Then and now - how the car world has changed in 50 years
There are almost exactly 50 years between the two parts of the picture. Both are from the magazine "auto motor und sport" and the differences show how much the automobile and its environment have changed.
In 1970, the Audi 100 S, BMW 1600, Renault 16 TS, VW 411 LE and VW K70 L models were compared. They competed in the colors red, golden brown and blue.
At the end of 2019, the Audi A4 Avant, BMW 320, Mercedes C220 and Volvo V60 estate cars, each with diesel engines, were compared. They are all painted in shades of gray. The uniformity has also increased significantly in other respects. The premium estate cars all have a four-cylinder turbo diesel engine on board, which delivers its power to the ground via the rear wheels (Mercedes, BMW) or all wheels (Volvo, Audi). And the dimensions differ only slightly.
Things were very different in 1970. The Renault came with a tailgate and front-wheel drive, while the VW 411 LE was rear-engined and rear-wheel drive. The BMW 1600 was a compact notchback two-door with rear-wheel drive, while the Audi 100 S shone with front-wheel drive, four doors and interior dimensions similar to those of the luxury class. The VW K70 L with water cooling offered something similar, while the VW 411 LE was known to be air-cooled, but with fuel injection. Real variety was still the order of the day!
Perhaps the comparison of the two period pictures makes even more sense than one would think at first glance, because the selection of vehicles on the left and right does not represent the public's preference. In 1970, the VW Beetle and Opel Kadett were the most popular cars, whereas 50 years later, customers prefer SUVs to the previously popular estate cars.
A lot has definitely changed, and not just the style of the photos.
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