The 1980s was an enigmatic decade. Austerity and difficult social politics shared the building with excess and a desire – outwardly at least – to leave nothing on the table. Cars, then have never quite reflected the era they hail from, like the ones that hail from the ’80s.

Red seat belts were a mark of sporting prowess, an extra square edge of bodywork became known as a spoiler, and when someone told you they had just taken delivery of a fleet of new turbos, that someone could just as likely have been a hairdresser, as a car dealer.

The 1980s was – and continues to be – a decade of many things to many people. But until recently, it wasn’t a credible argument for classic motoring if you were a “traditional” classic car club member. You’d park your plastic fantastic XR2 Fiesta next to a chrome bumpered Mk2 Jag, fully prepared for some toy throwing from the rough direction of the picnic box next door.

Thankfully, we’re recounting history here, not trying to shape it; those days of ‘is it classic or isn’t it’ were tough days if you were the keeper of a car built after 1979 (…and even then!).

Now, even a base model Ford Sierra is considered by most to be a classic, even if it is with a slight upturn of moustache by a member of the blue smoke brigade (Though quite why the Triumph Acclaim achieved ‘classic’ status before the Ford Capri did, we’ll never know!).

So on this reckoning, our series of ’80s motoring films should be at the very least vaguely acceptable to you.

But for the most part, we hope you’ll be jumping up and down excitedly, just like we were when we got behind the wheel of every one of these wonderful classic cars. Enjoy!

TAKE ME BACK TO THE 1980s

You could walk down to your local Ferrari dealership and drive out a brand new 458, feeling on top of the world. Park it in your average street or carpark though, and no-one will talk to you.

Because they’re jealous? Possibly. Because they don’t think they’ve got anything in common with you? Probably. Because they can’t identify with the car? Definitely.

The beauty of driving a classic car – particularly something mainstream like a Ford Capri or Peugeot 205 GTI, is that seemingly everyone either owned one, or knew someone who once did. As such they’ll have memories attached to the car, and will want to do one of three things:

1. Take a closer look, pressing their face against the glass to rekindle their memories of family trips to the seaside

2. Strike up conversation, because if you drive an interesting car, you must be an interesting person

3. Take a photo on their phone, destined for Twitter or the text inbox of their unsuspecting other half

And that’s what’s great about driving a classic car. Of course there are other great things, too. But driving a car that makes people smile or remember great moments from their past is a good feeling.

In fact, it’s enough to give you a complex when you go back to driving a modern car and no-one wants to talk to you in the petrol station.

If you’re suffering from a chronic case of lack of motoring enjoyment, there are people you can speak to about that. May we suggest you give Great Escape Cars a call…

We hope you’re enjoying the site – we’ve already loaded it full of classic motoring content, but thanks to Great Escape Cars, we’ve got our hands on a tasty Capri 280 Brooklands for our next film.

The thing is, the Classic Ford cult ‘thing’ goes beyond your average fan, and we’ve even included cows in the latest shoot.

We can’t wait to launch this film, and to give you some content that shows just how easy, cost effective and accessible classic car hire is.

If you have limited space, time or funds, this is the perfect way to get out on the open road behind the wheel of a classic sports car.

We’ll leave you to book to be the next driver of this Brooklands Capri, while we continue with the film. Watch this space!

#ClassicMotoring

Welcome to the classic motoring world’s newest voice – Classics driven. We’re bringing you the best content, links, social media and latest listings from the classic car world.

Whether you’re a classic car owner, enthusiast, or none of the above – yet – our aim is to inspire you to get out and drive classic cars.

If classic car enthusiasts don’t make a stand and give a voice to the classic motoring world, it’ll skip a generation and the fight to keep classics on the road will become ever harder.

So whether your classic taste runs to a Mk1 Fiesta 1100L or a Ferrari 365 GTb Daytona, we hope you enjoy the site, and get involved by sending us your classic motoring stories, photos and links.

Thanks for stopping by – now go and get some air through that chrome out on the open road!

Paul Woodford – Motoring Presenter and classic motoring enthusiast