Best 80's Touring Car??

AKRickMG · 26 Jun 2002, 21:36 (Ref:322491)

In my view it was the Rover SD1 Vitesse by far!!!

So good infact i own a Twin Plenum vitsse,very late version of the car,
and it is still a fantastic car to drive,hearing that beefy v8 brings
a smile to anybody's face

Rick.
Team Atomic Kitten are the Best

TimD · 26 Jun 2002, 21:42 (Ref:322493)

RIGHT!!! Now we're talking!

My favourite Vitesse had to have been Denis Leech's black one with the red pinstriping. Sounded like it was howling at the moon, and looked absolutely the business.

But the eighties class-based racing was very special indeed. The Rovers vs the Capris vs the 6-series BMWs made for a great era, with the Celica Supra and the Maserati Biturbo bringing up the rear.

Happy days.

AKRickMG · 26 Jun 2002, 21:49 (Ref:322503)

The 80's cars were the best,why don't the modern cars sound as good as the 80's cars!!
I also liked the 405Mi16 in the early 90's but i can never remember how good they were??
Rick
Team Atomic Kitten Are the Best

Rutle · 27 Jun 2002, 01:32 (Ref:322575)

How about the Sierra RS 500's

**Peter Mallett** · 27 Jun 2002, 05:38 (Ref:322638)

Quote:

Originally posted by TimD
RIGHT!!! Now we're talking!

My favourite Vitesse had to have been Denis Leech's black one with the red pinstriping. Sounded like it was howling at the moon, and looked absolutely the business.

I know the man who owns that now.

Really the SD1 was the car. The Capri was more seventies than eighties. The RS 500 was a brilliant car but in fairness Ford exploited the regs and spent inordinate amounts of money to beat the BMW's. In the end that is what brought about Supertouring.

If you like Touring cars from the Seventies through to the nineties, be at Snetterton on Saturday and Sunday 29/30 June.

*Blatant advertising*

Alternatively catch up with the Formula Saloons. They run cars from ST and DTM etc.

DAVID PATERSON · 27 Jun 2002, 08:15 (Ref:322694)

Great topic guys, as a proud Australian and Holden fan, I'm gonna have to choose the ultimate Aussie Group A Touring Car, the 1988 Holden VL Commodore SS Group A. 5 litres of Australian V8 engine, proiducing 500hp, with fuel injection and 5 speed and the first truly windtunnel designed Australian car. The road car was also a nice touring car with room for 5 adults.

**Adam43** · 27 Jun 2002, 08:26 (Ref:322700)

Perhaps unsurprisingly I will have to go for the Jaguar XJS. I remember being at Silverstone to see them all spin off in the rain!

The road car was also a nice touring car with room for 2 adults and 2 very small children who didn't mind being squashed!

**Peter Mallett** · 27 Jun 2002, 08:38 (Ref:322712)

Quote:

Originally posted by AdamAshmore
Perhaps unsurprisingly I will have to go for the Jaguar XJS. I remember being at Silverstone to see them all spin off in the rain!

The road car was also a nice touring car with room for 2 adults and 2 very small children who didn't mind being squashed!

Well, in the seventies we had the Broadspeed XJ12 Coupes. So powerful they couldn't make the wheels strong enough. Then the XJS' which ran until '83. Both examples were, of course, Group 2. I'm not sure but I don't think they ran in Group A which was the "real" class for the eighties.

However, I've got a pic from Donington '83, Fitzpatrick, Calderari, Brundle winning the 500km in May that year. I remember it pretty well because I don't believe I'd ever been so wet before!!! Will try to post it for you.

KA · 27 Jun 2002, 08:48 (Ref:322720)

Quote:

Originally posted by Peter Mallett

Then the XJS' which ran until '83. Both examples were, of course, Group 2. I'm not sure but I don't think they ran in Group A which was the "real" class for the eighties.

The XJS was only ever a Group A car (outside Australia anyway...)- it ran in the ETC from the first Gp A season in 82 (the ETC adopted Gp A before Britain did) until 84- and then occasionally at major races in Australia (TWR won Bathurst in 85), NZ & Japan until homologation ran out at the end of 86- (and in fact briefly afterwards- it ran in a couple of races in NZ at the beginning of 87 under a local dispensation a few weeks after homologation expired...)

BTW Peter- good to know that the Dennis Leech Rover is still around- it was always one of my favourites as well....

Andrew Kitson · 27 Jun 2002, 08:58 (Ref:322735)

Great topic!
I will come along to Snett this weekend and say Hi to some of you fellow 10/10thers.
The 60s/70s & 80s cars were far better for spectacular cornering than today's tourers. Rear wheel drive in most cases in those days and BIG V8/straight six noise!
Who can forget the great battles in the 80s between the Rovers, BMWs, XJS, Capris etc. But hey...talking about sideways, James Weaver in the BMW has to be my favourite. Remember 'Weaver's Trench' at Silverstone? So named due to his oversteering 635i dropping its rear wheel off the tarmac each time at Woodcote lap after lap.
Can't wait for Sunday!

**Peter Mallett** · 27 Jun 2002, 09:11 (Ref:322742)

Quote:

Originally posted by KA

The XJS was only ever a Group A car (outside Australia anyway...)- it ran in the ETC from the first Gp A season in 82 (the ETC adopted Gp A before Britain did) until 84- and then occasionally at major races in Australia (TWR won Bathurst in 85), NZ & Japan until homologation ran out at the end of 86- (and in fact briefly afterwards- it ran in a couple of races in NZ at the beginning of 87 under a local dispensation a few weeks after homologation expired...)

I'll have to check back on that. Thanks.

The oil cooler position on the rear valance led me to think it was Gp2.

Quote:

Originally posted by Andrew Kitson

Great topic!
I will come along to Snett this weekend and say Hi to some of you fellow 10/10thers.
The 60s/70s & 80s cars were far better for spectacular cornering than today's tourers. Rear wheel drive in most cases in those days and BIG V8/straight six noise!
Who can forget the great battles in the 80s between the Rovers, BMWs, XJS, Capris etc. But hey...talking about sideways, James Weaver in the BMW has to be my favourite. Remember 'Weaver's Trench' at Silverstone? So named due to his oversteering 635i dropping its rear wheel off the tarmac each time at Woodcote lap after lap.
Can't wait for Sunday!

I well remember "Weaver's Trench". It seemed to me that he was the only driver to get the best out of the 635. We have one of the original cars racing with the CTCRC.

My car is painted as a replica of the 1978-80 Spa 24hrs Spice team Capris.

The tin top action is mostly on Saturday at Snetterton. But do come and say hello if you get the chance. We are entered (reliability permitting) in the 1 hour race which (I believe) closes the weekend on Sunday.

Andrew Kitson · 27 Jun 2002, 09:41 (Ref:322770)

Thanks for that Peter. Unfortunately I can't do the Saturday - have to get some paintings done sometimes! - but will be there Sun.
I have admired your Capri with its Spice colours before. Was it officially the 'Belga' team at the time?

**Adam43** · 27 Jun 2002, 10:02 (Ref:322778)

Quote:

Originally posted by Peter Mallett
However, I've got a pic from Donington '83, Fitzpatrick, Calderari, Brundle winning the 500km in May that year. I remember it pretty well because I don't believe I'd ever been so wet before!!! Will try to post it for you.

That would get excellent. My memories of these cars racing at the time is sketchy. I was only eight when Walkinshaw won the ETCC. I remember the Bathurst races, back in the days when it used to be shown on telly over here!

I have seen XJ12 Coupes. What a brick! A powerful brick! Great car, albeit unsuccessful.

DNQ · 27 Jun 2002, 10:11 (Ref:322785)

David Bubb, I gotta agree with you, the mighty Sierra deserves a mention.

**Peter Mallett** · 27 Jun 2002, 10:30 (Ref:322792)

Quote:

Originally posted by Andrew Kitson
Thanks for that Peter. Unfortunately I can't do the Saturday - have to get some paintings done sometimes! - but will be there Sun.
I have admired your Capri with its Spice colours before. Was it officially the 'Belga' team at the time?

Shame you can't make the Saturday. Yes it was the Belga team livery. I chose it for a number of reasons. First it is a good colour scheme and second, I want to see the reaction when I take it to Spa this year. (Work permitting)and I always admired Gordie Spice.

Hobson · 27 Jun 2002, 12:22 (Ref:322848)

Best touring car of the '80s?
Gotta be the '85 ETCC Volvo 240 turbo. Just look at my signature!

Andrew Kitson · 27 Jun 2002, 17:32 (Ref:322963)

The great thing about Touring Car Races back then ( Sorry - let's use the proper word, SALOON) was the class system. You had fights right through the field in 4 classes ( Not just 2 like now). It meant that lapping back markers always came into play during a race. On twisty tracks or in the wet, the smaller often front wheel drive cars stood a chance of a high finish.
Remember these lower class cars? Richard Longman's Mini, Jon Dooley's Alfa, Alan Curnow's Datapost Metro..
While we are at it...how about the diversity of cars in the early 70s Group 1 races - Tony Lanfranchi's class D Moskvitch against Richard Lloyd's class A Camaro!

Amaroo Park · 28 Jun 2002, 10:01 (Ref:323422)

What about the 1987 VL Group A Brock Commodore. The Carby one. It was good enough to win 2 rounds of the World Touring Car Championship at Monza with Allan Moffat & John Harvey and Bathurst with Peter Brock, David Parsons & Peter McLeod. Both cars built by the Holden Dealer Team.

And the Nissan GTS-R Group A the only car to take it up to the Sierra's in the late 80's when Australia had the fastest Sierra's in the World

gab73 · 7 Feb 2005, 07:24 (Ref:1219177)

for me the best sounding and looking gp a touring car was dick johnsons 1985 ford mustang

Chris Griffin · 7 Feb 2005, 10:07 (Ref:1219234)

SD1 for me. Not sure why...

**GTRMagic** · 7 Feb 2005, 10:12 (Ref:1219237)

Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth.... won everything worth winning... till Nissan built a better mousetrap

stuart05 · 7 Feb 2005, 12:53 (Ref:1219347)

The Rover SD1 (Jeff Allam and Rex Greenslade in the Triplex cars) is what turned me on to tin-tops in the first place.
I'll never forget Allams Thruxton charge in 1983 - dead last after a first lap spin at the first corner to second behind Peter Lovett.
The other car that really caught my imagination was the Holden Commodore VK. Two ran in the ETCC in 1986. I missed "Brockie" at Donington but saw Alan Grice at Silverstone in the TT.
Best of all, I saw Mike O'Brien win in Grices car in 1987 at Snetterton. The front row was Holden, Rover, Rover. Standing by the startline at a BTCC race has never been quite as appealing since then.

cavvy · 8 Feb 2005, 03:50 (Ref:1219969)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hobson

Best touring car of the '80s?
Gotta be the '85 ETCC Volvo 240 turbo. Just look at my signature!

Whilst chasing Robbie Francevic in the Volvo 240 Turbo Dick Johnson (Sierra), during a TV cross, described the Volvo as 'a block of flats on wheels' - the Volvo won if I remember correctly - great racing!!

Marshal · 8 Feb 2005, 10:20 (Ref:1220199)

The XJS, closely followed by the Volvo 240T and the 635CSi. I liked the Rovers, bu they were a bit too ubiquitous from seeing them regularly in the BTCC (British Saloon Car Championship!). The green 'works' livery XJS's of '84 were my absolute favourite, but nothing was quite as exciting as Ulf Granberg (sp?) (Swedish train driver by week) 'taking his brain out' for a qualifying lap in a 240T. Magic.

jminsh · 8 Feb 2005, 16:10 (Ref:1220518)

The Masserati bi-turbo was always good for a smoke screen !!

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