The most important car from the year you were born

We’ve taken a look at automotive history since 1945 and chosen the car we reckon is the most important one launched in every year between then and the year 2000. Not all these cars are brilliant or huge sellers – some were instead notable for their shortcomings or commercial failure. But they all had something to say about the world they were created in, and many have resonance and meaning to this day.

To ensure consistency, please note that the year mentioned is the year the car was first unveiled to the public. In some cases this was some time before the vehicle actually became available to drive away.

We also note ‘honourable mentions’ – the runner-up car or cars for that year. You won’t agree with all our choices for your birth-year, but we hope you’ll enjoy finding out the cars the same age as you nonetheless:

Arguably the most important car ever made, if only because more Beetles have been made than pretty much any other car ever produced. More than 21.5 million were built in a run that lasted right the way through to 2003.

When the British Army took control of the bombed-out VW factory in 1945, the Beetle was offered to an array of British car makers who all turned it down as unsaleable with its rear-mounted air-cooled flat-flour engine. But this was the vehicle that would provide the foundations for what is now the world's second-biggest car maker, only just behind Toyota.

Honourable mention for 1945: Riley RM, Humber Hawk, Willys CJ-2A, Lincoln Continental

A rear-mounted four-cylinder engine in an aerodynamically efficient bodyshell. Sound familiar? Think of it as a French VW Beetle, but sadly for Renault the 4CV lasted only until 1961. Still, it was the first French car to sell more than a million units, with the first cars powered by a 19bhp 760cc engine, later swapped for a marginally more powerful (22bhp) 747cc unit. Hairiest of the lot was the 42bhp 4CV Sport of 1952, which was a real handful to drive.

As well as being built in France, the 4CV was also made in Australia, Belgium, England, Ireland, Japan, Spain and South Africa.

The F-Series was the first new truck Ford released after World War Two. Vastly more modern than its pre-war predecessor, it was also wider, longer and taller plus more comfortable to drive. Buyers had several variants (including the popular, entry-level F-1) and many body configurations to choose from.

The American market was clearly ready for a fresh design. The 1948 model year was Ford’s truck division’s best since 1929. Few realised how long its success would last, though. In its 13^th generation as of 2020, the F-Series has been America’s best-selling vehicle since 1976.

Honourable mention for 1947: Chevrolet Advance Design

The French got the Renault 4CV, the British got the Morris Minor, which was the first British car to ever sell a million examples, a milestone reached at the end of 1960. By the time Minor production was wound up altogether in 1971, 1.6 million had been sold across a range of bodystyles: saloon (two- and four-door), convertible, van, estate and pick-up.

Despite its popularity the Minor was utterly conventional in its engineering with a side-valve (later overhead-valve) engine and rear-wheel drive. But designer Alec Issigonis had hoped for a flat-four engine, independent front suspension by wishbones plus rack-and-pinion steering – he got only the last one.

Honourable mentions for 1948: Citroën 2CV, Land Rover Series I, 1949 Ford

Sadly Saab is no longer with us, but when it burst on to the scene in 1949 with its first car, the 92, it pioneered the safety cell. Saab's background was producing aircraft and this showed very clearly with the 92's aerodynamic design; the drag co-efficient was a deeply impressive 0.30 Cd thanks to flush-fitting glass and faired-in headlights.

The car was quite narrow which meant a compact powerplant had to be fitted; Saab chose a 764cc water-cooled two-stroke two-cylinder unit inspired by contemporary DKWs. Despite producing just 25bhp, the four-seat Saab 92 could get to 65mph thanks to its slippery shape.

Honourable mentions for 1949: Rover P4, Oldsmobile 88

In 1950 Ford took the wraps off a range of cars that were nothing less than revolutionary. Billed as five-star cars on account of the quintet of areas in which they pushed the boundaries, the Mk1 Consul, Zephyr and Zodiac packed independent front suspension, oversquare overhead-valve engines and monocoque construction – all firsts for the Blue Oval.

As if that wasn’t enough, there were also 12-volt electrics and hydraulic brakes all round, making these family cars more usable than anything that had ever come out of Dagenham before. While this first generation of Consul, Zephyr and Zodiac would be killed off in 1956, another three generations of each model would follow.

Honourable mention for 1950: Volkswagen Type 2, Nash Rambler

Simca (Société Industrielle de Mécanique et de Carrosserie Automobile) would become part of Chrysler Europe and the name would disappear altogether in 1978, but it started out in 1934 working in conjunction with Fiat. As such, its pre-war cars were rebadged Fiats, but the Aronde marked a fresh start for Simca as this was its first in-house model.

It was conventionally engineered but it was still the company's first monocoque car and its popularity would enable Simca to go on to become France's second-biggest car maker by the end of the 1950s.

Honourable mention for 1950: Nash Healey

Lotus founder Colin Chapman is famous for his slogan of "just adding lightness" to produce brilliant drivers' cars, and nowhere was this more evident than with his first production model, the Lotus MkVI. Forerunner to the Lotus MkVII (better known simply as the Lotus Seven), the MkVI was sold in kit form, and buyers could choose between a wide array of engines and transmissions from the humble 1172cc side-valve Ford unit to a 1098cc overhead-cam Coventry-Climax racing unit.

Between 1952 and 1957 Lotus built 110 MkVIs, many of which were raced in period because they handled so brilliantly and were astonishingly quick thanks to their low weight.

Honourable mention for 1952: Wolseley 4/44

Chevrolet originally built the Corvette solely for the 1953 Motorama, a travelling GM motor show brimming with futuristic, head-turning concepts. The public loved it so much that executives decided to turn it into a production model that same year. While almost everyone liked how it looked, few appreciated the way it drove, partly because it used an anaemic, 150 HP straight-six engine. The Corvette nearly flopped.

Chevrolet priced the Corvette at $3498 (about $33,500 in 2019 money) and sold only 300 units. Sales began picking up in 1955 when the firm listened to engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov (1909-1996) and made a V8 available. The rest, as they say, is history. Around 1.6 million ‘Vettes have been produced to date. An eighth-generation Corvette has just gone on sale, now with a mid-engined configuration for the first time.

Strictly speaking the Land Cruiser arrived earlier than 1954, as small-scale production started as early as 1951, with series production of the Toyota Jeep BJ kicking off in 1953. But it wasn't until 1954 that the Land Cruiser name was adopted by Toyota, after Jeep got tetchy about its copyright being infringed.

While those first cars were incredibly basic they were also very capable off-road and over the years they'd get ever more capable and luxurious while also remaining incredibly reliable. The latter point was crucial and in time enabled the vehicle to supplant Land Rover in many inhospitable places such as parts of Africa, where reliability could be a life-or-death factor.

Honourable mention for 1954: Mercedes-Benz 300SL

Even now the Citroën DS looks futuristic, more than 60 years after it was unveiled. Aerodynamically styled and featuring cutting-edge construction (the outer panels all bolted to the car's structure and the roof was glassfibre), the DS was a technological tour de force.

While the engines were conventional the rest of the engineering was anything but, with self-levelling height-adjustable hydro-pneumatic suspension, self-centring power steering, a semi-automatic transmission and power-assisted brakes.

All this at a time when British car makers were selling venerable cars such as the Austin A50 Cambridge and Riley Pathfinder…

Honourable mentions for 1955: Ford Thunderbird and MGA

Picking up where the 4CV left off, the Dauphine was so successful for Renault that its UK factory couldn't cope with demand and cars had to be imported from France to keep the waiting lists down. More than two million Dauphines were made, some badged as Ondines outside the UK, in a production run that stretched to 1968.

The most desirable edition for UK buyers was the Dauphine Gordini, but in France there was a 52bhp Rallye Dauphine. Just 2140 were built and they're all but extinct now – much like the Dauphine in general, as most rusted away years ago.

Honourable mention for 1956: Volvo Amazon

Even now you'll find original Fiat 500s in use all over Italy. More than 3.4 million of them were made between 1957 and 1975; the Giardinera (estate) survived for another two years. Bursting with character and cheap to buy as well as to run, the Fiat 500 gave the Italians mobility – along with other chunks of Europe.

With its 499cc two-cylinder engine that cranked out all of 13 hp, the Fiat 500 is no slingshot, but if you want a car that'll put a smile on your face as well as those of everybody around you, just buy one of these.

Honourable mention for 1957: Lotus Seven

When it comes to conservatively designed and engineered cars, the Rover P5 is right up there, with its traditional styling, luxurious cabin and stately presence. So stately in fact that the Queen still owns one (pictured) and government ministers were chauffeured around in P5s into the 1980s, despite the last one being made in 1967.

But perhaps the greatest reason for loving the P5 is because it was the first Rover to use Buick's cast-off V8 in 3.5-litre form. Such cars were called the P5B, to distance themselves from the lesser cars with a mere 3.0-litre straight-six.

Honourable mention for 1958: Austin A40 Farina, Chevrolet El Camino

The Mini took existing technologies and blended them to devastating effect. Its front-wheel drive layout meant four-fifths of the car's length was devoted to passenger or luggage space, it was eminently affordable (unwittingly - as rivals Ford figured out first - BMC initially lost money on each one) and it was terrific fun to drive, and killed the automotive trend of the ‘50s – the microcar – stone dead.

The first 'classless car' that appealed to everybody, the Mini got even better when John Cooper got out his toolbox and created a string of hot editions, more than 100,000 of which were made. By the time production ended in 2000 more than five million Minis had been produced. And it was the happiest inheritance that BMW got from its otherwise unfortunate purchase of Rover.

Honourable mentions for 1959: Ford Anglia 105E, Triumph Herald, Chevrolet Corvair

The Saab 96 was such a great car that it remained in production for a whopping 20 years (1960-1980), by which point more than 650,000 had been made – that figure also including the brilliantly practical seven-seat estate version called the 95. As with its forebears, the 96 put an emphasis on safety, with seatbelts fitted from 1962 and dual-circuit brakes installed just two years later.

The first Saab 96s were fitted with an 841cc two-stroke three-cylinder engine, but in 1967 this was swapped for a four-stroke V4 engine that displaced 1699cc.

Honourable mentions for 1960: Peugeot 404, International-Harvester Scout 80, Checker Marathon

Remember all those polls that tried to establish the most important cars of the 20th century? The ones that always put the Mini or E-Type in first place? Well take one look at this picture and you'll instantly see why the Jag is so revered.

Not only does it look sleek and sexy but the E-Type was also phenomenally fast; the earliest 3.8-litre straight-six cars could just about get to 150mph, yet this was still a relatively attainable car thanks to keen pricing. Later came a 4.2-litre engine then a 5.3-litre V12, by which point the E-Type was more of a grand tourer than a sports car.

Honourable mentions for 1961: Citroën Ami, MG Midget, Renault 4, Volvo P1800

It might not have looked very innovative, but the Cortina Mk1 was a best-seller thanks to competitive pricing and a wide model range. Ford spent £12 million (roughly the equivalent of £250 million in today’s money) developing the original Cortina, focusing especially on paring the weight back as much as possible to reduce fuel consumption and improve performance.

Buyers could choose between saloons (with two or four doors) and an estate, while independent coachbuilder Crayford offered a convertible. Best and most collectible of the lot though was the Lotus edition, with its 105bhp 1558cc twin-cam engine.

Honourable mentions for 1962: BMC 1100/1300, Lotus Elan, MGB, Triumph Spitfire

Officially launched as the Rover 2000, this luxury saloon was unofficially known as the P6, as it was Rover’s sixth post-war model. Winner of the first ever European Car of the Year award in 1964, the Rover P6 took gold for its clean lines, unconventional construction (the outer panels all bolt on to the structure beneath), racing-derived rear suspension and all-round disc brakes – those at the rear being in-board to reduce unsprung weight.

The front suspension was even designed so a gas turbine engine could be fitted, but sadly the powerplants remained conventional petrol units in four- or (later) eight-cylinder forms.

Honourable mentions for 1963: Hillman Imp, Honda S500, Lamborghini 350GT, Mercedes-Benz 600, Porsche 911, Triumph 2000, Chrysler Turbine Car

Unveiled in New York, the Ford Mustang became an instant hit; it was the must-have car of the year. Ford received 22,000 orders within 24 hours of the model’s introduction, which was nearly a quarter of the 100,000 cars it hoped to sell annually. Over 418,000 units had found a home by its first birthday.

The Mustang delivered performance (when fitted with a V8) and style in an affordable package that appealed even to motorists who didn’t like cars. The Chevrolet Corvair, its main rival, was no match for it. In 2019, the Mustang still represents America’s accessible dream car. Over 10 million Mustangs have been sold to date, and it’s currently the world’s best-selling sports car.

The Rover P6 may have been forward-thinking to a point, but when the Renault 16 arrived it immediately made anything produced in Britain look very outdated – no wonder it scooped the 1966 European Car of the Year award. Here was a front-wheel drive family hatch that could accommodate five people and their luggage, there were disc brakes up front, while the alloy engine was much lighter than the cast-iron units being churned out elsewhere.

Later would come a five-speed gearbox but even from the outset the Renault 16 handled well and was brilliantly practical.

Honourable mention for 1965: Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow, Ford Shelby Mustang

The Fiat 124 was yet another European Car of the Year winner, this time in 1967, and it would go on to become the biggest-selling car in history (as opposed to the biggest-selling nameplate). Fiat sold more than five million of them in saloon and estate forms, and by the time Fiat production ended in 1974 the 124 was already being made by VAZ (Lada) which would make more than 17.3 million of them.

Despite its reputation for cheapness and rusting, the 124 wasn't engineered to the lowest possible cost; there were disc brakes all round and wonderful free-revving engines that made this boxy Fiat fun to drive.

Honourable mentions for 1966: Audi 80, Jensen Interceptor, Toyota Corolla, Volvo 140

Best known for its starring role in the James Bond film You Only Live Twice, the Toyota 2000GT was the first seriously desirable sports car to ever come out of Japan (sorry Honda fans). With its 2.0-litre straight-six, the rear-wheel drive 2000GT was clearly inspired by the Jaguar E-Type coupé but it was almost a Datsun rather than a Toyota.

The development work was undertaken by Yamaha which offered its design to Datsun, but the latter went its own way with the 240Z of 1969. Toyota adopted the design instead, but it built just 351 examples of the 2000GT between 1967 and 1970. Their rarity has led to survivors becoming very valuable – one was sold at auction in 2018 for $665,000 (around £510,00).

Honourable mentions for 1967: NSU Ro80, Pontiac Firebird, Saab 99

Until the XJ arrived, Jaguar had one of the most convoluted and confusing model ranges going, but at a stroke the XJ made all of Jaguar's saloons obsolete – along with many of its rivals. Not only was the Jaguar XJ luxurious, swift and refined, but it was also uncannily comfortable thanks to its sophisticated suspension.

None of this would have been much use if the XJ had been priced out of reach, but in a masterstroke Jaguar made it amazingly affordable. As if the XJ6 of 1968 wasn't enough, the 5.3-litre V12-powered XJ12 that arrived in 1972 was even more desirable. The model line continued through to 2019 – and the nameplate will return on an all-electric luxury saloon later in 2020 with any luck.

Honourable mentions for 1968: Audi 100, Ferrari 365 GTB/4 ‘Daytona’, Ford Escort, Morgan Plus 8, Toyota Hilux, AMC AMX

It's half a century since the Ford Capri made its debut, and while most of its contemporaries are now largely forgotten, this stylish coupé has a profile that's as high as ever. Created on the back of the massive (and unexpected) success of the Ford Mustang in the US, between 1969 and 1987 there were three generations of Capri with a choice of four- and six-cylinder engines that displaced anywhere between 1.3 litres and 3.1 litres. 1.9 million Capris were produced in total.

Most intriguing of the lot was the ultra-rare bodykitted Tickford Capri with its turbocharged 2.8-litre V6; just 100 or so were built.

Honourable mentions for 1969: Austin Maxi, Fiat 128, Renault 12, Chevrolet K5 Blazer

The Range Rover is often credited with being the first luxury SUV, but that's not the case. Not only was the original Range Rover surprisingly utilitarian (but still relatively plush compared with most contemporary 4x4s), but the Jeep Wagoneer arrived seven years earlier – although that car didn't make it to Europe, officially.

We'll see a fifth-generation Range Rover before long, and just like its forebears we'll expect the newcomer to be luxurious, packed with cutting-edge tech and expensive, but still impossibly capable in even the toughest of terrain.

Honourable mentions for 1970: Citroën GS, Citroën SM, Ford Pinto, Nissan Cherry, Toyota Celica, Triumph Stag

The stakes were seriously high when Alfa Romeo introduced the Alfasud, because this was an all-new car with an all-new powertrain built in an all-new factory. The Italian Government helped to fund the new factory in the south of Italy (hence the name Alfa Sud, or Alfa South), where labour relations were always a problem.

But the car itself was fabulous with its engaging handling, zesty engines, a snappy gear change and excellent refinement. The first cars had just two or four doors; a hatch wouldn't arrive until 1981, by which point most of the earlier cars has rusted away.

Honourable mentions for 1971: Fiat 127, Mercedes SL R107

When the original 5 Series was launched in 1972, BMW had already made a name for itself with its beautifully built sporting saloons, which were costly to buy, made in relatively small numbers and could outhandle just about all of their rivals. The E12 5 Series ushered in a new era for BMW with its new naming convention and bigger production numbers.

Initially there was four-cylinder power only but within a year there would be six-cylinder powerplants too, and while there would be no E12 M5, there would be an M535i – the first mainstream road-going car to come from BMW Motorsport division.

Honourable mentions for 1972: Fiat 126, Fiat X/19, Lancia Beta, Renault 5 and Volkswagen Passat

Ford took enthusiasts by surprise with the Mustang II. Based on an evolution of the platform found under the Pinto, it was 13 inches shorter than its direct predecessor and 7 inches shorter than the 1964 original. The changes under the bonnet were equally drastic; the entry-level engine was a four-cylinder that mustered only 85bhp and the most powerful Mustang II offered a 108bhp V6. The V8 vanished.

Purists yelled “say it ain’t so!” but the market responded favourably to these dramatic changes. Ford sold 338,136 units by the end of the 1974 model year compared to 193,129 examples of the big-bodied car during the previous model year.

We've had seven generations of Volkswagen Golf, with an eighth is about to arrive. It's easily VW's biggest-selling brand – and the world's second-biggest thanks to a dozen generations of the Toyota Corolla. Styled by Giorgetto Giugiaro and offered in hatchback and cabriolet forms, the Golf Mk1 also popularised the hot hatch, with the introduction of the Golf GTi in 1976.

Seen by some as synonymous with boring and predictable, the Golf has gone on to become hugely likeable for its refinement, build quality, great engines and decent dynamics. No wonder it's one of just three cars to scoop the European Car of the Year award on two occasions.

Honourable mentions for 1972: Audi 50 (which would become the Volkswagen Polo), Citroën CX

It would be hard to imagine a world without the BMW 3 Series. The seventh generation of this all-encompassing compact executive was launched in 2018, but few could have guessed just how significant the original 3 Series was. The E21 took all of the brilliance of the E12 5 Series and condensed it into a smaller bodyshell, so there were efficient four- and six-cylinder engines and an engaging rear-wheel drive chassis.

With excellent build quality and superb ergonomics the E21 set the template for future BMWs as well as setting the standard for rivals to match – which they've frequently failed to do.

Honourable mentions for 1975: Ferrari 308GTB, Hyundai Pony, Jaguar XJ-S, Lancia Montecarlo, Triumph TR7, Vauxhall Cavalier, Vauxhall Chevette, Volkswagen Polo

Ever since the original Ford Fiesta arrived in 1976, it has topped the UK sales charts pretty much continuously. The first Fiesta represented the biggest-ever product investment by any car maker and it was Ford's first ever front-wheel drive car as well as the first with a transversely mounted engine for better packaging.

More than 16 million Fiestas have been sold globally across eight generations, buyers hooked on the supermini's blend of space, affordability and usually brilliant dynamics, as well as a wide model range that ensures there's something for everyone, whether the focus is on ultimate economy or blistering performance from the current 197bhp ST version.

Honourable mentions for 1976: Aston Martin Lagonda, Honda Accord, Lotus Esprit, Mercedes-Benz W123, Porsche 924, Rover SD1

The original Ford Bronco was getting long in the tooth by the middle of the 1970s. Competitors made by International-Harvester, Chevrolet and Dodge were bigger and more modern so Ford alchemized the Bronco into a full-size off-roader built on pickup bones. Four-wheel drive, a manual transmission and a 154bhp V8 came standard though nearly 80% of buyers selected the optional automatic gearbox.

The transformation was drastic but it was exactly what the nameplate needed. Annual sales soared from 13,600 units in 1976 to nearly 94,000 in 1979. Ford had breathed new life into the class. Around 1.5 million were sold across five generations until it died in 1996. An all-new Bronco will arrive in 2020.

Honorable mention for 1977: Matra Rancho

Sold in its home market as the Ritmo, in the UK and for many of Fiat's export markets this quirkily styled family hatch was known as the Strada. Probably a wise choice bearing in mind Ritmo is Italian for Rhythm – while Strada simply means Road… offered in three- or five-door hatchback forms as well as a cabriolet, Strada production lasted for a whole decade, with almost 1.8 million made before the Tipo took over.

Some of those featured a 1.7-litre diesel engine, which was something of a rarity at a time when family cars were almost exclusively powered by petrol.

Honourable mentions for 1978: BMW M1, Citroën Visa, Honda Prelude, Mazda RX-7, Opel Monza & Senator, Saab 900, Toyota Supra

There have been three generations of Lancia Delta, but only the original edition sired the magnificent four-wheel drive turbocharged Integrale, which arrived in 1987. That was a full eight years after the Delta was introduced in lowly 1.3 and 1.5-litre forms, with front-wheel drive.

Good enough to win the 1980 European Car of the Year, the Delta mixed modern design courtesy of Giorgetto Giugiaro, with zesty engines and the arrival of the Delta HF 4WD in 1986 brought one of the most advanced four-wheel drive transmissions ever created. Curiously, in Sweden a Saab-badged edition was available, called the 600.

Honourable mentions for 1979: Mercedes G-Wagen, Vauxhall Astra, Volkswagen Jetta

The Audi Quattro wasn't the first car with a turbocharger and it wasn't the first production car with four-wheel drive either. But it was the first to combine these two things to devastating effect, making the Quattro one of the most usable high-performance cars ever created, and it led to four-wheel drive becoming mainstream. Fast and sure-footed for year-round usability, it could carry four adults with their luggage.

Developed to take advantage of rule changes that allowed four-wheel drive within competition, the Quattro scooped numerous wins in the World Rally Championship as well as the Pikes Peak Hillclimb. Audi's quattro drivetrain is still used throughout its model range.

Honourable mentions for 1980: Austin Metro, Bentley Mulsanne, Fiat Panda, Ford Escort Mk3

We've already featured the original 5 Series because it was the first of the breed, but the second take on the formula was even more accomplished and it was even more important than its predecessor, even though production numbers were much the same. Produced in four- and six-cylinder forms the E28 was also offered with a glorious 2.4-litre straight-six diesel engine, which came in 524 TDS guise.

It was the E28 5 Series that gave us the first M5 but there would be no Touring edition just yet – that would have to wait until the third-generation 5 Series, the E34.

Honourable mention for 1981: DMC DeLorean

Mercedes-Benz was nearly a century old when it introduced its first compact four-door saloon, the 190, forerunner to the C-Class. Until now Mercedes had focused exclusively on larger and more costly saloons, estates, convertibles and coupés. The idea of the 190 was that it would increase sales volumes for Mercedes, but it would still be strong, safe and well-made.

To that end the 190 pioneered the use of lightweight high-strength steels to improve crash safety and it also featured airbags, seatbelt pre-tensioners and anti-lock brakes. By the time German production ended in 1993, almost 1.9 million 190s had been made.

Honourable mentions for 1981: Audi 100, BMW 3 Series (E30), Citroën BX, Opel Corsa, Porsche 944, Volvo 760

While the Chrysler group didn’t invent the minivan, it perfected it by releasing the Dodge Caravan (pictured) and the Plymouth Voyager in 1983. Both models were identical except for minor model-specific trim pieces. They were front-wheel drive, a layout chosen partly because it allowed engineers to give the vans a fully flat loading floor.

Buyers could use either van as a family car during the week and remove the rear seats to pick up sheets of plywood from the hardware store on the weekend. Chrysler’s vans took practicality to the next level and were considered the models to beat by American and Japanese carmakers. MPVs may be yesterday’s news today, but their ‘80s success gave Chrysler the financial firepower to acquire AMC and its coveted Jeep brand in 1987, making the company a powerful force in SUVs to this day.

Honorable mentions in 1983: Ford Bronco II, Jeep Cherokee (XJ), Honda CRX

Ever since it was launched 35 years ago, the original Mercedes E-Class, the W124, has been held up as a paragon of durability. Famously the last of the seriously over-engineered Mercs, the W124 came in saloon, estate, coupé and cabriolet forms and all of them offered swift, refined and comfortable long-distance cruising with cutting-edge safety tech.

The W124 was so good that it's rumoured BMW was forced to rethink its own E34 5 Series to match the quality of its rival. By the time the W124 went out of production in 1996 more than 2.5 million of them had been built.

Honourable mentions in 1984: Ferrari 288 GTO, Ferrari Testarossa, Renault Espace, Seat Ibiza, Toyota MR2, Chevrolet Nova

Until 1931 Rolls-Royce and Bentley were two separate marques, but when Rolls bought its biggest rival the two cars offered pretty much the same products with two different badges. Bentley sales dwindled and the brand was in danger of being shuttered; the Turbo R was the first sign of any real investment in the company. Sure it was based on a Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit but what a transformation…

The Turbo R grew out of the Mulsanne Turbo first seen in 1982; the fitment of a turbocharger transformed the performance, especially when combined with a reworking of the suspension. This really was the fastest drawing-room on four wheels.

Honourable mentions in 1985: Ferrari 328, Peugeot 309, Ford Taurus

Porsche has long been one of the most innovative car makers, but the company really surpassed itself with the composite-bodied 959. When it arrived the 959 was the world's fastest road-legal car; its twin-turbo 2.85-litre flat-six put out 444bhp which was enough to take it all the way to 197mph.

More impressive though was the computer-controlled four-wheel drive transmission which sent the torque to whichever wheels could best deploy it, while there was automatic ride-height adjustment to optimise the aerodynamics. Between 1986 and 1988 Porsche built 337 959s, but another eight were made in 1992-93.

Honourable mentions in 1986: Jaguar XJ (XJ40), Ford Sierra RS Cosworth, Rover 800, Jeep Wrangler (XY)

The last car to be signed off by company founder Enzo Ferrari before his death the following year, the F40 appeared in 1987 and it's been frightening well-heeled owners ever since – either financially or dynamically. With its 471bhp turbocharged V8 powering only the rear wheels, the F40 is a fearsome car to drive; Ferrari claimed it was the world's first production car capable of 200mph with its 201mph top speed.

But it wasn't just about ultimate pace – it was the way the Ferrari assaulted its occupants' senses as it accelerated relentlessly, with 0-124mph possible in just 12 seconds. Ferrari aimed to build 400 F40s, but ended up making 1311 of them. Despite the numbers, they’re very valuable today; a 1991 example sold at auction for $1.8 million (about £1.4 million) in 2019.

Honourable mentions in 1987: BMW 5 Series (E34), Lancia Delta Integrale, Peugeot 405

Volkswagen is the master when it comes to platform sharing. All three iterations of the Scirocco were based on the Golf, and between generations two and three came this; another Scirocco in everything except name. Svelte, beautifully made and eminently practical, buyers could choose between naturally aspirated or supercharged four-cylinder engines along with VW's narrow-angle VR6 unit in 2.8 or 2.9-litre forms.

Based on the Golf Mk2, the Corrado was made by Karmann with production lasting for seven years, in which time just 97,521 were built.

Honourable mentions in 1988: BMW Z1, Cizeta V16T, Ford Probe, Opel Calibra/Vectra

Toyota allowed its brightest engineers and designers to tap into a bottomless pit of money to develop the first-generation Lexus LS. Nothing was left to chance; the saloon had to be better than Germany’s finest while costing less to build. Toyota went as far as developing a new type of carpet to save weight.

The first LS made its debut in 1989 with a 238bhp V8. It allegedly forced Mercedes-Benz to make several last-minute changes to the 1992 W140 S-Class and pushed it to embark on a ferocious cost-cutting campaign.

Honourable mentions: Isuzu Rodeo, Shelby Dakota

The 5 had proved to be a huge success for Renault and it still looked smart when it was killed off, but the supermini segment had moved on by the time the Clio appeared in 1990. On paper the Clio didn't really offer anything new – in reality it looked neat, was fun to drive, intelligently packaged and eminently affordable. It also came with some great engines, especially the Clio Williams which arrived in 1993.

The Clio was such a winner for Renault that it's one of just three cars (alongside the VW Golf and Vauxhall Astra/Opel Kadett) to bag the European Car of the Award twice (in 1991 and 2006).

Honourable mentions in 1990: Honda NSX, Lotus Carlton

One of the best-looking cars ever created, thanks to its stylistic simplicity, the Griffith was no one-trick pony as it also blended shattering performance with eminent affordability and decent levels of practicality to devastating effect. Devoid of electronic safety aids, the Griffith was a car for serious drivers only, with its torquey V8, rear-wheel drive and fabulous soundtrack, while fierce acceleration was aided by the relatively lightweight construction thanks to the use of a glassfibre bodyshell.

No wonder these cars have become seriously collectible in recent years, with values of really good examples climbing steadily.

Honourable mentions in 1991: Bentley Continental R, Bugatti EB110, Fiat Cinquecento, Mercedes 500E, Suzuki Cappuccino, Dodge Viper

The McLaren F1 changed everything when it was launched in 1992. Here was a car with a carbon fibre structure and panels, in which was mounted a naturally aspirated V12 engine rated at 627bhp. The result was a slingshot that could do 240mph, but even at low speeds it was thrilling to drive with its unassisted steering and brakes, as well as a centrally located driver's seat.

At £534,000 plus local taxes the F1 was totally uncompromising, and as a result just 106 McLaren F1s were made, of which only 71 were road-going; the rest were racers.

Honourable mentions in 1992: Ferrari 456, Jaguar XJ220, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo, Renault Twingo, Subaru Impreza Turbo, TVR Chimaera

If it hadn’t been for the DB7, Aston Martin would be nothing more than a footnote in the motoring hall of fame by now. With just a handful of cars trickling out of the Newport Pagnell gates by the early 1990s, Aston Martin was a basket case that needed some serious investment.

New owner Ford was able to provide exactly that, and the gorgeous DB7 was the result. It catapulted Aston Martin into a new era, with its svelte design, supercharged straight-six engine and engaging handling. Things got even better in 1999 when the DB7 Vantage arrived with its 420bhp V12 powerplant.

Honourable mentions in 1993: Fiat Punto, Peugeot 306

In the late 1980s, Toyota challenged its engineering department to make a model capable of going far off the beaten path while remaining car-like in normal driving conditions. The original RAV4 introduced in 1994 ticked both boxes. It defined the modern crossover and inspired a legion of competitors all over the world.

Honourable mentions for 1994: Chevrolet Impala SS, Dodge Neon

As we've already seen, the first people carriers had already been around for over a decade by the time the results of Ford and Volkswagen's collaboration hit the roads, but it was their Galaxy and Sharan that made the MPV mainstream. By 1996 there was a Seat version too, called the Alhambra, which like its siblings offered comfort, space and refinement as well as a car-like driving experience and ultimate practicality – yet the asking prices were eminently affordable.

So it's a shame that MPVs have fallen out of favour in recent years, as buyers have moved into SUVs instead.

Honourable mentions in 1995: Alfa Romeo GTV & Spider (916), BMW Z3, Fiat Barchetta, MG F, Peugeot 406, Renault Megane

Porsche had some major financial troubles when the Boxster arrived in 1996. It needed a sure-fire hit on its hands, a volume seller that would fill its coffers. And that's exactly what the Boxster achieved, with buyers unable to get enough of this brilliant-handling, mid-engined two-seater convertible, with its zesty and free-revving six-cylinder powerplant.

Some were put off by the styling, but the car was a steal with its electrifying performance in Boxster S form – to the point where many questioned the relevance of the 911 which cost around twice as much.

Honourable mentions in 1996: Ferrari 550M, Ford Ka, Jaguar XK8, Lotus Elise, Mercedes SLK, Renault Scenic, TVR Cerbera, General Motors EV-1

When the Prius arrived it was seen as quirky and unnecessarily complicated. It didn't help that the styling of the original Prius was awkward and it wasn't all that good to drive. But it did prove to be just as reliable as you'd expect of a Toyota and it showed that a hybrid family car didn't have to be compromised in terms of usability, cost or the driving experience.

Those first Priuses had a 1.5-litre engine and no hatchback practicality, but Toyota learned quickly and since then we've had three more generations, all of which have featured five doors and – from the third-generation car – a 1.8-litre powerplant.

Honourable mentions in 1997: Alfa Romeo 156, Ford Puma, Honda Civic Type R, Mercedes A-Class, Mercedes ML-Class, Toyota Prius, Volkswagen Golf Mk4, Lincoln Navigator

Proving that the sweet-handling Mondeo of 1993 wasn't a one-off, Ford repeated the trick with its game-changing Focus. The Escort was well past its sell-by date when Ford finally axed it in 1998, in favour of the Focus, and it's right that the company came up with a new name for its best seller that breathed new life into the small family hatchback sector.

Class-leading to drive, the Focus also looked like nothing else (in a good way), was superbly refined and in typical Ford fashion there was a wide range of engines, trims, transmissions and bodystyles, so there was something for everyone – including a very fruity RS edition.

Honourable mentions in 1998: Audi TT, BMW 3 Series (E46), BMW M Coupé and Roadster, Jaguar S-Type, Lexus IS, Peugeot 206, Rover 75, Smart ForTwo, Volkswagen New Beetle, Cadillac Escalade

As we've seen, BMW was not the first company to build a luxury SUV, but it was the first to make one that handled like an estate car rather than a XXL-sized off-roader. Even now many rivals can't match the BMW's poise, while the original X5 (codenamed E53 by BMW) also came with some brilliant engines and a permanent four-wheel drive transmission for year-round security.

In short the X5 was just what you'd expect from BMW, so it was ergonomically brilliant and offered estate-car practicality – which is why it was like driving a 5 Series Touring, but a fair bit further from the Tarmac. The X5 has always been built in America, which makes plenty of sense as it’s always one of the model’s largest markets and thus cut BMW’s transport costs.

Honourable mentions in 1999: Audi A2, Audi RS4, Ferrari 360, Honda Insight, Honda S2000, Pagani Zonda, Skoda Fabia, Toyota Yaris

The world got its first glimpse of the BMW Mini in late 2000, although the first customer cars wouldn't be delivered until spring 2001. It took BMC/BL more than 40 years to build just over five million classic Minis and by August 2019 BMW had almost matched this to take the tally to 10 million.

Just like the original, the new Mini was a blast to drive and its cheeky styling ensured it was classless just like its predecessor, even if it wasn't quite as affordable. This was a baby BMW after all, so unlike the original Mini there was no bargain-basement pricing.

Honourable mentions in 2000: Alfa Romeo 147, Morgan Aero 8 and Opel Speedster/Vauxhall VX220

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