#CarCrushWednesday
Quick question.
Where are all the Datsun and Peugeot 504s on the Nigerian roads today?
It is not very unusual to see Range Rovers, Toyotas and Kia cars lace the roads across Nigerian states but the general argument is that these cars are solely for young car enthusiasts who have a thing for technology, youthful style or are just coming into money. Back in the ’90s when cars were solely status symbols, some cars were only owned by people of a particular social class. Even the names of the cars and their build were enough to announce the wealth value of an individual. Our fathers probably owned some of them and we can tell of the ceremony that had to go forth when they bought it or the trouble we as children got into, should a mosquito perch on the car by reason of our doing.
Which of these cars did you ever crush on?
PEUGEOT 504/505
For the Nigerian Middle Class. You either owned one of these or you were not a baby boy.
VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE aka ‘Ijapa’ (tortoise)
known as the ‘People’s Car’, the idea for the Beetle came to Adolf Hitler while he was in jail. He thought to build a car that every average man could afford. Little wonder it was very common on Nigerian streets.
MERCEDES BENZ 200/230
this was the master of them all. You were either the president or one of his cabinet members to be driving a 230 Benz. Just kidding, my landlord owned one too.
VOLVO 244/245 DL
With very simple and basic features, the 244/245 DL is considered very drab and boring. Little wonder only very few people miss or even remember it.
VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT
Getting its name from the German word for ‘trade wind’, the Passat is a fastback car that made its instant hit from filling the gap between drab cars and highly luxurious and expensive cars.
So which one did we miss out? Join the Cars45 #CCW fun.