If not quite enthusiasts' machines, the Peugeot 404 and Fiat 1500L cannot be dismissed lightly as mere 1960s Euro-porridge. Here in Britain, these four-door family saloons, and others like them, were among the first wave of Continental imports to make domestic buyers reconsider their attachment to the usual, locally built Ford, BMC, Rootes and Vauxhall products.
Though certainly not exciting, and no more remarkable than a Consul or a Cambridge in their homelands, these Common Market, 1.5-litre family saloons from France and Italy were built for a now almost extinct breed of buyer who wanted a thoroughly conventional vehicle that was respectable, decently well-made and comfortable. A four-door saloon that faded into the background hum of European cities during the week, but could take a full-size family long distances at the weekends on a modest fuel budget, using an efficient engine that didn't attract penalties from the taxman.
In the UK, where there were no taxes on large engines, both cars were a rare enough sight to be worthy of comment in an era during which loyalty to British-built products remained at a high level. Young car-spotters might have known them best either from copies of their Ladybird or Observer's books, or from the TV, where in a time when cars had a look that defined their country of origin - Fiats and Peugeots were perfectly cast automotive scenesetters in countless ITC action-hero series of the era. Cut to back-projected Rome and you'd likely spot a 1500L weaving through traffic in front of the Colosseum; or, when the action transfers to Paris, 404s could invariably be seen following the protagonist's studio-bound taxi ride along the Champs-Élysées.
Bu hikaye Classic & Sports Car dergisinin June 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Classic & Sports Car dergisinin June 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
From little acorn s...
The feisty Visa Trophée was an unlikely Group B rallying candidate, and a stepping stone towards Citroën's WRC supremacy
FORD RANGER RAPTOR
OTT workhorse is a kid-pleasing head-turner that mixes business with pleasure
MERCEDES-BENZ SL (R230)
The tech-heavy SL is becoming a sought-after classic with increasing specialist support
By Royal appointment
The overhauled Middlebridge Scimitar continuation was championed by Princess Anne with this, her eighth and final GTE
African Queen
A 1500-mile road trip has retraced this Morris Minor's history, from its first owner to its rediscovered remains, 54 years ago
NOT SO HACKNEYED CARRIAGE
Never mind today’s bloated Chelsea tractors, for millionaire Nubar Gulbenkian the perfect transport for the streets of 60s London was a bespoke black cab
Leading fromthe front
In the 1990s coupé boom, Toyota, Rover and Mazda scrabbled for power with race-inspired tuning, turbocharging and a sophisticated V6
EAST COAST HOME BREW
When ambitious racer Walt Hansgen was unable to buy a new Jaguar C-type, he set out to build his own. How does it measure up?
Simon TAYLOR
‘His team had to keep quiet about his habit of glugging a couple of glasses of red with his pasta before a race’
ALFREDO DE LA MARIA
This Uruguayan artist captures dramatic moments from motorsport history with a vivid and arresting painting style