Über 650.000 Oldtimer mit amtlichen H-Kennzeichen fahren bereits auf Deutschlands Straßen, und die Begeisterung für diese mindestens 30 Jahre alten Autos ist ungebrochen, wie der Bestandszuwachs von zuletzt rund zehn Prozent pro Jahr zeigt. Klassische Autos faszinieren viele Menschen, Familien mit kleinem Budget ebenso wie wohlhabende Sammler. Schließlich sind die Neuwagen von einst ein Spiegel vergangener Epochen und für ihre Besitzer eine wunderbare Möglichkeit, sich in vermeintlich bessere Zeiten oder in die eigene Jugend zurückzuversetzen.Daran ändert offenbar auch das drohende Verbrenner-Aus nichts, wie der Besucherandrang bei Oldtimer-Festivals zeigt oder der stets große Applaus für klassische Automobile bei Ausfahrten. So werden sich die Fahrzeuge mit H-Kennzeichen, jenem Signet, das seit 25 Jahren rollendes historisches Kulturgut auszeichnet, wahrscheinlich weiterhin vermehren. Erteilt wird das Oldtimerkennzeichen übrigens nur für Fahrzeuge, die sich im technisch einwandfreien, originalen Zustand befinden.
2023 feiern wieder fast 100 Modelle ihren 30. Geburtstag. Autos, die mit Mut zu fröhlichen Farben, organischen Bio-Formen, voluminösen V12 oder vier Cabrio-Plätzen unter der Sonne Zuversicht in eine Zeit der Rezession brachten. Vom Audi S2 bis zum Volvo 850 T-5 Turbo, vom preiswerten Kia Sephia bis zur ersten Mercedes-Benz C- und E-Klasse sowie schnellen Porsche und schrillen Exoten ist alles dabei.
Deutschland im Nach-Wendeblues. Die Wiedervereinigung lag 1993 gerade zwei Jahre zurück, und schon drückten Rezession, Arbeitslosigkeit und neue Abgaben wie der Solidaritätszuschlag („Soli“) für den Aufbau Ost auf die Stimmung. Die Autoindustrie, Wirtschaftsmotor Nummer eins, verordnete sich Kurzarbeit und VW führte die Vier-Tage-Woche ein. Optimismus war gefragt.
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Bill Clinton, 1993 frisch gewählter US-Präsident, wusste offenbar, wie er die Deutschen erreichen konnte. Als er bei einem Berlin-Besuch im Zusammenhang mit der deutschen Wiedervereinigung zuversichtlich in die Menge rief: „Nichts ist unmöglich.“, schallte es ihm tausendfach entgegen: „Toyoooota“.
Münchener mit Urlausbfeeling
1993 hatte BMW die 3er-Generation E36 als Cabriolet vorgestellt.
Fiat Punto
Mit dem ersten Punto gelang Fiat 1993 ein vielbeachtetes Comeback im Kleinwagensegment.
Tatsächlich waren es fröhliche Tier-Botschafter wie die Toyota-Affen in TV-Spots für Corolla & Co, neugierig-schmunzelnde Kühe in der Aral-Werbung oder schwedische Elche als populäre Sicherheitstester bei Saab, die Zuversicht vermittelten. „Vom Elch geprüft“, ließ sich 1993 sogar der erste unter General-Motors-Motors entwickelte Saab 900 bestens verkaufen.
Aber auch fröhliche Farben gehörten damals dazu: Rot, Blau und Gelb galten als Stimmungsaufheller und prägten das Straßenbild. Deshalb kamen aus Göteborg keine der heute so populären dunklen Volvo-Modelle in „Ultimate-Dark-Line“, sondern vorzugsweise rubin- oder indianarot leuchtende 850 mit charakterstarken Kanten und erstmals mit T-5 Turbo-Power.
>> Also read: How to successfully buy your first classic car
Performance is important to get out of crises. Today, powerful electric vehicles ensure that, in 1993 it was down to spectacular sports cars such as the Porsche 968 Turbo or Toyota Supra (A80): “Racing car technology with comfort tuning” is what Toyota called the vehicle concept that was intended to make Formula 1 technology suitable for long-distance driving . Back when Michael Schumacher was preparing for the first Formula 1 title with Benetton, which promptly followed in 1994. And tennis queen Steffi Graf returned to number one in the world rankings with victories at the Grand Slam tournaments in Paris, Wimbledon and New York.
The forerunner of today’s GR Supra, called Supra MK IV by fans at the time, was the first Toyota to cost over 100,000 marks, catapulted its crew from zero to 100 km/h in 5.1 seconds and even measured itself globally with the Porsche 968 Turbo and the new 911 Carrera 2 of the legendary 993 series. With this 911, Porsche celebrated the 30th birthday of its brand icon in 1993, but above all the finale of air-cooled boxer engines.
Opel Corsa B
The small car was even advertised with a double of the Queen in 1993.
Classic from Zuffenhausen
From 1993, Porsche went into the fast lane with the new 911 generation 993.
Incidentally, 30 years ago muscles also grew in sporty station wagons such as the Audi S2 Avant with a hissing five-cylinder, furious power dwarfs à la Renault Clio Williams or the many V8, be it in the poisonous Viper GT Coupé from Dodge, the hardtop coupé BMW 840Ci or in the first Mercedes E class. The Stuttgart-based company had freshly polished its successful star carrier of the nine-year-old 124 series and renamed it the E-Class, with the V8 top models E 420, E 500 and E 60 AMG (280 kW/381 hp from 6.0 liters displacement).
After the BMW 7 Series and Mercedes S-Class had been a success with British aristocracy since the early 1990s with majestic V12 engines, the royal supplier Jaguar-Daimler responded with a new V12, for which the front end of the XJ40 sedan was lengthened and Majestic equipment was added. Queen Mum, loyal Daimler V12 fan, is said to have been delighted. Noblesse sells well, even in times of crisis.
This is evident not only today from the high number of orders for prestige models, as early as 1993 premium types were among the winners. Above all, the first Mercedes-Benz C-Class (W 202), which was presented as the successor to the 190 and a few years later was also a success with V8 engines and as a station wagon T-model.
On golden rims
One of the furious power dwarfs in the 1993 car year was the Renault Clio Williams.
Cult Swede with German genes
As a young GM subsidiary, Saab launched the new 900 in 1993, which was technically based on the Opel Vectra.
Audi also relied on the splendor of the eight: the near-series Space Frame study announced the A8, which later became the first state limousine under the sign of the four rings under Federal Chancellor Gerhard Schröder. New luxury liners also came to Germany from Japan, which in 1993 was still the largest automobile manufacturer in the world. However, Lexus GS and Mazda Xedos 9 remained supporting actors, despite technical finesse in European forms. The 3.52 meters short and curious four-wheel drive high roof station wagon Subaru Libero elicited a happy smile from its viewers.
In 1993, Japan was threatened with new competition from a tiger country: the Korean car manufacturer Kia came to Germany, and this with cheeky price breakers that carried Mazda genes at the time. But the sun also rose in the west in 1993, because there was a storm of new convertibles from Europe: the “little strawberry basket” VW Golf III – again with a fixed roll bar – and the elegant airy BMW 3 Series (E36) and Opel Astra, plus Rover 100 and refreshed Ford Escort were just the vanguard. The new Fiat Punto and Peugeot 306 should also be open soon.
strawberry basket
In 1993 VW opened the Golf 3
box with performance
In the 1990s, Volvo designers discovered the rectangle, as exemplified by the 1993 850 Turbo sedan.
Organic biodesign became a global trend reflected in world cars like Ford Mondeo or Opel Corsa (B). Detonated in Rüsselsheim, this Blitz was built on five continents under eight brand names. This was made possible by Hideo Kodama’s bioforms, with which the agile Corsa even convinced Queen Elizabeth II in a joking commercial.
Made in England but first designed in Japan was the European “Car of the Year 1993”: This media award went to the Nissan Micra, about which its chief designer Tokuichiro Hosaka said that it was organically shaped like a happy, cuddly puppy and had positive associations wake up childhood. Who wouldn’t want to be a child again today and treat themselves to one of the 30-year-old automobile time capsules as a vintage car?
H license plate candidates for 2023
Alfa Romeo RZ Roadster (market launch in Germany)
Asia Rocsta (Kia)
Aston Martin Vantage
Audi Avant S2 (based on Audi 80)
Audi S4/Plus (based on Audi 100)
Audi Space Frame Concept (precursor to the 1994 Audi A8)
BMW 3 Series Convertible (E36)
BMW 840Ci
Cadillac DeVille (new generation)
Chevrolet Camaro Convertible
Chrysler Neon (German debut of the Plymouth Neon as Chrysler)
Chrysler Vision
Chrysler New Yorker LHS
Citroen AX Eco
Citroen ZX Break
Citroën Xantia
Daihatsu Charade (new generation)
Daimler Double Six (new generation XJ81)
Dodge GTS coupe
Donkervoort D8 Cosworth
Ferrari 348 Spider
Ferrari 456 (German market launch)
Fiat Punto three and five doors (Punto Cabrio announced)
Fiat Tipo three-door
Fiat Coupé (market launch 1994)
Ford Mustang/Mustang Convertible (New Generation)
Ford Mondeo 4-Door/5-Door/Estate
Ford Maverick (parallel model to Nissan Terrano II)
Honda Accord (fifth generation)
Hyundai Sonata (new generation)
Isdera Commendatore 112i
Jaguar XJ12 (new generation XJ81)
Kia Sephia
Kia Rocsta, then Kia Sportage (launched in 1994, also built by Karmann in Osnabrück from 1995)
LadaForma
Lexus GS
Lotus Elan S2 (reissue in 800 units)
Mazda Xedos 9
mega track
Mercedes-Benz C-Class (W 202)
Mercedes-Benz E-Class Saloon/T-Model/Coupé/Cabriolet (W 124)
MG RV8 (German market launch)
Mitsubishi Galant 2500 V6 24V
Mitsubishi L200 (Germany start)
Nissan Micra three and five doors (new generation, market launch)
Nissan Terrano II (parallel model to Ford Maverick)
Opel Corsa three and five doors (B)
Opel Astra convertible
Vauxhall Vectra 2.5 V6
Opel Omega Sedan/Caravan (B; debut December)
Peugeot 306 three and five doors (306 Cabriolet announced)
Pontiac Firebird (German debut of the reissue)
Porsche Boxster prototype
Porsche 968 Turbo
Porsche 911 Carrera (993)
Renault Twingo (market launch in Germany)
Renault Clio Williams
Renault Laguna (debut December, German market launch 1994)
Renault Safrane Biturbo, Saab 900 three and five doors (second generation, convertible at the turn of the year 1993/94)
Rolls Royce Silver Spur III
Rover 100 Convertible/Metro Convertible
Rover 200 Coupé (German sales start)
Rover 600
Seat Ibiza three and five doors (second generation)
Seat Cordoba (German market launch 1994)
Subaru Libero (new generation)
Subaru Impreza (German market launch)
Subaru Legacy Sedan/Station Wagon (New Generation)
Tatras 613-4 V8,
Toyota Celica (T20, sales start 1994)
Toyota Supra (A80)
TVR Chimaera (German market launch)
first Volkswagen Golf Variant
Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet (based on Golf III),
Volkswagen Passat (B4)
Volvo 850 T-5 Turbo
civilian versions of rally cars, such as Ford Escort RS Cosworth vs. Lancia Delta HF Integrale vs. Mazda 323 GT-R 4WD
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