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Curbside Classics Archives
1980s Archive
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![Toyota’s history with upscale cars in the US is fascinating. It really struggled for years to get a proper toe hold in a segment of the market that was booming, […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/cressida-top.jpeg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage R&T Review: 1983 Toyota Cressida – The Proto-Lexus")
Vintage R&T Review: 1983 Toyota Cressida – The Proto-Lexus
Posted on May 13, 2021 | 23 CommentsToyota’s history with upscale cars in the US is fascinating. It really struggled for years to get a proper toe hold in a segment of the market that was booming, […] -
![BMW’s “new” E28 5 Series arrived in the US in 1982 with a bit of a shocker under the hood: a decidedly low-rev, high-efficiency 2.7 L “Eta” six, making a […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/bmw-top.jpeg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage R&T Review: 1983 BMW 533i (E28) – The Proper Sporting 5 Series Is Back, With Refinements Under Its Too-Familiar Body")
Vintage R&T Review: 1983 BMW 533i (E28) – The Proper Sporting 5 Series Is Back, With Refinements Under Its Too-Familiar Body
Posted on May 10, 2021 | 10 CommentsBMW’s “new” E28 5 Series arrived in the US in 1982 with a bit of a shocker under the hood: a decidedly low-rev, high-efficiency 2.7 L “Eta” six, making a […] -
![The VW Quantum (Passat B2) received two new engines in 1983: the 2.2 L five borrowed directly from Audi, and the brand new (and first) turbo-diesel four. The GL5 model, […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/quantum-top.jpeg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage R&T Review: 1983 VW Quantum GL5 and Turbo-Diesel – VW Goes Upmarket")
Vintage R&T Review: 1983 VW Quantum GL5 and Turbo-Diesel – VW Goes Upmarket
Posted on May 5, 2021 | 17 CommentsThe VW Quantum (Passat B2) received two new engines in 1983: the 2.2 L five borrowed directly from Audi, and the brand new (and first) turbo-diesel four. The GL5 model, […] -
![The first Camry. Who would have thought in 1983 that this would come to dominate the passenger car best seller charts for so many years, only to be finally […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/camry-top.jpeg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage R&T Review: 1983 Toyota Camry – Toyota Joins The FWD Family Fray, And Comes To Dominate It")
Vintage R&T Review: 1983 Toyota Camry – Toyota Joins The FWD Family Fray, And Comes To Dominate It
Posted on May 3, 2021 | 15 CommentsThe first Camry. Who would have thought in 1983 that this would come to dominate the passenger car best seller charts for so many years, only to be finally […] -
![I have been woefully negligent in scanning and posting the hundreds of vintage R&T magazines Lee J. has been sending me, and there’s more on the way! It’s going to […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/prelude-top.jpeg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage Road & Track Review: 1983 Honda Prelude – “Simply Terrific”")
Vintage Road & Track Review: 1983 Honda Prelude – “Simply Terrific”
Posted on May 2, 2021 | 19 CommentsI have been woefully negligent in scanning and posting the hundreds of vintage R&T magazines Lee J. has been sending me, and there’s more on the way! It’s going to […] -
![Things were really starting to pop again in 1983, in terms of domestic performance cars. The Mustang found its mojo again, and the Camaro was starting to wake up too. […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/dodge-shelby-charger_4328.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage R&T Review: 1983 Dodge Shelby Charger – “Carroll Helps Chrysler Bring Back The Sixties” – Not Quite")
Vintage R&T Review: 1983 Dodge Shelby Charger – “Carroll Helps Chrysler Bring Back The Sixties” – Not Quite
Posted on March 11, 2021 | 38 CommentsThings were really starting to pop again in 1983, in terms of domestic performance cars. The Mustang found its mojo again, and the Camaro was starting to wake up too. […] -
![This comparison test from 1981 contains a surprise double. Not only does the Volvo 244GLT have overdrive, but so does the Vauxhall Viceroy. And the other surprise – there was […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/motor-comparison-1981.1.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage Review: 1981 Ford Granada, Rover 2600, Vauxhall Viceroy and Volvo 244 Comparison, With Overdrive On Two Of Them")
Vintage Review: 1981 Ford Granada, Rover 2600, Vauxhall Viceroy and Volvo 244 Comparison, With Overdrive On Two Of Them
Posted on February 11, 2021 | 33 CommentsThis comparison test from 1981 contains a surprise double. Not only does the Volvo 244GLT have overdrive, but so does the Vauxhall Viceroy. And the other surprise – there was […] -
![The Mazda MPV is something of an historical oddity. It was created specifically for the US market, which alone was quite unusual, especially for a second-tier Japanese manufacturer. The MPV […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/MPV-1.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage Review: 1989 Mazda MPV – The Different Minivan – Or Is It A Crossover?")
Vintage Review: 1989 Mazda MPV – The Different Minivan – Or Is It A Crossover?
Posted on January 17, 2021 | 36 CommentsThe Mazda MPV is something of an historical oddity. It was created specifically for the US market, which alone was quite unusual, especially for a second-tier Japanese manufacturer. The MPV […] -
![(first posted 1/21/2020) If yesterday’s Curbside Capsule of a 1988 Cadillac Cimarron whet your appetite for Cadillac’s 1980’s flagship of mediocrity, this should be just the main course to satisfy […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Scan-2.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage Reviews: Cadillac Cimarron 1982-1985 – Clippings From The Mediocrity Files")
Vintage Reviews: Cadillac Cimarron 1982-1985 – Clippings From The Mediocrity Files
Posted on December 30, 2020 | 96 Comments(first posted 1/21/2020) If yesterday’s Curbside Capsule of a 1988 Cadillac Cimarron whet your appetite for Cadillac’s 1980’s flagship of mediocrity, this should be just the main course to satisfy […] -
![The hopes were so high. And the expectations even higher. GM was finally going to take the Honda Accord and the other Japanese in its class head-on. “We’re going to […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/J2000-1.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage R&T Review: 1982 Pontiac J2000 – Off To A Deadly Slow Start")
Vintage R&T Review: 1982 Pontiac J2000 – Off To A Deadly Slow Start
Posted on December 21, 2020 | 71 CommentsThe hopes were so high. And the expectations even higher. GM was finally going to take the Honda Accord and the other Japanese in its class head-on. “We’re going to […] -
![The Taurus SHO was one of the peak experiences of Ford’s golden years, which started in 1983 and ended…all too soon. It was unlike anything that had ever come out […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/SHO-top-1-horz.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "R&T Vintage Review: 1989 Ford Taurus SHO – An American Legend Is Born")
R&T Vintage Review: 1989 Ford Taurus SHO – An American Legend Is Born
Posted on November 5, 2020 | 16 CommentsThe Taurus SHO was one of the peak experiences of Ford’s golden years, which started in 1983 and ended…all too soon. It was unlike anything that had ever come out […] -
![I have a soft spot in my heart for the Mustang SVO. More precisely, it’s the one Mustang that I could actually have seen myself buying, as my soft spot […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Cover-1200.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage Review: 1984 Ford Mustang SVO – 25 Years Ahead Of Its Time")
Vintage Review: 1984 Ford Mustang SVO – 25 Years Ahead Of Its Time
Posted on October 16, 2020 | 48 CommentsI have a soft spot in my heart for the Mustang SVO. More precisely, it’s the one Mustang that I could actually have seen myself buying, as my soft spot […] -
![(first posted 8/20/2014) With Robert’s post about the Toronado and his parents’ Omega fiasco, I couldn’t help but post this comparison between the Omega and another of GM’s downsizing-round-one cars, […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/SCAN01811.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage Review: 1981 Malibu Classic Versus Omega ES2800 – Old School vs. New School")
Vintage Review: 1981 Malibu Classic Versus Omega ES2800 – Old School vs. New School
Posted on August 20, 2020 | 84 Comments(first posted 8/20/2014) With Robert’s post about the Toronado and his parents’ Omega fiasco, I couldn’t help but post this comparison between the Omega and another of GM’s downsizing-round-one cars, […] -
![The Fiero is a polarizing subject. I obviously see mainly its negatives, as brought forth in my DS. The 149 comments there attest to that quite colorfully. But I can […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Colore-Fireo-scans0001.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "R&T Vintage Introduction and Review: 1984 Pontiac Fiero – Early Enthusiasm, But I Sense Some Equivocating")
R&T Vintage Introduction and Review: 1984 Pontiac Fiero – Early Enthusiasm, But I Sense Some Equivocating
Posted on August 10, 2020 | 22 CommentsThe Fiero is a polarizing subject. I obviously see mainly its negatives, as brought forth in my DS. The 149 comments there attest to that quite colorfully. But I can […] -
![Old road tests are some of my favorite things, especially when they’re in clearly legible format. As this article covers a car I recently mentioned in an article, it seemed […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/SCAN0115.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage Road Test: 1982 BMW 528e")
Vintage Road Test: 1982 BMW 528e
Posted on March 9, 2014 | 45 CommentsOld road tests are some of my favorite things, especially when they’re in clearly legible format. As this article covers a car I recently mentioned in an article, it seemed […]
