When the 205 was launched in 1983, it caught everyone’s attention as the very model of a modern supermini. It was compact, but decently roomy inside, and had a good sized boot. Sensible in practical areas, the 205 was also exceptionally pretty. Over the car’s lengthy production run, more than 14 years, as the new [...]

After some fine coupe launches in the lower reaches of the market (the GT Manta0, Opel decided to go right upmarket with the Monza. Based on the Senator executive saloon, the Monza was a large car, spacious enough for four adults and benefiting from a huge boot, which was hidden away under a massive tailgate. [...]

In 1970 Opel launched the Ascona to replace the prosaic Olympia. Preceding it into the market by a matter of weeks was a stylish coupe version, the Manta, which would prove a strong rival to the Ford Capri. Sharing the Ascona’s floor pan, with the springs and a rigid rear axle, the Manta was larger [...]

Datsun (as Nissan was then called) established a fine reputation for its 1968 240Z coupe, especially in the USA. Its fine styling, exemplary reliability and punchy performance from the straight six engine meant it outsold the then dominant sports car rivals from Europe. Sadly, the subsequent 280 and 300Z replacements just fatter and less sporting. [...]

Nissan had built a considerable reputation with GT-R version of its Skyline coupe. The model became a world wide icon with the launch of the R32 version in 1989. It came to represent a Japanese car industry at its most intelligent and innovative. The 1993 Skyline and 1999 R34 Skylines built on this, but used [...]

Like its contemporaries, the Ford Escort Cosworth and Lancia Delta Integrale, the Sunny GTi-R was a road going version of a serious rally machine. Despite this it is important to remember it was essentially based on a humble family car. Given the Japanese love of high technology, It was also a very reasonable commercial bet [...]

When it was launched it was called the World’s most advance car by the Press. Rumors have it that the Skyline’s engineers had been told to out Porsche Porsche. The car was launched in Europe at the extremely challenging Nurburgring circuit in Germany. It was soon clear that Nissan had succeeded in producing the world’s [...]

The MGA is probably the best looking MG of them all. Its pretty, pinched waist body was derived from a special TD raced at Le Mans, and was based on an enormously strong box section chassis. The A was the first truly modern post war MG, and, as, the first new MG produced after the [...]

The high performance family car frenzy of the early 1990s was so pronounced that Britain’s CAR magazine followed report on its first drive of the 377 bhp Lotus Carlton with two pages on the Mercedes equivalent, the 326 bhp V8 engined E class saloon. Like the Lotus Carlton, the 500 E required some serious surgery [...]

Mercedes had long been synonymous with beautiful two seater roadster, starting with the classic, 1950s, gullwingned SL 300. The company’s SL range developed over the years into one of the most desirable up market models produced. However, the SL’s high end engineering also meant high end prices. As part of Mercedes’ 1990 dash for diversification, [...]