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Most irish car

passatman86

What car of the past would you most relate to Ireland. Obviously we could go by car sales "if anyone found that info easily". For me opel stands out - didn't they sponsor the Irish football team during big Jacks tenure. Then the cliche that loads of farmers drove a Toyota. But for you what car back in the day stands out as been popular or they were everywhere.

I'll say an opel kadett

Or a Toyota carina

I know Delorean was built up North - but it was hardly seen everywhere or popular

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goochy

Opels sponsorship of Irish soccer team was brilliant idea by Arnold O byrne , I knew Opels were not made here but I considered them to be like the car of the irish during this time.

AMKC

The Laguna of course. I remember they were everywhere in the 90s and early 00s.

The Megane Classic was another very Irish very popular car and the MK1 Megane too.

Dempo1

I seem to recall this monstrosity was to be found on every street in Ireland at one time 😳

The original Ford Fiesta

black & white

From my memories;

60’s - Morris Minor

70’s - Beetle and Mk 1 Escort

80’s - Cortina

90’s - Corolla/Datsun Cherry

00’s - Fiat Uno

10’s - Golfs/Korean

20’s - Audi/Korean

eggy81

Ford sierra

renault 19

corolla and carina

Killer K

For me it is the Toyota Corolla. Loads of them consistently sold here since the 70s and we do love a reliable no frills motor.

Growing up in the 80s & 90s the Ford Escort & Opel Kadett/(and later Astra) were the stand out. Loved those adidas Ireland shirts with Opel as sponsor. For nostalgic reasons would love if they came back as sponsor.

Capt'n Midnight

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118577736#Comment_118577736

But they were all red. Every last one.

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118577956#Comment_118577956

Very true, couldn't find a red one 😁 there was a lady who lived in Mullingar with one , locals tell me she's had it since new , late 70's model I believe and I swear it looked new .

northknife

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118567438#Comment_118567438

They only come out on Sundays

😂😂

eggy81

Those fiestas had a very distinctive sound too. Lived in a filling station/house as a young lad. Got to know the sound of those entering the fore court. Unmistakable

cml387

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118577973#Comment_118577973

I dispute your assertion that the Fiesta was a monstrosity. In fact it was the original supermini.

That lady you mention did have a pristine version (DLI registration I think) but sadly I believe it caught fire some time ago.

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118580224#Comment_118580224

Well I suppose I was being harsh 😏, I worked in mullingar a number of years ago so it's been a while , it was in pristine condition, lovely lady, I commented on it .

My own interest is in Fiat X19's , getting rare now but still a few around that were originally registered in Ireland .

route66

Renault 18 anyone? Never had one, but I remember when these came out in the 80s they often had electric windows. This was amazing at the time - and most especially because other much more upmarket cars like Mercs & Bemers still had windy-up windows.

... or what about a MK1 Punto? I had a posh 75 Elx at one point which was a grand yoke but without much evidence of Italian brio. Maybe because of this it was very reliable... The main problem was the ultra low-geared steering - I remember having to wind on extra lock in a panicked manner a number of times before I got used to it. Mine was metallic green like this one:

It was replaced by a not at all reliable Alfa 146 which had everything wrong with it except for a georgous flat 4 engine sound, and then by a 156 which I loved. These were also very common in the late 90s:

bladespin

Oh the horror

guyfo

Objectively I'd say it has to be the Mk2 Ford Escort. I never really liked the things but it carries some sort of divinity in Irish car culture across generations whether it's car enthusiasts or motorsport fans. I can't think of any other car with the same following in this country.

Just look at the entry list for the national category of the Galway International Rally this weekend and tell me I'm wrong😅

AMKC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118580621#Comment_118580621

The car that broke Alfa. The 156. It was beautiful but not at all reliable. How was yours? I too remember them being everywhere. I think Alfa underestimated how many of them they would sell. O would say it lost Alfa a lot if customers . I had a cousin who had a Fiat Punto mk1.

That's amazing about the Renault 18. I never knew that.

passatman86

Good aul carina

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/toyota-carina-1990/30177170

Edit, my 1000th post lol

Arthur Daley

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118569149#Comment_118569149

In custard yellow, or orange, with the back sagging from towing

Mad_maxx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118568234#Comment_118568234

Kadetts were at their peak in the early nineties, pretty sure they quit making them early nineties?

We had one in the eighties , pretty rubbish car if memory serves correctly but they were everywhere alright

An uncle had an Ascona which was bigger and nicer though still an Opel at the end of the day

Another card I'd include is the Renault 12 and Renault 18

KevRossi

If you want to pick one car from the past 40-50 years then it's the Corolla, they never made a bad one and they were always mega reliable. Yes, the early K20, K30 and K70's rusted to beat the band, but so did all cars of that era. Corolla was so popular here that more recently Toyota only sold the saloon 'Corolla' version in Ireland, Belgium, Spain and Turkey, everywhere else got the Auris. Even the UK never got some versions in RHD, only we did.

But really it depends on your age. Growing up in the 70's for me it was the Morris Minor, they were absolutely everywhere in rural Ireland. Mk 1 and Mk 2 Escorts took over from them, then the Japanese and the Golf/Jettas arrived.

Also depended where you came from; our local garage was an Opel dealer, so Kadetts were the car of choice, Ascona's for the aspiring middle classes and diesel Rekords (with the 2.3 bonnet hump) for those on the top of the heap.

Younger people will pick Octavia's and then Hyundai's or Qashqai's. Not having any assembly lines here or indigenous manufacturer means it can be a regional thing; Cork and Ford's in days gone by anyone?

Suckler

Toyota Carina E Lean Burn. Bonus if it's maroon or grey.

Killer K

@kevrossi my point exactly about the Corolla. I wonder what is the best selling car in Ireland ever (not differentiating between the marks or factoring in rebrands/replacements e.g. Kadett to Astra or escort to focus). Is it the Corolla or Golf?

I am a child of the 80s so remember the last of the Morris Minors, Marinas and Beetles. Looking back rust such a problem then compared to now.

Arthur Daley

I'd expect the Corolla would easily beat the Golf. With the Escort, Kadett/Astra, Fiesta and Mini, Minor, Carina, Micra and Beetle rounding out the top 10.

Killer K

I'd imagine the Corsa would be up there as well.

colm_mcm

The Corolla missed out on 10-odd years when it was called the Auris. On the other hand, Corolla saloons and hatchbacks under the same name would have an advantage over the Golf that way.

A lot more Golfs in Ireland were imported from the UK too compared to Corollas.

Id say it’s pretty close.

Killer K

Any way if knowing for certain Colm? other than wading through years of data. As you post suggests, depends what way you would count them as well.

colm_mcm

I think someone posted a link to some data, I think the simi site only goes back to 2007 but there is some other site showing it i think.

road_high

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118577736#Comment_118577736

The fiesta was a brilliant little car for its day. Pretty far from a monstrosity, they are never ugly either.

road_high

A silver base model Toyota Corolla with mud flaps and plastic hub caps. Saloon complete with padre pio stickers

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118592472#Comment_118592472

As already stated, I was probably being a little harsh