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 49 is in the shops, but what was exactly thirty years ago in number 49?
News
The beginning of December has traditionally not been the busiest time of the year in terms of car news and that was no different 30 years ago. The most striking news that was in Techzle at the time was the arrival of the Renault 19 with a sixteen-valve in the nose. At the time, a 16v engine was still the sign that you were driving something sportier. The Renault 19 was indeed nice and fast for its time. The top speed was 212 km / h and the 137 bhp 1.8 was good for a 0-100 km / h sprint that took 8.5 seconds. It did not stop with sportier performance, the 19 16v also got sportier bumpers, a rear spoiler, an air scoop in the hood and bucket seats.
Slightly less relevant but still nice news came from Ford. Her top model, the Scorpio, had prepared that for the businessman or woman with a driver. The back seat of the Scorpio has been transformed into a ‘mobile office’. From the seat in front you could pull out a laptop on the fold-out table, in the center armrest there was a fax machine, a printer and two telephones to make work easier. The fax also had an automatic answer function for when no one was in the car. After all, extra halogen lighting ensured a well-lit ‘mobile office’.
Tests
Lovers of (as good as) disappeared brands would nowadays lick their fingers at Techzle 49 from 1990. To begin with, there was a test of the Saab 9000 2.3 Turbo S. A version that made the sporting aspirations of Saab all too clear. The 2.3 stamped out 200 hp and the well-known three-spoke wheels, thicker bumpers and subtle rear spoiler made the 9000 look just as smooth as it was. The Saab made a huge impression on the editor on duty. Not least because of the liveliness and torque curve of the engine. ‘The strongest Saab in history can even make a Ferrari Testarossa quite difficult under certain circumstances’. That’s quite a claim.
A few pages later the Lancia Dedra 2000 Turbo was discussed. Another sporty person who has no descendants in 2020. A nice mix between sporty and business, especially because of its richly equipped interior. On the outside it was subtly sporty, with slightly thicker bumpers and alloy wheels. On the Dedra Integrale, just a little bit more, you also got a rear spoiler. However, there were already some noise while driving. The Lancia was unfortunately not a miracle in terms of manufacture.
Nowadays you stumble over the SUVs, crossovers and similar cars that should look a bit more fun with a ‘coupé line’. A real coupé has become a rarity. In that respect, the 90s was the golden decade. Have a look at the pictures above. Just a selection from the offer at that time, in this case all Germans. The key question was why you should go for a coupé, since they were a lot less practical and yet more expensive than a sedan or hatchback. The answer is obvious: the appearance. The Opel Calibra was labeled the most beautiful of these four Germans by the editor at the time. The Volkswagen Corrado impressed most technically and in terms of performance with its G-loader.
Reports
Unfortunately, an extensive winter sports holiday is not really an option next winter, but if you do go on the road, you can take a 30-year-old advice to heart. In 1990 we explained extensively how you could be on the road as well prepared as possible. Snow chains on the wheels were highly recommended for areas where the roads turned very white. The ski box was also discussed extensively. If you thought that was going too far, then ski carriers were of course also an option. We don’t often see the latter nowadays. Rather full roof boxes that contain extra luggage in addition to skis. Hopefully it can all be taken back soon for a nice trip to the ski resorts!
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It was already discussed in the extensive test between the Audi Coupé, Volkswagen Corrado, Opel Calibra and Mercedes-Benz 230 CE; why would you go for a coupé if you sacrifice so much practicality? Well, Mazda said it had the solution. The Mazda 626 ccoupé was, according to the brand, ‘just like the regular 626’ already sporty, without making many concessions in terms of space with the coupé. However, it was not as flashy lined as the aforementioned models, if you had to sacrifice something.
