Volvo 700 Series (1982)
Volvo was ticking along on its image of safety and durability when the 740 and 760 arrived. In an instant, the Swedish firm moved up a notch into the executive sector and became a desirable alternative to a Mercedes estate. Vast boots were a given, along with build quality that made bank vaults look flimsy, but what was unexpected was how good these saloons and estates were to drive.
A rear-wheel drive chassis coupled to lively engines made the 740 and 760 entertaining and the turbocharged models were decently quick, taking 8.0 seconds to cover 0-60mph. By the time production ended and the 900 took over, Volvo had shifted 1.23 million 700 Series cars. Not only did this provide welcome funds, it paved the way to the more upmarket image the company now enjoys today.
Peugeot 205 (1983)
Staid, dependable models marked out the Peugeot range until the arrival of the 205 supermini, which had been styled by Pininfarina. Immediately, the Peugeot brand became desirable and led to a raft of successful models, such as the 309 and 405. From the word go, the 205 was a sales hit and it’s easy to see why with its great drive, roomy cabin, and low running costs.
While the GTI model now commands all of the limelight, it’s the basic 205 models that notched up more than 2.5 million sales that delivered the required shot of cash in the bank that Peugeot needed.
Ford Taurus (1986)
Ford in Europe might have been doing well in the mid-1980s, but in the US it needed a sale hit, and it needed it soon. As a result, the Taurus didn’t arrive a moment too soon for the Blue Oval to stop it haemorrhaging money. This was achieved with the new ‘culture of quality’ mantra that replaced the old ‘that’ll do’ approach.
At a stroke, Ford led the mid-size field in the US, helped by the Taurus coming in a variety of body styles and trims that allowed buyers to tailor it to their needs. It was also good to drive, economical, and the quality put well above rivals. By 1991, when the second-generation Taurus was introduced, the first-generation model had found more than two million happy buyers.
