We have selected 10 classics that were born every 10 years between 1962 and 2002 and all of which deserve a toast to their birthday year.
1962 was particularly fruitful. The MGB, Ford Cortina Mk1 and BMC 1100 are included, but the Triumph Spitfire, Daimler 250, Lotus Elan, Triumph Vitesse and the Renault 8 and 10 have also been launched.
If space permits, we could also have added the Fiat X1 / 9 (1972), Citroen BX (1982), Nissan Micra (1982), Ford Mondeo (1992), Nissan 350Z (2002) and Jaguar XJ (2002.) ).
So, buckle up and take a trip back in time to celebrate the major automotive anniversaries of 2022 …
Austin / Morris 1100 – 60th birthday
The British Motor Corporation (BMC) series 1100/1300 was the best-selling car in Great Britain in the 1960s. Designed by mini-designer Alec Issigonis, it was practically an enlarged version of the sappy automobile icon.
A total of 2,250,757 copies (there were also MG, Riley, Wolseley, Vanden Plas and station wagon versions) were built in both Longbridge in the West Midlands and Cowley, Oxfordshire before production ceased in 1974.
Ford Cortina – 60th birthday
The Ford Cortina was originally launched in 1962 and has become a British institution.
The popular Mk1 Cortina was manufactured in Dagenham, Essex, between 1962-66 and was a compact and affordable people’s car that competed directly with the BMC 1100/1300.
Available as a two- or four-door sedan and station wagon, it was replaced by the larger Mk2 (1966-1970) with a more modern, box-shaped design.
When it first launched, the Mk1 had a 1.2 liter four cylinder gasoline engine, a top speed of 76.5 mph, it took 20 seconds to get from sleep to 60 mph, and the Fuel consumption was 30.2 MPG.
MGB – 60th birthday
The MGB and its variants (MGC and MGB GT V8) replaced the MGA in 1962 and sold 523,836 vehicles.
Available as a Roadster and 2 + 2 Coupé GT (pictured) from 1965, it was a rival to Triumph’s TR series and was popular around the world, particularly in the US. When first launched in 1962, it cost £ 690 plus £ 260 car tax, undercutting the Triumph TR4 (£ 750).
As a classic British sports car with an evergreen appearance and driving pleasure, the MGB remained in production until 1980 and is very popular today.
Renault 5 – 50th birthday
The Renault 5 was one of the first modern super minis and has just been named European Car of the Year Award 1973 by the Audi 80. Very popular, nearly 5.5 million copies of the practical hatchback were made over two generations before production ended in 1996.
Notable variants included the Hot Hatch Renault 5 Gordini (it came in 1976) and the later high-performance Renault 5 Turbo (1980-6) that became an automotive icon.
Fiat 126 – 50th birthday
Presented in October 1972 at the Turin Motor Show as a replacement for the iconic Fiat 500, it can be said that the boxy little 126 wasn’t quite as cute.
However, a remarkable 4.5 million copies were produced (almost as many as the Mini) before production ceased for good in 2000.
It was slow (0-60 mph took about 40 seconds) and the rear seats were actually only for kids, but it was popular and became a cultural icon in Poland.
Audi 80 – 50th birthday
Audi was still at the start as a brand in the 1970s – we’re talking about the time before “vorsprung durch Technik”. The light and efficient Audi 80 (B1) went into series production in 1972 and won the European Car of the Year Award the following year.
Most popular in Europe, it was marketed as a full-size compact car, but has always been a left-wing choice in the UK, where its competitors spanned everything from the Triumph Dolomite to the Ford Cortina. Production continued until 1978.
Ford Sierra – 40th birthday
Launched in 1982 and given a facelift in 1987, Ford’s Cortina replacement was the fifth best-selling car of the 1980s.
It was a global car – made in Germany, Belgium, Great Britain, Ireland, Argentina, Venezuela, South Africa, and New Zealand. However, by the late 1980s, sales declined and it was technologically out of date compared to its competitors.
In 1993 it was replaced by the Mondeo, a modern family car with front-wheel drive – and the rest is history. A total of 1,299,993 sierras have been sold over their lifetime.
McLaren F1 – 30th Anniversary
The stunning McLaren F1 was created by designers Gordon Murray and Peter Stevens and became the fastest production car in the world in 1998, traveling at 240.1 mph.
The McLaren F1 is arguably the greatest super sports car of all time and had many developments in Formula 1. It was, for example, the first production car with a carbon fiber monocoque chassis.
Perhaps the most unique feature was the arrow-headed seating position, which positioned the driver in the center of the car while the passenger seats on either side were placed behind it. Only 106 McLaren F1s were made before production ceased in 1998.
Renault Twingo – 30th birthday
The original Twingo debuted at the 1992 Paris Motor Show and immediately became a classic in city car design.
Sweet with a cheeky smile, it was a winning combo and still looks fresh today. Some made it to the UK, although it was never produced as a right hand drive.
Also manufactured in Taiwan, Spain, Colombia and Uruguay, more than 2.6 million Mk1 Twingos had been produced by the final production stop in 2012.
Ferrari Enzo – 20th birthday
Named after its founder, the Ferrari Enzo is an iconic supercar. Built from 2002-4 to celebrate Ferrari’s first Formula 1 world championship title of the new millennium, only 400 units were produced.
Powered by a mighty V12 with 650 hp, it could sprint to 100 km / h in just 3.1 seconds and then to a top speed of 217 km / h. Developed using F1 technology, such as a carbon fiber body, an automated manual transmission (with paddle shifters), and ceramic disc brakes, it also features advanced aerodynamics to create downforce.
