1985: A New Dawn in Frankfurt
Note: Due to the next round of Generations II being delayed by much more than expected, I had to insert this post at short notice instead of one depicting their 1966 lineup. It will, however, be linked to a corresponding post in Generations II when the time comes for me to do so.
After struggling through much of the 1970s, the Hampton Motor Group began to experience an upturn in its fortunes in the early 1980s, thanks to chairman Toby Hampton’s decision to invest in an almost entirely all-new model range, underpinned mostly by a single scalable rear-drive platform with fully independent suspension. To go along with this, he ordered the company’s powertrain department to develop dual-overhead-cam versions of its existing four- and six-cylinder passenger car engines, still with two valves per cylinder, but now with alloy heads for the first time.
The smallest of these cars was the fourth-generation Ferret, powered by either a 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine, or a range of six-cylinder engines from 2.8 litres to 3.5 litres, mated either to five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmissions.
Above, left to right: Examples of the 1985 Ferret range - 2.2 Prime estate, 3.0 Deluxe, 3.5 Supreme coupe, and 2.8 Deluxe convertible.
For the large executive car segment, a new generation of Valiant would also be introduced, Unlike the Ferret, it was available exclusively with six-cylinder engines, and there was also a Sprint variant, built to homologate the car for Group A touring car racing. This high-performance trim was only available as a coupe or sedan, and a five-speed manual was the only transmission offered. Buyers could even pay extra to make it even more potent with a Performance Pack that included high-performance tires, a more aggressive suspension tune, and a shorter final drive.
Above, from left to right: Examples of the 1985 Valiant range - 2.8 Prime estate, 3.2 Deluxe sedan, 3.0 Deluxe convertible, and 3.5 Sprint coupe with Performance Pack. Below, from left to right: 1985 Valiant 3.5 Supreme coupe and Valiant 3.5 Sprint sedan w/o Performance pack.
The third and largest car to use this new platform was the third-generation Vanguard. With a more luxurious interior, a highly advanced sound system and an improved self-levelling hydro-pneumatic suspension, it stood apart from its smaller derivatives with a greater focus on luxury, and could only be ordered with an automatic transmission for the sake of comfort. As with the Valiant, a Sprint version was available, although it was produced in far more limited numbers than its smaller cousin.
Above: 1985 Vanguard III 3.5 Supreme (left) and Vanguard III 3.2 Deluxe (right). Below: 1985 Vanguard III 3.5 Supreme Coupe (left) and Vanguard III Sprint Coupe (right).
The real headline-grabber, though, was the all-new Peregrine II, reintroduced after a decade-long absence. This reborn icon reverted to the original car’s configuration of a small, light, rear-drive two-seater powered by a six-cylinder engine mated exclusively to a manual transmission, and offered either as a fixed-roof coupe or soft-top convertible. Cleverly tuned double-wishbone suspension at each corner made it one of the best-handling road cars of its time, and it was fairly quick off the mark, thanks to its use of the Valiant Sprint’s highly-tuned engine.
Above: 1985 Peregrine II Coupe (left) and Convertible (right).
Earlier in the year, Hampton’s first front-wheel-drive car, the Fennec, also received a redesign. This wasn’t an all-new car, since it used the same transverse-engined platform of its predecessor, but new powertrains and styling meant that this version would be referred to as the Fennec II. It was now offered in a wider variety of trims than before, including a high-performance, three-door-only Sprint, powered by a 1.8-litre straight-four and aimed at the burgeoning hot hatch market. Lesser Fennecs made do with smaller, less powerful 1.6-litre or 1.7-litre four-cylinder engines, but all of them returned good mileage thanks to a cleverly tuned multi-point fuel injection system being standard across the range, as was the case on their more upmarket cars.
Above: 1985 Fennec II 1.8 Sprint (left) and 1985 Fennec II 1.6 Prime (right)
All 1985 Hampton models, from the Fennec to the Vanguard, also benefited from improved rust protection and build quality compared to their predecessors, and in the case of the Vanguard and the more upmarket Valiant trims, anti-lock brakes, either as standard or as an option. In addition, every car they sold would now come standard with a three-way catalytic converter and run solely on unleaded fuels, no matter where it was sold.
Although these innovations made them more expensive to build and develop, they sold in greater volumes globally compared to their immediate predecessors, more than making up for the company’s initial investment and restoring the brand’s reputation. As a consequence, the Hampton Motor Group enjoyed several years of strong, steady profits, putting the company in a strong position by the early 1990s.
Link to 1985 Hampton Peregrine
Link to 1985 Hampton Valiant
Link to 1985 Hampton Vanguard and Ferret