Top Five: 2020 classic car anniversaries and their modern-day equivalents

Feel it or not, this week marks the middle of 2020. Which is correct, we’re previously fifty percent way through what have to go down as 1 of the strangest many years in the latest memory.

Having said that, even though there listed here and now is a small unconventional to put it mildly, this time-based mostly strategy acquired us pondering, and we dug out our Leading Five typical autos celebrating their birthdays this yr.

What is more, we have lined them up with their contemporary-working day manufacturing or thought successors to see how considerably items have arrive. On that topic, if you have not previously signed up for our totally free Automotive Basic safety and Protection On-line function, remember to experience totally free to do that under.

Here are our Leading Five picks:

#one – Renault Clio – 30 many years old

Cast your thoughts back again to 1990… you would be listening to tunes like Madonna’s Vogue, An additional Day in Paradise by Phil Collins, or perhaps cranking up Sinead O’Connor’s deal with of Prince’s typical Absolutely nothing Compares 2U.

As for autos, if you were being blessed you could catch sight of a brand name-new Honda NSX in 1990, but, if you were being in Europe at the time, you would be extremely likely to see plenty of new Renault Clios managing about. Introduced at the Paris Motor Exhibit, the Clio changed the ageing Renault 5.

The fifth generation Clio was a short while ago introduced, bringing with it new ADAS functions such as car city braking, and an E-TECH PHEV model. This takes advantage of a rear-mounted one.2kWh battery to power two e-motors that complement the ICE. It truly is constructed on the CMF-B system, which we coated in our EV Platform’s Leading Five just very last week.

#2 – Fiat Panda – 40 many years old

A single of designer Giorgetto Giugiaro’s classics, the initial Fiat Panda arrived in 1980 as a response to Fiat’s quest to develop a then-contemporary rival to utilitarian autos like the Citroen 2CV or Renault 4.

The Panda was super easy, and introduced to terrific success at the Geneva Motor Exhibit of that yr. It also spawned the 1st mass-developed electric powered vehicle 10 many years afterwards. The Fiat Panda Elletra experienced a range of sixty two miles from its twelve guide-acid batteries, powering its nine.2kW motor. A 1992 update introduced a seventeen.7kW motor and a swap to NiCad power.

Quickly forward to now, and Fiat established the exceptional Centoventi thought, which appeared at the 2019 Swiss present.

Referred to as 120 in Italian, in reference to Fiat’s one hundred and twentieth birthday in 2019, the vehicle previews modular personalisation choices that will be element of the up coming Panda’s make-up, together with modular batteries to prolong the EV’s range from sixty two miles up to 311 miles.

#three – Audi Quattro – 40 many years old

Sharing its birthday with the Panda, the Audi Quattro also made its debut at the Geneva Motor Exhibit in 1980. Designed to take benefit of four-wheel generate becoming permitted for Audi’s manufacturing unit rally team, the Quattro street vehicle remained in manufacturing for 11 many years.

These days, the Quattro lends its identify to any Audi with any variety of four or all-wheel generate system. That includes the Audi e-tron Quattro electric powered SUV, introduced in 2018.

The EV has a whole output of 408hp, and completes the -62mph dash in 5.seven seconds. The Ur-Quattro in the meantime, highlighted a more modest 200hp, and could achieve 62mph from a standstill in seven.one seconds.

#4 – Citroen SM – 50 many years old

Winding the clock back again an additional 10 years, 1970 saw the debut of not 1 but two new Citroens. The overall economy class Citroen GS slotted into the range among the 2CV and Ami, even though the larger, sportier SM – complete with oleo pneumatic self-levelling suspension and swivelling headlights – was the firm’s flagship vehicle.

Citroen no-extended competes in the top quality segment, but has just introduced its hottest C4, which competes in the rate-conscious C-segment, but comes with characteristics that would have been observed as out of this entire world in 1970.

This includes an e-C4 with a 136hp electric powered motor, 50kWh battery, and range of just below 200 miles, Citroen’s hottest infotainment and safety tech, as well as the firm’s hydraulic cushion suspension and ‘Advanced Comfort’ seats to mimic the plush ride of its predecessors.

#5 – VW Variety 2 – 70 many years old

Past but by no suggests least on our listing is the VW Variety 2 – or the Transporter, Kombi or Bus, depending on where by you happen to be from. Famously influenced by a converted Variety one (Beetle) chassis that was becoming utilised to carry elements about VW’s manufacturing unit, the Variety 2 has grow to be a cult typical that lives on to this working day.

The Bus was specially well-known in the US, where by VW’s status has been most instantly strike by the dieselgate scandal. In a transfer to restore some goodwill, VW declared the ID Excitement thought, which previews a new, EV Bus, owing in 2022.

Constructed on the firm’s MEB system, the new van will function a 369hp output from two e-motors that power all four wheels, and an electric powered range of up to 373 miles.