When there were still real cars for EUR 4000 to 6000
Admittedly, the article was called " Kaufspiegel - Autos von DM 8000 bis 12'000 " . But only the conversion to the modern euro shows that some things have become significantly more expensive since 1972. After all, a new Citroën GS was already available for DM 8070 (the equivalent of around EUR 4100) back then, and you could even buy an Alfa Romeo Giulia Super for DM 11,250 (around EUR 5700). And even a BMW 2002 could be purchased for DM 11,695 (approx. EUR 5950).
Not only poorly equipped entry-level models were available in this price range, but also popular and fast variants, such as the Opel Kadett Rallye 1900 LS or the Ford Capri 2600 GT.
The article in Auto Motor und Sport magazine compared 20 popular models. The reader was then responsible for adding points and weighting the results. And you could also decide for yourself whether you agreed with the editorial team's ratings.
We have redesigned the table, which can of course be sorted by clicking on the column headings, allowing you to set your own personal preferences. The comments and subtleties, however, can only be read in the original article .
| Vehicle (make/type) | DM | cm3 | HP | Zuv. | KD | We. | RA. | Im. | Kar. | Hdl. | FK | Lg. | FE | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citroën GS | 8070 | 1015 | 54 | 7 | 5 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 3 | 8 | 68 |
| VW 1600 TL | 8455 | 1584 | 54 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 71 |
| Audi 60 L | 8650 | 1496 | 55 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 3 | 8 | 72 |
| Opel Ascona 19 SR | 8770 | 1897 | 90 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 80 |
| Ford 17 M | 8952 | 1688 | 75 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 74 |
| Fiat 125 Special | 8990 | 1597 | 100 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 67 |
| Chrysler 160 | 8998 | 1639 | 79 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 66 |
| Renault 16 TL | 9195 | 1565 | 65 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 10 | 5 | 7 | 74 |
| Ford Capri 1700 GT | 9310 | 1688 | 75 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 71 |
| Opel Rekord 1.7 S | 9470 | 1698 | 83 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 9 | 78 |
| VW 411 E | 9490 | 1679 | 80 | 9 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 74 |
| Opel Rallye Kadett 1900 LS | 9726 | 1897 | 90 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 78 |
| Ford Taunus 1600 GXL | 10195 | 1576 | 88 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 71 |
| VW K70 L | 10490 | 1605 | 90 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 80 |
| Opel Mnata 19 SR L | 10501 | 1897 | 90 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 81 |
| Ford Capri 2600 GT | 10730 | 2520 | 125 | 7 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 10 | 7 | 71 |
| Audi 100 LS | 11200 | 1760 | 100 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 84 |
| Alfa Romeo Giulia Super | 11250 | 1570 | 103 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 75 |
| Fiat 124 Sport Coupé | 11250 | 1597 | 100 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 71 |
| BMW 2002 | 11695 | 1990 | 100 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 79 |
Explanation of the columns: DM = price in DM, Zuv. = reliability, KD = customer service, Wir. = economy, RA. = spaciousness, Im. = image, Kar. = bodywork, Hd. = handling, FK = ride comfort, Lg. = performance, FE = driving characteristics
