the (Golf) 16v, and outruns it, too”.

“It bubbles and fizzes with life and energy, always the sports car, forever the entertainer,” he added. “It punches viciously from as low as 3,000rpm and wails around to its seven-two red line with even greater determination than the 16v.

“Yet it’s not all show and easy gratification; it has real depth. Thunder down a bumpy road and the suspension will filter out the sting and bang of each lump and pothole.”

All in all, the bare bones Rallye was an absolute blast, serving up the GTi-6’s potent driving experience for much less cash.

If you’re lucky, you can get your hands on one for between £10,000 and £15,000 today.

GTi-6 revamp

The whole 306 range underwent its only revamp in 1997, with revised lights, grille and bumpers to bring it into line with the new Peugeot family look of the 406.

Inside, the dash was upgraded with a digital odometer and better quality trim.

And the GTi-6 marched on, winning the What Car? hot hatch of the year award for 2000, as it had in 1998.

The only reason it didn’t win in 1999 was because the 306 Rallye did…

No hot hatch gave the same “blend of performance, practicality and unabated driving excitement” as the 306, wrote the magazine.

“The 306 GTi-6’s piercing ability as a hot hatch is what makes it our choice,” it added. “An engine that thrives on revs and hard use coupled to a closely stacked six-speed box keeps the GTi-6 constantly on the boil.

“But this is no edgy prima donna in traffic, the 306 will ease through city streets without murmur and refuses to rattle your fillings over flawed city roads.”

The 306 GTi-6 was still at the top of its game when Peugeot pulled the plug midway through 2000, as the 306 model gave way to the 307 for 2001, with no GTi badge in sight.

The post Peugeot 306 GTi-6 and Rallye: hot hatch royalty appeared first on Cult Classics.

With the venerable Beetle finally losing its sales appeal, and the Karmann Ghia coupe showing its age, the men from Wolfsburg badly needed some sharper, more modern designs, and a move away from air-cooled boxer engines.

Volkswagen turned to Italian stylist Giorgetto Giugiaro, who designed the company’s new range, including the Passat, Golf, and the razor-sharp Scirocco coupe.

Volkswagen’s first step away from its rear-engined, air-cooled roots was the K70, a hangover model from the ill-fated NSU marque that was subsumed by VW in 1969.

But it was the Passat, launched in 1973 initially as a fastback version of the mechanically identical Audi 80, that marked the true beginning of a new direction.

It was an attractive, solid performer, but much more exciting was the following year’s arrival of the Scirocco, which breezed into the Geneva Motor Show like the Saharan desert wind that provides its name.

Just as the Karmann Ghia coupe was built on Beetle underpinnings, so the new Scirocco was based on the Golf.

But it appeared six months earlier than its sister car, to give Volkswagen time to assess the platform ahead of mass production of the soon-to-be-immortal Golf.

All three of this new generation of front-wheel-drive cars used versions of VW-Audi’s water-cooled, inline four-cylinder EA827 engine, which was still being used as late as 2013.

The free-revving unit, combined with the Scirocco’s sleek and sporty appearance, played a significant part in transforming Volkswagen’s reputation from a manufacturer of heavy, outdated cars, to a forward-looking, modern carmarker.

VWs suddenly got interesting.

Scirocco: built by Karmann

Just like the curvy Karmann Ghia it indirectly succeeded, the Scirocco was built by Karmann in Osnabrück.

In fact, its very existence owed much to Giugiaro’s desire to build a coupe on the Golf platform he had been working on, and Karmann’s need for a new production model to stay in business.

The result was a whip-smart, stylish coupe that took the sector by storm in Europe and America.

Mechanically, the car used MacPherson struts at the front, with a torsion-beam / trailing-arm set up at the rear, with engines ranging from an entry-level 1.1-litre unit producing 49bhp, to the sprightly 85bhp 1.5-litre.

Weighing in at just under 800kg, the Scirocco was a nimble and sprightly machine.

Autocar tested an 85bhp, 1471cc Scirocco TS in October 1974, describing “an exciting-looking hatchback…a vivid performer for its capacity” with “an engine that loves to be revved”.

So much so that Volkswagen installed an automatic cut-out at 7,000rpm, above the easily breached red line at 6,700rpm.

The Scirocco could breeze to 60mph in about 11 seconds on its way to a top speed of 108mph, not bad at all for a 1.5-litre car.

Access was via two doors, with a good-sized boot beneath a hatchback, and accommodation very much a 2+2 affair – the rear was only really suited to children.

“One could not conscientiously transport anyone one liked in the back for any distance, as the average adult must bend both back and head to fit,” wrote Autocar.

The magazine praised Volkswagen, “still relative newcomers to the problems and advantages of front-wheel-drive”, for a “quite impressive machine in its class”.

“A lot of fun in an interesting and, on the whole, enjoyable car,” it concluded.

Scirocco the Capri beater?

The coupe market in the UK had long been dominated by the Ford Capri, but there was also increasingly stiff competition from Japan’s Toyota Celica and the Alfas and Lancias from Italy.

Priced at around £2,000 when it was launched, the VW initially looked expensive, but within a matter of months most of its rivals had caught up or overtaken its asking price.

In December 1974, Autocar pitted the Scirocco TS against the Capri 2000GT and Celica ST, noting they all had plenty in common, “a sort of low-priced piece of exotica…all very attractive”.

While out and about with the Volkswagen, the magazine found that “people stop in the street to admire the aggressive-looking little machine”.

“From whichever angle of appraisal it’s a smart, fresh vehicle – visually ideal for the market at which it is aimed and right up to date with hatchback practicality.

“It is visually exciting and highly individual.”

On the road, the Scirocco was “easily the most appealing to a sporty driver – its engine is a goer, the handling is excellent, the roadholding tenacious and the brakes fine”.

For 1976, the engine capacity was increased to 1588cc and the GTi was unveiled – again ahead of the Golf GTi, which shared the same 110bhp engine.

The Scirocco GTi featured Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection, modified cylinder head and bowl-in-piston combustion chambers, larger valves and different inlet and exhaust manifolds.

It propelled the car to 60mph in under 9 seconds, and was marked out by a large front spoiler, a red frame for the grille, and ventilated disc brakes.

Injected Sciroccos the cream of the crop

The injected Sciroccos came in three trim levels, the sporty GTi, the more luxurious GLi, and the UK-only limited edition Storm.

Motor tested a GLi in 1979, and declared it “one of the quickest 1.6-litre cars Motor has ever tested”.

“The spread of power, the smoothness of its delivery and the impeccable throttle response are beyond criticism and endow the GLi with a satisfyingly eager and willing character,” the magazine added.

“There can be no doubt that VW’s Scirocco GLi is a sleek, fast and stylish coupe which also excels in its economy, handling and transmission; it is a very good car indeed.”

That it cost £1,169 more than the Golf GTi didn’t make it the best value, but buying decisions would ultimately depend on “how much emphasis you place on good looks”.

“Either way, as a 1.6-litre coupe, the Scirocco GLi has no peer.”

CAR magazine agreed when it pitched the GTi against a Renault Fuego GTX and Lancia Beta Coupe in February 2001.

“For the quality of its delivery, the VW wins hands down, as it does against any other middleweight four you care to mention,” it wrote.

“There’s no question about it; the Scirocco is the car that will bring the broadest grin of satisfaction to your face. Apart from its zip and agility, it has super controls, none better than the light, short-travel gear change that moves in straight lines and diagonals rather than doglegs.

“That the Scirocco is the most rewarding entertaining of the three to hustle hard, as well as the most refined mechanically, make the VW a clear winner.”

Just 618 Mk1 Storms were built, boasting leather upholstery, Recaro seats, bronze tinted windows, alloy wheels, a deep Zender front spoiler, and the only UK Scirocco to have a passenger side door mirror.

It was originally available in Silbergrun metallic or Schwarz metallic before switching in 1980 to Hellblau metallic or Noisette brown metallic.

Very few Storms remain – just 51 on the road in the UK across Mk1 and Mk2, making them among the most collectible of the breed.

More than 500,000 Mk1s rolled off the production line before the introduction of the Scirocco Mk2 in 1981.

German-designed Volkswagen Scirocco Mk2

For the second generation Scirocco, Volkswagen dispensed with the services of the Italian design team, opting to style the car in-house.

The more rounded and sleek design was longer, heavier, and featured increased front and rear headroom – a criticism of the earlier car – and a spoiler part-way up the rear window.

The Mark II was again assembled on the Golf’s A1 platform  by Karmann in Osnabrück.

Its shape was considerably more aerodynamic and, according to CAR magazine, had “recognisably Porsche overtones from some angles”.

In 1983, the Scirocco GTi gained the 1781cc, fuel-injected engine and became the fastest production Volkswagen so far, capable of hitting 116mph – a little quicker than the less streamlined Golf GTi.

The GTi was distinguished from lesser versions by its twin rectangular halogen headlamps, spotlights, Golf GTi-style alloys, GT badges and sliding steel sunroof.

Motorists around in the ‘80s will remember how the “Scirocco” name was picked out on the rear hatch glass beneath the spoiler.

Autocar praised the “exceptionally smooth engine’s amazing revability”, but questioned whether the price tag of £8,005 could really be justified compared with the Golf GTi’s £6,808.

Scirocco sales fall

By 1984, sales of the Scirocco were on the slide, not because of any flaws in the car but because of the surging demand for much cheaper, and more practical, hot hatches.

The more upmarket GTX replaced the GTi, with a higher level of standard equipment, but not everyone was impressed.

Motor magazine described the combination of pseudo-Cosmic wheels paired with matt-black spoilers, wheel arch extensions and sill skirts as “crude and tasteless”.

Rivals like the Capri 2.8 Injection Special, Nissan Silvia Turbo, and Fuego Turbo were quicker, and the Opel Manta GT and Corolla GT both cheaper and quicker.

But Motor noted that the “way in which the GTX achieves its performance is unquestionably its trump card”.

“Almost miraculously smooth and free-revving, the engine of our test car was even more refined than that of the Golf GTi, which won our recent six-car hot hatch showdown,” it wrote.

“The spread of power, the silkiness of its delivery and that Persil-clean throttle response are qualities unmatched in this class and endow the GTX with a sense of well-bred urgency usually reserved for much more expensive and potent machinery.”

A Storm is coming

Volkswagen rolled out various trim levels and special editions for different markets around the world, and the UK was again blessed by the Storm model in 1984 and ‘85.

Available in Cosmos blue or Havana brown, it came with the 112bhp, 1781cc GTi engine, and at £9,795.99 it was the most expensive UK Volkswagen on sale at the time.

It was followed in 1986 by the 16V Scirocco GTX, which arrived in the UK in advance of the Golf GTi model fitted with the same engine.

Power was up to 139bhp, and Motor purred over the “outstanding performance for a 1.8-litre car”, with 60mph coming up in just 7.8 seconds on the way to a top speed of 130mph.

“Such speeds are exceptional for a car costing under £11,000 and again are in the Porsche performance class.”

The Scirocco was joined in production in 1988 by the Volkswagen Corrado, which stole yet more of its sales despite being more expensive and distinctly more upmarket – and more powerful.

After 11 years, the Scirocco MKII was discontinued in 1992, selling 291,497 units – much less than the MKI despite being in production for four more years.

The name was revived in 2008 for a car that honoured the original concept – a stylish coupe that again sat on the Golf platform.

Petrol and diesel engines from 1.4-litres to 2-litres were available, and the cream of the crop was the Scirocco R produced between 2015 and the model’s end two years later.

With 280bhp on tap, it could reach 62mph in just 5.5 seconds, hitting a limited 155mph top speed.

The post Volkswagen Scirocco: Wolfsburg’s sharp-suited coupe appeared first on Cult Classics.

Not only was its water-cooled engine positioned at the front, but that four-cylinder unit was – the horror – derived from the Audi 100 and also used in the Volkswagen LT van.

But the entry-level 924 sold a whopping 150,000 over 12 years and developed into a serious, Porsche-engined, sports car.

It wore a Porsche badge, but the 924 could just as easily have been a Volkswagen, or an Audi, or a VW-Porsche.

Like its predecessor, the air-cooled 914, the new car was the result of a joint venture by Volkswagen and Porsche, specifically the Vertriebsgesellschaft (VG), the company funded by the two marques to market and sell sports cars.

Porsche had been doing the bulk of Volkswagen’s development work since the 1940s, and was tasked with creating a sports car using an existing VW/Audi four-cylinder engine.

VW-Audi boss Kurt Lotz originally planned for the car to be marketed as a VW-Porsche, but when the VG was dismantled and Lotz was replaced by Rudolf Leising, it was to be either a VW or an Audi only.

A combination of the 1973 oil crisis and a series of regulatory changes in the US saw yet another new VW-Audi boss, Toni Schmuecker, drop the project entirely.

But Porsche still needed to replace the 914, and they thought the project had come too far to be abandoned.

They struck a deal to take over the project in its entirety, and build the machine at the virtually bankrupt former NSU factory in Neckarsulm – which suited Schmuecker just fine.

Porsche claimed that £60 million pounds went into the design, production and launch of the new car.

A Porsche, but not as they knew it

The 924 may have been met with scorn by Porsche purists, but the original 356 was, of course, powered by a Volkswagen engine, albeit air-cooled, and a host of other VW parts.

But the switch to a water-cooled engine placed at the front was too much for some.

Legendary motoring journalist Bill Boddy, writing in Motor Sport magazine, remembered hearing a young lady arriving at the Porsche stand at the 1976 London Motor Show and saying, “my God, that just isn’t a Porsche.”

Edouard Seidler, in Motor Trend, wrote: “Its fathers at Porsche claim to dearly love the 924, they have given it as much care and attention as any of their other offspring. But 911 fans won’t recognise the 924 as one of the family.”

Porsche didn’t just chuck the 1984cc Audi engine into their new car though, and the handsome body was all their own work.

The cast iron, five-bearing engine block was given a Porsche-designed aluminium cylinder head with a single, belt-driven overhead camshaft operating two valves per cylinder.

Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection was fitted, all resulting in a respectable output of 125bhp at 5,800rpm.

The rear suspension was taken from the Beetle, while the front was fitted with McPherson struts and wishbones.

Prices started at just under £7,000, rising by more than £500 for optional (controversially) front and rear anti-roll bars, Blaupunkt stereo, metallic paint and alloy wheels.

Seidler described “a smart combination of proven, economical and available components and, above all, a cheaper way to protect one’s ego under a Porsche badge”.

Porsche 924: early criticism

Road testers initially struggled to get their heads around this new front-engined Porsche, with Motor Trend writing that its configuration “requires a certain amount of psychological reorganisation” to accept it as a Porsche at all.

“It’s functional, simple and straightforward, albeit with a few teething problems yet to be ironed out,” it added. “In many ways it isn’t really a Porsche, but it definitely is a sports car.”

To Bill Boddy, it was “a Volkswagen trying very hard to be a Porsche”.

Clive Richardson, writing in Motor Sport, wondered if producing a down-market model with some significant flaws would “do much to tarnish a revered name”.

“The 924 is a bit like the curate’s egg: good in parts,” he continued. “The parts which are good, especially the handling, are exceptionally good. The parts which are bad, especially the noise, vibration and harshness are, well, bad.

“It is blandly unexciting, characterless, without much charm.”

That four-cylinder unit was not what Porsche owners had come to expect, but then most 924 buyers were probably those who had never been able to afford the flat-six smoothness of the 911.

“Don’t expect any Porsche music under the hood,” said Seidler. “There is as much difference between the 911 engine and this four-cylinder Audi power plant as jazz buffs will find between Louis Armstrong and a modern pop singer. The power compartment is not musical at high rpm, just noisy.”

Richardson again: “The immediate impression of anybody who either rode in or drove the test car was the general aura of harshness, roughness and noise which pervaded every journey, however short.”

He also noted the “massive gap between second and third gears”, which “ruins the charm of the car, which cries out for a five-speed gearbox”.

Porsche 924: the good bits

This might give you the impression that the original 924 was a bit of a dog, but there was some praise to be found among the groans.

In addition, the new car was a bit with buyers, many of whom had been unexpectedly brought into the financial realms of Porsche ownership for the first time.

Writing in 1977, Motor Sport’s Richardons said: “The 924 has done remarkable things to the Zuffenhausen-based company’s turnover. Between the 924’s introduction in February 1976 and July, orders from Europe and the USA reached a level high enough to justify opening the taps to achieve the maximum production capacity of 109 cars per day, against about 50 911s. To Porsche this is a measure of the success of their philosophy.”

He added that a sub 9 second 0-60mph was “creditable performance in relation to power output against weight”, and a top speed of 125mph was rapid enough.

The handling and roadholding were up to the standard expected of Porsche, and Thoroughbred & Classic Cars magazine was having none of this Volkswagen in drag talk.

“The 924 is very much a Porsche and feels it from the moment you sit in it,” it wrote. “(It is) a very practical Porsche as a family man’s sports car with most of the virtues for which Porsche is renowned, longevity and soundness of design and construction, coupled with economical running with long service intervals and frugal fuel consumption. 

“If you want a Porsche and can’t afford a 911 then this is a very good compromise that in feel appears to owe nothing to the VW connection – it is a real Porsche.”

Much-needed improvements

In the short term, there wasn’t much Porsche could do about the harshness of the 2-litre engine, but they did address some other glaring deficiencies pretty quickly.

Having digested complaints about the ride quality from that part VW-derived suspension, engineers got to work and invited the press back to test the car again in 1978.

The rear suspension was now fully rubber-mounted, and front and rear anti-roll bars were finally fitted as standard.

Motor Trend was invited to see if Porsche “was on the right track”, and concluded: “On a scale of 1 to 10 they were about 8 points worth on the right track. It (the suspension) was still on the stiff side, but the oscillation was gone entirely.”

“The 1977 Porsche 924 is a considerable improvement over the original offering. It’s not your back road racer, but it is an excellent cross-country grand tourer, smoothing out and getting rock stable at speed.”

Boddy, in Motor Sport, deemed the improved 924 “a splendid car to drive, on account of very good handling, light steering with a generous lock, and spongy but powerful, progressive disc drum braking”.

He was less enamoured by the four-speed gearbox, nor the oval steering wheel, so shaped so that drivers could actually see the instruments.

But despite it clearly being “less well-bred” than other Porsches, it was “a nevertheless acceptable relation to the rest of the Porsche family”.

In May 1978, CAR magazine pitted the 924 against the more dramatically styled, and much pricier (by £3,500), Lotus Eclat.

Despite its engine’s harshness at higher revs, the magazine found it “easy to like a car with the sort of performance and handling that graces the Porsche 924; and like it we do”.

“The latest 924s are vast improvements on the early models; indeed, the 924 has probably been improved more, and in a shorter time, than any other car we’ve encountered.

“But it is still let down by a little too much harshness in the suspension, and in the engine at high revs. It needs more refinement. It has the potential to be a really good car as well as an entertaining one; and knowing Porsche, it probably won’t be long before it ends up that way.”

Porsche 924 Turbo

Porsche was keen to bridge the performance gap between the 924 and the 911, and did so in some style by introducing the 924 Turbo in 1978.

A KKK K-26 turbocharger extracted an extra 45bhp from the heavily revised four-cylinder engine, which now produced 170bhp at 5,500rpm, with torque up from 121lb ft at 3,500rpm to a hefty 180lb ft.

The five-stud hubs and wheel bearings were from the 911SC, with ventilated disc brakes from the 911 at the front, and the 928 at the rear.

It was an altogether more purposeful looking car, thanks to four ducts at the top of the nose and a NACA duct to aid cooling in the top of the bonnet.

There was also a rubber tail spoiler attached to the glass hatchback, and further ducting beneath the nose.

And it all added up to what Motor Sport’s Richardson called “a new breed of supercar”, one that competed well in tests with the likes of the more expensive Aston Martin V8 and Porsche’s own 911 3.0SC.

After experiencing the “stupendous performance” of the Turbo over 900 miles, he was “almost as loath to hand it back to Porsche as I am 911s”.

“It is supremely fast, extraordinarily economical in relation to its performance, practical, comfortable and at times even very exciting,” he added. “Here, then, is a VW which has grown up into a Porsche.”

The extra performance (0-60 in 7 seconds) came at a price – £13,029 against £9,582 for the 924 Lux, but this represented a complete revision of the standard car, not just a bolt-on turbo kit, and it was still cheaper than other cars with similar performance.

Get the engine revving above 3000rpm, and Richardson said that “this turbocharged Porsche surges away in a manner which leaves most other performance cars gasping for breath”.

Motor magazine was similarly impressed, making a bold claim for the 924’s future.

“As they’ve proved with the 911, Porsche aren’t averse to steady, long-term development. Therefore it shouldn’t be long before the 924 Turbo becomes one of the world’s great cars.”

Porsche 924 Carrera GT

The 924 Turbo achieved some success in motorsport, predominantly on the rally circuit, and in 1979 the company unveiled a concept version of the 924 Carrera GT at the Frankfurt Auto show.

This was the racer that Porsche had always wanted the 924 to become, with 400 examples sold – only 75 of which came in right hand drive – to allow the car to qualify for Group 4 racing.

Every one of those right hand drive cars was sold, for £19,210, before they even hit the showrooms.

It provided the basis for the turbocharged, 375bhp 924 Carrera GTR race car, which went on to finish sixth, 12th and 13th overall at Le Mans in 1980, followed by the 924 Carrera GTP, which took seventh the following year.

The roadgoing Carrera GT differed visually from the standard 924 Turbo, with its widened front wings, polyurethane front spoiler, top-mounted air scoop for the intercooler, and much larger rubber rear spoiler.

Paintwork was available in black, guards red and diamond silver, while equipment levels were very high for a homologation special.

Recaro seats with red pinstriping were joined by high-quality carpeting, stereo radio-cassette player, electric windows, and remote-adjusting electric mirrors, with optional air conditioning and a lift-out sunroof.

Under the bonnet, the intercooler helped to boost power from the Turbo’s 170bhp to 210bhp at 6,000rpm, resulting in a 0-60mph time of under 7 seconds and a claimed top speed of 149mph.

And all from that same, 2-litre inline four.

Writing in CAR magazine in 1981, Steve Cropley described a “brilliantly developed and balanced” chassis, and predicted that the 924 Carrera GT showed the way to the future.

“Given a few years, it will breed sports cars which you and I will not only be able to afford to own, but to run as well.”

Buyers were not only getting an exceptional car, but also an instant, limited edition classic – these days, a right hand drive 924 Carrera GT might set you back anything from £70,000 to £100,000.

The Porsche-engined 924S

When Volkswagen decided to stop manufacturing the 2-litre engine blocks used in the 924, Porsche was left with a dilemma.

To drop the 924, or to give it a Porsche engine?

The former would have left the company without an entry-level model, so instead they opted to use a mildly detuned version of the 944’s much lauded 2.5-litre straight four.

It became the 924S, with power now 150bhp, up 25bhp from the previous standard 2-litre unit.

Performance, compared with the standard car, was rapid, cutting more than a second off the dash to 60mph, reaching the mark in 7.8 seconds.

“For a four-cylinder, it is an extraordinarily gutsy unit, and its smoothness is even more amazing,” wrote CAR in 1984. “So unfussed does it feel at high revs that it’s easy to hear the engine stutter like a machine gun firing, as the cut-out tells you the fun has stopped unless you find another gear.”

Motor noted that, now that the 924 had a proper Porsche engine, the “jibes will have to stop”.

“There can be no doubt that the new engine is what the 924 has been waiting for,” it wrote. “Point the 924S at a demanding road where performance counts and its superiority over its predecessor is impossible to dispute.”

The 924 was a huge success for Porsche, and remained in production until 1988, when the company decided to focus on more upmarket models.

The post Porsche 924: the vitally important “pauper’s Porsche” appeared first on Cult Classics.

A year later, the high-performance Sprint version took direct aim at BMW and Alfa Romeo.

Here was a British small sports saloon that could compete with the best in Europe – at a bargain price.

We look at the Dolomite’s intriguing history.

The Triumph Dolomite development story begins way back in 1962 when the company launched ‘Project Ajax’, an intended replacement for the Triumph Herald.

This was the Michelotti-designed Triumph 1300, the company’s first front wheel drive car using the engine from the Spitfire.

Rather than replace the Herald – which had enjoyed a sales resurgence – the 1300 appeared alongside it when it was launched in 1965.

It was, in effect, a scaled down Triumph 2000, and won plaudits for its high levels of equipment and good road manners.

A more upmarket 1300TC version was launched in 1967, while the facelifted Triumph 1500 – with the upsized Spitfire engine – arrived in 1970.

This had a more aggressive four-headlamp front end, and a longer boot, with a new dashboard updating the interior.

In the same year, a cheaper version – the Triumph Toledo – was born, with a very similar look to the 1500 but with single, rectangular headlamps and a shorter, 1300-style, rear end.

The Toledo, with its pared down specification, became the car aimed at Herald owners looking to trade up to a new car.

Crucially for the future Dolomite, it reverted to rear-wheel-drive and a live rear axle, a seemingly retrograde step at the time with front-wheel-drive all the rage.

The Triumph slant-four engine

The range had always benefited from smart looks for the time, and buyers were left wondering if they could have some power to go with them.

Handily, there was a ready-made way for Triumph to beef up the car.

Back in 1963, Triumph had worked on a design study of engine requirements for the 1970s, and Saab had shown an interest in a new slant-four unit for their upcoming new car, the 99.

The engine’s 45 degree angle allowed for a lower bonnet line, and Saab provided funding to get the new engine into production, initially in 1709cc form.

Saab’s 99 was duly launched with the Triumph-derived engine in 1968 and, after the Swedish company’s exclusivity period was over, BL set to work developing the unit for use in their own cars.

The British company had the benefit of four years experience of seeing how the engine performed in the Saab – which was pretty well, given 75,000 99s were sold between 1968 and 1972.

Its canted design also allowed it to be easily transformed into a V8, as seen in the Triumph Stag.

Triumph Dolomite engineering

Under the guidance of Spen King, the new engine was shoehorned into the existing, longer, bodyshell of the 1500, and the Triumph Dolomite was born, reviving a pre-war name to differentiate it from the existing models.

For the Dolomite, the slant-four was bored out to 1854cc and, powered by twin Stromberg carbs, raised output from the 80bhp in the Saab to 91bhp, with a useful increase in torque from 99.6lb ft to 105lb ft at 3,500rpm.

So the new car was, effectively, an amalgamation of four others: an embellished version of the 1500’s body, the driveline and basic suspension of the Toledo, the high-quality interior appointments of the larger 2.5PI, and the beefed up Saab’s engine.

Motor magazine noted that there “is little entirely new about the new Triumph Dolomite”.

“But you would be woefully wrong to think that the car is not new or exciting; the result adds up to something quite different to any existing models in the Triumph range – or, indeed, to anything else built in Britain.

“It is a new high-performance luxury model in its own right.”

Triumph’s small car range would now comprise the budget Toledo, with its short tail and rear-wheel-drive; the long-tailed, front-wheel drive 1500; and the long-tailed, rear-wheel-drive Dolomite.

Dolomite’s delayed arrival

Triumph bosses were keen to get the Dolomite into production as quickly as possible, but a pay dispute not only disrupted production plans but also prevented BL from fixing a price for the car.

The company wanted to get the new car into showrooms in 1971, but strikes at the Canley and Speke plants ensured that Triumph could not build up enough stock to start selling the car until the following year.

Thus, magazine editors who had carried out road tests in the anticipation of a September ‘71 release had to shelve them for several months.

By January ‘72, the pricing issue had been resolved, with Triumph’s answer to the compact luxury saloons from the likes of BMW and Alfa Romeo undercutting them by some way with a ticket of £1,399.

Motor could scarcely contain its enthusiasm for Britain’s new contender, describing the amalgamation of different cars into one “astonishingly successful”.

“There’s no other British car quite like it, the combination of performance, luxury, refinement and driver appeal calling to mind some of the (more expensive) wares of BMW, Alfa Romeo, Fiat and indeed Saab, rather than of Ford, Vauxhall or British Leyland,” it wrote.

“This, in fact, is exactly the market that Triumph are aiming at. It was the Dolomite’s overall excellence, judged by such international standards, that endeared it to all who drove it.”

Its low price made it “excellent value”, and the “outstanding engine” provided smooth motoring, excellent low-speed torque, and respectable performance – 100mph top speed and 0-60mph in 11.3 seconds.

The interior didn’t disappoint, with “a high standard of comfort and one of the best planned interiors we can recall”.

“The seats are excellent, the number of driving positions almost infinite, the switchgear superb, the furnishings, trim and equipment decidedly lavish.

The layout of the controls and the range of seat adjustment are an object lesson to all other manufacturers. Neither is equalled, even approached, at the price by any rival British or Continental car.”

CAR magazine tested the Dolomite against the Renault 16TS, and ended up plumping for the “small, nippy and more manoeuvrable” Triumph.

“How pleasant to be able to say that about a British car,” it concluded.

Triumph Dolomite Sprint development

By now, Triumph’s place within BL had become clear – they were to leave the larger car market to Jaguar and Rover, and focus on the group’s smaller cars.

So the Dolomite had become absolutely crucial to the marque’s fortunes, and Spen King set to work on taking things up a notch.

For while the basic Dolomite had sold well, it lagged behind the BMW 2002 on performance, if not on comfort and equipment.

Giving the slant-four more power would help the car compete better on the road and in motorsport, landing it more prestige against its Continental competitors.

King enlisted help from Harry Mundy and engineers at Coventry Climax to design a 16-valve, light alloy cylinder head to sit on a bored-out, 1998cc version of the engine.

The 16 valves, disposed in opposed pairs, were actuated by a single overhead camshaft driven by a duplex chain.

The intake valves were actuated via bucket-type tappets and, ingeniously, the same cam lobes served to actuate the opposite exhaust valves via non-adjustable rockers.

It provided the benefits of a multi-valve layout without the need for a second camshaft, and the unit was notable for being the first mass-produced, four-cylinder multi-valve engine.

The engine was fed by twin SU HS6 carbs, with peak output up massively to 127bhp at 5,700rpm, and torque likewise up to 124lb ft at 4,500rpm.

Transmission was provided by the Stag’s gearbox, while the rear axle was based on that of the TR6, which also lent its rear brakes, powered by a larger servo.

In styling terms, the existing body was embellished with a vinyl roof, a matt black rear tail section, coach lines along the sides, a beard-type spoiler, plus GKN alloy wheels as standard.

Inside there was a luxury, deep-pile carpet, Bri-Nylon broadcord seats, and wooden dash with a vast range of dials.

Arrival of the Sprint

When it finally arrived in the autumn of 1973, after the obligatory BL delays, the Sprint was rapturously received.

Here was a British sports saloon that could hit up to 117mph and reach 0-60mph in just 8.7 seconds, and all for just £1,740.

Autocar wrote in July 1973: “Here is a car capable of meeting foreign competition head-on.”

With kerb weight only up 87lb, but with a 40% boost in power, “it is little wonder that performance is on an altogether different plane”, it added.

The Sprint trounced rivals including the Ford Escort RS1600, Fiat 132 Special, and BMW 2002 on acceleration and top speed, with only the fuel-injected 2002 Tii quicker to 60mph.

It “must be the answer to many people’s prayer,” said Autocar. “It is well appointed, compact, yet deceptively roomy. Performance is there in plenty, yet economy is good and the model’s manners quite impeccable.

“Most important of all, it is a tremendously satisfying car to drive. With all this available for less than £2,000, Triumph are following the Jaguar lead in offering unique value for money.”

What Car? reflected on what “seemed a rather sick joke when the makers claimed they had an Alfa and BMW beater when they announced the Sprint”.

“But there is little doubt that if it had a BMW, Fiat or Alfa badge, British snob motorists would be rushing to buy one.”

Meanwhile, CAR magazine pitted the Sprint against its Ford rival, the Escort RS1600, a car qith a very different character and heritage.

“As an everyday car, the Dolomite sprint wins hands down over the RS1600, for it has decent performance, fair comfort, satisfactorily low noise level and some of the worthwhile attributes of proper performance motoring,” it wrote. “On the other hand, the RS1600 is a pre-breakfast car in which to have enormous fun for short distances.”

From May 1975, previously optional extras like overdrive and tinted windows were included as standard, while the colour range had already been widened from the original ‘mimosa yellow’ only.

Dolomite fragility and range rationalisation

Sadly, it wasn’t long before reliability issues began to dog the Sprint’s complex 16-valve engine.

Dealership mechanics were perhaps not fully up to speed with the requirements of looking after the cars, while the turbulent economic environment engulfing BLMC saw cost-cutting and the quality of parts and build quality suffered.

Terry and Brenda Windsor’s experience of a Sprint in the late 1970s was not untypical – with cooling issues often at the forefront of the car’s issues.

Nevertheless, Dolomites of all types continued to sell pretty well and, in 1975, its name subsumed Triumph’s small car range in a sensible rationalisation, with all cars sharing the same basic body.

There was now a Dolomite 1300, 1500 and 1500HL, 1850HL, and Sprint, with all cars now rear-wheel-drive – quite a transformation given the range began in 1965 with the front-wheel-drive 1300.

By the end of the 1970s, the Dolomite was starting to look very dated, and earlier efforts to update the design had fallen flat.

Back in 1972, Michelotti drew up plans for a restyled car for future production, using the Dolomite’s underpinnings.

But this design for Triumph’s SD2 programme was scrapped in 1975 because of BL’s finances and the internal politics of competition between the conglomerate’s different marques, notably the Princess and ADO77, the similarly shelved Marina replacement.

The end of the Triumph Dolomite

As it turned out, the Dolomite would not truly be replaced, and was left to soldier on through the late 1970s until its demise in 1980.

Towards the end, the Dolomite SE attempted to give the car a sales boost with luxury trim including burr walnut dashboard and door cappings, grey velour seats and matching carpet.

The SEs were all painted black with full-length silver stripes, a front spoiler and Spitfire-style wheels.

Only 2,163 were built as sales of the ageing car declined.

By the time of the car’s demise in 1980, just over 204,000 Dolomites of all types had been sold, of which nearly 23,000 were Sprints.

It was replaced by the Anglo-Japanese Triumph Acclaim, a collaboration with Honda and, effectively, a rebadged Honda Ballade.

But while the Acclaim was a perfectly good car, the Sprint’s sporting essence, along with its innovative slant-four, 16-valve engine, had been lost.

When Acclaim production ended in 1984, its successor would be badged as a Rover.

After more than 60 years, the Triumph name would no longer appear on anything with four wheels.

The post Triumph Dolomite: British Leyland’s BMW-beater appeared first on Cult Classics.

At long last, MG had produced a contemporary design a world away from the outdated pre-war design of the T-Type cars and their running boards, separate wings, and tall, narrow bonnets.

The new car, with its beautiful flowing lines, took the world by storm, with the vast majority heading for the lucrative US market.

We look at the history of the MGA.

The birth of the MGA closed a door to the traditional past, and ushered in a new, modern chapter at the MG factory.

But it had been a long time coming, with the seeds of the car’s design sown way back in 1951 with MG designer Syd Enever’s sleek body for George Phillips’ MG TD Le Mans racer, codenamed EX176.

Phillips and his co-driver Alan Rippon dropped out after 80 laps, but the design had caught the imagination of MG’s bosses and two more prototypes were created, codenamed EX175, with a view to replacing the MG T-series cars.

A new chassis was developed, wider than the TF’s to allow room for the driver to sit lower in the body, and one of the prototypes was developed into a road-registered test car, number plate HMO 6.

MGA delayed by Austin-Healey

But there were a couple of flies in the ointment – the 1952 merger between Austin and Morris / MG to create the British Motor Corporation (BMC), and the subsequent deal between former Austin and now BMC boss Leonard Lord and Donald Healey.

The merger took control out of MG’s hands, and Lord had already agreed to jointly produce the Austin-Healey 100/4 when he was shown the MGA prototype.

MG’s hopes of producing a modern sports car were severely dented when Lord turned the car down to concentrate on the Austin-Healey, launched in 1953 to replace the Austin A90 Atlantic, which had failed to break into the American market.

But the decision proved short-sighted.

While the MG TF 1500 Midget, also launched in 1953, was a reasonably sophisticated sports car underneath, its pre-war styling suddenly looked antiquated next to the Austin-Healey and another 1953 car, the Triumph TR2.

MG began losing market share at a rapid rate, and the new car was finally given the green light to halt the slide.

To mark just how big a change this was for the marque, MG went back to the beginning of the alphabet and called the car the MGA, advertising it as “the first of a new line”.

In with the new

The curvy, ponton style bodyshell wasn’t the only break with the past – the MGA also benefited from BMC’s now legendary B-series engine, and not the MG T series XPAG engine as originally intended.

The inline four cylinder, 1489cc version of the engine was first used in the MG Magnette sports saloon in 1953, followed by the Morris Oxford and Austin Cambridge.

It would go on to power the MGB in 1798cc form, as well as the Morris Marina.

The MGA’s engine was fed by a pair of SU H4 carburettors, and initially produced 68bhp, increased to 72bhp soon after production began in 1955.

Independent front suspension with wishbones and coil springs was joined by a traditional semi-elliptic leaf spring with live axle set up at the rear.

Like the T-Series, there was rack and pinion steering, with Lockheed hydraulic drum brakes front and rear and a four-speed gearbox.

The convertible MGA had no door handles, with the doors opened via a cable on the inside of the door, but the coupe version introduced soon after the launch was fitted with external handles.

MGA’s sporting credentials

Before the MGA’s launch, MG was determined to give the new car a boost to its sporting credentials.

First, the company took the special-bodied EX179, based on an earlier MGA prototype, to the Bonneville salt flats in the US in August and September 1954 to take on a number of speed records.

The car didn’t disappoint, taking seven international speed records and 28 American National Class F records, recording a top speed of 153mph and averaging 120.74mph over 12 hours.

Next, MG built four cars, called EX182, for the 24 Hour of Le Mans in 1955, racing in the Prototype class.

Three were in British Racing Green, two to race and one reserve car (which ended up racing), and one test car painted red.

One car crashed, and the other two performed creditably with 12th and 17th placed finishes.

MG hoped that these feats would serve them well when the car launched later that year.

MGA first impressions

If fans of the traditional MGs were aghast at this sleek new roadster, their fears were probably put to one side once they’d driven it.

The Autocar tested the Model A in September 1955, and declared the new car a joy to drive.

“Long, winding hillside roads are a joy to traverse; the car rockets to the top in third gear,” it wrote.

“Fast cornering was a joy, the driver being able to position the car exactly where he wanted, and exit from a corner is also very satisfactory.

“On Continental roads it was possible to cruise for mile after mile with the speedometer needle between 90mph and 100mph.”

The MGA very nearly broke the 100mph barrier, maxing out at about 97mph, with a 0-60mph time of between 15 and 16 seconds.

Costing £844 including taxes at launch, the MGA came with optional knock-off wire wheels and HMV radio.

The Motor magazine praised a “smooth and good-looking body whose lines follow contemporary style, and a performance which puts it at least on a competitive footing with the smaller fast sports cars to which we have become accustomed”.

The new car was “compact, manoeuvrable and lively”, and “regards the carriage of luggage as secondary to the sport of motoring”.

“To drive the MGA on a winding open road is sheer enthusiast’s delight,” the magazine added. “The cornering power of the car is extremely good, holding it down in a manner to give the driver complete confidence, and seeming almost indifferent to the type of road surface.

“The newest MG must be summed up as enthusiastically as it was everywhere received.”

MGA: the view from America

America was a hugely important market for MG, so it’s worth taking a look at what the motoring press across the Pond thought of the marque’s brave new world.

Road & Track, writing about this “new and beautiful baby” from Abingdon, described it as the “most complete, most extensive design change in 20 years”.

Griff Borgeson, writing in Car & Driver, noted that the “downright beautiful” Model A was easily 10mph faster than the MG TF, and would provide stiff competition for the Porsche 1600 Speedster and Alfa Giulietta Sprint.

Its body was described as “sleek and suave”, but the driving experience had a very definite “MG character”.

“In spite of its contemporary look, better handling and thrustier performance, the ‘A’ is still pure old-line MG Midget,” wrote Borgeson.

“Like its ancestors it’s a whole lot of fun to drive in spite of – or maybe because of – its imperfections.”

Pointing to MG’s long-held motto of “Safety Fast”, he noted that the MGA’s “good steering, roadholding and acceleration are backed up by a set of genuinely outstanding brakes.

“Its look and feel of quality closely approach those of some cars that cost twice as much money. “The body feels and is very substantial. The quality of the painted finish is good, there’s no skimping on the instrument panel, and the reinforced bumpers are very adequate.

“This is a basically safe, friendly, likeable car – a genuine, well-built sports machine at a price that can’t be considered anything but reasonable and fair. We’d be much surprised if the “A” sales situation were anything but what it is: demand fantastically ahead of supply. It’s a very desirable car that will give years of economical driving pleasure and then have the high resale value that MG’s have earned.”

MGA Twin-Cam

The MGA’s performance was sprightly, rather than electrifying, and there had long been a desire for a more powerful version – especially from the US – when the Twin-Cam appeared in 1958.

It wasn’t exactly unexpected, given EX182 had run at the Dundrod TT in September 1955 with a Twin-Cam version of the B-series engine.

It was the work of MG design engineer Gerald Palmer, who designed a twin overhead cam top end with an aluminium cylinder head that could be bolted on to the B-series engine.

Capacity was up to 1588cc, with a high compression ratio of 9.9:1 and twin SUs resulting in improved power of 108bhp.

MG’s original aim for the car was as a special performance model for enthusiasts who wanted to race, and had the skills to maintain what turned out to be a temperamental machine.

Strong demand

But demand was strong, even at an increased price of £1265 17s, and there were plenty of customers who just wanted a faster MGA.

And who could blame them, as the new car could hit a top speed of 114mph and hit 60mph in just 9.1 seconds. This was proper sports car performance for 1958.

Autocar tested a Twin-Cam in July 1958 and noted that “the extra performance is matched by the road holding, steering and brakes, and this car maintains the MG tradition of good looks coupled with a very fine performance”.

Sports Cars Illustrated described a “racing sports car that can be street driven”, with a marked difference in performance between the Twin-Cam and the standard car.

In the mid range, the car’s “boost can be felt immediately – where the standard pushrod engined car begins to taper off, the twin cam version is just starting to belt out its new-found power.

“It’s not a mad, bellowing slam in the back but a smooth, deceptive rush that can get you from 40mph to 70mph in just over four seconds.”

Road & Track called it a “tremendous step forward”, “designed primarily to regain prestige for the marque in production sports car racing”.

“However, this is a car for the genuine enthusiast types, and we think the pushrod job is going to be just as popular as ever.”

Motor felt that “only machines built specifically for sports car racing would keep pace with this 1,600cc touring two-seater in a standing start to 60, 70 or 80mph.”

However, it wasn’t long before the Twin-Cam engine started to cause problems, with holes in the pistons the main complaint, possibly caused by detonation.

The problem was mostly cured by reducing the compression ratio to 8.3:1, with a small loss of power, but by then the car’s reputation had suffered badly and sales slumped.

As a result, the Twin-Cam was dropped in 1960, with between 2,100 and 2,200 produced.

MGA 1600 arrives

Away from the Twin-Cam, the standard MGA got a performance boost for 1959, receiving the 1588cc SOHC engine that provided 79.5bhp.

The Twin-Cam’s Girling disc brakes were fitted at the front, but drum brakes were retained at the rear.

The rare De-Luxe version used up some parts left over from the Twin-Cam’s demise, including a modified chassis, Dunlop Centre Lock steel wheels and four-wheel disc brakes.

Motor described a “welcome improvement in acceleration” over the earlier standard model, with a 0-60mph time of 13.3 seconds, while Autocar said it remained “one of the most popular sports cars not only in England but also abroad”.

“Indeed, as a dollar earner there are few more successful cars.”

MGA Mark II

For 1961, the MGA Mark II was launched with another increase in engine size, up 34cc to 1622cc, with larger inlet valves and changes to the inlet and exhaust tracts plus larger combustion chambers.

Power was up to 90bhp at 5,500rpm, and a change to the final drive gearing to 4.1 resulted in higher cruising speed at lower revs and improved fuel consumption.

There was a little more performance achieved, with a top speed of 105mph and a 0-60mpg time of 12.8 seconds – the quickest for a non Twin-Cam MGA.

According to Autocar, all this was achieved “in a more effortless manner”.

Outwardly, the only changes were a recessed grille and taillights from the Morris Mini.

American magazine Motor Trend said that, like all of its Abingdon predecessors, the MGA remained “a true sports car”.

“In its price category it has come to be the standard against which other sports cars are judged,” it wrote.

“As a fun car, an automobile that features basic driving pleasure, it is hard to beat. An outstanding automobile for the money.”

In total, 101,081 MGAs were produced, with the vast majority exported, many of them to the US.

Work had begun on a replacement for the MGA as early as 1958 with the EX205 prototype.

This would go on to become the MGB, fitted with a larger, 1798cc version of the B-Series engine.

The B would be in production for 22 years, encompassing the BMC, British Leyland and Rover Group ownerships, its simpler lines ageing well before time finally caught up with it.

But it’s the MGA that was arguably the prettier car, and a hugely important machine in dragging MG out of the pre-war era and into the modern world.

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A mid-engined sports car of tiny proportions, the little Fiat had a futuristic wedge design, a perky high-revving engine, and whip-smart handling to die for.

The only downside was that British motorists had to wait five long years for a right hand drive factory version to arrive in 1977.

We look at the history of a car that was years ahead of its time, and in a class of its own.

The Fiat X1/9 was born of a marriage between two wildly different vehicles – the Autobianchi A112 Runabout concept by Bertone, and Fiat’s own 128 small family car.

While the Marcello Gandini-designed Autobianchi provided the inspiration for the body, the 128 gave a tweaked version of its 1.3-litre engine to an all-new two-seater to replace the ageing Fiat 850 Spider.

The magic trick that Fiat pulled off was to create an affordable mid-engined sports car, previously the preserve of high-priced exotics like the Lamborghini Miura, also designed by Gandini, and Ferrari Dino.

Fiat X1/9 engineering and layout

The 128’s engine was breathed on by legendary former Ferrari engineer Aurelio Lampredi, who added a cast aluminium sump, aluminium head and twin-choke Weber carbs.

It also used different manifolding, a higher 9.2 to one compression ratio, and lighter conrods and pistons, which was enough to increase output to 73bhp, allowing a top speed hovering around the 100mph mark.

But the biggest change was in positioning the engine transversely just behind the driver’s head and in front of the rear axle, in a sharp-edged design to create a baby supercar costing a fraction of the real thing.

The targa top necessitated a stout floor pan and hefty front and rear bulkheads, which resulted in a kerb weight of 880kg, a little higher than the 128 coupe.

The 128’s suspension was adjusted with lower front struts in relation to the hubs, with stronger, wide-based wishbones at the rear to provide improved control.

Giuseppe Puleo, of Fiat’s advanced design department, said at the time that the aim was to provide neutral steering with gentle oversteer at the limit that could easily be corrected by the driver.

“The aim was to make the driver king of the car,” he said, “and not the car king of the driver.”

The fuel tank and spare wheel were located between the engine and seats for better weight distribution and handling.

Stopping power was provided by discs all round on 13-inch stamped steel wheels, while the mid-engined layout allowed for not one, but two, boots – one behind the engine and one at the front. The targa roof could be stowed under the bonnet.

Originally slated to be called the 128 Spider, Fiat decided instead to break with tradition and use the car’s codename – X1/9 – when the car was launched in Sicily in 1972.

Fiat X1/9 an immediate hit

The X1/9 was the first Fiat to be aimed specifically at the American market, designed to meet the then-expected 30mph US crash regulations.

This was no surprise, given the popularity Stateside of Fiat’s succession of open-topped Spider cars from the 1100 TV of the 1950s through to the 124 Spider and baby 850 Spider.

Power for the US cars was down to just 66bhp, with a top speed of 93mph because of emissions controls, but that didn’t stop it being well-received.

Road & Track magazine gushed over its Bertone design.

“In styling, the Bertone-designed X1/9 is a delight, with clean forms and an aggressively agile appearance that is entirely appropriate,” it wrote, equally impressed by its cabin.

“The interior is extremely sophisticated, almost BMW-like in appearance, with a 4-spoke matte-black steering wheel and a handsome instrument panel.”

And the X1/9 didn’t disappoint on the road.

“This new Fiat rates as a thoroughly modern sports car, lively in performance, precise to handle, and a very real pleasure to drive.”

The timing of the car’s launch, amid an oil crisis that saw petrol prices rocket, was perfect, with the 128’s engine always having a reputation for frugality without a loss of spirit.

In its first four years of production, around 44,000 X1/9s were sold in the United States alone, with production running at around 100 cars a day.

Right hand drive X1/9

It’s not strictly true to say that the British had to wait until 1977 for the right hand drive Fiat X1/9.

Fiat specialists Radbourne Racing had been offering conversions of factory left hand drive models for a year before the Italians finally bowed to pressure from dealers to introduce a production model.

The converted car carried a £350 premium over the £3,350 cost of a left hand drive car, however, and production volumes were obviously very low.

For most Brits after a diminutive sports car, it was the MG Midget or Triumph Spitfire, both of which dated from the early ‘60s and looked distinctly long in the tooth compared with the sharper Fiat.

John Anstead, of Radbourne Racing, lamented the lack of progress made by the home team.

“The tragedy,” he said, “is that this car should have been an MG. There is nothing magical about it, the X1/9 is merely a sensibly designed assembly of parts from the Fiat range, housed in a very appealing body: an exercise Leyland could have duplicated within their massive range.”

Jeremy Walton, of MotorSport magazine, tested a Radbourne car in August 1976 – a few months before the factory right hookers became available on these shores.

“The X1/9 is a genuine enthusiast’s car, which happens to appeal to a very broad section of the population,” he wrote.

“The handling is astonishing. Even when we had a puncture and a narrow Pirelli had to be fitted to one steel wheel at the front, the X1-9 would still hustle around our test curves as well as better-known sporting saloons or coupes.”

Factory X1/9 arrives in the UK

All of these impressions were confirmed when the factory right hand drive version hit dealers in early 1977.

Autocar, writing in March of that year, described the “unburstable, free-revving nature of the engine that positively encourages the use of maximum revs in each gear”.

“Although engine speeds of 7000 rpm may seem excessive, the ohc engine is so smooth and lively that use of such revs gives no guilty feeling of lack of consideration,” the magazine added.

“A reassuring car at all speeds and under all conditions.”

The car was surprisingly well-equipped for the price of £2998, with tinted windows, fog lamps, heated rear window, driver’s exterior and dipping interior mirror, cigarette lighter, alloy wheels and cloth seats all standard.

There was even a well-made zip-up luggage grip that matched the upholstery colour and fit neatly in the rear luggage compartment.

Even the seating position was not typically Italian, with no requirement for the ‘knees up’ posture so prevalent in other cars from the country.

The only real criticism that could be levied at the little Fiat was the noise – from both the windows and the engine. But it was arguably a price worth paying for the sensational handling and sheer fun.

Autocar, like Anstead, were not shy in sticking the boot into the British manufacturers.

“In the way in which the MG Midget and Triumph Spitfire have frequently given youngsters of all ages their first taste of sports car motoring, so the Fiat looks destined to carry on the tradition – at the expense, one feels, of just those cars that created the market,” it wrote.

Fiat X1/9’s British wedge competitor

There was, of course, a British car that shared the Fiat’s wedge-based design, but lacked its clarity of purpose and pin-sharp handling – the Triumph TR7.

In truth, the wedge was the only reason to compare the cars – the Triumph was bigger, heavier, and more powerful, with a 2-litre engine and 105bhp.

It would always beat the Fiat in a sprint to 60mph – but did it do it with the same panache?

No, was the verdict of CAR magazine, who tested the two together in April 1977.

While the Fiat’s “Italian exotic” design was “dramatically handsome”, the TR7 was described as “an ugly hotch-potch” from the side and rear.

And while Bertone crammed a mid-engined layout into such a tiny footprint, Triumph merely made the TR7 ‘look’ mid-engined while keeping its layout entirely conventional.

On the road, CAR described a “peppy” and “eager” engine, with handling that is “sheer perfection”.

“It has such agility as to make it truly outstanding when it comes to cornering,” it added.

“Not many cars are as successful at combining looks, character and facilities to create so much driver appeal as the X1/9.

“The little Fiat gets on with the job of being the definitive small production sports car – the sort of car that, had the right decisions been taken a long time ago, Leyland might have created using Mini 1275GT or even Maxi components. It is just about flawless, a driver’s car par excellence.”

Fiat X/19, or Ferrari?

CAR magazine was so taken with the X1/9 that, in March 1978, they even posed the question of whether the £14,500 required to buy a Ferrari 308 GTB was really worth it.

After all, couldn’t you have just as much fun in a Fiat for just £3,600?

OK, so you’re pitting a 1.3-litre four-cylinder motor with 73bhp against a 3-litre all-alloy V8 with 255bhp, and a top speed of 100mph against rather more than 150mph.

But both cars have two seats, engines mounted transversely behind the driver, four wheel disc brakes, rack and pinion steering, and rakish bodies from the drawing boards of famous Italian designers – Bertone and Pininfarina.

But they are, ultimately, products of the same culture, and imbued with the same spirit.

“Is it possible to see the X1/9 as anything other than a baby Ferrari, and praise be to the Lord for Fiat’s design to build it?” wrote CAR.

“You know that special Italian spirit is there in the little Fiat as soon as you start it up – a spritely, lively sound.

“And that’s the way the car feels. Swift and deft and alive – the way a sports car should. The steering is light and smooth, and pin sharp with it. You move the wheel and the car answers; you aim it and it obeys, whipping around corners with remarkable precision, security and speed.

“The mid-engined configurations link them inextricably, and it is in the handling that they are at their most similar. The Fiat’s spritely feel and its size and relative lightness make it seem irresistibly chuckable; the Ferrari is rather more decorous.”

Obviously, the Ferrari is much faster, has air conditioning, electric windows and an expensively-trimmed cabin.

“But, come now,” asked the magazine, “does that sort of thing add up to almost £11,000 worth of difference? Is the Ferrari even £11,000 more capable than the Fiat? Probably not. But there is £11,000 worth of intangibility. It is there in the way the Ferrari goes about its business. Its character is so delicious, the feel and the sound and even the smell of it so glorious that, for me, it borders on the priceless.

“But I am in no doubt there is a blood-link between it and the X1/9. It isn’t that the Ferrari is a bigger, faster, more expensive Fiat; the Fiat is a smaller, slower, cheaper Ferrari.”

Fiat X1/9 grows up with larger engine

For all the plaudits earned by the little Fiat, there was always a feeling that its fine chassis could more than handle a little more power.

It duly got it in 1979 in the form of the Fiat Strada’s 1498cc engine producing 85bhp, enough for a top speed of 112mph. Torque was up from 74lb ft at 3,900rpm to 87lb ft at 3,200rpm, and a five speed gearbox was available for the first time.

There were a few cosmetic changes too, including a raised engine cover to accommodate the taller powerplant, larger bumpers, and a revised interior.

According to Autocar, the X1/9 had “virtually no direct competitor” at th £4,575 asking price, 

“There is no other small mid-engined sports car in series production that comes close enough in specification to be considered,” it said.

By 1980, there were probably five affordable production sports cars to choose from – the MGB, Midget, TR7, Spitfire, and X1/9.

While the MGs and Spitfire still had loyal followings, they were well past their sell-by date in terms of styling and technology, which left the Fiat and TR7 as the only cars for forward-thinking motorists to consider.

But, as we’ve seen, the two cars were violently dissimilar other than their wedge designs – the Fiat was Italian, mid-engined, and very small, the Triumph British, front-engined and fairly bulky.

CAR magazine tried again to pitch these two wildly different animals against each other – with the same result, a clear win for the tiny Fiat, described as “the best handling car this side of £15,000”.

“Using the 7,000 redline, the little car sounds very fast and angry, emitting what seems more than a 1.5-litre snarl from behind your head,” it said.

“Throttle response is instantaneous, the gear change and clutch so quick that there’s little time lost in applying the power after a decision is made.

“The car will begin to turn exactly where you dictate, and will change heading exactly according to the steering wheel. That gets you to the apex of the corner with a certainty and accuracy unknown outside Modena, or Hethel. It beats all competition within £10,000 of it.”

The end of the X1/9, but not quite

Up until 1982, the X1/9’s bodyshell had been manufactured by Bertone and then shipped to Fiat’s factory in Turin for final assembly.

When Fiat pulled the plug, after producing 140,519 examples, that wasn’t quite the end of the story.

Bertone took over full manufacture, under its own name, producing a further 20,000 cars before they also called time on the little sports car in 1989, long after Toyota’s mid-engined MR2 had finally given it some competition.

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Between 1980 and 1982 it was Europe’s best-selling coupe, no mean feat given the competition, thanks in part to a striking, slippery shape that gave it bags of showroom appeal.

We look at the history of a car that caught the imagination of buyers looking for a sensible but sporting family car.

When Renault launched the Fuego in 1980, it claimed to have invented an entirely new sector – not a coupe, but an ‘open-plan saloon’.

In truth, it was a coupe, but it was different from most of its competitors, with four proper seats and reasonable economy – a sleek and sporting, but comfortable and practical, car.

Designed under the direction of Robert Opron, previously responsible for the Citroen SM and CX, the Fuego – Spanish for ‘fire’ – was the most aerodynamic car in its class.

Testing in Renault’s St Cyr wind tunnel produced a drag coefficient of just 0.347, only a shade off the super-sleek Lotus Esprit’s 0.341.

Compared to some of its competitors, like the ageing Ford Capri and Opel Manta, the new Renault looked fresh, with a hint of Porsche 924 in profile, especially at the rear.

It caught the eye of the motoring press, with CAR magazine praising a “striking, streamlined body”.

“The Fuego is a winner, because it looks like a winner,” it wrote. “If clever styling sells motor cars, and we all know that it can, the Fuego is not going to be short of customers.”

The Renault Fuego model range

There was a choice of six models when the front-wheel-drive Fuego arrived in the UK in 1980, with the top of the range 2-litre GTX costing £6,600, down to the least-powerful 1400TL at £4,489.

In between came the TS, TX, and GTS, all available with manual or automatic transmission, while engines ranged from the base TL’s 1397cc, through the 1647cc unit of the TS and GTS, and the 1995cc all-alloy overhead cam Douvrin engine, as fitted to the Renault 20TS, for the TX and GTX.

The Fuego was heavily based on the reliable and successful family Renault 18, sharing its floopan and drivetrain, but was more than three inches lower and entirely different in outlook and character.

A number of ‘firsts’ have been claimed for the Fuego – that it was the first mass-produced, four-seat sports model to be designed in a wind tunnel; the first to have a remote keyless system with remote locking; and the first to have steering wheel controls for the stereo system.

Options included leather upholstery, multi-function trip computer, cruise control, air conditioning, and a full-length Webasto electric fabric sunroof.

Early impressions of the Fuego GTX

At launch, the top of the range was the GTX, boasting 110bhp at 5,500rpm and 120lb ft of torque at 3,000rpm.

Renault claimed a top speed of 118mph, with a 0-60 time of 10 seconds, enough to provide a sporting character – and there was noise, but perhaps a little too much, to go with it.

Autocar, testing a GTX in December 1980, complained of a lack of refinement from what was meant to be a crossover family / sporting car.

“Given that the car is intended to have an element of sporting character, then a certain amount of noise is acceptable,” the magazine wrote. “But the Fuego, even in this fastest form, is not predominantly a sports car, and so the amount of noise intrudes even at middling speeds is disappointing, and even more so on acceleration. The car looks refined, but it is not enough so.”

Plus points included “delightfully high-geared and accurate steering”, and excellent handling.

It was a tough ask for the Fuego to compete with not only the Capri and Manta, but also the Volkswagen Scirocco, Cavalier GLS Sports, and offerings from Alfa Romeo and Audi.

But, according to Autocar, “if you enjoy the undeniable punch of two litres, and also value economy, then the Renault is certainly a very desirable machine; it does go excellently, although we would prefer it with more refinement”.

Meanwhile, CAR magazine said the “flowing Fuego” was much more than “just Renault 18s in drag”.

“It not only looks good, with its penetratingly smooth snout sweeping into a high tail, Porsche 924 fashion, but it is good,” it said.

“The Fuego is not your typical soggy Froggy, and it handles a lot better than most other Renaults, as well as being luxuriously trimmed and equipped.

“It is brisk as well as reasonably frugal, though driveline refinement is marred by excessive noise.

“It’s not the first open-plan car that combines sporting looks with saloon-like habitability, as Renault would have us believe, but it does fulfil that role with authority and flair.”

The Fuego couldn’t compete with the more sporty Scirocco as a driver’s car or in terms of refinement but, unlike the German, it was a genuine four seater with plenty of luggage space.

It also had superior equipment, better visibility and general comfort, and marginally better fuel economy.

Renault Fuego Turbo – at last

Renault was responsible for bringing turbo charging to UK family motoring when it launched the 18 Turbo here in 1981.

It seems incredible now to think that it took them another three years to bring the same technology to the more obviously sporting Fuego, but the R5 Gordini Turbo got the treatment first in early 1982.

When the Fuego Turbo did arrive, it used the same 1565cc all-alloy unit deployed in the 18, though this time biased more towards outright performance than in the family saloon.

Reducing the compression ratio from 8.6:1 to 8.0:1 allowed a greater degree of supercharging, with the boost pressure up to a maximum of 11psi compared with the 18’s 9.

The single-choke Solex carb and electronic ignition were also recalibrated, all of which added up to an increase in power from 125bhp to 132bhp at 5,500rpm, with maximum torque up from 134lb ft at 2,500rpm to 147.5lb ft at 3,000rpm – and all from under 1600cc.

Stopping power was provided by larger vented discs at the front and plain discs at the rear.

Outwardly, there was no mistaking the new, face-lifted Fuego, with its attention-grabbing ‘Turbo’ logos at the sides and at the base of the rear window, and a deep chin spoiler.

There were more subtle changes too, including the addition of BBS alloy wheels, a new front grille with horizontal slats partly painted to match the body, and grey bumpers with built-in fog lamps.

At £8,700, the Fuego Turbo was more expensive than the Capri 2.8i, Manta GTE, and Scirocco GTi, but came with a long list of standard fittings including striped velour upholstery, electric windows and door mirrors, headlamp wash/wipe, front fog lamps, power steering, and central locking.

The fastest Renault

If you discount the Renault 5 Turbo homologation special, and hand-built Alpine 310, the Fuego Turbo became the French marque’s fastest production car and, according to Motor magazine, the “most fun to drive”.

Top speed was up to 124mph, while 60mph could now be achieved in 8.4 seconds – only the Capri 2.8i was quicker, with 1227cc extra.

With the Garrett turbo starting to deliver its boost from less than 2,000rpm, the Fuego’s engine was flexible, able to pull away in second without undue sluggishness.

Full boost kicked in at 3,000rpm, and was smooth and progressive, with strong mid-range punch for brisk acceleration without the constant need to change gear.

The turbo-charged engine was more refined and quiet at speed than its predecessor, but could become raucous when pressed hard.

“Why it has taken three years for Renault to give the Fuego a turbo “boost” is not clear, but the wait has been worthwhile,” wrote Motor.

“It doesn’t trade outright performance for refinement and economy, and these qualities looked at together with the standard Fuego attributes of accommodation for four in a stylish, modern coupe body and the long list of standard fittings, makes the high price start to seem more logical.”

In October 1984, What Car? tested the Fuego Turbo against rivals the Nissan Silvia Turbo and VW Scirocco Storm.

“If one has to be singled out as the overall winner, it must be the Fuego,” it concluded. “It is clean, modern and swish in its concept, is very well equipped and performs well as a high-speed grand tourer. Treat it as a racer and it is less happy, but the sophistication extends high enough up the scale for most owners to be unlikely to discover the rough edges.”

The Renault Fuego Turbo was a perfect illustration of mixing the performance of a larger engine with the improved fuel economy and emissions of a smaller unit.

While the Fuego may have ended production in France in 1985, it continued in Spain until the following year and then in Argentina, with a 2165cc engine, and Venezuela until as late as 1992.

In 1990, the higher performance GTA Max was introduced, with a 2.2-litre engine tuned by Berta Motorsport, producing 121bhp, before production finally ended.In all, 265,367 Fuego’s were manufactured and, while it never quite fulfilled its promise, it still looks relatively modern today, and was never really replaced by Renault, partly because of the  declining demand for sports coupés in the marketplace at that time.

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