1982 in motoring - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

United Kingdom

British Leyland began the year with two new vehicles in their extensive armoury - the Triumph Acclaim

Triumph Acclaim

The Triumph Acclaim was a front-wheel drive medium-sized family car made by British Leyland from 1981 to 1984. It was based on the Honda Ballade and used a Honda-designed engine, but met United Kingdom component-content requirements...

and Austin Ambassador

Austin Ambassador

The Austin Ambassador was a medium-to-large hatchback car model introduced by British Leyland in 1982. The vehicle was a heavily updated version of the Princess, an ageing model that had lacked a hatchback...

. Both cars were spacious and competitively priced. The Acclaim was a Ford Escort competitor that offered a more up-to-date and solid package than the ageing Austin Allegro

Austin Allegro

The Austin Allegro is a small family car manufactured by British Leyland under the Austin name from 1973 until 1983. The same vehicle was built in Italy by Innocenti between 1974 and 1975 and sold as the Innocenti Regent...

. The Acclaim was derived from the Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

ese Honda Ballade

Honda Ballade

The Honda Ballade was a subcompact automobile built by Honda of Japan. It began as a four-door version of the Civic in 1980. The Ballade was developed at the same time the Honda Vigor appeared, which was a higher content Honda Accord...

. The Ambassador was a heavily reworked version of the Princess

Austin Princess

The Princess was a distinctive series of large luxury cars made by Austin and its subsidiary Vanden Plas from 1947 to 1968. However:The Princess name was later also used as follows:...

, and offered the hatchback bodystyle which was considered too downmarket for the original 1975 car. However, it carried over the Princess's virtues of good ride and handling as well as a spacious and comfortable interior. Equipment levels were also good, and the asking price was competitive.

British Leyland also revived the famous MG marque, a year after the last MGB

MG MGB

The MGB is a sports car launched by MG Cars in May 1962 to replace the MGA. Introduced as a four-cylinder roadster, a coupé with 2+2 seating was added in 1965...

was sold. The MG Metro 1300

Rover Metro

The Metro is a supermini car that was produced by the Austin Rover Group division of British Leyland and its successors. It was launched in 1980 as the Austin miniMetro. It was intended to complement the Mini, and was developed under the codename LC8....

was a sporty version of the standard Austin

Austin Motor Company

The Austin Motor Company was a British manufacturer of automobiles. The company was founded in 1905 and merged in 1952 into the British Motor Corporation Ltd. The marque Austin was used until 1987...

hatchback with a more powerful 1.3 petrol engine which was capable of 100 mph. British Leyland also expanded the Metro range with the introduction of a luxurious Vanden Plas

Vanden Plas

Vanden Plas is the name of a company of coachbuilders who produced bodies for specialist and up-market automobile manufacturers. Latterly the name became a top-end luxury model designation for cars from various subsidiaries of British Leyland and the Rover Group.-Belgium:It originated in Belgium in...

version.

This year also saw the sell-off by British Leyland of the Coventry Climax

Coventry Climax

Coventry Climax was a British forklift truck, fire pump, and speciality engine manufacturer.-History:The company was started in 1903 as Lee Stroyer, but two years later, following the departure of Stroyer, it was relocated to Paynes Lane, Coventry, and renamed to Coventry-Simplex by H...

forklift truck and specialist engines business into private ownership.

After 20 years on sale, for most of which it was the best selling car in Britain, the Ford Cortina

Ford Cortina

As the 1960s dawned, BMC were revelling in the success of their new Mini – the first successful true minicar to be built in Britain in the postwar era...

ceased production. Its successor was the aerodynamic Sierra

Ford Sierra

The Ford Sierra is a large family car that was built by Ford Europe from 1982 until 1993. It was designed by Uwe Bahnsen, Robert Lutz and Patrick le Quément. The code used during development was "Project Toni"....

, a range of hatchbacks and estates which quickly earned the nicknames "salesman's spaceship" and "jelly mould" due to their futuristic styling. Underneath, however, the Sierra differed little from its predecessor. 1.3, 1.6, 2.0 and 2.3 petrol engines were carried over from the Cortina although the car rode on a new rear wheel drive platform with independent rear suspension. There was the added option of an economical 2.3 diesel unit sourced from Peugeot

Peugeot

Peugeot is a major French car brand, part of PSA Peugeot Citroën, the second largest carmaker based in Europe.The family business that precedes the current Peugeot company was founded in 1810, and manufactured coffee mills and bicycles. On 20 November 1858, Emile Peugeot applied for the lion...

and a 5 speed gearbox became available.

France

Renault

Renault S.A. is a French automaker producing cars, vans, and in the past, autorail vehicles, trucks, tractors, vans and also buses/coaches. Its alliance with Nissan makes it the world's third largest automaker...

withdrew the R14

Renault 14

The Renault 14 is a small family car produced by the French manufacturer Renault between 1976 and 1983.It was the first car to be produced in large volumes at the company's then new plant at Douai, although small pilot runs of the Renault 5 had preceded the 14's production in the...

hatchback from production after six years.

Citroën

Citroën

Citroën is a major French automobile manufacturer, part of the PSA Peugeot Citroën group.Founded in 1919 by French industrialist André-Gustave Citroën , Citroën was the first mass-production car company outside the USA and pioneered the modern concept of creating a sales and services network that...

introduced a new medium-sized hatchback and estate range which replaced the long-running GS

Citroën GS

The Citroën GS and Citroën GSA are small family cars produced by the French automaker Citroën. The GS was voted European Car of the Year for 1971, and was probably the most technologically advanced car in its class when launched, with class leading comfort, safety and aerodynamics.-Market...

- the BX

Citroën BX

The Citroën BX is a large family car that was produced by the French manufacturer Citroën from 1982 to 1994. In total, 2,315,739 BXs were built during its 12-year history. The hatchback was discontinued in 1993 with the arrival of the Xantia, but the estate continued for another year.-History:The...

. It was aimed directly at the new Ford Sierra

Ford Sierra

, and was cleverly designed to include plastic body panels which combat the threat of corrosion as well as boosting fuel economy. The engine range started with a 1.1 litre petrol, which was unusual in this size of car and was only to be sold in certain Europe

Europe

Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

an markets. The BX range's top engines were 1.9 petrol and 1.9 diesel units, with the diesel (turbo or non-turbo) offering exceptional levels of refinement.

Germany

Audi

Audi AG is a German automobile manufacturer, from supermini to crossover SUVs in various body styles and price ranges that are marketed under the Audi brand , positioned as the premium brand within the Volkswagen Group....

further strengthened its already healthy reputation as a producer of quality, upmarket cars with the launch of the all-new 100

Audi 100

The restyled C2 Audi 100 was launched in 1976, with an in-line five-cylinder engine...

. It is a well equipped, comfortable and solid executive saloon with an aerodynamic bodyshell. The four-door saloon (no longer with a two-door variant) is joined by the five-door Avant estate car. Equipment levels on the standard 100 models are generous enough, but the upmarket 200 has specification levels to rival the likes of the BMW 7 Series

BMW 7 Series

The BMW 7 Series is a line of full-size luxury vehicles produced by the German automaker BMW. Introduced in 1977, it is BMW's flagship car and is only available as a sedan or extended-length limousine...

in the higher sector.

BMW

BMW

Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...

have bolstered their already-impressive model range with the launch of the new 3-Series

BMW E30

The BMW E30 was a compact executive car produced by BMW. It was replaced by the BMW E36 in 1990. BMW continued to produce the cabriolet E30 well into 1993. The Touring remained in production until 1994 when the E36 touring replaced it...

, a stylish new range of two- and four-door saloons which are direct competitors for the Audi 80

Audi 80

The Audi 80 is a compact executive car produced by the German car manufacturer Audi, from 1966 to 1996. It shared its platform with the Volkswagen Passat from 1973 to 1986 and was available as a saloon car/sedan, and an Avant...

. The range kicks off with the 316, a 1.8 engined model which offers hardly breathtaking performance but still has impressive rear-wheel drive ride and handling. Topping the range is the 323i, which is capable of around 130 mph and has superb handling to match. Build quality is also very good, though such an exclusive car does not come cheap.

Another new model has rolled off the production line at BMW. This time it's the new 5-Series

BMW E28

The BMW E28 BMW 5-Series was made between 1981 and 1988. It replaced the BMW E12 in 1981 and was replaced by the BMW E34 in 1989.E28 Production started in July 1981 and ended in December 1987...

, which is in reality little more than a reworking of the original model

BMW E12

The BMW E12 BMW 5-Series was made between 1972 and 1981. The E12 was the first series to bear the 5 Series name: the '5' denoting BMW's fifth 'New Class' platform. Designed as a replacement for the popular BMW New Class mid-size sedan, the E12 5-Series models were smaller than the large BMW E3...

. It is a well-equipped, stylish, well-built, comfortable and exclusive large saloon that gives the Bavaria

Bavaria

Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...

n firm a true competitor for the Audi 100

Audi 100

The restyled C2 Audi 100 was launched in 1976, with an in-line five-cylinder engine...

, whether you're looking for economy in the shape of the slightly underpowered 518 or ultimate performance in the form of the ultra-quick M5

BMW M5

The first BMW M5, based on the E28 5 Series, made its debut at Amsterdam Motor Show in February 1984. It was the product of demand for an automobile with the carrying capacity of a saloon , but the overall performance of a sports car. It utilized the 535i chassis and an evolution of the engine from...

. As with all of BMW's products, it is not cheap, but you get more for your money at these premium prices.

Volkswagen

Volkswagen

Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...

has launched a heavily restyled Scirocco

Volkswagen Scirocco

The Scirocco is a 3-door Coupe manufactured by German automaker Volkswagen, undergoing two generations of development between 1974 and 1992 and reintroduced in a third generation in August 2008.-Etymology:...

, though it maintains the original front-wheel drive chassis of the original 1974 MK1 Golf based

Volkswagen Golf

The Volkswagen Golf is a small family car manufactured by Volkswagen since 1974 and marketed worldwide across six generations, in various body configurations and under various nameplates – as the Volkswagen Rabbit in the United States and Canada , and as the Volkswagen Caribe in Mexico .The...

model. The mechanical design and engines are very much the same as before, but the new bodyshell is substantially different. It has been criticised in some quarters as lacking the flair of its predecessor, as has the questionable ride quality.

Italy

1982 has not been a particularly busy year for Fiat

Fiat

FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...

, the only significant change to its extensive model range being a facelift for the long-running 132 range which has also seen it given a new name - Argenta. The new car differs little from the old one; spacious and comfortable interior and big boot, but very little in the way of visual or driver appeal.

Lancia

Lancia

Lancia Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian automobile manufacturer founded in 1906 by Vincenzo Lancia and which became part of the Fiat Group in 1969. The company has a long history of producing distinctive cars and also has a strong rally heritage. Some modern Lancias are seen as presenting a more...

expanded its range by launching the Prisma

Lancia Prisma

The Lancia Prisma was a midsize car built by Lancia in the 1980s. It was basically a sedan version of the Lancia Delta, and like its smaller hatchback "brother", shared its chassis and engines with the Fiat Ritmo and Regata...

- a four-door family saloon. Though based on the chassis of the Delta

Lancia Delta

The Lancia Delta is a small family car produced by Italian automaker Lancia with the first generation being produced between 1979 and 1994, the second generation running from 1993 until 1999, and the third generation Delta entering production in 2008. It was first shown inFrankfurt Motor Show in 1979...

and Fiat Ritmo

Fiat Ritmo

The Fiat Ritmo is an automobile from the Italian manufacturer Fiat, launched in 1978. Styled by Bertone of Italy, it was seen by some as the most distinctive looking small family car in Europe on its launch in 1978 Turin Motorshow. It was badged in Great Britain and North America as the Fiat Strada...

hatchbacks, it is in reality nearer in size to cars in the Ford Sierra

Ford Sierra

and Opel Ascona

Opel Ascona

The Opel Ascona was a mid-sized car produced by Opel. It had three generations produced from 1970 to 1988. In motorsport, the Ascona 400 rally car driven by Walter Röhrl won the World Rally Championship drivers' title in the 1982 season....

(Vauxhall Cavalier

Vauxhall Cavalier

The Vauxhall Cavalier is a large family car sold primarily in the UK by Vauxhall Motors, the British division of General Motors , from 1975 to 1995...

) sector. It uses the same mechanical design and engines as the Delta, but is aimed more at the mainstream market instead of buyers with an eye for excitement.

Japan

Nissan has finally made a move to front-wheel drive for its Sunny range

Nissan Sunny

The Nissan Sunny is a small car from Nissan. It was launched in 1966 as the Datsun 1000 and although production in Japan ended in 2004, it remains in production today for the African, American and Sri Lankan markets. In the US, the later models were known as the Nissan Sentra; in Mexico, the Sunny...

. The model will be badged as a Datsun

Datsun

Datsun was an automobile marque. The name was created in 1931 by the DAT Motorcar Co. for a new car model, spelling it as "Datson" to indicate its smaller size when compared to the existing, larger DAT car. Later, in 1933 after Nissan Motor Co., Ltd...

in Europe

Europe

- though it is expected that all Datsuns will soon be rebadged as Nissans - and as the Nissan Sentra

Nissan Sentra

The Nissan Sentra is a compact car produced by automaker Nissan Motors and is generally a rebadged export version of the Japanese Nissan Sunny. The name "Sentra" is not used in Japan....

in America, and is expected to perpetuate the long-running Sunny hallmarks of low running costs, competitive pricing and excellent reliability. A new entry-level model in the Nissan range is to go on sale next year.

Daihatsu has made its foray into the Escort/Golf

Volkswagen Golf

sector with the new Charmant

Daihatsu Charmant

The Daihatsu Charmant is a compact sedan built by Daihatsu of Japan, based on the Toyota Corolla. It was replaced by the Daihatsu Applause. The Charmant was originally a spin-off of the Toyota Corolla of the 1970s; model changes paralleled those of the Corolla. All Charmants were fitted with Toyota...

, a four-door saloon which is based on the current Toyota Corolla

Toyota Corolla

The Toyota Corolla is a line of subcompact and compact cars manufactured by the Japanese automaker Toyota, which has become very popular throughout the world since the nameplate was first introduced in 1966. In 1997, the Corolla became the best selling nameplate in the world, with over 35 million...

. It is sold alongside the compact Charade

Daihatsu Charade

The Daihatsu Charade is a supermini which was first introduced in 1977. Daihatsu considers the Charade a "large compact" car to differentiate it from smaller compacts in its lineup, such as the Daihatsu Mira/Cuore...

, which competes with the likes of the Austin Metro

Rover Metro

and Ford Fiesta

Ford Fiesta

The Ford Fiesta is a front wheel drive supermini/subcompact manufactured and marketed by Ford Motor Company and built in Europe, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Venezuela, China, India, Thailand and South Africa...

United Kingdom

France

Germany

Italy

Japan

See also