Car spotting in the Algarve

[Richard Davies]

I've just got back from a holiday in Quartaria, & in a nutshell here's some observations:

Plenty of Rovers dating from the SD3 (1984-9 200) onwards. The only ones I didn't see were any 600s & 800s. I was expecting to see at least 1 Mini Moke (where were built on Portugal for a time) but the nearist was a 1990s Mini.

The smaller 1980s Opels (No Asconas or larger models) seem to survive well there, as do most French cars. I was surprised at the number of Renault 4s & Pugeot 505s still around. Even though the 2CV was built there I only spotted 2-3, though I noticed a CX & an XM & a few BX's.

Lancias are easy to spot, & I passed a Dealer near Faro Airport.

I spotted a few body styles rare here, such as a Fiat Stylo & last generation Toyota Corolla saloons. I thought I saw a Fiat Bravo / Brava estate, but it was a Palio.

Due to the tax rules there wern't many big old cars, apart from W123 Mercedes'. Also some older cars seemed to be imported, I saw at least 1 Renault 21 with old French yellow headlights.

Pre 1990s Fords seemed in short supply, compaired to other brands.

[5ivegearsinreverse]

The last time I was there was just after the unpleasantness of 2005 - curiously I had watched the Phoenix Four hand over the infamous tenner on Sky TV on a hotel balcony in Albufeira just under five years before.

There was a big MG Rover dealer in Portimao which looked distinctly upmarket of its Renault and Opel neighbours. The Algarve carscape was largely a depressing sea of Corsas and Clios in the resorts, but some nicer things in the cities, old Mercs a Peugeot 404 and a Renault 16. Lots of 190Es - I counted fifty in a drive from Vila Real to Albufeira. I saw but one Marina, and a few Japanese oddities, such as rear-engined Mazda Bongo vans, and this Suzuki Fronte in Vila Real.





Other curiosity was Brazilian VWs, a few Brasilias and 181s, and Voyages (a four door saloon on the longitudinal engined Gol platform) most of which looked on their last legs. In 2005 Portugal was undergoing a burst of post-Euro prosperity and older cars were a rare sight. BMWs and Audis seemed as prevalent as in the UK, new cheaper stuff was everywhere, for some reason the vile Peugeot 1007, recently introduced, was a huge hit.

Fünfzahnrader

[Richard Davies]

There were quite a few Japanese cars (mostly Toyotas & Hondas) from the late 1970s early 1980s.

Apart from the Fiat Palios I didn't see many Latin American imports, though there were few goodish looking original Beetles that could have been post 1978.

The Portugese government has set up a Commonwealth like organisation in recent years, so Brazilian built cars would be easy to bring over.

[406v6]

I had several holidays in Portugal in the mid 1990s and at that time Vauxhall Vivas were fairly easy to spot. I would imagine they have rusted away by now.

[skyblueads]

There's something very, very cool about that little Suzuki!

[Jacinto]

Unfortunately, here in Portugal, we don't see any interesting cars anymore, except the older ones. Yes, we have lots of old japanese classics - I have two of them, . There are still many Rover 213's on the road

But you can see more classics in the North of Portugal, not in Algarve!

Here you have a picture of the Mini 50th anniversary, in Gouveia, Portugal.



My brother's Van - the only Van in the event - next to a Moke