I pick the best car from each year of the decade
Honestly, the 1990s don’t seem that long ago – however, it was the decade that popularised email and the World Wide Web; we got mobile phones that weren’t bricks, as well as digital SLR cameras, Sony Discmans and MP3 players; 170Mb was a lot and Y2K was terrifying but never actually happened.
Millennials were born, multiculturalism and counter-culture were a thing, we all relived the Titanic sinking on the big screen, freaked out at The Silence of the Lambs, and relived history with Forest Gump. Animated movies made a comeback with Toy Story, Aladdin and The Lion King. We were listening to the Spice Girls, watching Friends and renounced the flashy, flamboyant fashions of the 80s for a grungier and more casual look.
Cars became more rounded and less boxy; safer and more efficient with wider use of ABS and traction control as well as Volvo introducing side airbags; while SUVs started to gain popularity, spurring the likes of BMW and Lexus to produce the X5 and RX, respectively. There were many standard-setting and iconic cars introduced in this decade, some of which are now valuable classics and collectables. Here then is the rundown of the best from each year.
1990 – Honda NSX
Japan really cemented its position as a world leader in terms of car production and sales in this decade. It had already gained credibility as a luxury car maker with the likes of the 1989 Lexus LS; all it needed now was a supercar. F1 veterans Honda duly obliged with the NSX, which not only put rivals from Ferrari and Porsche to shame, but is inextricably linked to the legend of Ayrton Senna who allegedly helped develop it – and you can’t get more credible than that.
The Japanese also gave us the Mitsubishi 3000GT/GTO (a sort of poor man’s NSX but laden with tech, including sophisticated 4WS) and the Nissan Sunny/Pulsar GTI-R with 227bhp. The American car industry was struggling at the beginning of the decade but still managed to muster up the amazing 180mph Chevrolet Corvette C4 ZR1. Meanwhile, Europe gave us the elegant BMW 8-series and the wild Lamborghini Diablo, plus the world’s fastest saloon – the Lotus Carlton.
- Germany reunifies as the Berlin Wall comes down.
- Nelson Mandela is released from prison after 27 years.
- The Hubble Space Telescope is launched.
- Home Alone hits cinemas.
1991 – GMC Syclone
This was a bit of a surprise, and the first of its kind – a performance-orientated truck. It’s Turbo V6 produced 280bhp and gave it a 0-60mph acceleration time of an astonishing 4.3 seconds. It was the world’s fastest truck, and also sired the world’s fastest SUV the following year – the Typhoon.
Bugatti marked its return as a supercar maker with the EB110, Porsche evolved the brilliant 944 into the 968, which would be its last front-engined two-door sports car, Mercedes commissioned Porsche to create the beefy 322bhp V8-engined 500 E, and TVR gave us the crazed little Griffith. Kei cars (small city cars) in Japan spurred both Suzuki and Honda to come out with marvellous tiny little roadsters, the Cappuccino and Beat respectively, and staying with Honda, it introduced one of the best-looking generation of Civics ever.
- The Gulf War dominates world headlines.
- The Soviet Union collapses; end of the Cold War.
- The World Wide Web goes public. Silence of the Lambs wins Best Picture.
1992 – McLaren F1
Arguably Gordon Murray’s finest moment, his creation bearing the McLaren name is already one of the most valuable cars in the world – we’re talking $20m plus! And not just because it famously had gold lining in the engine bay, as that was just one of a host of exotic materials employed including carbon fibre, titanium, magnesium and Kevlar. The ground-breaking three-seat supercar was fantastically over-engineered, and its BMW-sourced V12 saw it achieve a stupendous 240mph.
It puts everything else in the shade, including the sensational Jaguar XJ220, which would otherwise have won 92. Meanwhile, the Ford Escort RS Cosworth, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo and Subaru WRX created the genre of Rally-bred homologation cars with massive cult followings. VW gave us lusty VR6 versions of the Golf and Corrado, and we were spoilt for sports car choice with the third-gen Mazda RX-7, TVR Chimaera, mental V10 Dodge Viper and sublime Ferrari 456.
- Bill Clinton elected U.S. President.
- Los Angeles riots after Rodney King verdict.
- Euro Disney (now Disneyland Paris) opens.
- Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” tops charts worldwide.
1993 Porsche 911 (993)
Personally, I still prefer the previous 964 generation Porsche 911 and so here’s a special shout-out for the Turbo S 3.6 that featured in the first Bad Boys movie. It overlapped with the introduction of the 993, which became the last air-cooled, and hence, ‘proper’ 911. Despite this, it was significantly revised with new suspension and a 6-speed manual transmission. As well as the Turbo and Turbo S, there was a track-orientated Carrera RS and the fearsome 424bhp first-gen GT2.
Also hot in 93 was the Chris Bangle-designed Fiat Coupe, Jaguar V12-engined Lister Storm, Ford Mustang SVT Cobra, F1-inspired Renault Clio Williams and the A80 Toyota Supra, a Japanese muscle car subsequently made famous by the first Fast and Furious movie.
- World Trade Center bombing in New York.
- Oslo Accords signed for Middle East peace.
- “Jurassic Park” breaks box-office records.
- Beanie Babies craze begins.
1994 Aston Martin DB7
Not only was the Aston Martin DB7 fittingly beautiful, but it’s also the car that saved the company thanks to selling 7000 examples. Despite being based on a revised Jaguar XJS platform, with lights and door handles from Mazda and interior switchgear from the Ford Scorpio, it was so successful that it’s the reason the Jaguar XK exists. If it wasn’t for the DB7, James Bond might still be in BMWs.
Which reminds me to mention the E38 BMW 7 Series, the most elegant of the series, and having brought up Jaguar, let’s give a shout-out to the first XJR. Mentions too for the sexy Alfa Romeo GTV and Spider, the mean Chevrolet Impala SS, Toyota’s Celica GT-4 and the amazing Porsche-developed Audi RS2 Avant. Oh and Ferrari finally fought back against Honda, with its vastly improved F355.
- Nelson Mandela becomes President of South Africa.
- Channel Tunnel (“Chunnel”) opens between UK and France.
- O.J. Simpson’s televised police chase grips America.
- “Friends” debuts on TV.
1995 Volvo 850 T-5R
A family estate car mixing it up in the British Touring Car Championship? What a fantastic publicity coup! This warranted a hot road edition, and we got it – the boxilicious 850 T-5R in saloon or estate flavours. Suddenly, Volvo went from safe but staid to solid but seditious. What a thing.
Meanwhile Fiat followed up the Coupe with the lovely little Barchetta, shame it was front wheel drive, though Honda showed how FWD should be done with the thrilling Integra Type R DC2. MG was back making roadsters with the F and TF, Nissan cemented the return of the GT-R with the R33, Ferrari’s follow up to the F40 was the not quite as brutal F50, and should I mention the BMW Z3. Damn, I just did.
- Windows 95 launches – Bill Gates becomes a household name.
- Oklahoma City bombing shocks the U.S.
- eBay is founded.
- Pixar releases Toy Story, the first fully computer-animated feature film.
1996 Lotus Elise
This side of a Caterham 7 (on the other side, there being only motorbikes) the Lotus Elise is the purest driving experience there is and a mini mid-engined sportscar that doesn’t suffer from poseur-titis and owner-compensating-for-something syndrome. It’s an absolute enduring delight, one that still lives on today in its third ‘facelift’ and is the car that’s kept Lotus going throughout its difficult years.
Renault’s Elise rival was the short-lived Sport Spider, and Porsche also introduced a mid-engine sports car, the brilliant Boxster. Mercedes launched the SLK, which essentially has only just passed out of production. It was a banner year for coupes: TVR launched the glamorous Cerbera, Chevrolet the C5 Corvette, Jaguar’s Aston DB7-based XK arrived, Ferrari offered the 550 Maranello, and Peugeot the svelte 406 Coupe. Talking of which, we got not one but two great hot hatches from the French car maker – 106 GTi and 306 GTi-6. Finally, a mention must go to the Ronin-starring Audi S8.
- Dolly the sheep, the first cloned mammal, is announced.
- Mad Cow Disease panic spreads in the UK.
- Prince Charles and Diana formally divorce.
- Nintendo 64 launches.
1997 Mercedes C43 AMG
Mercedes had already toyed with AMG models for its new generation of C-Class models – 1995’s C36 AMG was intended to rival the M3 with lowered suspension and a 280bhp straight six. But the C43 AMG with its 306bhp 4.3-litre V8 shoehorned into Merc’s smallest saloon made for a Jekyll and Hyde sports saloon perfect for the Boy Racer that had become an executive.
Running it a close second, the now legendary BMW E46 3 Series was also introduced this year, and the M3 version was better of course, but that didn’t arrive till 2000 (I’d be happy with an E46 330Ci though). Alfa Romeo entered the sector with the chic 156 saloon, Honda gave us the first ever Civic Type R, Citroen catered for the Max Power masses with VTR and VTS, and Mazda followed up the MX-5/Miata with a great second gen version. Meanwhile, Chrysler drank too much of its own Kool-Aid and gave us the hot rod that wasn’t quite the extraordinary Plymouth Prowler. It was cool though.
- Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash.
- Hong Kong is handed back to China.
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is published.
- Titanic smashes box office records.
1998 BMW M5 (E39)
This generation BMW 5 Series was often referred to, quite simply, as the ‘best car in the world’ at the time. And that’s before we get to the astounding near-400bhp V8 M5, capable of 0-60mph in under 5.0 seconds and over 185mph. Handsome and potent – what more could you ask for?
Sadly, it overshadows the European Honda Accord Type R, as magnificent as that was. Other greats this year included the new Audi TT, Maserati 3200GT and now highly collectable Subaru Impreza 22B STI. Plus a pair of BMW Z3s that I have no qualms about spotlighting – the M Coupe and M Roadster. Proton created the Satria GTI with some help from Lotus and Mercedes offered the CLK GTR, a barely disguised race car.
- Google is founded.
- Bill Clinton faces impeachment over Monica Lewinsky scandal.
- Apple introduces the colourful iMac G3.
- “Saving Private Ryan” premieres.
1999 Pagani Zonda
Exquisitely crafted interior, utterly wild exterior, exotic name, built by a former Lamborghini chief engineer and powered by a monster Mercedes motor. The Pagani Zonda was an instant classic. There’s still nothing else quite like it.
But this decade wasn’t done yet – deep breath now: Audi RS4 Avant, Ferrari 360, Honda S2000, Hummer H2, Lotus Esprit Sport 350, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI Tommi Makinen, Nissan Skyline GT-R R34, Renault Sport Clio RS 172, and the third-generation Toyota MR2 were all hits this year. And whilst I neglected the introduction of the Porsche 996 in 1997, I’ve got to squeeze in the first-gen 1999 Porsche 911 GT3 for its lightweight ferocity.
- Euro currency introduced in 11 countries.
- Y2K panic looms worldwide.
- Napster launches, changing music forever.
- The Matrix redefines sci-fi cinema.
What a decade.
When the car world was quietly building legends and icons! The 90s truly were such a golden age: cars had character, ingenuity, and just the right amount of danger.
Right then, now it’s over to you. Which of these ‘90s legends would you pick if you could only have one in your garage today?
And which did I miss? Because you know there’s always that one car everyone’s screaming at the screen about – so tell me in the comments.
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