Car Brand and Model Anniversaries of 2023

In the year of 2023, we have seen many iconic car manufacturers and models celebrate milestone anniversaries. It is no secret that classic cars can get lost in time, with certain models only known for being timeless classics, not modern mainstays.

Some however, stand the test of time and have flourished through the decades, turning into very important vehicles to the manufacturers behind them.

But what car models fall into these categories? And what car brands have also had their birthdays in 2023? Let’s find that out now.

Audi TT – 25 years

To start things off, this year marked the iconic Audi TT’s 25^th anniversary – a model that has been a staple in Audi’s ever-growing line-up.

First revealed as a concept in 1995 at the Frankfurt Motor Show, the Audi TT first hit the roads in 1998. Audi have since developed the TT into one of the brand’s most recognisable models.

The coupé/convertible has seen a lot of success over the years, with What Car? stating that the model is “one of the most successful cars of all time”. Awards from What Car? such as ‘Best Coupé for Value’ and ‘Best Used Coupé’ in recent times highlights just how much the Audi TT holds up as a modern great.

Ford Mondeo – 30 years

Amongst all the car models that Ford have produced over the years, the Mondeo is widely regarded as one of the crucial vehicles in Ford’s history.

The Ford Mondeo was first introduced to the world in 1992, set to debut as a replacement for the Ford Sierra. Once the Mondeo hit the UK market in 1993, the model was highly praised for its technological and design advancements, especially compared to its predecessor.

Now for the bad news, however; we may be celebrating 30 years of the Ford Mondeo, but production of the vehicle stopped back in early 2022. The popular model had run its course, with a near-thirty-year tenure as one of Ford’s most reputable vehicles – you will be missed, Mondeo!

Volkswagen Passat – 50 years

The Volkswagen Passat turned a half-century old this year, with VW celebrating one of their top-selling vehicles (2^nd highest-selling, to be exact) in style.

Brought to their line-up in 1973, the VW car was inspired by Audi’s iconic saloon, the Audi 80. Given the sleek design of the Passat, which was clearly ahead of its time, it was regarded as an instant classic. Now skip 50 years later, the Passat has seen 8 generations to date.

To commemorate this milestone, Volkswagen showcased 5 handpicked classic Passat variants at the annual Techno Classica event in Essen, Germany. The German car manufacturers labelled the slogan “Immer wieder neu” to the Passat, which translates to “Always reinventing itself”.

Much like the Mondeo to Ford, the Passat is known to be a crucial model in VW’s history that started a series of innovative and iconic model designs from Volkswagen.

Honda – 60 years

Honda were founded in 1948, however, didn’t start establishing themselves as a car brand until 1963. Honda debuted their first two cars 60 years ago – the T360 and the S500.

As Honda were mainly a bicycle and motorbike company up to this point, the decision to commence automobile production was seen as left field. However, their motoring knowledge translated to automobiles with ease.

Honda entered the automobile market with the T360, a mini pick-up truck that boasted an impressive (for the time) 9000-rpm engine. The Japanese brand was always known for powerful, efficient, and reliable engines, making the performance of the T360 pretty groundbreaking.

Following the mini-truck just months later was the S500 sports car. As mentioned previously, Honda had great knowledge on motor engines, which blessed the S500 with high-performance and reliability. The S500 was paired with a 9500-rpm engine and was priced at £2,461 back in 1963, again emphasising that Honda were here to stay.

These two revolutionary vehicles kickstarted Honda’s production in the industry, which sees them as one of the top vehicle manufacturers in the world today.

Porsche and the 911 Model – 75 years & 60 years respectively

"In the beginning, I looked around and could not find quite the car I dreamed of, so I decided to build it myself", Ferry Porsche.

Out of all the car brands included in this list celebrating important milestones, I’d argue there’s not one that stands out more than Porsche in 2023. Not only are they honouring their historic model, the Porsche 911 that turned 60 this year, but Porsche also released their first car 75 years ago.

Although founded as a company in 1931, Porsche were established as an automobile brand in 1948, when the Porsche 356 was approved for production. The 356 was Ferry Porsche’s idea of a premium car, being the first of many high-end sporty vehicles under the Porsche name.

15 years after the 356 was released, in came arguably Porsche’s most recognisable model – the Porsche 911. The 911 was unveiled at the 1963 Frankfurt Motor Show, where the model grabbed the attention of car enthusiasts around the world. Since then, the 911 has undergone 8 different generations and have been an integral part of the brand.

Porsche’s contribution to the automobile industry can’t go unrecognised, so here’s to hopefully another 75 years of performance and innovation!

Chevrolet Corvette – 70 years

Lastly, Chevrolet celebrates 70 years of their famous Corvette sports car.

Chevrolet were having a difficult spell in the late 1940s/early 1950s, so the brand decided to change things up and started to prepare for their first ever sports car. Taking inspiration from British sports cars at the time, Chevrolet conjured up the concept of their now world-renowned model, the Corvette. In 1953, Chevrolet produced a total of 300 Corvettes, with 183 of them being sold in the US.

Years later, the Corvette is still in Chevrolet's model line-up, seeing the sports car be sold over 37,500 times in 2022. To honour the Corvette's anniversary, Chevrolet are introducing a 70 ^th  anniversary Stingray edition of the Corvette, with production expected to start by the end of 2023.

Image Credits (car images):

Auto Express (Audi TT)

Auto Express (Ford Mondeo)

Volkswagen Newsroom (Volkswagen Passat)

Porsche (Porsche 356)

Porsche (Porsche 911)

Honda (Honda T360)

Honda (Honda S500)

Corvette Museum (Chevrolet Corvette)