Am I the only one who loves the Retro Motorweek's _GranTurismo 1 menu_ style "Muzak" whenever they had some sort of Car compilation? 😂Its EFFIN perfect!
4 years from this the Miata/MX-5 would be launched with a $13,800 USD base price making half the contenders here overpriced, out of date and clearly under engineered. Hindsight is a wonderful thing but it was so clear to see that there was a market waiting to be plugged with a well conceived and executed, dedicated platform product.
Fun 1985 retrospective! Four years later, in the summer of 1989, ragtops were revived and revolutionized with the Mazda MX-5... "Miata" to us buyers. Fun and reliable with an easy to operate convertible top. Having owned a 1990 model and now a 2019 model, I am thankful for Mazda's continued devotion to fun and reliable drop-top sports cars. Keep up these retrospectives, please. I love them!
Me at age 14 when this video came out: I want one Porsche And that Ferrari I guess I'll take that Mercedes. Me at 50: Wow! They were that much back then, that's a lot of money in 2022 with no airbag or ABS!
I am a couple years younger than you...I hate to say it when this video came out, the Porsche was my fav....but with the cost of "cruising on the weekend" - The VW would be MY choice today...Cruise with top down and get 30+ mpg...Though as much as I loved the 90HP GTI engine, the short gearing of "GTI" manual installed in the Cabriolet would be obnoxious for anything but short trips.
Not even a year later and they could’ve included the 325i, 900 Turbo, and Maserati BiTurbo. Not to mention the updated Carrera 3.2 and 560SL. All proper Euro droptops. 1985 was full of both holdovers and leftovers.
I still find it amazing that when Fiat pulled out of the US market Pininfarina said were not wasting a cash cow like this, called up none other than Malcolm Bricklin and kept importing the convertible as the Spider Azzurra
@@LearnAboutFlow Never saw a 1985 convertible, unless its a grey market car. BMW did make a 3 series target top/convertible before the full convertible available. I remember as a kid.
Cast of random, rare, exotic cars, knock-off Knight Rider/love-making music, and Early Wind Breaker Era John. How uncharacteristically alluring for MotorWeek.
Can y’all post more convertibles old videos. Like Chrysler Sebring or LeBaron Convertibles or Volvo C70 Convertibles or Audi A4 Convertible or Volkswagen Beetle Convertible or Lexus SC 430 Convertible or Saab 9-3 Convertible or BMW 1,3 ,6 Series Convertibles or Mitsubishi Eclipse Convertible. Not everyone like SUV or Sport Cars.
That TVR has to be the ugliest convertible ever made. It's so strange that the UK is so close to Germany and Italy, who back then couldn't do wrong with styling, but the UK just has horrible ideas of what's good looking. 43k for that Mercedes in '85. Holy smokes.
Am I the only one who loves the Retro Motorweek's _GranTurismo 1 menu_ style "Muzak" whenever they had some sort of Car compilation? 😂Its EFFIN perfect!
I also like it. Makes me feel as though I'm in the lobby of a hotel
OMG! THAT's what that music reminds me of!
@@kevinbarry71 Right!! its super chill & happy
@@danmccarthy4700 I know it just hit me today...it felt so familiar every time 😆
John: "They remind us of simpler times."
Me: Staring at John as he, and the world was in 1985 "He's right on so many levels"
1985 just sounds like the best year ever lol
1985 I was stationed in West Germany. Good stuff - the VW Rabbit Convertible was huge in the day.
I remember TVR even seen a couple over the years but not that one.
" the roof leaked" sums up everything British
First time I’ve ever heard John describe a car as “delicious”.
We also got "cute."
Never seen that first Toyota before. Neat
I wonder how many cars TVR sold in the US... Until this video, I never knew they actually imported any here.
I doubt many, I’ve only seen one
They were rare, expensive, and horribly unreliable. Definitely for a very niche market, like Lotus.
@@dr.jiIIaIicecooper2587 Why not? They're similarly batshit insane.
@@dr.jiIIaIicecooper2587 why, which is better, lotus or tvr
4 years from this the Miata/MX-5 would be launched with a $13,800 USD base price making half the contenders here overpriced, out of date and clearly under engineered. Hindsight is a wonderful thing but it was so clear to see that there was a market waiting to be plugged with a well conceived and executed, dedicated platform product.
I was thinking while watching this: "Where is the RX-7 convertible?", but then realized the FC didn't come out until 1986.
Fun 1985 retrospective! Four years later, in the summer of 1989, ragtops were revived and revolutionized with the Mazda MX-5... "Miata" to us buyers. Fun and reliable with an easy to operate convertible top. Having owned a 1990 model and now a 2019 model, I am thankful for Mazda's continued devotion to fun and reliable drop-top sports cars. Keep up these retrospectives, please. I love them!
I still own a 1985 Toyota Celica GTS convertible just like the one showen .
No lies the Celica still look good today
Me at age 14 when this video came out:
I want one Porsche
And that Ferrari
I guess I'll take that Mercedes.
Me at 50:
Wow! They were that much back then, that's a lot of money in 2022 with no airbag or ABS!
I am a couple years younger than you...I hate to say it when this video came out, the Porsche was my fav....but with the cost of "cruising on the weekend" - The VW would be MY choice today...Cruise with top down and get 30+ mpg...Though as much as I loved the 90HP GTI engine, the short gearing of "GTI" manual installed in the Cabriolet would be obnoxious for anything but short trips.
@@dr.jiIIaIicecooper2587 no thanks...
@@dr.jiIIaIicecooper2587 What are you talking about? - I don't go for the Mrs. Robinson thing....I like them My age or younger by 2-20 years...
A British convertible that leaks; the shock nearly killed me
🤣
Since this was originally filmed TVR hss gone bankrupt four times.
Yes ...a simpler time...Thank you John Davis ...
Not even a year later and they could’ve included the 325i, 900 Turbo, and Maserati BiTurbo. Not to mention the updated Carrera 3.2 and 560SL. All proper Euro droptops. 1985 was full of both holdovers and leftovers.
Man I used to dream about having them beauty’s way back in the 80s! 👌🥰👍all of them are just beautiful looking cars!
I'm loving the backgrounds music lol
I still find it amazing that when Fiat pulled out of the US market Pininfarina said were not wasting a cash cow like this, called up none other than Malcolm Bricklin and kept importing the convertible as the Spider Azzurra
The 4 runner 🙌🏼🙌🏼
I'd take that celica over the ferari. It looks better imo
Now those were my simpler times.
Weird they didn't include a BMW 325i convertible. Ironic about the simpler times quote given that's what 1985 is today.
It wasn't available in the USA. The convertible first year was 1987 or 88?
@@vintage76vipergreenBeetle I thought so to but then I googled it and there are a lot of 1985 ones for sale. Maybe they are just lying about the year.
@@LearnAboutFlow
Never saw a 1985 convertible, unless its a grey market car. BMW did make a 3 series target top/convertible before the full convertible available. I remember as a kid.
Part of the human condition; people always look back and think times were simpler. Except they were not
I am french and I am happy you talk about these european car but why does the Renault Alliance Convertible is absent ?
This video is the only time I've ever seen a 4-Runner with the cap removed.
150mph out of 200hp is quite impressive
That jacket though.
Cast of random, rare, exotic cars, knock-off Knight Rider/love-making music, and Early Wind Breaker Era John. How uncharacteristically alluring for MotorWeek.
Gimme that 4Runner anyway!
Anyone know what the background music is?
The Fiat car by pen and frina, it was not sold directly by pen and Freeman it was actually sold through a company that was owned by Malcolm brecklin!!
Que da hora amigo 👍😁😁🎤
TIL TVR sold vehicles in the US
My wish is VW releases a new Vert, and 4Runner can go Topless. They should have never let that feature Go!
Life is too short to not drive a RWD convertible with a manual transmission.
What an abysmal era to be a car guy.
I’ll have the Celica please.
Back when "hybrid" meant an entirely different thing 😂
look at all these cuties
👉CONVERTIBLES WILL NEVER BE AS POPULAR AS THEY WERE😎‼️
@@dr.jiIIaIicecooper2587 🥺
Can y’all post more convertibles old videos. Like Chrysler Sebring or LeBaron Convertibles or Volvo C70 Convertibles or Audi A4 Convertible or Volkswagen Beetle Convertible or Lexus SC 430 Convertible or Saab 9-3 Convertible or BMW 1,3 ,6 Series Convertibles or Mitsubishi Eclipse Convertible. Not everyone like SUV or Sport Cars.
Nice
I wud take the porshe and vw rabbit🤩
Better one?! 205 Cti. US market never had to much attention on such superb European model. 205 Gti is better tough..
94 Galant please
💲 65k was CRIMINAL for that gangly slow ass dumpster fire of a -Ferrari- !
*abomination
Holy hell a hybrid from back in 1985. Toyota was first.
Not that kind of hybrid ..
Rag top sounds so dodgy nowadays!
I'm the third person to like
That TVR has to be the ugliest convertible ever made. It's so strange that the UK is so close to Germany and Italy, who back then couldn't do wrong with styling, but the UK just has horrible ideas of what's good looking.
43k for that Mercedes in '85. Holy smokes.