50 CARS FOR 50 YEARS
As part of Auto Action’s 50th-anniversary celebrations, the AA team has put together a list of the most significant, iconic and important cars during the magazine’s tenure.
A fortnight full of robust debate resulted in a list comprising the best of the best, however opinion will be divided on the cars featured in our list – and that’s only from within the AA office!
Also, please share your opinions of what’s missing and whether we got it somewhat correct on Auto Action’s social media channels.
1970 Ford Escort RS1600
As pretty as the girl next door. The twin-cams and four-valve BDAs were mighty on road, track and in the forests. Escorts become one of the greatest all-rounders ever across various models.
Bruce Hodgson, Bob Holden, Rod Stevens, Garry Rogers, Colin Bond, Greg Carr, John Bassett and countless clubbies made ‘em sing. The BDA Escorts continued on in later models for years to come, and kept on winning.
Honourable mention for the 1972 and beyond Ferrari V6-engined Lancia Stratos, one of the sexiest, most desirable of all road/rally machines.
1976 Tyrrell P34 Ford Cosworth F1
Yes folks, there was a time in F1 when innovation was possible, even among the ‘box-stock Ford Cosworth V8 and Hewland tranny’ garagiste. Didn’t Ken Tyrrell and Derek Gardner’s six-wheeler put the cat amongst the pigeons!
Initially considered a PR stunt, the car was quick in Patrick Depailler and Jody Scheckter’s hands – 1976 Swedish GP winner.
When Goodyear got a bit bored with it and ceased development of the little 10-inch tyres the car lost pace even with Ronnie Peterson at the wheel, and was shuffled out of the deck.
Don’t forget too the later March and Williams 6-wheelers with four at the rear were tested, but soon after the idea of more than four wheels got banned.
1987 BMW M3 Group A
Another touring car with genuine lust-appeal to match its race-pace. A giant killer packing around 300bhp from its 2.5-litre DOHC, four-valve injected four.
It won more titles than you can poke a stick at, including the 1987 World, and the Australian Touring Car Championship for Jim Richards in naughty fag-packet JPS black and gold
1990 Nissan Skyline GT-R R32 ‘Godzilla’ Group A
‘You’re a pack of arseholes’ was a good call I thought, as I grabbed another VB in my backyard.
Who could forget Jim Richard’s Presidential speech at Bathurst ‘92, when a ‘fuggin rice-burner’ won the rain shortened race. The 4WD, DOHC, four-valve turbo-six was a masterpiece of specification, engineering and race development – in Australia by Gibson Motor Sport.
The car was the apex of all the work Fred and his team put in from the Bluebird Group C days.
Richards and Skaife won on the mountain by a lap in 1991 on top of the 1992 win.
The rout was repeated in the 1991 ATCC where the combo finished 1-2 – Jim won four of the nine rounds and Mark three. In 1992, despite being nobbled by CAMS (other cars revs/weights were also tickled) Skaife won from Richards.
To see the rest of our picks, grab your copy of the special 50th-anniversary issue of Auto Action.
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