When I was young, I loved cars.
OK, I still do … but back then, they held a particularly strong fascination.
Freedom. Independence. Status.
Now while there are many cars that are burned into my consciousness – the Ford Fiesta XR2, the Fiat X19, the Triumph TR7 to name a few – there is one that has a special place in my heart.
Not because I wanted one, but because in my provincial mind, it represented the pinnacle of success.
It was … a Ford Granda.
Yes … that tank like thing at the top of this post.
I know … I know … how utterly shameful.
As I said, it wasn’t a car I aspired to owning or driving – besides, I was years off being allowed to drive – but it was the biggest car on the road and in my small, little mind, that meant the driver was doing one of the big jobs in life.
You have to understand that I was entering as period of my life where school life was soon going to make way for the rat race … and while I was good at school, I was crap at exams so I was looking for direction in terms of a job that could one day, potentially let me own a Ford Granada.
Jesus, I was sad.
It gets worse … because I still remember seeing a man drive a BMW 7-Series when they first came out and going up to him to ask what he did for a living as I couldn’t believe anyone in West Bridgford – my home town – could ever have a job that let them buy a car like that.
The irony was it was less about having something that would convey status and success to the outside world and more about setting a goal that would let me think I have done OK in life if I ever got to own one.
Which I didn’t .
The reason for all this is that I recently watched a video for the launch of the MK II Granada.
It’s long, but it’s worth watching for a whole host of reasons.
Part of it is because it highlights how far the car industry has evolved since 1984 interns of technology and what they regard as driver/passenger comfort and sophistication … part of it is because it’s funny to see them make big claims about small features [digital clock anyone?] … but the biggest part is how much technology we still regard as luxury is over 30+ years old.
It doesn’t make me want a Granada, but it does help me feel less foolish rating them in 1984.
