Techzle has been in existence for 30 years and that is why we look back every week on this week’s edition in 1990. As of today, Techzle 46 will be in the shops, but what was exactly thirty years ago in number 46?
News
Anyone who opened Techzle 46 in 1990 immediately saw a number of new Americans. A new name appeared: Saturn. Then we referred to it as ‘GM Saturn’, later it would turn out to be simply Saturn. The new General Motors brand debuted with three models; a coupé, a sedan and a ‘touring sedan’, although the latter two were simply both the SL1. The coupé would come on the market as SC. While the SL was initially doing quite well in terms of sales numbers, Saturn proved to be an expensive and cannibalizing brand for GM. In its second decade as a brand, it went downhill and finally closed in 2009.
Other interesting news came from South Korea. Hyundai had pulled the curtain off the Lantra. ‘A new middle class that will cost around fl. 30,000’. At that time, Hyundai was still the odd man out and the South Koreans were still viewed with some suspicion. The Lantra was an interesting new entry, however, and it sold quite well in the end, although there would only be a real score in the first year of the next generation.
Tests
Number 46 in 1990 was really a ‘test number’. It was packed with the most diverse tests. A very striking one was the ‘mega test’ of four-wheel drive cars. No fewer than 12 4x4s passed in review. And no, not the most obvious. In 1990 there was a very wide range of cars that you would not immediately expect with four-wheel drive. For example, we tested the Citroën BX GTI 4×4, the Ford Sierra 4×4, the Daihatsu Charade 4WD and the Peugeot 406 MI 16 4. Also brands that were known for four-wheel drive were also discussed; for example, the Audi Coupé quattro and the Subaru Legacy took part.
Slightly less exciting but a lot more relevant was the double test between the Peugeot 205 and its brand new competitor, the first Renault Clio. The 205 was of course firmly anchored in the compact segment as a sales topper, but was it enough to face the new native competitor? The Clio obviously looked more modern and felt as such, although the 205 turned out to be a nicer car to drive. Not only because it was a smoother thing, but also in terms of suspension. Still, you got a bit more refinement in the Renault for a competitive price. In 1991, the Clio could not keep up with the 205 in terms of sales numbers, but in the years that followed, the Clio took the lead in that area.
We stay in the French corner for a while, because another interesting test focused on the other extreme from the showroom. In 1990, Renault, Peugeot and Citroën were still firmly represented in the top luxury segment, with the 25, 605 and XM respectively. The Citroën was the most extravagant, the Peugeot the tightest and the Renault was somewhat in between. In the end, the Renault made despite excellent handling and options in terms of value for money the least impression. You drove the best in the XM, the Peugeot turned out to be the best all-rounder.
Report
He was discussed earlier in this column: our first endurance tester. The Volvo 440 that we had collected ourselves in Born had already clocked 13,000 kilometers in week 46, so it was time to make an interim balance. Those kilometers were not just added, because Techzle drove back and forth to Istanbul with the Volvo. A hefty trip, from which the 440 did not turn out to be hot or cold. In fact; he was well run in and delivered a little more torque at the bottom of the revs than when it was brand new.
Another Volvo that was in the spotlight was the predecessor of the 440. Production of the 300 series was coming to an end at that time, so it was a good time to investigate how older ones were now looking. Due to its popularity it is useful to have a look at the quality. No major concerns emerged. Some owners did report some oil leakage at both the block and the gearbox, and the rust devil came here and there in the older ones. ‘Only 5 percent of the load-bearing parts are corroded,’ statistics from 300 series of 8 years or older showed. That was apparently still quite acceptable at the time.
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‘Your best friend’, that’s how the Opel Kadett GSI was put on the market. We can imagine that. The Kadett was the ‘friend’ of many at the time, because you saw them everywhere. Then the GSI was automatically the ‘best friend’. The sporty top version appealed to many and there are still many people who remember their ‘GSI-tje’ with melancholy, or simply still have one. The fast Kadett is now a rarity, especially if you are looking for a copy that has not been kicked off. Unfortunately, the ‘long friendship’ with which Opel advertised did not always turn out to be the case.