The 22nd edition of the Soccer World Cups has already commented (it has been doing so without interruption since 1950). For the first time in history, it will be held in a Middle Eastern country and, furthermore, outside of the summer dates. We have associated each of the editions with a specific car, so which cars have arrived during these years marked in red by soccer fans? 22 models that from now on you will associate with the world of football.
It is the football event par excellence and although it is logical that it would have been held in summer, the fact that this edition was held in Qatar has pushed its dates back to November and December. We mean, as you well know, the World football, event in which the best players and national teams from the five continents come together to elevate the one who, within a month, manages to lift the trophy to the envy of the rest. Celebrated every four years, it is precisely this frequency that makes the World Cup such a special event (as much as there are voices that want to reduce the periodicity to two years).
But what we also like here are, logically, the cars and for them we thought it would be interesting to associate each of the editions with a particular vehicle. The fact that it is held almost every five years means that some models may be left out, but the controversy remains open there. So in the same way that you remember the year of the World Cup, we can associate each issue with a model that arrived that year. What was the “inaugural” model? And the one that made us world champions? Will it be the last one that we put at the end of the list that will make us happy again? Let’s see it.
The car of the year of the World Cup in Uruguay, 1930
Peugeot 201
The first World Cup car is the peugeot 201which begins the 200 saga that today reaches the 208. Its main characteristic was its reliability and it became the first model of Peugeot with a large volume of sales. It was presented in 1929, but its commercialization began in 1930.
The car of the year of the World Cup in Italy, 1934
Mercedes W25
Mercedes-Benz W25. With the 1934 World Cup in Italy came the first silver arrow of the German brand, thanks to which all the competition models of the firm were “baptized” in this way.
The World Cup car in France, 1938
BMW 328
The fashionable car in Europe is the BMW 328, brand new winner of the Mille Miglia. He appeared in 1936, but after the victory in the mythical race he became a cult object.
The car of the World Cup in Brazil, 1950
Chevrolet Belair
With European factories still massacred by the Second World Warthe most representative car of the early 50s is the Chevrolet Bel-Air. Everyone dreams of great American cars and the Bel-Air in 1950 is an object of desire.
The Swiss World Cup car, 1954
Panhard Dyna Z
Panhard Dyna Z. This French brand has always been characterized by its advanced solutions. The Panhard Dyna Z It already had a body completely made of aluminum and an aerodynamic Cx of less than 0.30, excellent even by today’s standards.
The Swedish World Cup car, 1958
Renault Dauphine
Renault Dauphine, in Spain known as the “widows car”. Its engine had quite a temperament, which together with its rear position, the ancient Spanish roads and that it ran more than most vehicles of those years in our country attracted the black legend. It was tremendously popular.
The car of the World Cup in Chile, 1962
Ferrari 250 GTO
Ferrari 250 GTO: a true legend of the Italian firm and of the automotive world in general. In addition, one of the most valued cars in the world, since in 2013 38 million euros were paid for one unit. Its figures, 302 CV and almost 300 km/h.
The car of the World Cup in England, 1966
Oldsmobile Toronado
Oldsmobile Toronado: America’s first front-wheel drive mass-produced car (Cords were barely sold). A luxury saloon with a striking appearance and modern solutions in a country unaccustomed to avant-garde techniques.
The car of the World Cup in Mexico, 1970
Citroen SM from 1970
The Citroen SM it was the most powerful and fastest front-wheel drive car in the world. Technologically it was 15 years ahead of the competition. He was immortalized by burt reynolds in the opening of the movie “The bone braker” (The Last Yard in English). Many of the most famous people of the time got hold of a copy of this marvel, among them the soccer star Johan Cruyff, who heads this report.
The car of the World Cup in Germany, 1974
Mercedes S-Class W116
First generation of the Mercedes Benz S-Class. It was presented a year earlier, but in 1974 it was chosen as one of the best cars in the world and the forerunner of a saga that continues to this day. The open traffic race filmed by film director Claude Lelouch through the streets of Paris with a camera mounted on the bumper of a mercedes w116 With a 6.9 engine, it is an indelible memory in the retina of motor enthusiasts. Its benefits were superior to those of models of Ferrari contemporaries.
The car of the World Cup in Argentina, 1978
Porsche 928 from 1978.
Porsche dethrones the 911 as the flagship of the brand by marketing (it was presented in 1977) the 928 with a modern V8 engine with the cylinders forming a very open V to lower the center of gravity. It had excellent features and a more than remarkable comfort for 4 passengers. The dashboard moved with the steering column to perfectly fit the driver’s field of vision.
The car of the World Cup in Spain, 1982
Audi 100 from 1982
Naranjito brings us the Audi 100 (C3), the most aerodynamic sedan in the world thanks to a new mounting system for the side windows, which allowed them to be flush and lower the aerodynamic turbulence caused by the window frames. Its high-performance model, the 200 turbo, was chosen shortly after as the car for the Spanish ministers.
The car of the World Cup in Mexico, 1986
BMW M3
With the World Cup in Mexico comes one of the most important myths in automotive history, the BMW M3. It is the first high-performance model of the BMW 3 series (E30 chassis) to come onto the market, and it becomes one of the most desired sports sedans and with the best track record in the world of competition.
The Italian World Cup car, 1990
Bugatti EB110
Come back Bugatti after 40 years without making cars. The development of the EB 110 which would be presented in 1991, beginning the second life of the brand that today creates jewels like the Veyron.
The United States World Cup car, 1994
Mercedes C-Class 1994
The arrival of the first Mercedes C-Class takes place, which is in charge of taking over from the previous Mercedes 190 and begins the new C-class which is still valid to this day.
The car of the World Cup in France, 1998
Alfa Romeo 156
Arrives in 1998 Alfa Romeo 156a model that draws attention from the moment of its presentation thanks to its refined line designed by Pininfarina. It has the difficult task of rescuing Alfa Romeo from oblivion and returning it to the premium brand segment. In addition to its style, its excellent dynamic behavior stands out.
The car of the World Cup in Korea and Japan, 2002
Renault Megane
The second generation of the Renault Mégane has created controversy since its arrival due to its peculiar shapes. Despite its unconventional design, this version of the megane it becomes a bestseller throughout Europe.
The car of the World Cup in Germany, 2006
Nissan Qashqai
The Germany World Cup It meant the planting of two important seeds. On the one hand, the origin of the Spanish National Team, champion of everything we know today. And on the other, the birth of the SUV phenomenon, with the arrival of the first generation of the Nissan Qashqai.
The car of the World Cup in South Africa, 2010
Dodge Viper
The most important World Cup in the history of Spanish football brings sad news, which is none other than the abandonment of the manufacturing of one of the American myths, the Dodge Viper.
The car of the World Cup in Brazil, 2014
The behavior is highly conditioned by the weight of this model.
The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV It hit the market in 2014 to revolutionize it. It immediately became a bestseller among its kind. A comfortable and spacious interior, enormous versatility and a very favorable product- price ratio made it the most successful plug-in hybrid on the market.
The car of the World Cup in Russia, 2018
Lada Niva Concept?
This year’s World Cup has not yet been held and there are many unknowns. That is why we have chosen this possible concept as the car of this world championship. The Lada Niva is Russian and much has been speculating in recent months about a possible remodeling of this 4×4 that has convinced half the planet due to its good qualities.
The car of the World Cup in Qatar, 2022
As a small state, Qatar does not have a car manufacturer that is worth highlighting, especially if we take into account that less than 2 million inhabitants live in the entire Qatari state. In addition, from what is said in gossip, it seems that it is not a very benevolent country to drive. Perhaps for this reason the models that sell the most are, logically, the large SUVs. Among the many that circulate through its streets, we have decided to highlight nothing less than the Lexus LX 570. You may not see it in Spain, but both in Arab countries and in the United States, it is a model with strong demand. Its power and aesthetics make it the ideal model for surfing the dunes. So much so that even the Emir of Qatar himself, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, has one among his extensive collection (as you can imagine, it’s not the same as you would have).
Report made with the invaluable collaboration of Rubén Fidalgo.
Photos: NetCarShow and Wikimedia Commons