The 1980s Executive Car Story

You might have seen my video on 1970s executive cars where I take a look at all the cars that were sold in the UK. If it was a battle royale between the major car companies in the 1970s, it got even more intense in the 1980s. As with the previous video, I’ve tried to narrow the market down to four door saloons with a wheelbase over 2.6m (8’ 6”), but nothing overly expensive. These are the cars I remember from my childhood, as this is the sort of car my father was driving.
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Links to car videos mentioned:
Audi V8: • The Audi V8 Story
Ford Granada: • Why did Ford's luxury ...
Citroën CX: • The Citroën CX Story
Citroën XM: • The Citroën XM Story
Princess: • Was the avant-garde Pr...
Rover SD1: • Rover SD1 - Why did th...
Rover 800: • The Rover 800 - Rover'...
Saab 900: • Why did the Saab 900 u...
Vauxhall Carlton (Omega): • The Vauxhall/Opel Omeg...
Volvo 200: • A beautiful box? The V...
Volvo 700: • How the Volvo 740/760 ...
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[@BigCar2]

Big Car podcast links: Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/big-car-bitesized-car-history/id1734663230 Amazon Music/Audible: music.amazon.com/podcasts/cf15574a-9d87-4a9c-89ad-6cc15579f121 Google Podcasts: podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL2JpZ2Nhci9mZWVkLnhtbA Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/1tEQK1WPlF9hknD2dhdInn iHeartRadio: iheart.com/podcast/156870118 PlayerFM: player.fm/series/3556286 ListenNotes: www.listennotes.com/podcasts/big-car-bitesized-car-history-big-car-S-irqaQdE5b/ Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/podcasts/big-car-bitesized-car-history-5646040 Boomplay: www.boomplaymusic.com/podcasts/93546

[@georgevavoulis4758]

I just live all those cars with simple engineering and design inside and out . That Mercedes Benz on your thumbnail with simple basic wheel covers is an perfect example of what cars should . Not these EVs thar are more like a computer workstation on r wheels

[@RaghulS-hj6vt]

Petition to make a video on Mercedes Benz story!

[@muhammedkhandookhee4631]

Yes I agree as well... We need a Mercedes Benz story and also on their specific models from the different decades. You've avoided Alot of the MB Cars, and I know your videos on them will be a hit....

[@jamesengland7461]

Oh, sure. Pick the LONGEST history 😂

[@keitadarkwolf2591]

Agreed. Mercedes has a very long and interesting history. And I also noticed how the 7-series get mentioned but the S-class doesn't. :D It was in the 70s and 80s that Mercedes were at the absolute top of their game! I mean, seriously... you still see w123 and w124's, most of which have 500,000km or more on the clock, still in daily use all over Africa. You just don't get tougher than that.

[@Danse_Macabre_125]

​@keitadarkwolf2591 One million at least

[@donaldmackay4837]

Yes please

[@-DC-]

W201 Deserves an Episode all on its own the last of the True High Quality Mercedes Benz Passenger Cars.

[@energymc22]

Watch the Carmudgeon episode on the W201

[@horatiul117]

@@energymc22come on, don’t make him watch all those episodes

[@Scalaflow]

12:50 ...'the Ambassador was taken out behind the shed and shot'. 😆🤣

[@BigCar2]

Yeah, I liked that as well!

[@lakrids-pibe]

It was for the best.

[@dj_efk]

Shame it wasn’t just aborted before it was born. I have to say as someone who has owned two of the Princess it was based on, it (the Princess) was a great car for the market in the 70s, if only it could have been built properly and with a hatch. I think killing off the Wolseley version was a mistake too: It was quite popular already for the six months it was on sale as a niche, quality product that capitalised on the Wolseley brand - if it could have established a reputation for quality then, as this video infers, customers would have bought something at this end of the market that would have held its value. To complete the “if only” scenario, the engines needed to be breathed on a little to give them a little boost in power across the range and would have addressed the other competitive weak point.

[@Marshal_Dunnik]

That 190 "Baby Benz". Chef's kiss.

[@uncipaws7643]

A friend of mine drove a 190 ... with handbrake problems. So he took along wedges to make sure the car wouldn't roll away when parked.

[@dinispaulino7512]

@@uncipaws7643 He could simply put it in gear instead lol

[@keimpedegraaf6395]

You are telling me "between nose and lips" that Marcello Gandini passed away in March 2024?, such a pitty! A legend in car industry he was!

[@TheAmicuscurii]

13 March 2024

[@zerocool5395]

I'm from Chile, and my dad named me "Marcelo" after Gandini. He owned a Fiat 132 and a Citroën BX. I once owned an E12 5 series. He was my favorite designer, RIP.

[@mrreziik]

We want a full episode on the w201 190 benz, i still drive my father's 1991 as a daily, 500k km, best car i've ever driven tbh

[@JimT-RCT]

I had two W201s the first was a 190e 2.0 and the next was the 2.3 Cosworth, but the insurance was too high, and I only kept it a year. I still think these were the best built cars I have ever owned. The last ever properly built Benz

[@Porsche996driver]

Awesome. I’m in SoCal still many survivor Benz on the road doing everything!

[@Andy-ev8sf]

Can't wait for the 90s.

[@BigCar2]

That's what I said as a teenager.

[@Andy-ev8sf]

@@BigCar2 hahahha

[@snoopy10411]

Always makes me think about the options available on cars in the 80's and 90's and how they were worded in classified newspaper advert. I always imagine how my old 2007 Ford Focus MK2 Style (base model) TDCI would have been listed back then. Something like Ford Focus Turbo Diesel, 1800cc, 5-Speed manual, Air Conditioning, Trip Computer, PAS, Remote Central Locking, ABS, Airbags, Electric Front Windows, CD Player, AM/FM radio with steering wheel volume controls, Fog Lights, Reach/Rake adjustable leather steering wheel, Electric heated dual mirrors, Vanity Mirrors with lights, Rear headrests, 60/40 split rear seats, Body coloured bumpers and mirrors, automatic choke. £1500 ono. By 80's standards my old base model Focus would have been a range topper.

[@user-sf7kl9uh7k]

What about the salvage sections? Light to moderate O/S frontal not hard airbags ok drives.

[@andrewmorton3177]

My Dad was a massive mk2 Granada fan having 4 between 78 & 85. His last one, a C reg last of the line 2.8i Ghia X was a stunning looking thing with a spec that would’ve put a lot of cars of the late 90’s to shame. Aircon, leather electric heated seats, electric sunroof, electric boot opening, multi function trip computer, TRX tyres & of course the all important electric aerial 😂 I remember in 1988 as a 12 year old literally begging him to get the then new e34 5 series. He did indeed humour me & took me with him to the local BMW dealer for a test drive but I’ll never forget the look on his face when the salesman told him that even a radio cassette was an option! 🤦🏼‍♂️ Needless to say he kept the 85 mk2 until 1990 when Ford finally put a boot back onto the Granada & he bought a 2.9i Scorpio saloon.

[@Gorecatto]

I like how you could summarize mercedez in the 80's as "they made/updated this car, it was well made and it sold well"

[@markcary8165]

1. The Saab 9000 was only a hatch at launch. The saloon came later. 2. The Rover 800 was only available as a saloon at launch, the hatch came later. Surely the Mitsubishi Galant deserves a mention also? It was very successful in the 80s

[@canerguener8664]

Galant was a sedan, the hatchback came later

[@benzinapaul7416]

Indeed the Galant, and the Lonsdale

[@Real_British]

And debonair

[@Timico1000]

At least in Germany we also had the "Sapporo" saloon, basically an upmarket Galant, which was replaced in 1990 by the Sigma. But both only sold in very small numbers.

[@vadim6385]

Galant is not an executive sedan. They had the Sigma and Debonnair for that

[@heyitsme1618]

The XM was the last true crazy citroen. the XM Y4 top line had still the best ride quality and comfort I have ever experienced in my life. So many small touches of genius, like the elevated rear seats to give you a commanding view when being chauffeured. The people working on the XM clearly loved that car, and so did I.

[@simonreeves2017]

Thanks for bringing back childhood memories for me. My Dad bought a 1979 Renault 20TS used in 1981, I was a teenager at the time, and I thought this was the height of luxury at the time, the ride quality was lovely, as was the interior. Dad remembers it as a gas guzzler with poor acceleration.

[@Santoshlv426]

As a kid in the 80's our family had a Peugeot 404, Toyota Corona, Corolla. Datsun 120Y, Ford Escort 1600 Sport. Cars like these in this video were a DREAM !! I'm past middle age and still yearn to own a 1980's BMW 7 or Mercedes S Class or Audi 500. These cars were mysterious and this video has unlocked some of that mystery. Thanks !!

[@JTA1961]

This channel always gets an automatic thumbs up...& I've yet to be disappointed...very impressive

[@adamv242]

The 80s were the golden era of European luxury cars.. the Audi 5000, the BMW E28, Citroen XM and Peugeot 505 were my favorites as an American teenager

[@Galahadfairlight]

Glad to see the Senator getting some love, great cars that handled big miles in absolute comfort

[@floydblandston108]

About this category of automobile, I recall reading "these are the cars that make Schengen acceptable". 😄

[@harlandraka1]

Always great to see a new upload.. Thank you.

[@detonator2112]

The car you call "Cortina" was actually Ford Taunus here in "rest of the Europe". We had both Cortinas and Taunuses in the 70's before this 76 boxy model came out. I think the Cortinas were made in England and Taunuses in Germany.

[@antraxxslingshots]

Oh Boy do i miss those days...i remember a lot of stuff beeing simpler. Thank you for the trip down memory lane!

[@sonofagun1037]

Considering all the equipment you said people wanted were standard US luxury car equipment all the way back in the 50s, I feel if US luxury cars from the 80s were smaller and more reliable they would have dominated the British car market. Lincolns and caddis had soft close doors and trunks back in like the 60s much less power windows. GM and Ford were working on touch screen radio systems with GM selling 3 separate vehicles with it. They really did squander any possibility of dominating in Europe, especially GM and Chrysler.

[@MichaelAMVM]

And lacked the proper 4 and 6 cylinder engines to power such cars.

[@MrDuncl]

Check out some dimensions. The Ford Scorpio "executive car" was 1.76m wide. A more sensible width than my overly wide Golf MK7. Europeans would have laughed (or cried) at American MPGs. As for GM, Vauxhall and Opel were both owned by GM and had been for years.

[@martinrousev]

Problem is car luxury in the US is measured in cupholders, not quality of the materials and ride.

[@Blackadder75]

us cars were and are trash in build quality and handling. they were indeed BETTER than european cars once , but you have to go far back to the 50s and 60s for those. In the 80s they were behind in all except in size and luxury.. but europe wasn;t wealthy enough yet for that luxury, not many people here drove these mercedes or audi cars, most ordinary people had a VW Golf size car or smaller. so even if they had room for large cars in europe, they didn't have the money . (and those Executive managers that actually DID have the money, wanted something better, hence the german domination )

[@Mike81111]

For me it's going to be Datsun 280c or 300c. Extremely reliable, soft ride, quiet, tons of equipment, 6-cylinder power, American styling, American steering (too light :D ). And of course those 6-cylinders were super reliable and car weighted over 1500 kg so those were BIG cruisers. Taxi service loved them in the 80's Finland. These had way more US than Europe design so not for everyone for sure.

[@visionmodernclassics3062]

20:07 The Opel Senator B offered an the electronical suspension (Ride Control) with 3 available modes Sport, Middle, Comfort and a servotronic (variable steering support depanding on the speed) These were unique features in that time and that price range. 1988 only a 959 of Porsche had such a suspension.

[@palebeachbum]

1980s executive cars have always been the most appealing to me. My Volvo 240 and 940 (a mild refresh of the 740 for the '90s) were my favorite cars, but I liked many other '80s executive cars.

[@leftpastsaturn67]

The only parts interchangeable between the Chroma/9000 & Thema were the doors, and then the hinges needed adapting. I'm currently driving my 4th 9000, and they've all been reliable. Either I've been lucky, or your father was unlucky. As a comparison, a 2 year old Fiesta I also owned went back to the garage so often they nicknamed it the 'boomerang'.

[@Blackadder75]

I think he meant mostly tech parts inside the cars as the bodywork clearly is very different on all 4 cars

[@leftpastsaturn67]

@@Blackadder75 You'd be lucky to find a handful of relays that are interchangeable, even the chassis' differ slightly.

[@davidkmatthews]

Of the 20+ cars that I have owned, my 1987 Saab 9000 - which I bought in 1991, average mileage and full Saab service history - was by far the most UNreliable car that I've ever owned. Essentially the electrics were a joke. It got to a point where I couldn't actually get it to pass an MOT test, because the horn circuit had failed and my local Saab dealer was unable to fix it. In the fourteen months I owned it, I had the same number of trips to the dealer for them to fix the latest fault! A huge shame because, otherwise, it was a great car.

[@leftpastsaturn67]

@@davidkmatthews Meanwhile, I ran a '85 9000t16 for a decade, starship mileage & no service history, with only one MOT failure. The only electrical issue I've ever encountered with any of the 8 Saab's I've owned was the ignition switch module failing on a 9000 (quite entertaining when you lose all power travelling at 75MPH overtaking a lorry).

[@markcarter9476]

A lovely drive down memory lane of my childhood staring out of the car window.

[@Flies2FLL]

The Renault 25 you see at 12:19 is ENORMOUSLY important! Renault bought heavily into the American Motors Company in December 1980 and eventually AMC was purchased from the French company by Chrysler. The Eagle Premier was designed by Giugiaro, with a chassis from the Renault 25 but suspension components from the Renault 21. This was a mediocre seller, but Chrysler used the platform to produce the LH cars, such as the Dodge Intrepid, the Chrysler 300M, and Chrysler Concorde. Eventually Chrysler was acquired by Daimler-Benz to form DaimlerChrysler. This company wanted to produce a successor to the LH product but with rear drive, so they took the chassis and converted the floor pans to handle a mid mounted rear drive transmission. The Renault 25 had a front wheel drive design, but the engine was mounted longitudinally and this carried over to the Eagle Premier and LH cars, so this was easy to do. To beef up the engine bay, the plan was to ditch the European inline fours and V6 engines and install a 5.7 liter Chrysler Hemi V8, so the suspension was beefed up with E-class Mercedes Benz suspension parts. The result is the chassis underneath the current Chrysler 300, the Dodge Charger, and the Dodge Challenger. All of which are in the process of going out of production.

[@BigCar2]

It would have been good to talk about Renault trying to sell this car in the US. I'd like to do an AMC/Eagle video sometime.

[@Flies2FLL]

@@BigCar2 Yes! Please do! ' A Lancia Thema 8.32 video would be great. There is one for sale on eBay for $16.5k but I am getting serious blowback from the spouse. An 8.32 with a good exhaust sounds EXACTLY like a big American V8; You don't expect a car that looks like that to sound like that!

[@paulqueripel3493]

Citroen CX looking dated because it hadnt been updated. It still looked more futuristic than anything from any other manufacturer.

[@nsz2302]

We had a renault25 td when i was a kid and that car for me (mostly for that interior design) was the absolute maximum in coolness.

[@ciaran_socal]

Hugely successful in France, so the reliability issues may have been more of a perception than a reality. 🤷‍♂️

[@96libertytt]

I have an Australian VN Commodore Executive from 1989 🙂

[@stco2426]

Excellent. Loads of memories here. Thanks for making!!

[@CraazyTimes]

We had a Fiat Croma, that car was unbelievable comfortable and reliable

[@classiccarssp]

In love with the Alfa 164 ❤

[@ShannonSouthAfrica]

Same. Rubbish car though.

[@ShannonSouthAfrica]

@@classiccarssp I wish I had one lol...

[@simonh870]

I had one, a 3.0 V6 and it was an amazing car. Handled and went well for a large car, and unlike some of the later cars like the 156 reliability wasn't a problem.

[@ShannonSouthAfrica]

@simonh870 if it was reliable then you have to question whether it was a genuine Alfa or not lol. My friends dad had a Spider and a GTV and they were then absolute bomb to drive but leaked oil like no one's business

[@simonh870]

@@ShannonSouthAfrica To be fair to alfa, many issues with the 156, GTV etc were caused by owner neglect or optimistic cambelt intervals.

[@Gemini_0815]

Love your work sir. Every one of the videos is worth watching. I hope you won’t stop. It’s a joy.

[@ted_is_gaming]

I have one of the last American executive cars, a 2001 Lincoln town car. And I love it! My dream car rn is a Toyota century. I have fallen in love with executive cars!

[@sotkajarvi]

Absolutely brilliant video! Looking forward to the 90's executive car video!

[@chrisbiewer-rallye-info]

Great video again. I still own a Citroen XM today and it still is fairly reliable and unbeaten in comfort. Functional too, I really don't know why I should get a more modern car. Mind you, the XM still feels modern today.

[@chris07]

Superb video as always! Looking forward for stories on '90s and 2000s executive cars 😁

[@nadeemchaudhry6585]

So looking forward to this video. Thank you!

[@JeffKing310]

Great video as always!

[@paduvonGhendt]

Positivly surprised by the amount of research you put in, actually like always. Looking forward to the next one (90‘s). Keep going!

[@sanzalejandroelement]

Thank you for the awesome work

[@paulwlynch]

Thoroughly enjoyed the podcasts that you have released so far..

[@BigCar2]

Glad to hear it Paul.

[@shitsugane]

Great, great video - excellent images. Your knowledge is complete - vast array of cars, released with good chronology

[@torgeirbrandsnes1916]

Great vlog as always! Happy easter from Norway!

[@alaricbragg7843]

Thank you for this wonderful video!

[@stephendavies6949]

Brilliant video. Incredibly well researched and presented, as always. Perhaps your best yet? As I was born in 1965, this video was a trip through my automotive life. You mentioned many cars I'd forgotten had existed (eg, Lancia Thema, Vauxhall Royale, Renault 20/30, Fiat Argenta, Peugeot 604 & Datsun Laurel). Choice may have dwindled, but quality has increased exponentially over the last 50 years or so.

[@kramnam4716]

Lot of work and research here! Bravo .. a real festival of the unexceptional.. and downright gopping, that would otherwise be forgotten!

[@edmundhodgson2572]

Good work, really enjoyed this. x

[@daisycutter3893]

Fantastic overview.

[@davida3126]

Great video as always, thank you

[@gregosullivan6000]

Great video thank you!!!

[@RuperScooper]

Excellent video many thanks all cars I grew up with and nice to put them altogether in context - and understand the challenges very very interesting 👍

[@ThePubdaddy]

great video, very well put together

[@flemmingsorensen5470]

Fantastic video - my childhood dreamcars! Cant wait for the 90s👍

[@MrDuncl]

None of mine. Mine was the Ford XR4i a project manager at work had.

[@theradiodreamer]

Excellent video very informative thank you 😊

[@mattferdinando7820]

Thanks for all your videos!! Always a great start to my lie-in weekend mornings!

[@BigCar2]

Glad you like them Matt, and thanks for your support.

[@elicaul6506]

Fantastic, informative, and so nice to see the Argenta receive attention! Thank you :)

[@martingardener90]

Loved my old Chrysler 180 in the same green as the picture even though it rearly ran on all cylinders due to the Magneti-marelli ignition system and the handbrake only worked for about 2 weeks after fitting new pads! When it did run it was a flying machine - it's 1804cc's putting out more power than a 2 ltr Cortina! Thanks for a great video.

[@floydblandston108]

These are the cars that made me an enthusiast; a high hurdle that has left me increasingly embittered each decade. I would have included the ALFA Romeo 75, but probably because I had one of the 3.0V6 Verde models. You couldn't make a case for any of them as 'best', since 75% of the ones you mentioned were truly exceptional. I'd gladly give up every superfluous horsepower and mile per hour of top speed we have now just to return to the intrinsic 'soundness' and robust reliability of these excellent cars.

[@EngiNetion]

this is my new favourite series now)) Patiently waiting for the 90s continuation.

[@borismedovar9968]

Best cars ever. Period. Especially from the latter half of the 80s. A new one from assembly line - would buy any time.

[@Porsche996driver]

I was stationed in good ol’ West Germany in the late ‘80s. Good times. Watching the German Touring cars 190s and 3 sedans fender to fender at the Hockenheimring! 🏁 My friend would sometimes get his Grandpa’s 190 that was just a solid little sedan. Today I’m still whipping my 2010 E550 rwd V8 with AMG bits. Fantastic car even 14 years on, and a perfect size.

[@leopulento]

I knew your channel long ago and I was always interested in the content, but i didn’t liked your style (a big compliment is coming, don’t worry) I found it boring… but yesterday i watched many of your videos, and they are so well investigated and insightful, and I ended up finding your voice very soothing, and you dont really fall for any of the annoying KZbinrs manierism. Is a very different, not flashy, car loving and informative way of doing a motor channel… i finally subscribed and im enjoying your content and your very authentic style, I guessed Im mature now (turned 40 last year), and now I appreciate straight to the point, not loud, deprived of unnecessary transitions and vfx, just to stretch the viewing time and cover the lack of content… so common in the motor channels… kudos for your barebone but very interesting approach, my friend… Un abrazo desde Chile!

[@Sanpedranoazul]

How enjoyable this video was 😍😍😍😍

[@bill8784]

The podcasts are a brilliant idea. It crossed my mind only the other day how podcasts of KZbin vlogs would be wonderful. 👍👍👍👍👏👏👏👏

[@ravipeiris4388]

The podcast is a great idea ❤

[@jamiep61]

Thank you for taking the time to Film the Video 😊

[@gerrywatson261]

Excellent episode Big Car Man! It's amazing how the big executive saloon/sedan as vanished from the scene and now all you see are bland SUV's that all look the same!

[@stephenmorgan6930]

Hooray, a mention of the almost mythological Vauxhall Senator! They weren't exactly commonplace, and the only one I knew of was my schoolfriend's dad. And did my friend go on about it or what!

[@AtheistOrphan]

The Vauxhall Royale and Viceroy were even rarer. The police used Senators round my way.

[@CommodoreCaravan1981]

​@@AtheistOrphanas far as i know the Viceroy was sold less than 2000 between 1978 and 1982. the Viceroy was the UK-version of the Opel Commodore, built between 1978 and 1982. on the continent there was also an estate version, called "Commodore Voyage" which sounds nobler than "Caravan" .

[@slacko1971]

Watching this makes me realise just how many executive cars from the 80's I have owned. Even the Argenta, which I'm going to go out on a limb here and say although it was a great car I don't think I would class it as executive, it was more of a family saloon IMO. Best of all I had were the 164's I had 3 of them and they were fantastic cars, surprisingly well put together with that glorious Busso v6.

[@marcusbingham1625]

Great vid 👏👏👏

[@SamiHentunen]

The Ford Granada was sold as Scorpio from the get go outside the UK market.

[@Bod8998]

And the top end for us the 2.9 Scorpio lovely motor

[@nlpnt]

*Merkur* Scorpio in the US, where it suffered in comparison to the very similar-looking (but FWD and 6-passenger) Mercury Sable next to it in the showroom for 2/3 the price.

[@StephanSihlmann-kd7jf]

Actually, petition to make a video about the most legendary Mercedes, and probably legendary car, of all times : the W124. … a car that still drives modern 30 years later… and that, despite its age, is more reliable than a 2 year old car.

[@CaSuMog]

The 190 was the Baby Benz… the W124 was the executive range, above that you had the W116 S class range

[@billybellend1155]

No you had the w126. The W116 went out of production in 1980.

[@Danse_Macabre_125]

W126

[@charlesmoss8119]

The 190 pricing was firmly executive and boy could you get a misery spec

[@detonator2112]

@@charlesmoss8119 Yes indeed. It was crazy expensive here in Scandinavia. About the same price as BMW 5-series. But that era of Mercedes were superb quality. The price was somewhat justified.

[@Boric78]

Very good this.

[@christophecamus3295]

Please make one on the 90s executive cars thanks, great video thanks

[@kevmagill5163]

Can't wait to see the 90's executive car video. I've always found Alfa and Lancia cars intriguing, but in the states they had a bad reputation. They used Peugeot 505 as a taxi in NYC, fazing out the ubiquitous Checker Cabs. Great video, as always, Thanks.

[@JohnMcMahon.]

This was excellent. I would love to see a video on the 90’s cars too. Ps, your Dad had really good taste in cars.

[@thomasfrancis5747]

Another excellent video. IIRC the Peugeot 605 was a bit too similar to the Alfa Romeo 164, especially the side view - both came from Pininfarina? I'll just briefly mention the Lonsdale and rapidly retire.... Any chance of a video on Kei cars?

[@user-hh3qf3gy3h]

Great idea on the podcasts - will definitely be taking you up on that! While walking the dog (2 X every day for 1 hour each - he is a big German Shepherd!) so I use podcasts rather than KZbin because you have to have premium to close the screen - you have to keep it on in your pocket if not, anyway - it's much easier for podcasts while dog walking when you want to just listen to great info - don't always need pics. Great work as always, Thank you.

[@blahmooblah789]

I know the PVR engine very well! My Volvo 780 has it and yes, it needs to be babied but it’s one of the smoothest engines I’ve ever felt! Thank you for this video!

[@adamlee3772]

Great video again. Though couple of facts slightly out. The 800 was launched as a saloon with the hatch following 12 or 18 months later. The V6 unit was a Honda motor as well. Went up from 2.5 to 2.7 litres.

[@GForceVRX]

Great video as always, I’m looking forward to the 90’s version. The 90’s Mitsubishi Diamanté should hopefully get a mention in that with its advanced technological features, and stylish body shape

[@jonathancollard3710]

I just relived my childhood there… doing a paper round I would pass many of these cars in suburban exec land, and back in the day, some cars were swapped annually…no 3 year leases then!…

[@omarshehab585]

I find old Mazda's (especially the "rx" series that where Italian designed) to be fascinating, looking forward to a video about it.

[@janhanchenmichelsen2627]

In short: The German got it right most of the time. The rest of the world: Not so much. Until Japan learned the game.

[@Art-is-craft]

Germany embraced the free market the UK embraced a controlled market that collapsed the Auto industry. Japanese cars were seen as no better than British cars in the 1970s it was only as the UK car industry collapsed did the Japanese cars start to look more attractive.

[@Tuppoo94]

The 80s and 90s were definitely the beginning of German and Japanese domination in the auto industry, which continues to this day.

[@Art-is-craft]

@@Tuppoo94 German domination is about to end.

[@jacobbest5752]

your narrator voice is perfect so nice to listen to!

[@kamata93]

Good old glorious Audi 5 pot. Damn…I miss these engines. ❤

[@-DC-]

RS3 enters chat 😉

[@kamata93]

@@-DC- Not exactly the same. Not even the sound is the same. There is something about these older Audi engines.

[@ComeJesusChrist]

Earlier in the video, you paint a picture of the occasionally nice-looking, but dated British cars on offer. In 1981, I would have coveted a Saab or Audi. As an adult,I recently owned a 1983 SL and a 1985 190E Mercedes. They were alright, but I didn’t feel that either were special. But that Volvo! Wow! I always loved that square, boxy lump, especially the estate! These big Volvos established my fondness for E-Class estates and big luxury Mercedes for life! The style hero of the decade was Audi in my view, which didn’t produce a single model that wouldn’t be beautiful and extremely desirable. I think the late-eighties and early nineties are the greatest era in modern motoring and the industry has been largely in decline since after some gradual improvements for a decade and consistent decline ever since. I could choose more cars from this era I would love to drive than from today’s car market. The eighties was also the decade when Japanese and French cars became truly modern and desirable as mid-range or even small vehicles. That XM, the 205 look so modern, even the Rover 800 is sleek!

[@tng2057]

Once had a MB 190E early 90s version (which supposedly would had ironed out all the technical problems since launching in 83) and a Toyota Corolla 7th generation at the same time. Owned both for 20 years. To my shocking surprise the Toyota was bullet proof while the MB had one problem after another. By the time I had to pension off one of the cars my brain told me to get rid of the 190e. I did and I had reliable service of my Corolla for more years.

[@ShannonSouthAfrica]

My mom had the old BMW 520. Not the 520i or 528i, just the 520. I still felt like a lightweight boss.

[@Pandamasque]

5:00 I've only just now realised that the new Cadillac Celestiq looks like Lancia Gamma from the side!

[@ettorebugatti6846]

That BMW 5-serie still looks gorgeous!

[@mattw8332]

My parents owned a couple of executive cars in the 1980s but we were working class so they were 1970s models. They eventually bought a 1986 Rekord based Vauxhall Carlton 2.2i CD but that didn't happen until 1993, 80,000 miles and a cigarette burn in the velour upholstery.

[@MrDuncl]

The closest I saw to any of these were a) A college mates Father having a brand new Ford Sierra Ghia shortly after their launch b) A few years later a colleague buying a Vauxhall Carlton from his uncle to replace his Polonez (yes they actually sold those in the U.K). Beyond that, at work (where people bought their own cars) your standing was dependent on what model of Ford Capri you drove. A 2.8i for the head of department while as a junior I had a 1.6L which as bought didn't even have a passenger side mirror. A project manager (who lived the closest to work of any of us) had a white Ford XR4i. I always admired that car and would have chosen it over any of the ones you showed here.

[@paulketchupwitheverything767]

Great run through of all those luxury/executive cars. So many saloons/sedans! Everyone drives SUVs these days and aerodynamics gets less of a mention.

[@rturner4205]

It always amazed me when people had performance models of the higher end models from this era. You had the 164 QV, 740 Turbo, 9000 Aero, and then there was the Lotus Carlton/Omega. That was insane for the time.

[@busybee2033]

Im waiting on the 90's thats going to be exciting !!