What's Long, Grey, And Rear Wheel Drive?

Recently I wrote about a 505 sedan for sale nearby, a long and low 1980s sedan from Peugeot, a rare rear wheel drive model from a company known for its small front wheel drive econoboxes. This roomy, comfortable car would make an excellent touring vehicle for long-distance trips.

Peugeot 505 story... 

Sifting through some old pictures I have, I came across ANOTHER car that fits the same description: a rather under-powered, large, 4-cylinder sedan with a manual transmission on a rear wheel drive platform. No sporting intentions, just a simple, down-to-earth spacious family cars with seating for five and a big trunk for luggage. To make the comparison complete, this car was grey, just like the 505!

It was a Ford Granada, a model that was sold in Europe from 1977 to 1985. I found it for sale on the same website as the 505 almost a year ago. At the time I had called and planned to go see it, but it sold before I got the chance. While more potent V6 and diesel versions did exist, this specific model was a sedate 1.6 litre 4-cylinder gasoline engine version. It DID have a manual transmission (4-speed), which is a big plus to me.

These two vehicles appear to my eyes to be very comparable, and to be sure I threw together a table comparing some of the major dimensions. It turns out that the Granada is actually a fair bit larger, even if it's a bit lower than the 505. They may pale in comparison to the size of American sedans from the same era, but for Europe, both of these were definitely not the average family car you saw parked in every driveway.

While not everyone is going to agree, I find something very appealing with these large 80's touring machines. I think that before I plan my next big road-trip I really need to pick something like this up.

Does anyone know of any other cars of this type from the same era that were available in Europe? I'm always glad to learn about old cars, and would be glad to discover some other LGRWD wonders!!!