SIX NEW CARS FROM Ô76

And every one broke new ground for their manufacturer, ‘firsts’ including front-wheel drive for Ford, a water-cooled Porsche ( gasp!) and a bold leap into the future for Aston

At first sight, you could not hope to find a more diverse group of cars. However, their common denominator, aside from their year of launch, is that each member of this sextet represented a key product for its respective manufacturer – ones that would take them into the 1980s.

The Sprint further raised the profile of the Alfasud range, the Aston Martin Lagonda was an ambitious attempt to re-define the luxury car and the Fiesta was Ford’s second front-wheel drive car and first supermini.

As for the 924, this replacement for the VWPorsche marked a radical foray into front-engine, RWD products, and the Rover established its own tradition as Britain’s pioneer executive five-door saloon. The Esprit, with its Giorgetto Giugiaro ‘folded paper’ styling, mesmerised anyone who entered a Lotus showroom in search of the heir to the Europa for less than a Ferrari.

FORD FIESTA AFFORDABLY COSMOPOLITAN

This US market advertisement makes much of the Fiesta being a German-built Ford that was a pan-European product. In other words, this was an ‘import’ that was as reliable as any Volkswagen and could be serviced at any friendly local dealership bearing the blue oval.

Across the Atlantic, the Fiesta was regarded by many as a British car, which was correct in part, although UK sales would not start until 1977. Throughout the autumn of 1976 UK drivers could only marvel at the idea of a Ford FWD supermini to rival the Fiat 127 or the Renault 5 – or indeed the Mini Clubman.

By the end of 1977, it was almost impossible to imagine a time before the Fiesta, such was its impact in the UK. PRICE NEW – £2360 (1100S IN 1977) PRICES NOW – £1500-6600

ASTON MARTIN LAGONDA THE CAR THAT FELL TO EARTH

The tinting of the photograph, the arid landscape and that William Towns design combine to create the impression that here is not so much a car but a four-wheeled spacecraft on a passing visit to the Red Planet.

If you could afford a new Aston Martin Lagonda details such as the sub-10mpg fuel economy was unlikely to trouble you, while the digital instrumentation appeared to be nothing less than a glimpse into the future.

The first examples would not be delivered until 1979 – production at Newport Pagnell was at a rate of one car per week – and until 1982 it would not be officially sold in the USA. But when the final Lagonda left the plant in 1990, it really had transformed bespoke motoring. PRICE NEW – £24,570 (1977) PRICES NOW – £32,900-97,200

ALFA ROMEO ALFASUD SPRINT MOTORING CON BRIO

The message of this advertisement is clear – anyone who orders a Sprint cares about fine engineering and the Alfa Romeo tradition rather than posing. That said, although the Cloverleaf version was launched in 1983, well into the Sprint’s lifespan, Giugiaro’s coachwork barely dated.

Most importantly, this was a car aimed at the motorist who genuinely rated torque and dynamic ability more than owning a coupé with a very big engine and a front spoiler that resembled a cowcatcher on a steam locomotive.

‘Of course, it cost a little more to produce,’ muses the ad man’s copy, but even that would ensure a further measure of exclusivity. PRICE NEW – £7355 (GREEN CLOVERLEAF 1983) PRICES NOW – £4700-10,900

LOTUS ESPRIT WHO NEEDS A LAMBORGHINI?

The wording of this advertisement for Cooper City, with its references to Threadneedle Street, Moorgate and LIverpool Street, just predates the Yuppie era, but it appealed to City slickers.

When the Esprit entered production in June 1976 it looked more startling than its Europa predecessor. The illustration shows off the profile to good advantage and when the S3 versions were launched in 1981, the sales emphasis was on the Turbo.

Esprit production ended as recently as 2004, but by then it was a motoring legend, not least because a certain 007 adventure boosted its profile to the power of 10,000. PRICE NEW – £8548 (1977) PRICES NOW – £9100-27,100

PORSCHE 924 A NEW CHAPTER COMMENCES

Anyone seeing this 1976 ad for the 924 was supposed to think that its performance was on a par with your average jet aircraft – but without so much expense. Here was a sports car that was as practical as it was desirable and the price was low by the standards of a Porsche – although high compared with its four-cylinder contemporaries.

The ‘very low fuel consumption’ was an essential selling tool in the late 1970s and although certain parties bemoaned the water-cooled Audi/VW engine, many affluent drivers responded to the 50/50 weight distribution – and those looks. Meanwhile, for those who grumbled about a comparative lack of performance, a turbo-charged version was just around the corner. PRICE NEW – £6999 (1977) PRICES NOW – £4000- 13,000

ROVER 3500 SD1 IN THE GREAT TRADITION OF THE VIKING BADGE

The Rover 3500 SD1 was a car with virtually every tool for success – looks, ability, price, that V8 engine and a famous name.

When it was launched in July 1976, the motoring press showered it with accolades. Autocar stating: ‘It is hard to be over-enthusiastic about the new 3500; on every score, its qualities justify any kind of enthusiasm.’ The 3500 was voted COTY 1977 and by the end of that year the SD1 range had been augmented by the 2300 and 2600, the latter seen here tempting the sort of motorist who might otherwise have considered a Ford Granada 2.8 iS.

All BL had to do was to ensure the quality was on a par with BMW or Mercedes-Benz. PRICE NEW – £4750 PRICES NOW – £1800-6700