"Cars, really good!" from 1995: Last coupé hype with 100 models from Alfa to Zagato

Today, they're bulky crossovers that, despite their coupé-like lines, strive in vain for sporty lightness. What a contrast to the cool coupé vintage of 1995: Never again has the variety of shapes been so great among these dynamic two-door models. From Alfa to Zagato, they reveled in exhilarating extravagance for every budget.

Almost like today, back then 30 years ago: Germany needed new momentum to climb out of a slump. "Billion-dollar recovery in the East," "Daimler-Benz in the red," "World Climate Summit of catastrophes," "Populism instead of politics" were the headlines in 1995 – and automakers responded with an unprecedented variety of creative, feel-good coupes and fast, goosebump-inducing cars that also fit the IAA slogan "Car, really good!" The term SUV was still a foreign concept back then; instead, alongside the usual conventional compacts and station wagons, coupes in particular promised a seductive amount of fun and style for every budget.

Whether Alfa GTV, Opel Tigra, or Asian Ferrari chasers, around 100 two-door models showed off their sleek looks, like Formula 1 world champion Michael Schumacher, or their flashy looks, like the popular neon tracksuits, platform sneakers, and slip dresses. The dynamic automotive models of that time still exude the drive of the colorful 1990s.

New H-license plate classics

As new H-license plate classics, these 30-year-olds demonstrate how organic bio-shapes became fashionable after the angular yuppie coupes of the 1980s, pop-up headlights vacated the left lane for the last time, the Japanese became the true car hits in the sports coupe quartet, and the Germans and Italians launched stylistic winners for the sweet life on Rome's Via Veneto or Berlin's Unter den Linden. Not to forget the Americans: The era of downsized cruisers was over, as was the national 55-mph speed limit, and US coupes like the Ford Mustang were sporting V8s again.

In the 1980s, it was still German models like the Ford Capri, Opel Manta, VW Scirocco, and the angular Audi Coupé that played the role of tough racers, but much preferred to succeed as staid family coupes. Ten years later, the cult coupes of yesteryear had mutated into rather embarrassing spoiler-ridden proles, and their successors, the Ford Probe, Opel Calibra, VW Corrado, and Audi Coupé (Type 89), tried in vain to stem the invasion of adrenaline-fueled Asian goods in Europe.

"The price is hot"

While CD radios – optionally combined with early navigation systems like the Bosch TravelPilot – played chart-breaking hits like Vangelis and his "Conquest of Paradise" or "Cotton Eye Joe" by Rednex, the Hyundai S-Coupé tried the "The Price is Right" game. The first zippy, four-seater Korean coupé even cost less than the tiny, new Opel Tigra, whose sporty image was polished by five-time European swimming champion Franziska "Franzi" van Almsick. Meanwhile, the many Japanese coupés promised spicy sushi experiences – still an exotic delicacy in the 1990s – instead of mundane currywurst and fries.

"New thinking in automotive engineering can open up new markets," was a Mazda slogan for the MX-3 sports coupe, featuring the world's smallest downsized V6 engine. Among the targeted group of DINKS (Mazda: "DINKS? Double income, no kids!"), the MX-3 was even more popular than rivals like the Nissan 100 NX and the VW Corrado 16V: Customers accepted a delivery time of up to one year for a Japanese car, something they would otherwise only accept for the cult roadster MX-5.

The larger, 4.62-meter-long Mazda MX-6, with its unconventional four-wheel steering and 2.5-liter V6, was quite different. The dynamically designed Mazda only managed to attract 2,700 buyers in Germany, even though, according to advertising, it was supposed to convey "a touch of first-class feeling at moderate prices." Apparently, the clientele thought it would be better to buy the prestige of a new BMW 3 Series Coupé (E36).

Japanese supercars

The Japanese supercars were also flying too high: the third and final generation of the rotary-engine Mazda RX-7, which, riding on the back of the Wankel-engined racer's Le Mans victory, sought to poach into supercar territory. Asking prices for the rotary-engine Mazda almost on par with Porsche or Maserati seemed too ambitious to sports car fans, and so the fastest production Mazda of all time was sidelined, pitted against other overly expensive and therefore failed super samurai like the Honda NSX, Nissan 300 ZX, Mitsubishi 3000 GT, or Toyota Supra.

At least in Maranello, Modena, and Zuffenhausen, the Japanese demonstrated how hot the fire burns in Mount Fuji. This only accelerated the career of the fast samurai in popular console games. This also applied to the all-wheel-drive Gran Turismo Subaru SVX with the Giugiaro design.

The Japanese mid-size coupes promised no butterflies in the stomach, but affordable all-inclusive driving fun without long lists of extras: From the Honda Prelude to the spoiler-adorned Honda Integra, the staid Mitsubishi Eclipse and Nissan 200 SX to the world's best-selling Japanese coupe, the Toyota Celica, the sports show, which particularly appealed to citizens in the young eastern states, offered a hype for imported models there, as was also evident at the Leipzig Auto Show (AMI). And then there were the slim and sinewy featherweights of the Honda CRX and Toyota MR2 with hardtops – athletic alternatives to the Mazda MX-5 or MG TF roadsters.

"Fit for a king"

Speaking of Englishmen: In a 1995 TV interview, Princess Diana announced the end of her marriage to the heir to the English throne, Charles. Diana had demonstrated her penchant for sporty cars with a Jaguar XJS and a Mercedes SL (R129). While the Jaguar was entering the home stretch of its long production career in 1995, Mercedes gave the SL a facelift that included a spectacular panoramic glass roof. This, too, was intended to enable the SL to compete successfully against such diverse high-end coupes as the BMW 8 Series, Aston Martin DB7, Chevrolet Corvette, Ferrari 456 GT, and Porsche 911.

According to one trade publication, the Mercedes S 600 Coupé was also "fit for a king." This monumental two-door car with a powerful V12 engine was based on the W140 S-Class sedan, also used by German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, and surprised everyone in 1995 with its innovative ESP system. Two years later, this invention, which increased driving stability, rescued the small Mercedes A-Class from the moose test debacle.

Beautiful things from Italy

Beautiful things you can rely on in life also came from Italy 30 years ago. The land of the Dolce Vita wanted to seduce coupe buyers with a collection from the studios of the old masters Pininfarina and Marcello Gandini: While the Alfa GTV (Tipo 916), Ferrari 456 GT, Ferrari F355 Berlinetta, and the Peugeot 406 Coupé, prepared for 1996, bore the Pininfarina logo, the Maserati Ghibli and Lamborghini Diablo featured Gandini's wedge-shaped edges. Another eye-catcher was the spectacular Fiat coupe with a hood that became a fender: Chris Bangle and Ermanno Cressoni were responsible for these creative contours. In comparison, the quirky Lancia-based Zagato Hyena seemed tame despite its bubble roof.

Too many rough edges? Then the Renault Megane Coach, launched in 1995, was the perfect choice. Its rounded contours suggested a compact coupé whose soft lines hinted at the end of the 20th century: a final gala for sporty two-door cars with organic, bio-design – including many sought-after classics from the Audi TT to the Ford Puma to the Volvo C70.

Coupés and engines (1995)

• Alfa Romeo GTV (Italy, four-cylinder, V6)
• Alpina B8 Coupé (Germany, V8)
• Alpine A610 (France, V6)
• Aston Martin DB7 (Great Britain, six-cylinder), Aston Martin Vantage (V8)
• Audi TT Concept (Germany, four-cylinder, precursor to the production model), Audi Coupé (Type 89 with four-, five-, and six-cylinder engines)
• Bentley Continental R (Great Britain, V8)
• BMW 3 Series Coupé/M3 (E36 with four-cylinder and six-cylinder engines; Germany)
• BMW 8 Series (E31 with V8, V12)
• Bristol Blenheim (Great Britain, V8)
• Buick Skylark GS Coupe (USA), Buick Regal Custom Coupe, Buick Riviera
• Cadillac Eldorado (USA, V8)
• Chevrolet Cavalier Coupe (USA, four-cylinder, V6), Chevrolet Beretta (four-cylinder, V6), Chevrolet Monte Carlo (V6), Chevrolet Camaro (V6, V8), Chevrolet Corvette (V8)
• Chrysler Sebring (USA, four-cylinder, V6), Chrysler Viper (V10)
• Citroen ZX three-door or coupé (France, four-cylinder)
• Dacia 1310 Coupé (Romania, four-cylinder)
• De Tomaso Guara (Italy, V8)
• Dodge Avenger (USA, four-cylinder and V6), Dodge Stealth (V6)
• Eagle Talon (USA, four-cylinder)
• Ferrari 456 GT (Italy with V12), Ferrari F355 Berlinetta (V8)
• Coupé Fiat (Italy, four-cylinder)
• Ford Mustang (USA, V6, V8), Ford Thunderbird (V6, V8), Ford Probe (Germany, four-cylinder, V6)
• Hommel Berlinette Escapement (France, four-cylinder)
• Honda Integra (Japan, four-cylinder), Honda Prelude (four-cylinder), Honda CRX (four-cylinder, with hardtop), Honda Legend Coupe (V6), Honda NSX (V6)
• Hyundai S-Coupé (Korea, four-cylinder)
• Irmscher Calibra Turbo (Germany, four-cylinder)
• Isdera Imperator 108i (Germany, V8), Isdera Commendatore 112i (V8)
• Isotta Fraschini T8 (Italy, V8)
• Jaguar XJS (Great Britain, six-cylinder, V12)
• Lamborghini Diablo (Italy, V12)
• Lancia Delta HPE (Italy, four-cylinder)
• Lexus SC (Japan, six-cylinder, V8)
• Lincoln Mark VIII (USA, Coupé, V8)
• Lotus Esprit (Great Britain, four-cylinder)
• Maserati Ghibli (Italy, V6)
• Mazda 626 Coupé/MX-6 (Japan, four-cylinder, V6), Mazda MX-3 (V6), Mazda RX-7 (2-rotor rotary engine)
• McLaren F1 (Great Britain, V12)
• Mega Track (France, V12)
• Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupé (Germany, W124 with four- and six-cylinder engines), Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupés (C140 with V8, V12), Mercedes-Benz SL (Germany, R129, facelift with glass hardtop, with six-cylinder, V8, V12)
• Mitsubishi Eclipse (Japan, four-cylinder), Mitsubishi 3000 GT (V6)
• Nissan Skyline GT-R (Japan, six-cylinder), Nissan Silvia/SX (four-cylinder), Nissan 100 NX (four-cylinder), Nissan 300 ZX (V6)
• Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme (USA, V6)
• Opel Tigra (Germany, four-cylinder), Opel Calibra (four-cylinder, V6)
• Peugeot 406 Coupé (in preparation for 1996, France, four-cylinder, V6)
• Pontiac Sunfire GT Coupé (USA, four-cylinder), Pontiac Grand Am (four-cylinder, V6), Pontiac Firebird (V6, V8)
• Porsche 911 (Germany, six-cylinder boxer)
• Renault Mégane Coach (France, four-cylinder)
• Rinspeed Yello Talbo (Switzerland, V8)
• Rover 200 Coupé (Great Britain, four-cylinder), Rover 800 Coupé (four-cylinder, V6)
• Saturn SC2 Coupé (USA, four-cylinder)
• Spectre R42 (Great Britain, V8)
• Subaru Impreza Coupé (Japan, four-cylinder), Subaru SVX (six-cylinder boxer)
• Toyota Paseo (Japan, four-cylinder), Toyota Corolla Levin (four-cylinder), Toyota MR2 (four-cylinder, with hardtop), Toyota Celica (four-cylinder), Toyota Curren (four-cylinder), Toyota Soarer (six-cylinder, V8), Toyota Supra (six-cylinder)
• TVR Cerbera (Great Britain, V8)
• Vauxhall Tigra & Calibra (parallel models to Opel, sold in Great Britain)
• Venturi Atlantique (France, V6)
• Volkswagen Corrado (Germany, four-cylinder, VR6)
• Volvo 480 (Sweden, four-cylinder)
• Zagato Hyena (Italy, four-cylinder)