In this special and unfortunately somewhat uncomfortable time it is all the more fun to get some nostalgia. As of today, Techzle 19 will be in the shops including the first comparative test between the new Ford Kuga PHEV and the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and the Peugeot 2008 will compete against the Renault Captur and Fiat 500X. But what exactly was in Techzle 19 thirty years ago?
News
The Salone dell’Automobile di Torino was once a very large exhibition and in 1990 therefore received ample attention in the Techzle. The fair was held in the Italian city until 2000, after which it remained quiet for a while. Now an event of the same name has been held for five years, but that is more of a festival than a real fair. Anyway, in 1990 the ‘Salon van Turin’ was still a very busy affair. In addition to the Ford Fiesta Turbo, Maserati 4.24v and a bunch of Pininfarina concept cars, Fiat showed the Tempra as a station wagon. Interesting news, because it was the successor to the Regata Weekend.
Tests
Where the current Techzle is full of many reports, Techzle 19 in 1990 contains many tests. The first car to arrive is the Rover 100: the successor to the Austin Metro. The little Briton has new power sources, improved suspension and a “stylish interior”. With two BMWs a time travel is made, because the BMW 328 from the following test is from 1939 while the (very rare) Z1 is from 1989. “Grandpa and grandson on the road together”. If you had to choose now, which one would it be?
Where the A segment is now threatened with extinction, the segment of the little ones is experiencing its heyday in the early 1990s. Five city cars compete against each other in a real multi-test: the Seat Marbella, Fiat Panda, Suzuki Alto, Daihatsu Cuore and Subaru Mini Jumbo. Except for the Panda all model names that have already disappeared. Funny is the comparison of the Panda with the similar Marbella: the Panda is significantly more modern than its Spanish ‘nephew’. Logical, because the little Spaniard continued to build on the pre-facelift Panda. The Subaru has the highest top speed (140 km / h!), The Marbella is the cheapest (from 12.595 guilders).
In the ‘Posterstory’ the Daimler 4.0 is highlighted and later in the song the then brand new Peugeot 605 can prove itself. In Egypt, editor Arno Böckling subjects the ‘King Lion’ to a test. In the last test, a British car appears again; the Rover 214. In the double test he takes on the Fiat Tipo. A neck-and-neck race where the price and performance are strikingly close to each other.
Reports
Due to the amount of tests, there are slightly fewer reports in this issue than usual. A large file on anti-car theft takes up many pages. Here you can read everything about car crunches and what to do about it, information about car alarms and three victims have their say. “I felt personally affected …”. An informative piece further explains how a link works: a kind of ‘Cornelis Schetst’, but then three decades earlier.
Advertisement
The big ad for car radios is very appropriate for the car burglary file: ironic. The biggest advertisement about a car is that of the Mazda 626. The four-wheel steering (4WS) is emphasized. This makes it easy to park with the Mazda, but its safe cornering makes the system really attractive.
