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Ford CapriOct 1989

Ford Capri

Loosely styled on the 1983 Ford Barchetta convertible concept car by Italian coachbuilders Ghia, the KC/KE Laser-based, front-wheel drive, 4-seater Capri carried the export hopes of the Australian motor industry, as it was primarily intended for American market consumption.But a costly US regulations change and teething durability issues delayed the programme by over the year, and by the time the Capri hit the streets locally in October 1989 it was comprehensively overshadowed by Mazda MX-5 mania – the drop-top the Capri ironically shared some mechanical parts with.On going quality concerns, a leaky roof and the early ‘90s recession never ignited sales. Two engines were available – a 66kW 1.6L single-cam 8-valve base model (in 5-speed manual or 3-speed auto variations) and a manual-only 100kW 1.6L twin-cam 16-valve turbocharged unit.All Capris come with air-con, alloy wheels and power steering, while a steel hardtop was optional.

U12 Pintara (Mk8 Bluebird)Aug 1989

U12 Pintara (Mk8 Bluebird)

“Project Matilda”, Nissan Australia’s great gamble to take on the popular Toyota Camry, was such an unqualified failure – it even floundered as a rebadged Ford Corsair under a short-lived model-sharing agreement – that, as the front-wheel drive U12 Pintara, it contributed to the company’s withdrawal from local manufacture.Dated styling (it was launched overseas in 1987), inconsistent quality control and refinement issues were to blame.Two four-cylinder engines powered the four-door sedan and – from October ’90 – five-door hatchback variants.A revised CA20E 2.0-litre yielding 83kW of power and 160Nm of torque motivated the base GLi and fleet-chasing Executive models, while a new 96kW/189Nm 2.4-litre KA24E unit was found in the private-buyer focussed Pintara T and luxury Ti.In April ’90 the TR.X sedan was introduced with the latter motor to lure a younger demographic. It featured firmer suspension, a bodykit and viscous-coupling limited slip differential shared with the Ti.A minor update in December ’91 saw the range receive exterior and interior trim alterations.But buyers kept away as the recession bit hard, forcing ongoing price cuts.Nissan needed the excellent N14 Pulsar, also released in late ’91, to fire immediately if it was to continue making cars here.But despite glowing reviews, Pulsar sales were slow as punters baulked at its new higher price, since years of discounting degraded the brand.Nissan pulled the plug here in October ’92.

NA Fairlane and DA LTDJun 1988

NA Fairlane and DA LTD

The EA Falcon-based Fairlane and LTD saw the biggest changes to date.Ford had once again rediscovered the advantages of differentiating the styling from its Falcon donor – but once again Fairlane and LTD were only cosmetically different.A striking, American-influenced body design heralded better aerodynamics, more interior space and improved ergonomics, while upgraded mechanicals ran to re-engineered I6 engines featuring overhead-cam (OHC) design, new front suspension, a change to rack and pinion steering and fuel injection across the range.The old three-speed auto gearbox carried on. Early quality glitches affected the cars’ reputation, though scores of improvements were continuously implemented.The only engine available was the new 139kW multi-point EFI 3.9-litre OHC six-cylinder unit. A troublesome self-levelling suspension system was also introduced.All models now featured climate control air-con, alloy wheels, fully adjustable steering column, split/fold rear seats, and upgraded audio systems.The Fairlane had a controversial body-coloured egg-crate grille until May ‘89, when Ford chromed it instead, while the LTD retained its more dignified vertical number.

GDOct 1987

GD

Smoother, quieter, stronger and more spacious, the 3rd-generation, front-wheel drive, GD series 626 was significantly tougher and more refined than its lightweight predecessor.All models’ handling, ride and refinement qualities benefited from extra body rigidity and improved suspension, while better quality ensured greater reliability and durability. But the body styling – again in sedan, hatch and coupe formats, with the latter renamed MX6 – looked similar.The sedan and hatch model variations were reduced to a single Super Deluxe specification. A handsome 4-door 626 Estate wagon in 5-seat and 7-seat models joined the range in June ’88.A new 2.2L 12-valve 4-cylinder engine, producing 84kW of power, powered all 626 models. Except for the MX6, which used a turbocharged 100kW 2.2L engine, and featured anti-lock brakes. A new 4-speed automatic and 5-speed manual transmission was available.In early ’89, the Super Deluxe tag was dropped, there were minor changes to trim, and the turbo engine was added as an option to the 626 hatch.A new top-line 626 4WS hatch boasting the same complex 4-wheel steering system, that debuted in the MX6 a few months earlier, was available from April ’89 to early ‘90.In January ’90 a small facelift saw a new grille, revised taillights, redesigned alloy wheels, minor trim changes and reduced noise intrusion.A special edition Eclipse model arrived in May ’90, boosting sales and standard equipment levels. All non-turbo models wore alloy wheels, slightly softer suspension tuning, and blacked out trim from September ’90. Ford offered the GD 626 as the AT Telstar until the failed Corsair bumped out the sedans in late 1989, although the Telstar hatchback continued on as the AV model.

DB11 (Mk1) 121Mar 1987

DB11 (Mk1) 121

Mazda worked with shareholder Ford to produce its first modern light car class entry, the 121.Built in Japan and slotting below the bigger 323, the 121 was offered in a single body, engine and gearbox configuration: a 3-door hatchback, powered by a 46kW 1.3L single-cam 4-cylinder engine mated to a 5-speed manual.Unique for its time was the 121’s sliding rear bench, which added up to 180mm to luggage space at the expense of rear legroom.There was the base Deluxe, well-equipped Super Deluxe, and the Super Deluxe-based Fun Top, so called because of its large electric sliding canvas sunroof.The mid-range Super Deluxe gave way to the Shades model from October ’88. De rigueur for the segment was the 121’s front-wheel drive, torsion beam rear suspension, and rack and pinion steering.

Mk3 B Series BravoJun 1985

Mk3 B Series Bravo

The next-generation B Series, again twinned with the Japanese built Ford Courier, arrived with a larger, stronger and more refined body.It was also made available with more comfort features as well as a far-wider variety of models and styles – including rear-seat Dual Cab and Super Cab variations.The rear-drive 2WD models were joined by the option of high and low-range four-wheel drive (4WD) in both pickup (’87) and cab-chassis (’88) guises.Petrol engines in the 4x2 models were now 84kW/155Nm 2.0-litre (’85-’88 B2000), 68kW/171Nm 2.2 (’89-’93 B2200) and 92kW/206Nm 2.6 (’91-’99 B2600), while a 47kW/135Nm 2.2 diesel B2200 lasted until a 64kW/174Nm 2.5 diesel B2500 usurped it in April ’96.Mazda suffixed the alphanumerical name with Bravo from 1991.In 4x4 B Series there was the 73kW/182Nm 2.6-litre until the larger 92kW/206Nm 2.6 found in the 4x2 models replaced it in ’92.

GN SigmaJun 1985

GN Sigma

Lightning did strike twice for Mitsubishi, as the 1979-1983 Japanese Sigma’s replacement arrived here, suitably beefed up and widened, in mid-’85 as the historic front-wheel drive TM Magna.And sales and critics alike went berserk for it.Meanwhile the very homely Sigma soldiered on with a near-invisible grille and trim facelift on the GN sedan, but the wagon gained a high-roof for extra cargo capacity. This was deemed necessary as the Australian conceived Magna wagon was still two years away.Better still, the GN Sigma gained the much-improved 2.6 Astron from the Magna, resulting in much smoother operation and better performance due to its 83kW/201Nm output.The 1.6 finally disappeared, as did all models bar the GL in a much reduced range now that the Magna was the boss, but the 70kW/152Nm 2.0 Astron remained.So the Galant never actually went away through the Sigma (fourth-generation Galant) and Magna (fifth-generation Galant) years, despite not actually appearing on a car from May 1980.But that was all about to change now that the Magna had become a Ford Falcon competitor.

RB GeminiMay 1985

RB Gemini

Remember the RB Gemini? Few do. Only the name remained the same when this all-new, second generation model replaced the once popular decade-old T-car Gemini.Once again co-developed with Isuzu motors in Japan as the “R-Car”, the RB was a General Motors “World Car” in as much as it was sold in many countries under different names.Switching to front-wheel drive meant space and packaging progress from the cramped old rear-drive model, but curiously there was no five-door hatchback – vital for success in Australia’s small-car segment during the 1980s just a dumpy four-door sedan.Holden didn’t even bother bringing in the slightly more interesting three-door hatchback variant offered abroad.This, combined with utterly conventional engineering, mediocre ride and handling traits, lukewarm critical reaction and a lacklustre 52kW/117Nm 1.5-litre OHC four-cylinder engine, meant that few people noticed or cared.GMH didn’t help the issue by offering four disparate sub-2.0-litre models at the time – the Barina 1.3, Astra 1.5 hatchback and Camira 1.6 and 1.8 models – that, bar the Camira, didn’t feel like a real Holden anyway.Two models were offered – a base SL/X and well-equipped SL/E – in either three-speed auto or five-speed manual guises.Sadly for the beleaguered Holden, buyers were making beelines towards the spectacularly successful 1985 Ford KC Laser “bubble-back” and front-wheel drive Toyota Corolla.A minor specification and trim reshuffle in June ’86 was ignored, so Holden replaced the car only after two years with the Nissan-built LD Astra that it help co-engineer for local conditions.

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