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Cars launched in Britain in 1972

Although floundering after its peak 20-years earlier as Europe’s major post-war vehicle production force, Britain remained a strong contender on the world’s new car stage in 1972. British-built cars still accounted for the majority of UK new cars sales, although they were increasingly under threat from imports – especially the Japanese. British Leyland was still hanging on to its overall market lead, with other main UK contenders like Ford, Vauxhall and the ex-Rootes Chrysler Group snapping away at its heels, with Datsun, Fiat and Renault leading the import charge from overseas.

The major new ‘British’ new model for 1972 was the Ford Consul/Granada range, the Blue Oval’s top-line executive sector models. In truth, these were jointly developed by Ford’s colleagues in Germany, where the majority of these flashy new models were produced. The entry-level Consul and more up-market Granada jointly superseded both the ill-proportioned and unloved Zephyr/Zodiac MK IV range in the UK, plus the Cologne-built Ford Taunus 17M/20M in Germany and mainland Europe. The range-topping Granada in particular quickly found an place in the affections of successful British bank managers and CEOs, in addition to the lesser Consul appealing to the aspirational underworld fraternity, plus the cops that frequently chased them, dramatically crashing through piles of empty cardboard boxes on our TV screens with wild car chases in The Sweeney.

Ford’s main American rival – General Motors – introduced its own executive Granada competitor in 1972 too, the new ‘Transcontinental’ line of Vauxhall Victor FE models, joined by the more expensive six-cylinder Ventora and sportier VX4/90 models. Though pleasing on the eye, Vauxhall’s new range-topping models failed to make any noticeable dent in Granada sales, with these large Luton models revised as the VX range in 1976, soon being replaced in 1978 by the more successful Opel Rekord-derived Carlton.

British Leyland’s only new model news for 1972 was limited to a practical five-door Estate derivative of the then-recent Morris Marina, plus an unusual transversely-mounted six-cylinder motor for the ADO17 Austin-Morris 2200 ‘Landcrab’ 1800 range.

At the top of the vast BL model empire, the wonderful new V12 engine that Jaguar had previewed on the controversial E-type Series 3 in 1971 found its true fitting home in the widely-acclaimed Jaguar XJ12 (and its costlier badge-engineered Daimler Double Six twin) in 1972.

Chrysler’s new model news for 1972 was limited to Estate and performance-orientated Tiger versions of the popular Hillman Avenger, with the Tiger adding bold body stripes and a strong rear boot spoiler, plus welcome added power to the rear-wheel-drive four-door saloon.

Other new British cars introduced fifty years ago included the Jensen-Healey, an entry two-seat roadster launched by the prestigious West Bromwich sportscar maker to effectively replace the legendary Austin- Healey 3000, which sadly it failed to do, ultimately contributing to Jensen’s collapse four years later. In the specialist performance car field, Aston Martin successfully facelifted the previous DBS with a reworked single headlight front end to create the new, long-lived V8 (plus its forgotten six-cylinder Vantage sibling). Exclusive car maker Bristol took the opposite route, adding quad headlamps for the very first time to its desirable revamped 411 S3, and a brand new name to the British motoring scene appeared in the form of Panther West Winds Ltd. of Brooklands, launching an audacious modern Jaguar-powered twist on the classic pre-Jaguar SS100 with its extravagant and expensive retro Panther J72.

Cars launched in France in 1972

Across the English Channel, the Continental European carmakers had a busy 1972. In France, the State-owned local market leader Renault introduced one of the most influential and successful cars of the decade, the versatile new Renault 5 hatchback. Aimed squarely at Europe’s best-selling car of the era, the Fiat 127, the likeable Renault was available with a handy rear opening tailgate and drop-down rear seat from the word go, unlike the Fiat. The R5 went on to achieve near-cult status over its 12-year career, with almost 5.5 million examples built.

French rival Peugeot also introduced its own direct rival to the new Renault 5, in the form of the pleasing Pininfarina-penned Peugeot 104. Peugeot’s first small model entry since the 1920s, the Sochaux automotive giant made the tactical error initially of launching the 104 with a boot only, rather than a hatchback, making this model less versatile than the new Renault, despite the Peugeot offering the advantage of four doors, to make the world’s smallest/shortest four-door car at the time. Again like the Fiat 127, Peugeot soon addressed the 104’s lack of an opening rear tailgate by adding a hatch later in the model’s long life, first seen on the charming shorter-wheelbase 104 ZS Coupe of 1973. Although not as strong-selling, the Peugeot 104 outlived the Renault 5 with a healthy 16-year production run.

Cars launched in Germany in 1972

In neighbouring Germany, a quartet of significant executive models were announced in 1972. Arguably the most noteworthy of these was the majestic new Mercedes-Benz S-Class (W116) saloon. Rivalling the contemporary Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow for the title of Best Car in the World at the time, the new S-Class shared numerous components with the sporting R107 350 SL launched a year earlier. One of the safest and most sought after prestige cars of the 1970s, the W116 pioneered padded interior trim, ABS anti-lock braking and airbags in Europe.

Less desirable, but equally impressive, the 1972 Munich-based Olympic Games saw local vehicle producer BMW debut the first of its long line of ‘Series’ models, the Bertone/Gandini-styled BMW 5 Series saloon. Developed initially with a range of four-cylinder engines (the more iconic six-cylinder motors joining the 5 Series range in 1973), the new mid-range BMW saloon replaced the crucial Michelotti-designed ‘Neuer Klasse’ of 1961 that helped to save the Bavarian carmaker at the time. Later incarnations of the BMW 5 Series went on to set the standard for the mid-size executive saloon for many years to come.

Germany’s third prestige offering was another vital car for its maker. The car was the Audi 80, a crisp lower-medium executive saloon styled by Ital Design and the then-recently revived marque’s first model to be launched, based on an equivalent Volkswagen (the first-generation Passat, also the work of Ital Design, and debuting later in 1973). Although the new 80 shared no mechanical connection with any other Audi model, numerous subsequent Audis evolved from this car, making the 80 the marque’s most important model of the 1970s.

Battling with the more prestigious badges of Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi, the fourth new German executive saloon of 1972 was a capable opponent presented by a more mainstream volume manufacturer: Opel. The new Opel Rekord/Commodore combo were more trans-Atlantic than their new German competitors, but were equally stylish, being big, comfortable and totally conventional, sharing their rear-wheel-drive underpinnings with their new General Motors Vauxhall Victor FE cousins from Luton. Importantly, the new Record and its prestigious six-cylinder Commodore offering were commercially more successful than any of the new S-Class, 5 Series and 80 rivals, selling in excess of 1.3 million examples during their short five-year life cycle.

Cars launched in Italy in 1972

Although the Modena-based makers of Italian exotica didn’t present much new significant metal in 1972 (the lovely Maserati Merak being an exception, this ‘entry’ model being a Citroën SM V6-powered 2+2 version of the exciting Maserati Bora launched in 1971), 50 years ago was still a hectic time for the Country’s ‘big three’ established mass-market carmakers.

Beginning with the main Italian market leader Fiat, the giant launched no fewer than three new models. The first of these was the Fiat 132, an upmarket junior executive model, positioned above the 124 family to replace the outgoing 125. Instantly forgettable by Fiat standards, the 132 soldiered on for a dozen years without making any real impact on the market, even in Italy!

More significant was the Fiat 126, the marque’s second new model of 1972. A cheery two-box saloon with clear 127 ‘family look’ design influences and intended to replace the iconic Fiat 500, this tiny rear-engined model enjoyed an even mightier production run than the classic 500, despite lacking some of the brio and character of its rounded predecessor. Quickly achieving its own cult status in many markets around the world (especially Poland, where it was built for decades), the 126 comfortably outsold the 500 by a strong margin.

The third, most significant and fun new Fiat fifty years ago was the delightful Fiat X1/9, the game-changing little mid-engined targa-topped sportscar that combined go-kart-like handling with an engaging drive and affordable price. A cleverly conceived package, the stylish ‘mini Ferrari’ Bertone/Gandini designed X1/9 cunningly utilised Fiat 128 componentry, the two-seater proving hugely influential for subsequent rivals such as the 1980s Toyota MR2 and Pontiac Fiero.

As if this trio of new Fiat models wasn’t enough in one year, the giant Italian group’s luxury Lancia division also launched its first all-new model in 1972 since being taken over by Fiat just three years earlier. The resultant Lancia Beta was first revealed in a smart two-box ‘Berlina’ saloon form, with a multitude of other body styles following in an extensive Beta programme in later years. An impressive machine at launch, the Beta was the model that firmly helped to put Lancia on the map for many new conquest clients, both for good and bad reasons! Well-equipped and good to drive, with a prestige shield on the grille, the capable front-drive Beta opened up many new doors for Lancia, but ultimately slammed many as well (especially here in the UK), due to its propensity to rust. The difference for the Beta was that Lancia handled the corrosion ‘scandal’ of the early 1980s particularly badly, unfairly killing the brand’s healthy sales (Lancia comfortably outsold BMW, Audi, Saab and others here in the late-‘70s) and its once-impeccable reputation for good.

Still independent of Fiat at the time, Alfa Romeo followed its ground-breaking Alfasud of 1971 with its more conventional Alfa Romeo Alfetta 1.8 Berlina one year later, the Milanese marque’s first all-new medium-sized chassis for a decade, most notable for its new rear-mounted gearbox and final drive unit. The agreeable Alfetta Berlina spawned the delightful Ital Design GT/GTV coupes in the mid-‘70s, but sadly never gained the rated Busso V6 motor later shoehorned into the facelifted GTV in the early 1980s, despite saloon production lasting well into the mid-‘80s.

Cars launched in Japan in 1972

Away from the UK and the rest of Europe, no other new cars of any real consequence were launched in 1972, with nothing notable coming out of Sweden, Spain, the Eastern Bloc, nor indeed the USA.

As if proof were needed that the Land of the Rising Sun was rapidly becoming a force to be reckoned with in the global automotive sector though, the first Honda Civic of 1972 was more than proof enough. Arguably the first proper ‘grown up’ Honda passenger car model to reach major vital export markets such as the UK, Europe and the USA, the compact Civic ‘supermini’ strongly established Honda as a serious car maker, after the fun but futile earlier ‘niche’ models. Originally launched as a 1,200cc booted two-box saloon only, a third hatch door was soon added, along with the option of Hondamatic automatic transmission, plus extended five-door models. 

Other new Japanese entries in 1972 included the mid-size Datsun Bluebird 160B/180B (type 810) range, offering Ford Cortina-sized models at Escort prices, with Granada standard equipment levels. The lavish specification of the then-new Toyota Corona II 2000 was equally tempting in standard feature- starved export markets too, even if this model was cursed with the overly- ornate ‘Coke bottle’ styling so typical of Japanese cars of the era.