Mark 1 MX5 - reinvented the affordable soft top which was good to drive, and designed while we were still churning out those dreadful MG's.
Mk1 was '89, B production finished 10 years earlier. MGF was 6 years later, unfortunately by the time they made it work with the TF the damage had been done and no one wanted one. I can imagine a MK1 MX5 being a future classic, but I can't imagine may being restored, just the good current ones retaining their value and being kept on the road.
The reason for no classic Jap cars is Japanese law makes them almost impossible, hence the grey import market of Jap cars (eunos, bongo etc). And the classic market's geared towards brit built stuff as the tooling (or stockpile of spares) still exists to make new parts. And the Japs did family cars an rep-mobiles who's going to put money into restoring a Mk1 civic? At least you can stick a 2.0 duratec straight in a Mk1 fiesta!
Motorbikes are different, the engines on anything 4t later than the mid 80's may as well be sealed, there's little you can do short of valve clearences or a megabucks re-build. There's no bodywork to rot. So any amature can buy the bike they wanted as a teenager (or the way the markets going, any old crap that was crap at the time and hasn't aged well, but an RC30's unafordable) take it appart, clean it, re-assemble and call it a restored classic.
240Z.
Not a Capri copy, was made for a completely different market (ie was performance driven, not a styling exercise.) Just because a model didn't really feature in this country doesn't exclude it form being a classic.
Could also argue a case for NSX, MR2 mk1, RX3, and original Skyline GTR, amongst others. Depends on your criteria of classic though, Popular Classics features a lot of what I'd label as crap British products.
The 240 might have been copying something a bit higher up the image scale than a Capri
Good god. Oh dear. Yes, you're right.
maccruiskeen - Member
I'm not saying its not, but I've never even heard of one or seen one.
The Japanese, as a habit/culture, don't keep old stuff. I remember watching a classic car rally on telly years ago and a Japanese team were racing an S800 made entirely of new spare parts - every panel nut and bolt - as there were no old S800s there to use.
Almost every car they make is to a greater or lesser extent derivative of other designs, they ape European models or the ape American ones, but thats simply because they are a small country hosting mass market car manufacturer- they export most of the cars they make to other markets. So they design to those foreign markets and foreign tastes. There are the odd small run exceptions to that that are domestic market only like the Nissan Cube mentioned on another thread, which is uniquely Japanese, or the Mitsubishi offroad people carrier thing I forget the name of. The latter is very specific to the japanese market - it evokes driving off road, whilst stuck in a constant traffic jam. They've never been officially exported to europe as they're not really safe enough to drive in a country where you might go round a bend in third gear or above. But those cars are typically japanese in appeal - travelling as a group, not actually moving very quickly, fantasising about being somewhere else.
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Yep. Nail on head I think
Oddly there's loads of current Japanese cars I'd put right at the top of my list when we next change. If I can't have an Alfa, that is... 🙂
What criteria makes a classic? Age? Desirability?
Toyota corolla ae86, kp60/1/2 starlets, kp30
ra or ta Celica?
Datsun 510
Honda s800
Hino
Etc etc.
The old Celica Fastbacks are considered to be classics.
Look, I even found a pic on a website called oldclassiccar.co.uk
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My FTO was a modern classic in my mind, I loved it. It was 16 years old when I replaced it and not a thing went wrong with it. Trouble was it was starting to cost to keep the thing maintained....
This isn't my FTO BTW, haven't got any photos to hand.
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How about the Suzuki SJ410/413/Samurai?
MK1 MR2 is a classic shirley???
Mitsubishi Pajero Evo
Depends on your definition of classic though.
Some of the rally bred stuff deserves classic status.
The Scooby and the Evo basically pioneered a new type of car.
The focus and attention to detail that went into the design and production of these cars is staggering.
The ultimate expression probably being the Subaru 22B
Think the OP needs to decide what he's referring to as a classic.
An MX5 can't be a classic because its still in production but a Golf GTi can? A new MX5 is a totally revised car to the original, the same as a new GTI is nothing like a Mk1.
Original MX5 is a definite classic as are the early Datsun Zs. I agree with the Skyline theme as well.
How about the early Celicas? Definite classic material there.
If an original FireBlade can be a classic so can any of the cars above.
Don't forget the RX-7.
Don't think the Evo & Imprezza were an entirely new concept, think Escort Mexico, Sunbeam Lotus, Mini Cooper etc. Still classics though, as are all of the above.
Excellent thread, more please.
PTR - MemberMitsubishi Pajero Evo
I think anyone with the cojones to name or even drive a car called Pajero deserves a special level of recognition.
NSX was a bit too much of a Ferrari wannabe to be a classic imo, even if Senna "did the handling". Shame though as I still lust after them.
RX-7 might just be bonkers enough without the Skyline/GTR chav appeal
those cars are British though aren't they?The Scooby and the Evo basically pioneered a new type of car.
The 2 from my motoring history...
Corolla GT coupe (AE86). Rear wheel drive, 125BHP from a twin cam 16v engine, disks all round, 5 link live axle, weight under a tonne. Basically similar specs to a kit car, much better that the euro hot hatches of the same era. Fantastic to drive
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Celica Supra 2.8. A bit too much power for it's handling. Lotus tuned suspension and shared quite a few parts with the Lotus Excel and Esprit. Digital dash was very Knight Rider, too
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those cars are British though aren't they?
How's that then?
I think the obvious have been overlooked.
The Subaru Impreza & the Mitsubishi Lancer EVO things..
Both took world rallying by storm & if not now will be classics in their own right at some point.
edit so already mentioned, but I dissagree with the copycat sentiments.
original land cruiser
impreza turbo
lancer evo
This.
Very rare, great to drive, fantastic technology for the time.
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How about the Suzuki SJ410/413/Samurai?
In all seriousness I think that's the best suggestion so far. They have quite a following in the off road circles, they have a boxy utilitarian style and and ugly cuteness.
Yep. Agreed. 🙂
I think some of the Impreza fans might be forgetting this
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Classic rice rockets are big here in Oz, guess we got plenty more of them then you brits did. Massive 'fast fours and rotaries' scene modernising/restoring old Mazdas (RX2, RX3, RX4, RX5, RX7 particularly), Toyotas (KE Corollas, Celica, Supra), Datsuns/Nissans (z cars, skylines) just to make a few. High on my list of dream cars is a tricked out RX2 coupe, would love a 2012 GTR as well (a theoretically possible dream supercar as opposed to a Euro option)
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[quote=cheburashka ]
Service revolver and bottle whisky for you.
@thisisnotaspoon - quite correct, but as the MG finished production as late as 1980 and the MX5 concept started in the early 80's its a fair point to say the MX5 reinvented a dead sector.
DC2 Integra Type-R
Ahh the noise at 8000rpm was unbelieveable.
Easily the most fun car i have ever owned and the only car i have owned that i miss. I keep my eyes peeled in the hope of finding a good one to stick away in the garage.
Lexus LFA, another of the great engines (sadly i have not owned one of these)
Glitchy suicide bump
Re MX5's.
Mk1 defo classic. Mk2 well you could argue its good, but not as good as the Mk1. Mk3 just some modern day intepretation of the classic Mk1, and it fails misserably.
MK1 MR2 is a classic shirley???
+1
I will own one one day. I will, I tell thee.
Both took world rallying by storm & if not now will be classics in their own right at some point.
But they'll always be overshadowed by the Audi Quattro (being the original) an the evocative Delta Integrale.
NSX was no Ferrari wannabe.
Anyone could drive it, it handled properly and was reliable.
About as far from a Ferrari as possible 😀
And pretty much everything has been done before - the Japanese are just better at doing it cheaper and better than everyone else.
RX7.
Always had a soft spot for the Datsun 180B SSS Coupé
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Rare as rocking horse shit!
vinnyeh - Member
those cars are British though aren't they?
How's that then?
Subaru made cars that looked like ProDrive rally cars that looked like subarus 🙂
Have a soft spot for the mark 1 uk impreza turbo from circa 1995. At the time it was cheap, light, understated, and with way more power and speed than any hot hatch I can think of at the time. Would like to see it become a classic one day.
Original Celica ST?
Long shot.... Isuzu Piazza Turbo? Had some kind of Lotus involvement I think.
Not sure how you've established your list of classics, but following the same pattern, I'd put the Micra on there too as a popular classic.
The best of the Japanese Classics they kept to themselves. And they sent the dull (yet way ahead of their time) counterparts over here to slave away as taxis and transport for the terminally old and sensible. Meanhile the Japanese were driving around in supercars posing as family saloons, turbo'd AWD super-minis and generally redefining the car as we know it.
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Look like classic cars to me.
The Toyota 2000GT was a very limited production of 337 in the late 60's, of which around 60 are believed to still exist. Last one I know of sold for £180,000.
"Corolla GT coupe (AE86). Rear wheel drive, 125BHP from a twin cam 16v engine, disks all round, 5 link live axle, weight under a tonne. Basically similar specs to a kit car, much better that the euro hot hatches of the same era. Fantastic to drive"
I sooo nearly bought one of these when I was 19. I think its fair to say that if I had I would still own it. Ace little cars.
Nissan Bluebird.......Nissan GT-R
You are all completely crazy, I give you my first car - the Mitsubishi Sigma high roof wagon...
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granted, mine wasn't lowered, nor did it have alloys...
Op needs to define classic...production numbers? Technology breakthrough? styling?
Plus he needs to better informed about motoring history and Japanese contribution to it 😉
[i]But they'll always be overshadowed by the Audi Quattro [/i]
Is a meaningless thing to say, every car is pretty much overshadowed by something else, especially stuff like Escort Golf etc etc
What criteria makes a classic? Age? Desirability?
This is the big question. For a long while conventional wisdom required some degree of race / rally success. Not so much now, it would seem.
The problem is that nostalgia gets mixed up in the definition of a classic
The MR2 AW11 was a fantastic car. I had one as a youth, would love to have a decent one again, probably worth getting before they all disappear
Datsun s211 / SPL12? or the 510 Bluebird?
