dude the engine family is 1946
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jaw dropping i guess.
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Zerve didn’t fair too well with the fall if communist rule, they were barely holding on at the start of the 90s. After the collapse, they lost a lot of military contracts.
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1991 Ardent Smoke Limited
Although Ardent had been sending a wide variety of its cars to Sweden and other parts of Europe, there were still a few holes compared to their home market lineup.
Customer feedback on the lack of V8 power was taken into account, and an 8-cylinder once again returned to the Swedish lineup, along with a model that had never been exported beyond North America before.
1991 was the beginning of the 3rd generation for the Ardent Smoke personal luxury coupe, and the first luxury Ardent since a brief and failed flirtation with the Manhattan 25 years earlier.
Under the hood sat a 5.4 liter Toledo Iron Eight, paired to a 4-speed ShiftGuard automatic. Inside the cabin, occupants were treated to pillowed leather seating surfaces, automatic climate controls, a 160-watt 7-speaker digital stereo system, heated and powered front seats, and a power sunroof. Other key features included remote keyless entry with door courtesy lights, heated power mirrors, speed sensitive power steering, and variable intermittent wipers.
With consumers in the US becoming ever more safety conscious, and to keep the number of configurations down, European-spec models kept the same standard safety features as the US model: driver and front passenger airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, front and rear crumple zones, and emergency inertial fuel shutoff being chief among them.
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Forty years is a long, long time. Enough time for a brand to make a mistake, learn its lesson, and then make that same mistake again. Enough time for a car to find not one but two lives, to become a cult classic and an icon in its own right. In the early months of 1988, AMM announced a big event for the Sarek Owners Club, inviting its members out to a factory on the outskirts of Malmo for an “early celebration” of the Sarek’s 40th birthday. A collection of modified Sareks all peeled into the factory’s car park, the owners treated to refreshments before being led around behind one of the buildings. What they saw was nothing short of astonishing.
This new car certainly said it was a Sarek - but it was rather different to any they had seen. With its more modern take on the formula, this new Sarek was quite the marvel. The styling rankled more than a few of those gathered, being much too far from the original - yet some were appreciative of the more modern take. Many questioned the lack of AMM badging on the car, and were swiftly informed that it was intentional. The new car wasn’t an AMM Sarek - it was just a Sarek Fyrtionde, and all future Sareks would be independently badged - yes, there will be more
The new car featured a larger, more sophisticated Inline Six, independent front suspension and a plush, premium seven-seat interior. The car was larger, safer and more substantial… But these new features came at a price. The new Sarek wasn’t quite as competent offroad as even an original Sarek, and some viewed the permanent AWD and lack of a locking diff as a disgrace. It even used more fuel, thanks to weighing twice as much. Still, the sales reps insisted that the additions were good, and off-road tyres and lift kits would be made available - and, at just 24000 (after government subsidies), one could certainly afford to modify the car. The event was considered a success, with news quickly getting out - but only time would tell for the sales.
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I remember the previous rendition of the 3rd-gen Ardent Smoke from two Kee-era challenges: the Go West Deathtrap Tour and CSR 57 (a base model in the former and as the upmarket GT trim in the latter). Both trims were built on the 4th-gen Camaro/Firebird mod body, but since it hasn’t been ported over into UE4 (yet), your decision to reimagine it as a brawnier, boxier V8-powered RWD personal luxury coupe (instead of a smaller 4-cylinder FWD sports coupe as the Kee-era rendition was) makes perfect sense - and I’m thoroughly impressed.
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Yeah, a couple years back I changed my lore and the Marathon became the small FWD coupe instead. The Smoke replaced what was originally the Olympic in my lineup, since someone else made better use of the name.
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1991 Waldersee Kurfürst L58 (Generation 4.5)
When an old dog gets a new heart
The Kurfürst model line went into its 4th generation in 1986 and was quickly faced with a problem: with a traditional diagonal-arm rear end and a 240-hp DOHC i6 as its top engine, the ‘Prince-Elector’ was quickly outmatched by luxury cars coming out just a few years later, such as a certain Bavarian V12 car and a rapidly-approaching Stuttgart-made car with multi-link goodness. Waldersee had spent much of its engineering capacity at the time keeping its small cars authentic and developing the TRA AWD system, and really wasn’t looking forward to conjuring up a whole new engine again, but something had to be done so that Waldersee’s top sedan wouldn’t lose too much ground and condemn the whole firm to the same fate that befell a certain Rüsselheim car manufacturer.
Enter “Generation 4 and a half”. A sweeping 1991 facelift, this Kurfürst came with a true multi-link suspension with geometry cribbed from Waldersee’s American owners, Arlington, but paired with the Germans’ comfy, adjustable air ride. But that’s not the only American part of the car: see, Arlington was at this point going all in on its overhead-cam V-engine architecture, having already introduced this treatment for the corporate V6 and V8; the American conglomerate was now finalizing an aluminum-block, 3-valve version of the V8 for its Somervell luxury cars, as well as an iron, split-crank V10 for medium-duty versions of its Bowie trucks. Waldersee would now make an engine that combined both: an aluminum, 3-valve V10. With a lowered deck height for less weight, the V10 displaced 5.8 liters and made a lazy 324 horsepower, sufficient for a brisk 6.5 seconds to a hundred.
This newly-comfortable, newly-smooth, newly-powerful Kurfürst - dubbed the L58 for its displacement - was the first over-6 cylinder entry in Waldersee resume and represented a choice, the choice being: We will play with the big boys and we will win. As the top Waldersee model (At least until the insane L65R and B65R luxury supercars came around) made specifically for the Autobahn-faring CEO or Minister, the L58 Kurfürst had no speed limiter and accelerated to a generous 285 kph.
Driving with my darling, faster than I should…
Much else was updated: top-notch muffling and a CD player improved quality of life, brakes were beefed up for a car that weighed over 250 kg more than the original, and a viscous diff and traction control went in. The big Waldersee was stillborn no more.
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MY86 Tack Lycka Ralleye
Pictured: Tack Lycka Ralleye
The Resande was a flop. More to the point, the V8 powered version was a disaster for Tack. The losses on the volume selling mid spec Family and Sport were substantial. Tack hastily facelifted the Resande, dropped the V8 and focussed on the ageing A series inline six. This managed to salvage enough reputation to keep Tack afloat. Barely. But Tack needed new engines and couldn’t hope to fund them itself.
Enter Ardent. Ever hungry for more export opportunities in Europe, Ardent struck a deal with Tack to purchase a 20% minority stake in the Brand in return for the use of Ardent’s Aurora inline four, the replacement for the Resande being engineered in both RH and LH drive and Tack agreeing to allow Ardent product to be sold (and serviced) throughout Tack’s dealer network.
The volume selling Lycka GLX was designed to be a high quality but low cost family car, focussing less on creature comforts and more on reliability and longevity, but the Ralleye (pictured) was a first-fruit of a secret skunkworks plan to put a homologated rally car on the market to stimulate grassroots rally and road racing throughout Europe, or just to allow jaded fathers everywhere to relive their glory days even as they take the kids to school on their way to work!
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The 1993 Wells i5 GE
The car for the masses is finally here, with reliability, style, and comfort all in one package.
Dont drive it because you have to, drive it because you want it.
For $19,200 there’s one for everybody.
Reserve yours today.
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Cabrera Rabion
Lore
Cabrera had a plan for the 90s, getting rid of the “economy car” image they had. A new proper (now fwd) compact car which was on par with the rest of the offerings in europe, a completely new and modern engine with a multivalve head, and finally, this, Cabrera´s first halo car.
It had a 16 valve, turbo version of their venerable Twin Cam engine that many COPAs had equipped in the past, modern looks and don´t worry if the perfomance of this beast was too much for you, because for the first time, Cabrera made sure this car was as safe as possible.
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1987 Munot Meteor 54LS
Lore
The 4th generation of the Meteor launched in 1987, and saw the completion of its evolution that started in the previous generation - from a sports compact sibling to the Helvetia, into a still sporty but much more well-rounded/practical car for everyone. Despite sounding simple, this was a rather monumental task. While still honoring the legacy of the Meteor and Munot as a whole as a fun car, it had to be even more refined and graceful than before, and easily accessible price-wise, all without being too generic or numb. Oh, and not to forget the strict Swiss emissions and safety regulations! In essence, this Meteor would need to be a revolutionary, universal car - in the words of head designer Dr. Rudolf Marti - to stand out in the great automotive sea.
Compared to the previous generation, Munot’s Meteor engineering team led by Dr. Rudolf Marti refined the aggressive aerodynamics and retained the fastback styling that was the Meteor’s trademark, but increased the passenger and trunk volume. This combination of requirements led to this Meteor’s very distinctive profile, with a tall rear and sharply sloping front, yet the advantage was undeniable - the Meteor had a Cd of under 0.33. Inside, the Meteor carried a less lavish yet still stately version of the ergonomic “fighter jet” dashboard that was classic of all late 80s-90s Munot cars. This also included the digital Auto Information Computer (AIC) located next to the analog gauges - a high tech yet safer and more reliable alternative to a full digital dash. Eight-way powered upholstered seats - softly bolstered for ergonomic support - with 4-position memory and automatic climate control was present up front, along with a high quality anti-theft AM/FM cassette stereo. The driver had an airbag as standard, and on US export models automatic seatbelts were also standard. An anti-theft system was integrated into all models. The rear seats could be folded down in any combination to further increase the amount of available storage space.
Drivetrain-wise, the Meteor relies on the classic five-speed manual system shared with the Helvetia, with a standard open diff but LSDs available as an option. To meet strict Swiss (and later American) safety requirements, ABS was included as default. As with the Helvetia, the Meteor retained the DOHC FI inline-five but with the more complex 20 valve engines now being the standard, for greater power and efficiency in all power regimes. Displacements also crept up; the standard Meteor engine was now 2.3L, with a 2.45L from the Helvetia available on the 54LS and a 2.2L turbo for the turbocharged models. This was also important since 1987 marked the start of catalytic converters being mandatory in Switzerland; having been phased in on the previous generation, the 4th generation Munots became the first generation to not have any non-cat versions available. High quality muffling kept interior noise to a comfortable level, even if it took away a little from the sportiness of the car.
Aside from all of the refinements, the Meteor saw innovation as well despite not being a halo model. Most important was it introducing the first Munot adaptive suspension system on metal springs, with three settings - drive, sport, relaxed - allowing the driver to adjust the car to taste. This suspension wasn’t retrofitted to the Helvetia and Millennium until 1988, after receiving initial feedback on it. The Traction Restraint System (TRS) from the Helvetia and Millennium also found its way onto the smaller Meteor; this entirely mechanical system used a series of cables and pulleys to restrain the seatbelts, and retract the steering column in the event of a collision.
Four trim levels of the Meteor were planned, with a fifth one added in the 1991 facelift. These were the 54A which was the basic model; the 54K with a more powerful engine and which had the leather seats and power windows as standard; the sport-oriented 54LS (“Leichte Sport”) with an even more powerful engine, more aggressive final drive ratio, aerodynamic body package, 15 inch wheels, and the viscous LSD as standard; and the AWD 54 Turbo with a four-seat sport oriented range topper. The additional model was the 54 Turbo Super, running on super premium fuel for maximal performance. Compared to the less sportier trims, the 54LS and Turbo/Turbo Super models also featured an oil temperature meter, stopwatch, and a voltmeter under the stereo.
Additional options available for all trims included Munot’s Kvadrat AWD system (which came with a geared LSD by default), a 4-speed computer-controlled automatic, a sunroof, and for the 54A & 54K trims, a viscous LSD if the Kvadrat system wasn’t optioned. The 54A could option in the 54K’s additional comfort features, both the 54A and 54K could option in the 15 inch lower profile wheels, and the 54A/K/LS could all option in special performance tires. Prices ranged from the mid $20,000s to the low $30,000s, depending on the trim and options.
The 54LS shown is a good representative of the Meteor; this option was conceived as a higher-end sporty competitor to the 325i/190E 2.3-16, for those who wanted more performance without paying a ton of money - and sacrificing practicality - for a turbocharged model. The 1987 model has a 2.45L fuel injected I5 engine making 156 PS, shared with the Helvetia for commonality. As shown, it is not equipped with any additional options; with a base price of $28,800 it can accelerate to 100 km/h in under 8 seconds and has a maximum speed of 227 km/h, while still remaining in reach for a lot of lower-end buyers.
With the economic boom of the 80s having reached its peak, untold millions of moderately well-to-do yuppies prowling the streets, and the sports sedan craze in full swing worldwide, Munot’s engineers hoped that this new Meteor would appeal to new buyers and old Munot fans alike.
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Arion Celeste 505I Coupe 1995
Shown in British Racing Green
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The fourth generation Celeste released in 1995, coming with features like ABS, Traction Control and advanced safety integration as standard on the base trim levels. The most extravagant and premium “505I Coupe” version however took the luxury trim and fitted a racing derived V10, making it the most extreme luxury coupe Arion has ever produced.
With 4 full luxurious seats and luxury cassette, offering an electronicky-controlled 5-gear automatic or 6-gear manual for those wanting better performance, as well as a massive array of deep colourful paints, the Celeste 505I Coupe could be tailored to whoever could afford one, coming in at a base price of £82,000 before extras.
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Shown in British Racing Green
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REPRINT FROM TRAFIKJOURNALEN #5 2021
CARS THAT INFLUENCED CAR CULTURE
PART 5: FROM CASH TO CRASH.
The mid 80s to mid 90s was sure a period of transition. When we enter this era the economy is strong, when we leave it we are trying to recover from the huge financial crisis. New car sales managed to hit both a (then) all time high (1988) and one of the lowest figures we’ve ever seen after world war II (1993). But it was also an era were cars started to change, and also the priorities among the buyers. First, the lead disappeared from the gasoline. Catalytic converters became mandatory, and there was lots of talk about things like CFC free air conditioning, solvents in car paint and how much of the car that could be recycled when it had ended its service. Even fuel consumption was under the radar, because climate changing CO2 emissions were questioned too. And after the environmental debate there was the safety debate. Customers started to question how well cars passed crash tests, started to demand airbags and ABS brakes. Now the cars didn’t only have to be safe and environmentally friendly enough to please the government - now they also had to please the even more demanding customers.
With that said, we have found some interesting cars from this era that we are going to take a look at.
1995 Schnell L50 Catalyser (@interior )
The Schnell L50 Catalyser is a prime example of something that could have been good, and could have sold well, but didn’t. A light RWD coupé with elegant styling and nice driving dynamics for a sane price - sounds like a recipe for, if not success, so at least a strong seller, right?
Unfortunately, the half assed engine tuning really spoiled the experience. 111 hp out of an 1.6 litre inline 4 was maybe not bad figures for 1995, but on the other hand, 111 hp was hardly enough in this class at the time either. Performance wise, it might not have been a slug, but there was competitors that beat it with great margins. Also, the small engine lacked bottom end torque which made the car feel more gutless than it actually was, and maybe that could have been excused if it wasn’t for the terrible fuel economy. 12.2 litres per 100 km was far from acceptable figures from such a light car with a small engine as late as 1995. People were simply avoiding the Schnell and looked for better alternatives - there was not really a lack of them.
Because of this, the L50 Catalyser remains kind of a forgotten model today. They didn’t really have a strong following to start with, and even if they were kind of reliable and well protected against rust, 25 years have taken its toll on the number of available cars. Where did they all go, by the way? Our guess is the folkrace track. Fuel economy is not really of high priority there, at least.
1995 Mara Kavaler 2.3i Prakty (@AndiD )
When we tested the Mara Kavaler back in 1995, our headline might have been a bit harsh, “Suddenly it’s 1985”. Point was that it felt 10 years old already as new, but on the other hand, as usual with Maras, you got what you paid for, and corners were not cut in the most critical points, since the Kavaler was easy to drive, comfortable, had reasonable safety with equipment like anti lock brakes and was a great workhorse. Styling? Meh. Performance? No. Excitement? If you find cold porridge exciting, then probably. Engine? 80 hp out of 2.3 litres with absolutely no refinement at all.
But that was OK. There will always be people looking for a roomy station wagon for low amounts of money, and with advantages like new car warranty, it was seen as a good alternative to used station wagons from more “exclusive” brands, and sold reasonably well because of that. And probably you got used to seeing them so often in everyday traffic that you haven’t really noticed that most of them are gone today. Not because they were bad - just because of their image as a “disposable item” and the fact that they are 25 years old by now.
And we doubt that there will be any interest among collectors in many years to come, but in case you are looking for really cheap and basic motoring, and can find a Mara Kavaler, then why not? At least you won’t encounter any troubles with touch screens or parking assists breaking down, that’s for sure. Also, RWD makes for some good old fashioned fun in the wintertime, if you feel like being a bit on the wilder side.
1990 F&S Seax GTS (@Tez )
In the era of the “hot hatch” F&S kind of surprised everyone, when the sports car manufacturer released kind of an oddball in the sports compact class. Under the bonnet was a 5 cylinder 2 litre engine mounted sideways, sending 191 hp to the front wheels. The touring car pedigree was evident in its driving dynamics even though some people criticized the brakes for being somewhat fading sensitive when driven very hard. Also, it featured a more well appointed interior than average in its class, coming from a manufacturer of “exclusive” cars as it was.
So, the Seax must have been a success, right? Actually, far from it. With an economy starting its downfall, paying $30100 AMU for a sporty compact simply couldn’t be justified for most people. It remained an oddball for the few people wanting a nicer than average sporty compact, and liked the status and heritage of the F&S brand. Also, the styling of the Seax seems to have caused mixed reactions, some people thought that it looked a bit bland and “unfinished” while other people liked it.
Sure, the Seax have always had some kind of cult status as long as you are looking in the right crowd. And with age, that one is growing, and we suspect that interest for the model, as well as values, will be growing slow but steady. An interesting oddball for people wanting something different than just another “hot hatchback”.
1992 Moravia Gabriela DL 1.7 (@Maverick74 )
Sometimes “average” translates into “good” and the Moravia Gabriela was proof enough. There was absolutely nothing about it that stood out enough from the crowd to make anyone excited about it, and it was not even in the absolute bottom segment of the market when it came to pricing. And yet, it sold. And sold and sold and sold. Simply because it was a well built, well thought out car that gave you great value for the money. Compared to, for example, the Mara Kavaler, it was a more modern car, albeit smaller, for less money, and it seemed to have hit the right spot in the market. There were no areas where the Moravia was overly “weak” either, and the liftback body made it a really practical car too. Simply a very good everyday car that had what normal people needed.
It was even more sought after on the second hand market, for its reputation of being unkillable. And it was a reputation that was completely justified too. Statistics showed that the Moravia was one of the best built, most trouble free cars on the market, with a reliability record that could have made many much more expensive competitors green with envy. And 30 years later, the reputation still stands strong. People are still looking for Moravia Gabrielas as a cheap, practical, reliable mode of transportation - not as an enthusiast vehicle.
If that will ever change? Who knows. We can clearly see why a cult would evolve around the model in case it ever does, though. As another anti-hero of the automotive world.
1986 CADE 1400 (@Edsel )
When the CADE 1400 was introduced, it was often seen as a more modern competitor to the Moravia Veverky. Both were extremely simple cars sold at a low price, but while the CADE was faster and more modern looking, the Moravia had better total economy, was more fun to drive and (according to most people) had more charm than the boxy CADE. Also, this was a class that traditionally has not been very popular in this country, and after the flop with the SeXi, CADE had a quite bad reputation. Despite that, the 1400 managed to sell relatively well. It was lurking behind the Veverky most of the time, but that didn’t mean that the 1400 was a flop, it was a strong seller among the bottom feeders on the market.
While seen as a bit boxy and uninspiring back then, people have started liking the simple styling of the CADE 1400 more and more as years go by. It is sort of a classic design in its own simplicity nowadays and even the simple nature of the equipment and the engineering have gotten a kind of cult status. Something like a more modern version of cars like the Citroën 2CV.
We’re maybe not there yet when a CADE 1400 will be fully accepted at a vintage car show, but we’re heading in that direction as we speak, just believe us there.
1991 AEKI 550 T5 (@conan )
The AEKI 550 probably requires no presentation at all, it is a well known sight in everyday traffic. Yet, calling it “very influential” would be to stretch the truth a bit. Sure, it sold well, like the 400-series also did before it, but it really was just more of the same thing. Not regarding the car in itself - it was designed from a clean sheet of paper. It’s just that people only kept buying it - just like they had bought the 400 series. It became a sought after car also on the used car market - just like the 400 series. It’s still popular - just like the 400 series.
Maybe some of the soul was lost in fusioning the Malmö and Lund operations, leading to a compromise that made AEKI a bit more mainstream (though probably needed for economical reasons, which also may explain why it actually sold a bit cheaper than the 400 series). Also, it was lagging a bit behind compared to some earlier AEKI models. Don’t get us wrong - it was absolutely not a bad car, but it was not always ahead of its competition either, and from a clean sheet design many people had expected more, even if it would be much too harsh to call the 550 a “disappointment”, something it certainly was not. It was a practical family car, safe as a house, fast and with great driving dynamics. Also, much more people swear by the 2.3 litre, 208 hp turbo 5 than there is people that swear at it.
And if we wind the tape 10 years forward we even might see some new passion injected in the interest for the model, so our suggestion is to buy one now before the values are rising too much.
1995 Mons Albatros II (@cake_ape )
The Albatros II was more or less the pinnacle of automobile engineering when it arrived - no question about it. Especially when it came to comfort - here you could really talk about a ride that was “like hovering around on a cloud”. It featured all the latest technology, and now we are talking about tech that you hardly will find in cars even today, over 25 years later. If you wanted a safer vehicle, you probably had to opt for a tank. But a tank could not reach 280 km/h and accelerate to 100 from standing still in 5.11 seconds - sports car performance in that era. And a 452 hp V12 was almost an utopia - but there you had it, under the bonnet of the Albatros II. It also should be noted that they had succeeded with keeping the fuel economy at a sane level. 12.6 litres per 100 km was absolutely acceptable for such a monster of an engine in a 2.2 tonne car back then.
Unfortunately, it became only a player in the margins. In 1995 we had not fully recovered from the financial crisis yet, and a car costing almost three times as much as the AEKI 550 T5 was completely out of reach for almost everyone. Also, this was a time when the world was waking up to be a bit more “ecologically minded” and it was maybe not politically correct with excessive vehicles like this anymore.
You want one today? They are incredibly affordable for what they are, if you can find one. That is, to purchase. But they do break down and when they do, they leave a black hole in your wallet. That’s something that really should not be forgotten, just so you know.
1995 KAI K3 RS-T (@abg7 )
KAI and sporty coupés are going hand in hand, at least that was proven in the last issue. When the K3 RS-T was released in 1995, it was nothing but a bomb. Sure, it might have looked a bit like a cute little “hairdressers coupé”, but nothing could be further from the truth. 250 hp out of its 2 litre turbo four was proof enough, which of course gave the KAI blazing performance. The reason was, like so many other times, called “motorsports”. The RS-T was a homologation special for group A rallying, where KAI had a great success with the model in the 90s. And of course, for many young drivers (and for that matter, lots of older drivers too), a K3 RS-T was a dream car 25 years ago.
What it never got, though, was the widespread appreciation that the K180 got. Being more expensive than an AEKI 550 T5, it was a bit hard to justify buying such an “adult toy” for that kind of money, when we were slowly raising from the financial crisis. And as all homologation specials, the number produced was limited, making it even more out of reach for many people.
Today the K3 RS-T is a much loved rally icon from the 90s, that really deserves a place in the motorsports hall of fame, much like earlier heroes like the Mons Hawk GT-X. And do we have to mention that prices are getting out of reach nowadays?
1987 Munot Meteor 54LS (@Quneitra )
Do you remember the joke from the late 80s? “What has four wheels, five cylinders and comes standard equipped with both an airbag and a douchebag?”. If you were there, you do. And we have probably triggered lots of Munot Meteor fans by now.
Truth is, that the late 80s was the right era for a sporty premium compact sedan. Times were changing and people could all of a sudden buy compact cars for completely other reasons that they were out of money. The Munot Meteor was expensive, but it was also “over-engineered” and featured lots of interesting technology. That also made it kind of a yuppie chariot, in an era before anyone knew about the financial crisis, it was by no means a rare sight to see a Meteor with a NMT mobile antenna on its roof plowing through traffic carelessly.
But take off your dirty old glasses and look at the Munot Meteor with new eyes and there is a chance that a modern classic will appear in front of you. Not only has the styling, at least according to us, aged much better than some of the aero style “blobs” of the era, despite still having a low coefficient of drag, it is also maybe one of the best ways to enjoy a classic today that still can be used daily. It has great driving dynamics, the performance is still up to date, the feeling of over-engineering is something you simply won’t find in cars anymore, it is very comfortable, the interior is nicely appointed and the advanced safety technology for its era means that you still stand a good chance, should the worst thing happen.
Fortunately for you, not many people have discovered this yet, so you can still buy a Munot Meteor for a reasonable amount of money, and ownership does not have to be an economical struggle either - fuel economy is decent for an 80s car, spare parts are still available and actually cheaper than you probably imagine.
Just watch out a little bit for the rust. We don’t say that it is terrible at rusting - but they still could suffer from it - and there is no reason to buy a rusty example since the prices on good survivors are still low.
1992 Cabrera Rabion (@Petakabras )
Being a car importer in the early 90s was a tough task - no question about it, and being the Cabrera importer was no exception. And the financial crisis struck niched cars the hardest - for example the Cabrera Rabion. It didn’t help that we - and the rest of the motoring press - praised it. The buyers at the time were few, for obvious reasons. And if you still felt like you were in the market for a sports car, there was lots of used examples of full blown sports cars on a saturated used car market.
Wasn’t the Cabrera Rabion a full blown sports car then? Surely it was. It was fast, mid engined, handled like if it went on rails, had excellent braking performance, there was just not enough weight in the Cabrera name yet by 92. Something they tried to change with halo cars like the Rabion, because after all you have to start somewhere.
But somehow, it was like if Cabrera Rabion owners understood what they had. The cars that found its way to Sweden (through the regular importer, or later as second hand imports) have rarely been abused, often taken care of like if they knew that they had a future classic in their hands. And well, they had. Today the Rabion is seen like the cool underdog that managed to run with the big boys, and absolutely nothing to be ashamed of among other, more exclusive brands.
Flip the page to continue reading…
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1995 Arion Celeste 505i Coupé (@Aruna )
So, a Mons Albatros II feels like a car for peasants? May I recommend an Arion Celeste then? 5.4 litre V10 that puts out 506 hp, a top speed breaking the by then magical 300 km/h limit with great margins, 0-100 times under 5.5 seconds, air suspension, interesting hideaway electric door handles, an interior cocooning you in luxury and…
…$82000 AMU meant that this car was yours in the mid 90s.
Needless to say, this was not really a volume seller, and it was never supposed to be either. But it somehow proved that good old Britain still was a force you could count with. The Arion Celeste was one of the most impressive cars of its era, no question about it. More or less a supercar in gentleman’s clothing, in a way that few other manufacturers could pull off.
Was this the car we were dreaming about in the 90s? Often that was the case, yes. Was this the car we were driving then? Heck no. Maybe we would have seen a few examples if it had arrived 10 years earlier, but recovering from the financial crisis, the economy was still pretty bad by 1995.
Today, the Celeste serves as a reminder of a different era. An era when “more of everything” could always be the answer on the question “how to build an impressive car”. This was before hybrids, before EVs and before infotainment systems. An era when cars were still cars, one could say, even if it is a bit harsh.
With that said, not more than a handful were sold in the country and there is hardly more of them now.
1986 Tack Lycka Rallye (@HighOctaneLove )
Maybe some people at Tack were playing “Walking back to happiness” when Ardent bought a 20% stake in the failing company, that might explain the name the “Lycka” got. One of the results were that they now used Ardent engines - which to some extent helped to bump up the reliability records that Tack had been suffering with for many years. In the Tack Lycka, that meant a 2 litre 109 hp turbo inline 4.
Those 109 hp was seen as a disappointment to some people since many N/A engines had a similar output - the concept of a low pressure turbo was maybe something the world was not ready for yet. That also meant that the performance was not fully competitive with some other sports sedans on the market - not saying that the Tack Lycka was slow, just a bit lacking behind the best.
But thanks to a competitive pricing, the Lycka Rallye sold relatively well, the light car was fun to drive and by some it was seen as a budget alternative to some of the more expensive compact sports sedans like the Munot Meteor. Not really as good at anything - but much more affordable.
And the story has taken some interesting paths as time has passed by. In the late 90s, you could see more than one rolling around with bodykits, tinted windows and 17 inch alloy wheels as the trends back then required. Not to mention that it was a popular entry level track car due to good handling and brakes, a turbo engine that was easy to tune and a low weight. And maybe we have gone full circle now? Lately, more than one have been restored to original condition. And why not? After all that is far from the worst thing that could happen….
1991 Waldersee Kurfürst L58 (@Texaslav )
OK, we have given a rant about the Mons and the Arion. And maybe you think “Oh no, not more financial-crisis-luxury-car-yadda-yadda”? Nah, you probably already know that 1991 was not an optimal time to release a luxury car, but actually the Waldersee sold, not in huge amounts, but enough to be a car most people can relate to having seen in real life. $45500 AMU was after all “affordable” (no, but you get the point) for a V10 equipped luxury car. And TBH, it was not as comfortable, but actually a better driving car than the Mons that arrived almost four years later.
Also, at the end of the 90s, many examples were imported from Germany. It was something of an affordable dream car for many people - and that was true to some extent. The purchase price. Unfortunately, keeping a Waldersee Kurfürst on the road was as expensive as doing it with any other luxury car - which many people forgot. So, neglected examples are for sale every once in a while, and take our word for this - don’t! It is a much better idea to buy an example that has been taken care of, since they aren’t exceptionally reliable, and nor are they cheap to fix. But the right car will reward you by giving you a taste of what was really state of the art luxury and tech 30 years ago.
VERY INFLUENTIAL: 1988 Sarek Fyrtionde (@AMuteCrypt )
Owners of the old AMM Sarek were mostly shaking their heads when the Sarek Fyrtionde arrived. Nothing else but the name and 4 wheel drive was reminding us of the original Sarek. The legendary offroader now had turned into a giant that wasn’t well suited for the cramped Swedish terrain at all. Also, it was a bit too “soft” according to most enthusiasts. But maybe the Fyrtionde should not be seen in the shadow of its older brother, but as a model on its own.
Because even though it was thirsty, had bad driving dynamics, clumsy and a bit questionable offroad, it still found its share of buyers, at least the first three model years. For the same reason as, for example, US vans. With the third row removed, it was possible to register it as a light duty truck, and with the high GVW the Fyrtionde had, you could escape the sales tax if you were running a private business and registered the car on your company. That meant that the already competitive price got even lower, especially after the catalytic converter subsidy. Many of them received questionable modifications with chrome wheels poking out from the fenders, chrome bull bars, stick on graphics, you name it. In the late 80s that was the way to show that you WERE somebody. Not just any plumber, the plumber driving around in a Sarek Fyrtionde.
In 1991 the rules were changed but large amounts of Fyrtiondes had already been sold. With rising fuel prices in the 90s they didn’t have the best second hand value, though, and many neglected examples have been wandering around from one owner to another. But they have always been a common sight in the traffic, and since 80s SUVs are gaining in popularity all over the world, the same goes for the Sarek Fyrtionde in Sweden. Like we have said so many times in this part of the series - buy one before they becomes expensive.
1991 Ardent Smoke Limited (@VicVictory )
After the end of the Malaise era, the american companies were starting to make a comeback in Sweden, after some years of slow sales. A quite typical car from the era was the Ardent Smoke Limited. A personal luxury coupé with a 231 hp V8 (remember that this was before the crazy power outputs started to make a comeback), that had the kind of spirit that most people were expecting from an american car. Large, plush and luxurious, with a whispering engine under the bonnet, lots of gizmos to play with, and since US regulations in the era were much more stringent than the Swedish ones, of course lots of safety equipment for its era, like dual airbags.
Also, like many US cars from the era you actually got lots of car for your money. Of course, $32500 AMU meant that this was far from a car for the masses, but at the same time, competitors often did cost more, which meant that the Ardents found their share of buyers and could be spotted in the traffic every now and then. A restructuring of the dealerships also helped, even if the importer stayed the same,the fusion between Tack and Ardent meant that the Ardents got thrown out of the IP/Suzume dealerships and into the Tack dealerships, that managed doing a better job at selling Ardents for some reason.
So, where are they now? Unfortunately, like many luxury cars of the era, not only did they have much that could go wrong, they were also expensive to repair. That, and the restomod crew wanting the fuel injected Toledo V8 for older cars, means that they are rare now. It can be an interesting choice of enthusiast vehicle - but buy the one-owner, babied example because they do exist. Not a rustbucket with 22 previous owners. Take our advice on this, or you will regret it.
1995 Zerve-NAM Korner PS72 (@Restomod )
Some cars are just more strange than others. The Zerve-NAM Korner PS72 is one of them. In the era of the hot hatch, you could get almost similar performance out of this somewhat sports oriented 60s survivor. Actually, for what it was and for its price, it went like a stink, and also handled and braked OK.
So, why did this old thing get sort of a revival in 1995 after being forgotten? The answer is spelled “Generation X”. The ironic generation, as we know it.
The Porsche 911 was fast. The Porsche 911 was rear engined, and it had its roots in the 60s. So did the Zerve-NAM Korner. Ergo, the Korner was more or less a 911. In an ironic way. For a short while the Korner was sort of a cult vehicle before it got replaced by some other fad that is probably as forgotten as the Korner. But it was actually significant enough for us to write an article about in 1995.
Where are they today? Probably as many other somewhat cheap, sturdy and sporty cars. On the folkrace track. The rear engine gives some advantage for a fast takeoff at least.
1991 AIM Shrike SA - 4BTD (@lotto77 )
The Shrike SA was another one of those dream cars from the early 90s. 4 door sports sedans had been a thing since at least the 60s - but in the early 90s a new class of sedans evolved - the sedans that could give the supercars of the era a run for their money.
Money, yes. A cost of $34900 meant that this one also was out of question for most people. For what it did cost, it was a bit raw, a bit brutal, a bit unpolished - exactly what an enthusiast would appreciate about the car, but scaring away some of the customers that wanted a more refined autobahn missile. But it would not have been impossible to use as a daily driver, for example it had a kind of impressive fuel economy considering its performance, breaking the magic 10 litre limit per 100 km.
So, what is there to say about the performance? 256 km/h, 5.82 seconds to 100, low 14 seconds on the quartermile, all thanks to a 272 hp 2.7 litre turbo inline six. Hard facts you can’t deny, this was an insane vehicle back then. AWD, traction control and LSD helped to plant everything to the ground through the surprisingly narrow 185 mm rubber - something that is rarely left in place on the Shrikes you see today.
But as we said, few examples reached Swedish ground, until an import wave struck the country in the early 00s, meaning that we actually have a sort of impressive number of cars now. All of a sudden people could get the car they had been lusting for the last 10 years.
Fast forward 20 years and they are getting out of reach again - what else was to expect, after all?
EPILOGUE
Now we are reaching the end of this series. Some of you readers may question if another part is needed. In our opinion - yes. The late 90s and early 00s cars are the classics of tomorrow, after all. Some of them are already sought after. Others are nothing but cheap transportation. Also, that is the era when the horsepower wars took off again, after being somewhat held back by emissions regulations again. The era when advanced technology found its way also into small cars. The era where many manufacturers were looking back and introduced “retro designed” cars. So, look back to remember words like “dial up connection”, “millenium bug” and “GSM phone” and stay tuned for the next round!
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Wow, only one single influential car for this era… that is very fitting actually! Love the write-ups, as always 
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Yeah, I don’t have any given number. Could be zero. Or all…
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Great reviews, a fitting end to the series! You got exactly what I was going for!
Did my submission make it in time?
I never got a submission from you
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