"Your car was born in the 1970s. Car-nerds will argue about this, but the seventies mark the start of the modern era for the motor car. The economic and energy crises of the decade shook the car-world hard. It had "
Stars of the Seventies
1970 Plymouth Superbird
A few more muscle cars trickled out in ’71, but the Superbird’s massive rear wing marks the literal high-point of muscle car design, and also its swan-song.
1971 Lamborghini Countach concept
Why are all the best supercars – McLaren F1, Bugatti EB110 – launched into the teeth of recessions? Fortunately, the Countach’s incandescent styling meant it lasted into the nineties.
1972 Volvo VESC
This ESV embarrassed some of the bigger players who had taken a distinctly lax approach to their buyers’ health. Volvos have sold on safety ever since.
1973 Austin Allegro
Just bloody awful: epitomized everything that was wrong with the British car industry. Some say there’s no such thing as a bad car now, but there was back then.
1974 Volkswagen Golf
There had been hatchbacks before, but none looked as good, or mixed premium feel with affordable price like the Golf. Set the template that family cars still follow.
1975 Porsche 911 Turbo
‘911’ and ‘Turbo’ put together have always seemed slightly tautological, and were certainly terrifying in these early cars. But 35 years on they’re still being made.
1976 Aston Martin Lagonda
William Town’s insane styling is one of the stand-out designs of the decade. Digital dash and computer-controlled everything meant they broke down as much as they stood out.
1978 Lancia Megagamma
At the Turin motor show Giugiaro unveiled a concept that would spawn not just a new car, but a whole new type of car.
1980 Audi Quattro
It might have been launched in 1980 but the Audi Quattro – full of brawn but laced with new tech – was the ultimate expression of seventies automotive ethos. A truly modern performance car; still sensational to drive, and still inspiring current fast cars.
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Vauxhall Chevette HS (1978) and HSR (2.3 litre of snarling rally car), Lotus Sunbeam (the competition) 2.2 litre hybrid that went on to win the WRC in 1980, Triumph TR7 V8 (rallied by British Leyland in 1977 to 1980). How can you miss the golden age of Rallying – when your company insured most of them?
Take a look at the Citroen SM which appeared in 1970, A high performance Gran Tourisimo unlike any other. This car was gone within four years due to the fuel shortages even though it used a low capacity ( in the French tradition) Maserati engine with tall gearing. I will always remember my first drive with that ultra fast ( two turns lock to lock) steering, I zig zagged down the road until I learned quickly to let the car choose the line and to just caress the wheel in the desired direction from centre. This was a wide car at six feet but the quick and powered self centering of the steering made it a very agile machine. My favorit memories of ownership would have to be the looks, exclusivity, steering, brakes, ride, hearing that wee Maser come on the cam, performance and last but not least the fact our family of four could all go touring together. The down side would have to be manual cam chain adjustment every 3000 miles which not being the trusting type I always did myself. Never any problems during the two years ownership despite it being a very complicated car.