Throwback Thursday: Vintage cars that rule Nigerian roads in the 70s, 80s
By Abimbola Mohammed
Our memories of the 70s and 80s are filled with great music, a collection of important world events, and the cars of the era. Although today’s trends are different from decades ago, there has been a whole new transformation in the automobile sector over the last few years. Car models that were once considered luxury vehicles are now considered classics.
In the 1970s and 1980s, most people were on the lookout for fuel economy and low emissions, turbocharging, and began serious work on the all-wheel-drive systems we take for granted today. While most of these cars were station wagons or minivans to keep growing families happy, but now some automakers are luring younger customers with sportier models like the Buick Regal and Chevy Monza. Sadly, these cars weren’t built to last, but they set trends that were eventually followed in later decades.
Here are a number of cars that ruled the street in the 70s and 80s and the comments from some Nigerians who still reminisce on the memories, moments, and even features of some of these cars.
Femi Aratokun-Ale, CEO Target Search Global Limited, during a phone conversation with MARKETING EDGE, said he remembers the good old days when his dad drove the Peugeot 504 series GL.
“I drove one of these vintage cars in those days that my dad handed over to me. It was well maintained. I used the car when I was in higher institution in the early 90s. It’s indeed a very good car, strong, reliable, and durable. I wish some of these old cars would not go extinct.”
In the same vein, Mr. Olu Olokun, Area Manager, London Underground Limited, Farringdon London said: “Volkswagen Santana was one of the ultimate Middle-class cars then. It was one of the cars in my household that my Dad allows us the youngsters to drive. It was a status car amongst the middle class. Going to parties and nightclubs was making statements, the shape and interior was excellent with a good engine. The Volvo 240 was the one my Dad will always go out in to make a statement amongst his friends and colleagues; a status car of the upper class!”
A comment on Nairaland reads: “I remember my dad’s PEUGEOT 505 SR ‘5 SPEED’, Bought brand new in July 1985, sold in 2005. My favorite features of the car were the front power windows, the central locking (oh that robotic noise it made), that Antarctica standard a/c, and the incredible agile movement that rivaled even BMW’s of its day! Wow, what a feeling.”
Volkswagen Beetle (The People’s Car): The car was in production from 1938 to end of production in 2019. The Beetle was commissioned in the 1930s by Adolf Hitler as the ‘people’s car’. Designed by Ferdinand Porsche, the curvy car was affordable, practical, and reliable. Three decades later, the “Bug” (as it was affectionately known) became a symbol of the 1960s and the “small is beautiful” ethos. Germany stopped producing Beetles in the late 1970s, but in 1998 Volkswagen rolled out the New Beetle, which was meant to be a visual flashback to the original Type 1 design but was essentially VW Golf. Another variation was introduced in 2012, but sales have been steadily declining down to around 15,000 last year from some 43,000 in 2013 so now the Bug will be squashed.
Mercedes-Benz W123: The Mercedes-Benz W123 is a range of executive cars produced by German manufacturer Mercedes-Benz from November 1975 to January 1986. The W123 models surpassed their predecessor, the Mercedes-Benz W114, as the most successful Mercedes, selling 2.7 million units before production ended in the autumn of 1985 for the saloon/sedan versions and January 1986 for coupés and estates/station wagons.
BMW 5 series: in the 80s, the BMW E28 is the second generation of the BMW 5 Series executive car. Its production lasted from 1981 to 1988 and was later replaced by E12 5 Series. There were 722,328 units made worldwide.
The E28 was initially produced with straight-four and straight-six petrol engines until 1983 when the 524td model became the first BMW car to be powered by a diesel engine. It was also the first 5 Series with the centre console angled towards the driver and to be available with anti-lock brakes (ABS).
Peugeot 504/Peugeot 505: These two cars were manufactured by Peugeot from 1968 to 1983 over a single generation. The Peugeot 504 is a mid-size, front-engine, rear-wheel-drive automobile manufactured and it was mostly for official use back in the days while Peugeot 505 is a large family car produced by the same manufacturer from 1979 to 1992.
Volvo 244 DL/245 DL: The Volvo iconic 200 Series (or 240 and 260 Series) is a range of mid-size cars produced by Swedish companies. The car was in brick-shaped 240 from 1974 to 1993 with more than 2.8 million total units sold worldwide. 240 wagon owners love their cars, and plenty of them have managed to stay on the Nigerian roads to the present day.
Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40: The FJ40 is the hallmark of the Land Cruiser 40 Series and was produced from 1960 to 1984. Its timeless good looks remained mostly unchanged throughout its 24-year production history. Under the hood, you have the legendary F or 2F engine both lauded for their reliability and capability. In Nigeria, the NTVOA Association uses the Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40 for towing cars because of its toughness.
Datsun 120Y: Datsun is an automobile brand owned by Nissan since 1931. Between 1958 and 1986, vehicles exported by Nissan were identified as Datsun in international markets. The 120Y was the third generation (B210) Sunny that debuted in May 1973. It was a perfect example of simple & robust engineering, from the 1.2-liter OHV engine to the rear leaf springs, and above all its phenomenal fuel consumption.
Nissan Laurel: The Nissan Laurel was a front-engine, rear-drive two- and four-door sedan manufactured and marketed by Nissan from 1969 to 2002. Introduced in 1968 as a new model positioned above the 1968 Datsun Bluebird 510, the Laurel offered the luxury of the Nissan Cedric 130 in a smaller size. The laurel is a noble tree in Greek mythology, and the laurel wreath is a symbol of honorable status. The first Laurel was developed by the Nissan Tsurumi R&D Division and assembled at the Musashimurayama Plant of the former Prince Motor Company in 2-door and 4-door variants.
Ford Taurus: The first-generation Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable are automobiles produced by Ford as the first of six generations of the Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable. Launched on December 26, 1985, as a 1986 model, the front-wheel-drive Taurus was a very influential design.
Volkswagen Passat: The original Volkswagen Passat was launched in 1973. The body types offered originally were two- and four-door fastback sedans (they were discontinued in 1981). These were joined in January 1975 by identically profiled three- and five-door hatchback versions. Externally all four shared a modern design, styled by the Italian designer Giorgetto Giugiaro. In essence, the first Passat was a fastback version of the mechanically identical Audi 80 sedan, introduced a year earlier.
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