Renault 30 TS : 1977

1977 Renault 30 TS

The 1977 Renault 30 TS was among the most luxurious prestigious saloons on the road and with its V6 it easily put most sports cars to shame. Acceleration from 0-60 was achieved in 9.2 seconds and it had a top speed of oner 112 mph. All this while getting 23-25 mpg. Front wheel drive and fully independent suspension gave it an uncannily smooth ride. Seating for five adults was helped by fully reclining front seats and 56″ of elbow room in the back. The rear seats could be folded back, giving you 34 cubic feet of space, more than any car in its class.

Standard fittings included a centralized door locking system, electric front windows and cigar lighter in back and front. An electric sunroof was an optional extra.

1977 Renault 30 TS

 

1977 Renault 30 TS

Saab 99 GLE : 1978

1978 Saab 99 GLE

The 1978 Saab 99 GLE was a 118 BHP fuel injected, 2 liter 3-speed automatic transmission 5-door with superb suspension and steering with luxury for five on velour. It had tinted glass, electrically adjustable door mirrors, headlamp wash/wipe and self warming front seats with an optional sunroof.

1978 Saab 99 GLE

Renault 20 TS : 1978

1978 Renault 20 TS

If you had £4,725, you could get yourself a 1978 Renault 20 TS. No other luxury car, at that price, had as many features fitted as standard. A few examples included Centralized locking. One press of a switch (or a turn of the door key) and all of the doors either locked or unlocked immediately. Adjustable headlamps. You could raise or lower your headlights to suit the load you were carrying from inside the car. Diagnostic plug. Your Renault dealer could now simply plug into it to find out electronically how efficient the engine was working and helped cut down on service fees. Reclining seats. The front seats (designed under medical supervision) adjusted to any driving position. Hatchback. The rear seats folds away and the parcel shelf is removable. Warning lights. At a glance you could now see if you left your hand brake on, your brake pressure was low or your front brakes pads were worn. It had comprehensive instrumentation, including a rev counter for the enthusiast. Power steering and electric front tinted windows are just a few more.

A 1995cc four cylinder engine, combined with front wheel drive, front and rear anti roll bars, all around independent suspension all contributed to a very smooth ride and the brakes operated by a dual circuit, servo-assisted system with ventilated discs at the front.

With a fuel consumption of 27mpg but capable of 0-60 in 12.2 seconds with a top speed of 104 mph.

Options included automatic transmission, electric sunroof and a radio.

1978 Renault 20 TS

Lancia 1600 HPE : 1978

1978 Lancia 1600 HPE

1978 Lancia 1600 HPE (High Performance Estate) started at £5,438. It was an impressive sight with its distinctly eager 1600cc twin-cam engine with aluminum head and twin-choke carburetor with drove the front wheels. The top speed was 108 mph and had a 5-speed gearbox. The handling, helped by all-round independent suspension and four-wheel disc brakes was superb.

The interior had a complete array of instruments including rev counter, oil level, oil temperature and oil pressure gauges, topped with a quartz clock. The accommodations was for five, with integral headrests on the front seats and wrap-round rear seats with tons of leg room, front and rear. You had a choice of luxurious hardwearing cloth or PVC. Although the rear seats looked continuous, they were in fact separate. You could fold both of them forward, or just one, to carry a long load and a third passenger. Open the rear hatch and you find 42 cu.ft. of luggage space.

1978 Lancia 1600 HPE

MGB GT Sports : 1978

1978 MGB GT Sports

With the 1978 MGB GT Sports, you could reach a top speed of around 100 mph and cruise comfortably at over 90 mph, but with the fitted overdrive, it also meat the 1998cc engine got you 41.1 mpg.

This was a surprisingly spacious car, beautifully appointed with thick carpet everywhere, even in the luggage compartment and the contoured rake-adjusting front seats were covered in an attractive striped fabric.

The MG MGB GT had an impressive 9.6 cubic feet of flat, easily accessible loading space. This has been one of my favorite hatches for some time.

1978 MGB GT Sports

Chevrolet Tru 140S : 2012

2012 Chevrolet Tru 140S concept

The 2012 Chevrolet Tru 140s concept, which was introduced at the 2012 North American International Auto Show, is a three-door hatchback designed to be an attractive-yet-affordable sports car. Based on the Cruze platform and the Chevy Volt, its purpose was to demonstrate technologies typically found in more expensive cars.

2012 Chevrolet Tru 140S concept

Fiat Uno 55 Comfort : 1983

1983 Fiat Uno 55 Comfort

At the time, the 1983 Fiat Uno 55 Comfort represented something far more significant than the launch of a new car. Fiat claimed it was the creation of a totally new class of car. I think not. Its standard equipment included cloth-faced seats, and fitted radio, interior hatch release, quartz analogue clock, illuminated switches, 5-speed gearbox and optional sun-roof. It achieved an amazing 65.7 MPG (does any car today even come close?) and accelerated to 62 MPH in just 11.5 seconds. All, starting at £3,690.

1983 Fiat Uno 55 Comfort

Austin Rover Metro Gala Special Edition : 1983

1983 Austin Metro Gala Special Edition

1983 Austin Rover Metro Gala Special Edition was built to celebrate Britain’s best selling small car. Amenities included plush velour seats, radio/stereo cassette player, analogue clock and glass sunroof.

1983 Austin Metro Gala Special Edition

Dodge Colt : 1986

1986 Dodge Colt hatchback

The 1986 Dodge Colt hatchback had an MSRP of $5431 and achieved 41 MPG on the highway and 36 MPG in the city. The Colt was imported for Dodge and Plymouth and was built by Mitsubishi in Japan.

 

1986 Dodge Colt hatchback

Renault Le-Car : 1979

1979 Renault Le-Car

The 1979 Renault Le-Car, which dominated its class in racing in 1977 had front wheel drive, rack and pinion steering, four wheel independent suspension and Michelin steel-belted radials as standard. It achieved 41 MPG highway and 26 MPG city.

1979 Renault Le-Car