Cars that permeated the late bubble economy
The 1990s was a period when many Japanese cars, now known as neo-classic cars and secretly popular, made their appearance. Here, we have deliberately excluded family cars such as the Honda Odyssey minivan, a pioneer of the multi-person family car that debuted in 1994, and the Toyota Prius, a pioneer of mass-produced hybrid cars that caused a stir worldwide in 1997, as well as cars that dominated the market regardless of age or sex. We will introduce cars that were popular among young people who were following the trends of the time.
The Nissan Figaro was popular with upper-class girls
Let’s take a look at a car that permeated Japan at a time when the country was still in a state of flux: the Nissan Figaro, a car that appeared like a comet in the 1990s and was a hit with the girls, launched in 1991-1992 on a limited basis.
At the time, it was extremely popular among women, mainly university girls, and I remember it was popular among upper-class girls living in the Minato, Suginami, and Setagaya wards of Tokyo. Of course, depending on the body color, boys could ride in the car, but it was more suitable for two girls to ride together. The pattern of a girl driving and her boyfriend …… next to her was often seen on Aoyama Street in Tokyo.
The first Renault Twingo, loved by a port city lady
On the subject of girls, one of the imported cars that the so-called ladies of the time that the author knew loved was the first-generation Renault Twingo. Its lovely style and affordable size, which made it easy to park anywhere, were very popular with port city ladies who were not so good at driving. The author wrote an article on the Twingo at the time, and when photographed in front of a café on Minami Aoyama Icho-dori, the Twingo girls who appeared were apparel press and designers who would look good in a Twingo. The Twingo girls who appeared as Twingo girls were fashion experts, such as the press and designers of apparel that suited Twingo.
A great date car! The first generation Eunos Roadster
The world’s biggest-selling lightweight sports car of the 1990s was the first Eunos Roadster, which was introduced in 1989, and its lineage continues to this day. The Roadster was a great date car as well as a driver’s car, and I used to drive it fully open along the seaside roads of Shonan and Izu with my gal. However, the Roadster was rarely seen in adult playgrounds such as Roppongi, and was mainly found in the suburbs of Tokyo, all over Japan, where it was easy to drive.
The Honda Beat is a GOOD open sport in the city center
Honda would not sit idly by and watch the Mazda Roadster’s huge success, and in 1991 it launched the Honda Beat, a mid-ship light open-sport car. Unsurprisingly, this one was a common sight in city centers at the time. It may have been a sports car that suited the parking situation in the city center.
Incidentally, the S660, a light lightweight sports car created on the idea of a young development manager, was subsequently launched, but both of these cars might be better suited as date cars for young couples who enjoy casual sports cars.
Setagaya, where American cars look good! Chevrolet Corvette C4
Whether or not it dominated the scene, the Chevrolet Corvette C4 was often seen on Route 246 in the Shibuya and Setagaya areas in the 1990s. This was partly because the Setagaya area was dotted with new and used car shops selling American cars and Corvettes, but also because Setagaya somehow had (and still has!) an atmosphere that suited American cars.
Citroën XM loved by fashion lovers and car enthusiasts
In the 1990s, French cars were the subject of a secret boom among fashionistas and car enthusiasts. The Citroën BX and Exantia were popular, but the ultimate example was the XM, Citroën’s top-of-the-range car at the time.
This famous car was introduced in its home country in 1989 and won the European Car of the Year award in 1990. The avant-garde styling, interior design, and unique and extremely comfortable ride were of course for its satisfaction, but it also had the atmosphere of an old castle tucked away in the city, and was a favorite of the playboys of the day, with its members-only restaurant.
Sports car fanaticism! Porsche Boxster
And one of the imported sports cars that got sports car fans going in the 1990s was the Porsche ‘Boxster’, which was introduced in 1996. The “911” was a little out of reach for young executives. The sound of the horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine and the low center of gravity of the car made me and my girlfriend in the front passenger seat very happy. The 911 964 with Tiptronic was the sports car that took the world by storm in the 1990s, opening the door to Porsche.
translated by DeepL