If you were lucky enough to be driving in the 1984, you may just remember these fine vehicles as being the cars of our desires. Forget dream Lamborghinis and Bugattis, these were the vehicles we could actually grasp without selling our internal organs…
So, 1984 was a year of great turnaround. After years in the doldrums, the economy was finally beginning to pick up, and people were confident about their future prospects. With a growing sense of prosperity, drivers were looking at more cars to match their ambitions.
Although we were yet to truly plumb the depths of the ‘greed is good’ culture that would follow, the Young Urban Professionals (aka yuppies) were already climbing aboard their hot hatches with an eye on that all-important 3-Series before heading off into the sunset in their Guard’s Red Porsche 911. Here are some of the most aspirational cars from 1984 – everything from the best hot hatchbacks to the cream of the attainable supercar crop via the mid-range executive saloons.
Top of the Heap:
Ferrari 308 GTB QV (1983 - 1985)
Price then: £28,000
Price now: £25,000 - £80,000
If you’d done really well and earned all your bonuses, the entry-level Ferrari 308 was well within your grasp. Dealers reported a high number of cash sales for these brilliant cars, recently upgraded with four-valve cylinder heads. Thirty years on, prices are appreciating.
Porsche 911 Carrera (1984 - 1989)
Price then: £23,729
Price now: £17,500 - £69,000
The Porsche 911 was the car to have in 1984, especially for City slickers getting used to six-figure bonuses – a reputation that continues 30 years on. In 1984, it had just been upgraded to 231bhp in the much-improved 3.2-litre Carrera form, meaning it had more than enough performance to back up its looks. Today, prices are on the up, as impact bumper 911s gain appeal.
Audi Quattro (1980 - 1991)
Price then: £20,402
Price now: £5000 - £30,000
If you bought aa Audi Quattro in 1984, you were telling the world you cherished high technology, performance and motorsport. It had all the fashionable toys – turbo, four-wheel drive and ABS – for the ultimate in wine-bar kudos. And today, they’re still a formidable 1980s icon.
Jaguar XJ-S HE (1981-1990)
Price then: £23,385
Price now: £3000 - £15,000
In 1984, the Jaguar XJ-S was becoming cool after years in the post-Energy Crisis doldrums, having grown into its once controversial styling. The V12 HE was the ultimate car for Thatcherite gogetters, but most chose the excellent straight-six.
On the Up:
Rover 3500 Vitesse (1983 -1986)
Price then: £15,464
Price now: £2000- £8000
To reflect the Rover SD1’s touring car prowess, you could buy a Vitesse with the same large spoilers and tuned V8 engine as their track car counterparts. It had few of the image problems associated with more humble Austin Rover products – still true today.
BMW 3-Series (1982 - 1991)
Price then: £7260 - £10,300
Price now: £500 - £7500 (not M3)
The BMW 3-Series deserves so much more than its yuppie icon image. Every version, from the lowliest 316 to the ultimate M3, was blessed with excellent dynamics. And aside from the best M3s and droptops, they’re still a bargain classic today.
Citroën CX GTi Turbo (1984 - 1990)
Price then: £12,900
Price now: £2500 - £10,000
The Citroen CX gained its turbo spurs in 1984 and became Citroën’s fastest road car since the glorious SM. Fast in a straight-line and possessing limpet-like handling, there was a lot to love about the CX Turbo. Even today, they’re still in big demand.
The First Step:
Volkswagen Golf GTI (1984 - 1991)
Price then: £7992
Price now: £100- £5000
The Volkswagen Golf was the ultimate hot hatchback of the time, and one in which all self-respecting yuppies hoped they’d be starting their car trading life. Brilliant and peppy to drive, but expensive then; plentiful and good value now.
Toyota MR2 (1984 - 1990)
Price then: £7640
Price now: £1500 - £3500
For those yuppies without kids to worry about, the new and shiny Toyota MR2 was right up their street. It was a two-seater, mid-engined sports car with a powerful twin-cam – like a mini proper supercar but with added Toyota reliability. Desirable today for those in the know.
Ford Escort XR3i (1980 - 1990)
Price then: £7035
Price now: £1250 - £7500
While the GTI was the ultimate ‘it’ car in 1984, the sharplooking Ford Escort XR3i did its talking in the showroom, becoming the UK’s best-selling hot hatchback in 1984. Today, they’re poised to become icons.