Fast Coupes Of The Eighties And Nineties
Discussion
"Some of life"s greatest surprises are to be found down the Pub and not all of them unpleasant" was an old Bricklayers favourite saying . Inevitably he would always say this when some mouthy Labourer got himself a punch in the mouth for his "lip" on a Friday afternoon in our Glasgow local . As I have gotten older I have began remembering these little details from the distant past . In fact I can barely remember what happened yesterday but ask me about 40 years ago and I can remember every detail . I was in the Local yesterday attempting as a Scotsman does to avoid the football when I got into the company of a retired School Headmaster friend who began talking of Cars he had owned before letting slip he had something "tucked away" at home which he was now intending to put back on the road .This something tucked away turned out to be a 1997 Vauxhall Calibre 4x4 turbo a car from the distant past that somehow I had completely forgotten about
This surprised me a bit as I have a bit of form when it comes to Coupes having owned a 1994 Rover 220 Turbo back in the nineties which to be fair was pretty crap . I had lusted after a G60 Volkswagen Corrado but sadly at the time lacked the money the local Dealership was demanding so my quickest way to 200bhp was the cheaper Rover .These Coupes at the time were good for 150mph which was Cosworth territory and effectively beyond what most "hot hatches" were capable of yet even now they aren't big money . I don't believe my Headmaster friend is overly concerned with future values but what a lovely thing to have tucked away in the garage ?
This surprised me a bit as I have a bit of form when it comes to Coupes having owned a 1994 Rover 220 Turbo back in the nineties which to be fair was pretty crap . I had lusted after a G60 Volkswagen Corrado but sadly at the time lacked the money the local Dealership was demanding so my quickest way to 200bhp was the cheaper Rover .These Coupes at the time were good for 150mph which was Cosworth territory and effectively beyond what most "hot hatches" were capable of yet even now they aren't big money . I don't believe my Headmaster friend is overly concerned with future values but what a lovely thing to have tucked away in the garage ?https://www.kgfclassiccars.co.uk/vehicles/31425/
KGF with another pretty Coupe albeit from a later period . Audi TT starting to become desirable , it would surely need to be in 3.2 form rather than 180 or 225 . For me the latter models have a chavtastic air to them ?
KGF with another pretty Coupe albeit from a later period . Audi TT starting to become desirable , it would surely need to be in 3.2 form rather than 180 or 225 . For me the latter models have a chavtastic air to them ?
I respect the Calibra, not so much for what it looked like but for the impact it had on mainstream car design.
Everyone on this particular sub forum is probably old enough to remember the very dull designs of the late 80s to early 90s. Car magazine even had a famous article berating the car manufacturers for turning out faces that all looked the same.
Then the Calibra was launched, into a very grey economic era if I recall. I was at university. amongst streets of Escort mk3s, Renault 9s, Golf mk3s etc the Calibra looked like, and was marketed as, a concept car for the road.
And the rest is history.
Did it look as good as the 406coupé, Volvo C70 or anything that came afterwards? Probably not but would those cars exist without the Calibra showing what was possible? Possibly not.
Everyone on this particular sub forum is probably old enough to remember the very dull designs of the late 80s to early 90s. Car magazine even had a famous article berating the car manufacturers for turning out faces that all looked the same.
Then the Calibra was launched, into a very grey economic era if I recall. I was at university. amongst streets of Escort mk3s, Renault 9s, Golf mk3s etc the Calibra looked like, and was marketed as, a concept car for the road.
And the rest is history.
Did it look as good as the 406coupé, Volvo C70 or anything that came afterwards? Probably not but would those cars exist without the Calibra showing what was possible? Possibly not.
Was the SAAB 900 3door a coupe ?...well when it first appeared as a 99 it was named Combi coupe so nearly .
The 16V turbo in Aero form ,1984 launch , was a decent quick car .
I can't remember if SAAB called the 2 door saloon 900 a coupe too ,also launched 1984 but not in turbo or 16V form for a couple more years .
BMW 3 series 2 doors morphed into coupes with the E36 , the E30 was never referred to a coupe in 2 door form .
I bought a Puma brand new in 1998 ,not fast but a good drive for a FWD Fiesta in a coupe body , the Racing had only about 25 extra BHP but looked sensational and the handling and brakes were suitably uprated .The price was also something else ,those Tickford guys weren't cheap .
The 16V turbo in Aero form ,1984 launch , was a decent quick car .
I can't remember if SAAB called the 2 door saloon 900 a coupe too ,also launched 1984 but not in turbo or 16V form for a couple more years .
BMW 3 series 2 doors morphed into coupes with the E36 , the E30 was never referred to a coupe in 2 door form .
I bought a Puma brand new in 1998 ,not fast but a good drive for a FWD Fiesta in a coupe body , the Racing had only about 25 extra BHP but looked sensational and the handling and brakes were suitably uprated .The price was also something else ,those Tickford guys weren't cheap .
The Calibra was definitely a 'wow' car when launched around 1990, and easy to forget that now.
I had an 8v, 16v and a 4x4 turbo back in the early mid nineties and were fantastic cars, the 8v being the best all rounder funnily enough.
It's strange being of a certain age where you are nostalgic about fast ford's, quicker vauxhalls and all the other hot hatches etc of the time.
Glad to have been part of it all.
I still hanker after my first ever car, a red 1980 Fiesta Supersport; I felt like the dogs
b
ks cutting about in that... 
I had an 8v, 16v and a 4x4 turbo back in the early mid nineties and were fantastic cars, the 8v being the best all rounder funnily enough.
It's strange being of a certain age where you are nostalgic about fast ford's, quicker vauxhalls and all the other hot hatches etc of the time.
Glad to have been part of it all.
I still hanker after my first ever car, a red 1980 Fiesta Supersport; I felt like the dogs
b
ks cutting about in that... https://www.flickr.com/photos/leicester-vehicle-ph...
Tickford had a hand in the Calibra too , possibly their most bland styling exercise especially in white . I love the Aston Style Winged Badge on the glovebox . You could have fun with some of those Aston Boys when you attempt to claim something in common
Tickford had a hand in the Calibra too , possibly their most bland styling exercise especially in white . I love the Aston Style Winged Badge on the glovebox . You could have fun with some of those Aston Boys when you attempt to claim something in common
Edited by reddiesel on Sunday 16th June 11:00
4s n Zer0s said:
Was the SAAB 900 3door a coupe ?...well when it first appeared as a 99 it was named Combi coupe so nearly .
The 16V turbo in Aero form ,1984 launch , was a decent quick car .
I can't remember if SAAB called the 2 door saloon 900 a coupe too ,also launched 1984 but not in turbo or 16V form for a couple more years .
BMW 3 series 2 doors morphed into coupes with the E36 , the E30 was never referred to a coupe in 2 door form .
I bought a Puma brand new in 1998 ,not fast but a good drive for a FWD Fiesta in a coupe body , the Racing had only about 25 extra BHP but looked sensational and the handling and brakes were suitably uprated .The price was also something else ,those Tickford guys weren't cheap .
The Saab for me back then was a sort of " Architects Choice " for want of a better phrase . People that appreciated design and functionality and owned coffee tables with books on . Did the GM takeover destroy that ? I think it probably did .The 16V turbo in Aero form ,1984 launch , was a decent quick car .
I can't remember if SAAB called the 2 door saloon 900 a coupe too ,also launched 1984 but not in turbo or 16V form for a couple more years .
BMW 3 series 2 doors morphed into coupes with the E36 , the E30 was never referred to a coupe in 2 door form .
I bought a Puma brand new in 1998 ,not fast but a good drive for a FWD Fiesta in a coupe body , the Racing had only about 25 extra BHP but looked sensational and the handling and brakes were suitably uprated .The price was also something else ,those Tickford guys weren't cheap .
Not sure if it’s quite in line with the OP, but two of the archetypal coupes from the late 80s and early 90s must be the Porsche 944, and its copycat Mazda RX7 (FC). Others would be the Starion, 180SX, Silvia, Celica
Going up a size brings in the 928, 300ZX, A70 Supra, BMW 6-series, and Merc SEC.
But not many from outside of Germany or Japan. Perhaps a Skoda Rapide??
Going up a size brings in the 928, 300ZX, A70 Supra, BMW 6-series, and Merc SEC.
But not many from outside of Germany or Japan. Perhaps a Skoda Rapide??
reddiesel said:
The Saab for me back then was a sort of " Architects Choice " for want of a better phrase . People that appreciated design and functionality and owned coffee tables with books on . Did the GM takeover destroy that ? I think it probably did .
I worked at a main dealer when the new gen 900 was launched , I was close to hating everything about it .I left 2 years later ,not because of that .
A lot of our customers were "quirky" types .
One fella went from a very nice clean 96 V4 straight to a new 99 turbo 2 door in 1981 .
We also serviced Haymarket publishing's cars,previously owners of this place , one of the big cheeses had a 9000 Carllson , the original in black with the red stripes .
PomBstard said:
Not sure if it’s quite in line with the OP, but two of the archetypal coupes from the late 80s and early 90s must be the Porsche 944, and its copycat Mazda RX7 (FC). Others would be the Starion, 180SX, Silvia, Celica
Going up a size brings in the 928, 300ZX, A70 Supra, BMW 6-series, and Merc SEC.
But not many from outside of Germany or Japan. Perhaps a Skoda Rapide??
BMW have gamely struggled on with the Coupe but in my humble opinion have never recaptured the delicacy of the Seventies CSL . I must admit when I originally posted I was thinking of more "working class" manufacturers than Porsche or indeed Jaguar with their XJS but you are quite right of course , the RX7 was an interesting thing .Going up a size brings in the 928, 300ZX, A70 Supra, BMW 6-series, and Merc SEC.
But not many from outside of Germany or Japan. Perhaps a Skoda Rapide??
Wacky Racer said:
You were the man I stood on the pavement admiring at 15 years old determined that Thatcherism and the closure of the surrounding mines wasn't going to deny me a future owning cars like yours . A lovely memory for you and thanks for sharing it .reddiesel said:
Wacky Racer said:
You were the man I stood on the pavement admiring at 15 years old determined that Thatcherism and the closure of the surrounding mines wasn't going to deny me a future owning cars like yours . A lovely memory for you and thanks for sharing it .https://classics.honestjohn.co.uk/owner-reviews/va...
Some interesting thoughts regarding the Calibra from an Owner
Some interesting thoughts regarding the Calibra from an Owner
What you really need is a Ford "Probe". Or perhaps not.
Few people will remember the Probe even existed in the 1990s. It was Ford's version of the Mazda MX-6 and a well styled 3-door FWD coupe with pop-up headlamps - so there should have been a lot to like. But everyone wanted a RWD 2-door BMW instead and sales fell way below Ford's expectations.
Mind you, Ford then followed up with the even less successful Cougar - essentially a Mondeo coupe.
Few people will remember the Probe even existed in the 1990s. It was Ford's version of the Mazda MX-6 and a well styled 3-door FWD coupe with pop-up headlamps - so there should have been a lot to like. But everyone wanted a RWD 2-door BMW instead and sales fell way below Ford's expectations.
Mind you, Ford then followed up with the even less successful Cougar - essentially a Mondeo coupe.
Panamax said:
What you really need is a Ford "Probe". Or perhaps not.
Few people will remember the Probe even existed in the 1990s. It was Ford's version of the Mazda MX-6 and a well styled 3-door FWD coupe with pop-up headlamps - so there should have been a lot to like. But everyone wanted a RWD 2-door BMW instead and sales fell way below Ford's expectations.
Mind you, Ford then followed up with the even less successful Cougar - essentially a Mondeo coupe.
My brother in law had a secondhand Probe a 16V model I believe . I think to the British Public they were just that bit too American in their execution . Dennis Hopper I think did the Cougar publicity on Television . Did Ford ever view these as a Capri successors ? The Public I think never did .Few people will remember the Probe even existed in the 1990s. It was Ford's version of the Mazda MX-6 and a well styled 3-door FWD coupe with pop-up headlamps - so there should have been a lot to like. But everyone wanted a RWD 2-door BMW instead and sales fell way below Ford's expectations.
Mind you, Ford then followed up with the even less successful Cougar - essentially a Mondeo coupe.
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