Multi-Purpose Vehicles
The 1980s saw the Sport-Utility Vehicle (SUV) market continue to grow, spawning some powerful 4x4s with exceptional mud-plugging ability, and some comfort-oriented cars with only limited ability on rough terrain. At the same time, a new niche was discovered, for spacious seven-seat Multi-Purpose Vehicles (MPVs), based on car or van platforms and aimed at larger families with a lot to carry.
Nissan Prairie, 1983
| Origin | Japan |
| Engine | 1,809 cc, straight-four |
| Top speed | 99 mph (159 km/h) |
Boxy and spacious, and with sliding rear doors, the Prairie, a Stanza Wagon in the United States, revealed a new market for van-like road cars and sold over a million in six years.
Nissan Patrol, 1982
| Origin | Japan |
| Engine | 3,246 cc, straight-six |
| Top speed | 80 mph (129 km/h) |
Rugged and basic compared with more upmarket rivals, the Patrol was an unashamed workhorse with live axles, semi-elliptic springs, and four-and six-cylinder engines.
Land Rover 88 SIII, 1971
| Origin | UK |
| Engine | 2,286 cc, straight-four |
| Top speed | 68 mph (109 km/h) |
The basic Land Rover continued to be among the best off-road vehicles throughout the 1980s. Creature comforts were limited, especially on this ex-army lightweight model.
Land Rover Discovery, 1989
| Origin | UK |
| Engine | 2,495 cc, straight-four |
| Top speed | 107 mph (172 km/h) |
Bridging the gap between the luxury Range Rover and the basic Land Rover, the Discovery was superb off-road and had a plush Conran-designed interior. It won a British Design Council award.
Mitsubishi Chariot, 1984
| Origin | Japan |
| Engine | 1,725 cc, straight-four |
| Top speed | 97 mph (156 km/h) |
Also sold as the Space Wagon, the Nimbus, and the Expo, this compact five- or seven-seater was one of the first ever MPVs. It had two-and four-wheel-drive models.
Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen, 1979
| Origin | German/Austria |
| Engine | 2,746 cc, straight-six |
| Top speed | 92 mph (148 km/h) |
Coil-sprung live axles gave the G-Wagen a smoother ride than its rival Land Rover, but high price and basic looks limited sales until Mercedes-Benz improved these in 1991.
Plymouth Voyager, 1984
| Origin | USA |
| Engine | 2,213 cc, straight-four |
| Top speed | 96 mph (154 km/h) |
Plymouth’s version of Chrysler’s all-new Minivan responded to a new MPV craze, previously only served by van adaptations like the Volkswagen Microbus.
Suzuki Vitara, 1988
| Origin | Japan |
| Engine | 1,590 cc, straight-four |
| Top speed | 87 mph (140 km/h) |
Suzuki mixed its off-road expertise with normal road car comforts in this compact soft-roader. Called a Sidekick in the United States, it established a niche market for the mini 4×4.
Lamborghini LM002, 1986
| Origin | Italy |
| Engine | 5,167 cc, V12 |
| Top speed | 125 mph (201 km/h) |
Italian supercar maker Lamborghini gave the LM002 a huge V12 engine feeding from six Weber carburetors. Super-fast on sand, it became a favorite among Arab oil sheikhs.
Renault Espace, 1984
| Origin | France |
| Engine | 1,995 cc, straight-four |
| Top speed | 105 mph (169 km/h) |
Matra’s MPV took years to reach production; scheduled to be a Simca, it ended up a Renault. Features included a galvanized inner shell, fiberglass skin, and seven movable seats.
Daihatsu Rocky, 1987
| Origin | Japan |
| Engine | 1,589 cc, straight-four |
| Top speed | 89 mph (143 km/h) |
Sold as the Sportrak or Feroza in some markets, the Rocky was a compact leisure 4×4. Two-and four-wheel-drive options gave fair on-and off-road performance.
Pontiac Trans Sport, 1989
| Origin | USA |
| Engine | 3,135 cc, V6 |
| Top speed | 107 mph (172 km/h) |
General Motors responded to the Chrysler Minivans with this rakishly styled, long-nosed MPV. It had a galvanized shell and plastic panels like Matra’s Espace.
Rayton Fissore Magnum, 1985
| Origin | Italy |
| Engine | 2,492 cc, V6 |
| Top speed | 104 mph (168 km/h) |
The Magnum was built by Fissore, using a shortened military Iveco four-wheel-drive chassis. It had Fiat/VM/Alfa 4- or 6-cylinder engines-or a V8 in the United States, where it sold as the Laforza.
Jeep Cherokee, 1984
| Origin | USA |
| Engine | 2,838 cc,V6 |
| Top speed | 96 mph (154 km/h) |
The first Jeep to have its chassis combined into a monocoque welded-steel bodyshell was a much more civilized car than its predecessors. It enjoyed greater sales as a result.
Jeep Wrangler, 1987
| Origin | USA |
| Engine | 3,956 cc, straight-six |
| Top speed | 105 mph (169 km/h) |
Conceived by AMC to rejuvenate basic Jeep model with overtones of its wartime ancestor, the Wrangler used 2.5-liter 4-cylinder or 4.0-liter 6-cylinder engines.
It is a quote. The Definitive Visual History Of The Automobile 2011
