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1969 is most remembered as the year that Man took one giant leap onto the Moon and the end of an era came when the Beatles made their last public performance.
However, the year that also saw Concorde make its maiden flight was a good one for new car launches.
From the Ford Capri and Triumph TR6 that offered traditional thrills to the Mitsubishi Galant and Nissan Skyline GT-R that showed the future, 1969 was a year of great change. Here are the landmark cars from that year in alphabetical order:
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Aston Martin DBS V8
The DBS was always intended to have a V8 engine, but Aston Martin didn’t have its new motor ready in time so the DBS stuck with a straight six until 1969.
This is the car that bridged the gap between the old and new as a result, retaining the older style and DB badge but gaining the potent 5.3-litre V8 that powered Astons well into the 1990s.
The standard V8 put out a decent 282bhp, but Vantage models upped that to 325bhp and are the more collectible models now, especially with the manual gearbox rather than the Chrysler-sourced Torqueflite automatic. You’ll need £125,000 to find a well-cared for example of either but note the auto is the easier to drive. Vanishingly rare today in the US, sadly.
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Austin Maxi
Sneered at by many now, the Austin Maxi was fundamentally a good car let down by some initial quality issues and a mismatch between engine and gearbox.
The weedy 74bhp 1.5-litre E-series motor couldn’t cope with the long ratio of the top gear in the Maxi’s five-speed transmission, which was unusual at the time. It also had a dreadful cable-operated change that was addressed in later models with more powerful motors.
The Maxi was also the UK’s first hatchback and had fold-down rear seats to free up loads of luggage space – enough to make a double bed, as Austin pointed out. The Hydrolastic suspension, later Hydragas, gave a cushy ride, but the Maxi never quite achieved its sales targets during its 12-year life. Decent survivors can be had for £3000.
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Chevrolet Blazer
One of the most iconic names in the US automotive canon, the Chevrolet Blazer was among the first off-roaders to appeal to a wider audience than just farmers and hillbillies.
The first generation K5’s good looks meant it took on the Ford Bronco directly and there was a choice of engines from 4.1-litre straight six to 5.7-litre Hemi V8.
All-wheel drive was standard at first, but Chevy added the option of rear-wheel drive and you could pick between manual and auto gearboxes.
With plenty of ground clearance, the Blazer was good off-road but also decent to drive on the street. Chevrolet made the most of this broad appeal with a variety of body styles, encompassing pick-up, open-top and station wagon, all on a short wheelbase chassis.
This kind of thinking forced its rivals into doing the same and well-kept K5s now makes upwards of US$30,000.
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Ferrari Dino 246
The Dino 246 usually grabs all the headlines, but the 206 was Ferrari’s first road-going mid-engined car.
Initially badged as a Dino only after Enzo Ferrari’s late son, it later gained the Prancing Horse tags as sales proved more than strong enough that this baby of the range wouldn’t harm the firm’s reputation.
The 246 replaced the 206 in 1969 and went on to be a sales hit for Ferrari, selling 2487 GT coupes and 1274 GTS open-tops. The 206 only registered 152 sales, making it worth around £150,000 more than the £350,000 (or around $400,000 in the US) you’ll pay for a 246 Dino today.
Either way, this is a delightful car to drive and can top 140mph thanks to its aerodynamically slippery shape.
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Ford Capri
Cottoning on to the huge success of the Mustang in the USA, the newly combined Ford of Europe wanted its own muscle car and got it with the Capri.
Smaller than its US brethren, the Capri was no less in demand and Ford turned out more than 1.2 million of the first generation model between 1969 and 1974.
Helping sales was the crafty ploy of selling the Capri in everything from basic 1.3-litre form to the meaty 3.0-litre V6, which meant you could buy low but live the high life.
Ford also wasn’t blind to the attractions of motorsport with the Capri and the RS2600 and RS3100 (pictured) road cars were used to homologate race machines. These models will set you back at least £25,000, but other early Capris are more affordable from around £10,000 in top condition.
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Ford Mustang Boss 429
After the runaway success of the first Mustang, Ford had the unenviable task of following up with a replacement for America’s favourite sports car.
The answer was the second generation Mustang with four inches (101mm) added to the wheelbase and lower, wider styling, though it wasn’t as pretty.
To compensate, Ford also introduced the Boss 429 with a Cobra Jet big block motor of 7.0-litres and 375bhp.
This sort of firepower saw the Boss 429 from 0-60mph in less than six seconds and on to 120mph. It also saw service in NASCAR racing to counter the charge from rivals such as Chrysler. To keep the huge engine cool and fed with cool air, the Boss featured the largest bonnet scooper ever fitted to a Mustang from the factory.
Such rarity and desirability mean Boss 429’s now routinely make $250,000 (£192,500).
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Fiat 130
Fiat certainly didn’t lack ambition when it launched the 130 saloon as a rival to the likes of Mercedes and Lancia. Slightly dowdy styling hid a fine chassis underneath this four-door model, using torsion bars at the front and a rear end with a degree of passive steering.
It was mightily advanced for its period and included all-wheel disc brakes too.
However, the world was as cautious then as it is now about large Italian saloons and only 15,000 130s were made during its eight-year life. Even with a V6 engine that shared a block with the Ferrari Dino’s motor wasn’t enough to tempt many, though Enzo Ferrari liked them and it spawned a handsome coupé version.
Prices today reflect the lack of interest in the 130 and you’ll struggle to pay more than £6000 for an immaculate saloon.
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Honda 1300
The Honda 1300 is a hugely significant car in the Japanese firm’s history for a number of reasons. None of them are to do with sales success because it was a bit of showroom dud thanks to a high price and air-cooled engine.
Production delays didn’t help either as company boss Soichiro Honda often made changes on the hoof.
What makes the 1300 vital to Honda’s history is it taught the firm how to plan its model lines and it also buried the idea of air-cooled car engines.
In time, this laid the foundations for the Civic and Accord models, which saw Honda grow to become one of the largest car makers in the world. Today, a 1300 will set you back around £10,000 if you can find one.
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Manic GT
The Manic GT is that rare thing: a sports car designed and built in Canada. The brainchild of Jacques About, it came about after he left Renault and set up on his own, using the Renault 8’s engine and gearbox for the Manic.
Pretty styling made it a hit on the motorshow scene and orders were building up from customers.
However, About’s relationship with Renault was far from easy and not helped by the Manic being viewed as a rival to the Alpine A110 that also used Renault components.
When the supply of parts became difficult, the Manic GT project hit the buffers and only 160 were built rather than the proposed 200 per year. Finding one will be the biggest hurdle to ownership today, though prices are not exorbitant at around £12,000 for a working example.
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Mitsubishi Galant
The Galant went on sale in December 1969 and Mitsubishi first sold it in Japan through a dealer called the Galant Shop. It proved popular thanks to its clean, sharp styling and there was a choice of two- and four-door saloons and a five-door estate.
Power came from Mitsubishi’s 1.3- and 1.5-litre petrol engines to start with, later being replaced by 1.4- and 1.6-litre units.
Mitsubishi also found a foothold in the USA with the Galant, its first model ever to be sold there. However, it was badged as a Dodge Colt as part of the deal to gain access to Chrysler’s dealer network. However, that helped to kickstart the Galant dynasty that lasted until 2012.
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Nissan Skyline GT-R
One of the most famous badges in the performance car world traces its origins back to 1969 when the Nissan Skyline GT-R was launched as a four-door saloon. A two-door coupé followed, but it was the saloon that helped to create the legend with its career in touring car racing.
A 160bhp 2.0-litre straight six engine powered the car and it finished second only to a Porsche 904 GTS on its first outing.
The specification of the original GT-R was very advanced for the time, using a five-speed manual gearbox and limited slip differential. Inside, it was quite basic with bucket seats and only a little wooden trim to lighten the mood.
However, keen Japanese drivers loved it and 1945 GT-Rs were sold. Today, they command as much as £100,000 as the originator of the famous name.
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Peugeot 304
The Peugeot 304 was based on the same platform as the 204, so shared that car’s transverse front engine layout that was a first for the French company.
An extra six inches (152mm) in length gave the 304 a bigger boot and better looks, but the real lookers were the Coupe and Cabriolet that arrived in 1970.
All 304 models shared the same independent rear suspension that contributed to a very absorbent ride quality. The 304 also handled neatly and performed well in numerous rallies.
An estate model was added later in the 304’s life and now you can find these simple but rugged cars from as little as £2500 in decent order.
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Porsche 914
It’s easy to see where Porsche got its inspiration from for the Boxster when you look at the 914. Compact dimensions and a mid-mounted engine of modest but sufficient power output mark out both original designs.
In the case of the 914, its flat-four motor was borrowed from Volkswagen that gave decent performance in the 900kg (1980 lb) Porsche. A 914-6 derivative with the 911’s 110bhp flat-six was also offered but only 3360 were made.
Compare that to the 115,646 914s built and plenty of buyers saw the appeal of this affordable Porsche two-seater with its removable targa roof. Values are beginning to creep up for this under-appreciated Porsche and you’ll now pay from £15,000 (and US$20,000 in America) for a decently restored example.
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Renault 12
The Renault 12 marked the end of the French company’s rear-wheel drive, rear-engined models and took over the mantle of mid-sized saloon from the dull 10 model.
Considered quite rakish when launched, the 12 followed the mechanical layout of the handsome 16, though it had to make do with a four-speed manual gearbox rather than the 16’s five-speeder.
Reasonable to drive, the most fun version of the 12 is the Gordini model with 110bhp on offer from its 1.6-litre motor and it has a five-speed ’box plus distinctive stripes on the body.
A version of the 12 was made by Dacia until 2006, but most regard the Gordini as the only 12 worth saving, so values for the rest of the range mean you can find solid cars for £2000.
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Skoda 100
The Skoda 100 was a development of the theme the Czech maker had been using for a while: a simple four-door saloon with a rear-mounted engine.
The 100 came with a 1.0-litre motor and its 110 sister model with a larger 1.1-litre engine. They lasted eight years in production and sold more than 1 million units, the first Skoda to achieve this.
Some glamour was offered to the 100 line-up with the 110 R coupe that came with twin carburettors to provide 52bhp. There was also the 130 RS that was used for racing, rallying and hillclimbing with considerable success.
The RS is the most desirable 100 derivative and pricey, while a sound 100 saloon is yours for around £3000.
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Triumph TR6
The Triumph TR6 might have been getting on a bit dynamically with its separate chassis and rudimentary suspension, but it was one of the first road cars to popularise fuel injection.
It wasn’t without its teething troubles and US-spec cars did without this, preferring twin Stromberg carburettors instead although this meant less power than the 150bhp Euro cars.
From 1972, Triumph toned down power of home market TR6s to 124bhp, but it remained the choice of those who wanted a rough and ready six-cylinder sports car that didn’t cost a fortune.
Handsome looks by Karmann and an optional hardtop made it practical, helping to sell 94,619 during a seven-year life. Still sought-after today, good TR6s cost from £20,000 and US$20,000 stateside.
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Volkswagen K70
The K70 holds an important position in Volkswagen’s history as the car that took the company away from Beetle-based rear-engined models. This was partly by accident as the K70 had been developed by NSU.
VW bought NSU just as the new saloon was due to be launched but then decided to badge it as a Volkswagen.
Never a huge seller in its period, the K70 was fitted with either a 1.6- or 1.8-litre engine and all-independent suspension, so it had a comfortable ride. In most other respects, it was quite dull, but it now has a small but keen following who understand its significance. Even so, decent K70 sell for little more than £3000 nowadays.
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