There are, I find, two types of ’80s cars in my world. One is the type you see in American cop shows of the era and now beloved by synthwave fans: big, ostentatious sports cars made by Lamborghini and the like (the Countach is still my dream ‘silly 1980s car’, though I know if I actually had one I would never be able to park it anywhere). The other is the kind of car that actually existed on the streets of ’80s Britain – the type that litters the photos of our family archive. These cars often look a bit tired and rubbish, but they’re what most people drove.
What’s more, I find them a bit more interesting than the cars they drove in Miami Vice!
Here’s Mum in 1984, pregnant with me, taking a photo and standing next to a Morris Ital.
The Morris Ital is now one of the rarest cars on UK roads; according to the Telegraph there were only 11 left in 2018 (warning: paywall).
Possibly another ’80s car photo next week! Unless I get around to photographing more artefacts around my house again.