The other day I had quite a 90’s moment. And no-I’m not talking about a diaper-wetting incident in case you were wondering.
A 90’s themed VH1 countdown had me thinking about my favourite cars of the pre-Millenium decade.
Indeed, the 90’s saw many advancements in automotive technology.
Manufacturers grew increasingly aware of safety and devices like the Airbag, for example became commonplace in most cars-no longer just a feature for those wealthy enough to afford Mercedes Benz and other opulent German vehicles. And institutions like EuroNcap were established to assess cars safety.
But me-a then young boy-didn’t care about such things…and didn’t even know why such mechanisms were installed in a car. I was taken aback by a cars aesthetics and speed alone.
So here are my Top Ten 90’s cars in no particular order. These cars were chosen using two simple criterion: whether they made me gasp or say “yoh…I want that when I grow up”.
10. BMW M3 (E36):
The definitive sport sedan-on steroids! The M3 had a 3.2ltr straight-six engine that produced a whopping 217kw.Which is astonishing, considering that the latest Volkswagen GTI only produces around 150kw. One might have been able to blast through the Millenium in this Blitzkrieg. Although I still cannot fathom why it earned the nickname “Dolphin”.
9. Mercedes Benz S-Class:
A beastly car with major presence and street-cred. Its tank-like body looks as though it could clear walls. How cool must it have been to own a car affiliated with the Yakuza, Dictators and constantly referred to by rappers?
8. Jaguar XK
Like its spiritual successor, the E-type of the 60’s, it looks incredible. Quite possibly the sexiest car of the 90’s. The legendary Sean Connery commandeered one away from baddies alongside the beautiful Catherine Zeta-Jones in the 1998 film, Entrapment.’Nuff said.
7. Subaru Impreza WRX
I loved it’s huge spoiler as a child, as I thought it resembled a Shark Tail. And when you’re a kid, the novelty of the prospect of driving a car with gold rims seems cool. The rally-inspired car made a glorious noise too…also, it was plenty of fun powersliding one on the Playstation.
6. Nissan Skyline
Another car for my fellow members of the Playstation Generation! I only realised what a marvel of engineering this vehicle truly was, when I saw Jeremy Clarkson raving about how it’s possible to extract 750bhp from the car’s engine, in an old show of his…from the 90’s. Unlike the ageing Clarkson, the Skyline has been freshened and revitalised.And is now known as the GT-R. The latest incarnation is even more desirable…and looks sublime on screen in Gran Turismo 5.
5. Porsche 911 Carrera
The car was so good it managed to liven up what would have otherwise been a crappy film-Bad Boys. With that classic shape, large Whale Tail rear spoiler and low sports car stance, it had all the makings of a good bedroom poster car for a young boy. And don’t lie…you also had the model.
4. Dodge Viper
Big, brash and American. The Dodge Viper looked unlike any other car of the 90’s. Even in production form, it still looked as revolutionary and futuristic as the concept car. It’s street-cred sky rocketed when Tupac was seen jiving in-front of one in a music video of his. Nothing like a bit of rapper-endorsement to make an already cool car better.
3. Volkswagen New Beetle
How do you not look at its cute, smiley front-end and not enjoy a chuckle or smile? This successor to the iconic people’s car, released one year prior to Y2K created a buzz in the motoring world. Sadly, as with most revival cars, the New Beetle is just a fashion accessory. But with its cute looks, and being the vehicle of choice for the mad and funny Austin Powers, the little bug is still very cool.
2. Renault Spider
Desirable and very rare, the Renault Spider is a lightweight two-seater sports car. In true French tradition, it looked incredibly stylish but agile and purposeful too as a sports car should look . I realised, at the age of 6 that it would take a great deal of work on dad’s old Renault Megane to get it looking like a sexy Spider replica.
1. BMW 750i
This car was a technological marvel. It’s cabin generously equipped with niceties like a television screen and telephone. James Bond had one, and his even talked! Even the television advertisement was cool: the BMW driving through a dark, ominous space of road to the tune of the Knight Rider theme song. Sure, it might have been large and created with the boring, suit-wearing executive in mind. But c’mon-it had a TV.
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