Our post is jam-packed with goodies; This was a very special issue, celebrating R&T’s 40th anniversary, and thick as a brick.
Of course there was plenty to read, some of which you will view (as always) during the remainder of the week. As is usual for this post, I’ll stick to ads and some tidbits.
The issue began with some words from John Dinkel, the Editor:
BTW, that stamp is the price in Israeli New Shekels, which is what it cost back in 1987.
As we are now into the late Eighties, the ads themselves are far more impressive and sophisticated than what we’ve come to know in previous issues:
Very similar to the Peugeot 405, this one.
I’m not sure it could actually do that- at least, not at the speed this ad is displaying.
Back in the day, we used to call this UFO because of its shape and length.
This was a two-part ad; turn the page and see this:
I remember this ad very fondly. Wonder why.
Another two-part ad.
This was also two-part, Kawasaki giving its motorcycles a tough persona.
Take a break from ads and educate yourselves with automotive news from around the world:
I love the way Mazda were urging you to go out and drive the RX-7 on enjoyable roads. They actually gave you instructions where to go.
A Turbo for every-man, less than $10K.
By now this car was more than ten years old. Well, not the convertible but you know what I mean.
And here’s another Oldie-Goldie. I thought Peugeot were out of the US marked by 1987. Apparently not.
Of course, this is by now a legend in its own right.
A simple, effective ad form Honda.
Yet another relic. Could have sworn it was a Fiat sometime…
Post face-lift Escort looks alright now. The EXP looks practically like a baby Mustang.
And look at Hyundai now, in 2016.
Why cook when you can be a soldier?
This must’ve cost millions!
Take another break from the ads:
I guess to some people this might be sacrilege but I like it.
Now to some favorite classifieds:
Lets see a show of hands; who installed this on his\her car back in the Eighties?
Not a bad joke, I wonder if this was actually his day job…
The back cover show another manufacturer long gone from the US.
Well, this was quite extensive. See more later on the week.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a transparent bra and don’t remember that at all. I like the idea for women. Cars, not so much.
I will admit I had a bra on my first Mustang as it was in fashion in the early 90’s. It did more damage than it prevented though with moisture and dirt constantly getting trapped underneath. But it went well with my awesome smoked headlight covers that I had to remove at night.
> I don’t think I’ve ever seen a transparent bra and don’t remember that at all. I like the idea for women. Cars, not so much.
Pretty much sums up what I was thinking too! 🙂
I remember a TV show where they put one of these on an S-10 and drove it into a wall to test it. An unfortunate choice of vehicle, because the pointy bumper ensured that all the impact was concentrated and of course it bent.
These devices fall under the “prevent your vehicle from looking bad later by making it look bad now” category. I’ve purchased two vehicles that came with a bra, and they went straight into the trash. 🙂
With all the ads for much more exciting looking cars in that issue, you have to give Subaru A LOT of credit for marketing such a boring looking car….and sticking with it long enough to outlast several of the brands that appeared in this issue.
Ads must have been fairly cheap at R/T. The full page color Lotus ad said they were only going to sell 200 Espirits that year in the USA. With that tiny volume on their only US model, it is a wonder they were still advertising. This was the year before the Peter Stevens refresh of the Espirit, which I, and Richard Gere liked.
This goes even more for the inexpensive now Bertone X19. With the dealers spelled out, they might have had to kick in for the ad.
Nice! Love it. I have the 50th anniversary issue, and it’s 330 pages.
I remember getting this (40th anniversary) issue, I no longer have it, but used to subscribe.
Guess hatchbacks weren’t yet considered undesirable (cheap) transportation yet….I had just bought my ’86 GTI, and like the FX16 and Golf ads….I’m still only on my 3rd one, having a ’78 Scirocco and now a 2000 Golf.
Liked the Isuzu (Turbo Impulse) ad, but being an unabashed fan of the 1st Gen Scirocco, I would like it. I have a neighbor who moved in down the street from me that year (I moved to my present house in 1986, 30 years ago) who had one way back when, but didn’t have it for long. He still lives down the street from me, we used to ride (bicycles) together, but I’ve kind of given that up after having a run in with a car (literally), so unfortunately we’re not too close (he still rides after all these years…guess he’s been lucky not to have had an accident in our city with booming population).
Also got a kick out of the short lived Bertone (Fiat X1/9 followon). I remember test driving one, but it was really way too small for me to fit in,
and for a “hatchback” guy, didn’t have enough hauling capability (which of course isn’t why you’d buy one in the first place)….I remember the dials spun the wrong (counterclockwise) way on it….I had a friend who had the Fiat version, and he said it handled like it was on rails.
1987 was also the year Chrysler Corp bought American Motors, mainly to sell the popular Jeep line. The slow selling Renault Medallion became the Eagle Medallion in 1988 and discontinued after 1989. Hyundai has definitely come a long way during the past 30 years. The only car that Hyundai sold from 1986-88 was the Excel and they were cheaply made. Hyundai now has a full line of cars and crossover SUV’s and they are far better than they were 20-30 years ago.
Medallion was a two model year wonder. ’88 Renault >> ’89 Eagle, both released in springtime.
I bet the Bloomington Gold crowd would burn the seller of that 63 Splitwindow Vette at the stake if that were presented today!
Also those gold spoke BBS wheels from the ad were attached to every last Porsche 911/944, C4 Corvette, any 80s Maserati, 5 series BMW, Mercedes SEC and SL, first gen Miata, and various older 70s sports cars until 1997. Then one day, I never saw a set again.
$16.5 for a ’67 GT-350 or a ’76 XJS12. Wonder which one would have been a better investment.
Or an investment at all….
Merkur XR4Ti… Possible runner-up for the time machine role in BTTF? 😉
Also, I think I need to go out and shop for some Michelins.
Sterling. The Dream Is Born. Shoulda been “Sterling – Run Now Before The Nightmare Overtakes You!”