These days if you’re not talking about the Jaguars, Range Rovers, Fords, Corolla, Bentley, Lamborghinis and the rest, then you are not talking cars.
But back in the days, these were the cars that were so popular Ghanaians couldn’t live without for both public transport and private cars.
1. Bedford (Bone Shaker)
These type of cars gained so much popularity in Ghana among traders because it was strong and durable and could handle any bad terrain. It was mostly used to carry goods from villages into the city. It gained its popular name “bone shaker” because of its ability to move on rough roads, causing passengers to shake. The car had wooden planks laid in them as seats and hard plastics as screens to prevent water from entering the car whenever it rains. It is still popular in most Senior High Schools for the purchasing of foodstuffs for students.
![Ghana Car Inscriptions 13]()
2. VW Beetle (Aportro Car)
The VW Beetle was very popular in the 70’s through to the 90’s and was popularly known as the “Aportro Car” due to its design. If you weren’t rich at the time, you couldn’t afford it. It’s engine was at the back and not at the front like most cars. You could hear it approaching like a scooter when the beetle is approaching even from a mile away.
![Photo Credit: OLX]()
Photo Credit: OLX
3. Peugeot 404 or Station Wagon (One pound, One pound)
This was the most popular car in the 70’s down to the 80’s, you could still find some on our roads. At the time, it was one of the fastest cars in Ghana.
![Photo Credit: UniqueCarsAndParts]()
Photo Credit: UniqueCarsAndParts
4. Double Decker Buses (Aunty Dede)
If you do not board this bus when you travel to Accra those days, then you’ve not been to Accra. Everybody wanted to have a feel of it when it arrives and used to plight most parts of the city. It is still in use in London till date but unfortunately, here in Ghana, we’ve deserted it.
![Photo Credit: Alamy.com]()
Photo Credit: Alamy.com
5. Renault
Renault cars in those days was believed to be one of the strongest cars that could stand the test of time and was used by most prominent Ghanaians. It is still very common in Ghana but not as popular as it was back in the day.
![Photo Credit: ClassicCarCatalogue.com]()
Photo Credit: ClassicCarCatalogue.com
6. Citroen
If you were not part of the rich community, you couldn’t afford this car back in the day but today, even if you dole it out as a gift, nobody will want it. Talk about time changes.
![Photo Credit: Citroenet.org.uk]()
Photo Credit: Citroenet.org.uk
7. American Jeeps
American Jeeps were very popular back in the day. They did not come with any cover and so gained the popular name, “a roll glass” meaning “you can’t roll the glass”. They were the official police cars back in the day.
![jeep_]()
8. Vauxhall
Another car for the elite at the time and though it is still being used in the country, it doesn’t command that respect anymore.
![Photo Credit: ClassicAndPerformanceCar]()
Photo Credit: ClassicAndPerformanceCar
9. Hennessey
Hennessey still produces cars but these days they are more into fast cars and so we don’t see much of them here, but back in the days, Hennessey cars were very common in Ghana it was mostly for the elite.
![The Zero]()
10. Humber
Humber cars were some of the most expensive cars in Ghana and it was Kwame Nkrumah‘s favourite. Just like ministers like to drive in Land Cruisers these days, Humber was their choice of cars those days.
![humberhawk]()
11. Simca
Simca cars also gained their popularity in those days and if your granddad was not driving in one of those, then he wasn’t a “gangalia” as it was termed in those days.
![simca cars]()
12. Smiling Benz
At some point in time, one of the most popular cars was the “Smiling Benz” and our ladies will die for it.
![Photo Credit: Flickr]()
Photo Credit: Flickr
13. Datsun
These days Datsun is termed as “colo” but in those days if you owned one, you were hailed as a champion. They were mostly used as taxis back then.
![datsun]()
14. Crossley Bugatti
In the 50’s and 60’s, the Crossley Bugatti was the “issh” and whoever owned one was the king of the town but today, it can be found in museums and the backyard of some dilapidated houses.
![Crossley Bugatti]()
15. Rolls Royce
Kwame Nkrumah used to ride in one of those and it was very popular in those days and it’s still one of the most expensive cars in the world. But their type is outmoded now.
![rolls royce ghana]()
16. Bentley
The new models of Bentley are still a beauty to behold and an envy to those who can’t afford, the same relevance it carried back in the days. It was mostly driven by chiefs and the elite in society.
![Photo Credit: YouTube]()
Photo Credit: YouTube
17. Morris Minor
The Morris Minor, similar to the “Aportro Car” also gained its popularity in the country back in the day.
![Photo Credit: Telegraph.co.uk]()
Photo Credit: Telegraph.co.uk
18. Leyland
The Leylan brand of cars were once very popular in Ghana. We still see Leyland trucks all around us, back in the days they had cars that had long bonnets and were used by just a few section of the community because they were quite expensive.
![Photo Credit: ArOnline.co.uk]()
Photo Credit: ArOnline.co.uk
19. Austin
Austin cars also had their time sometime in history in Ghana.
![Photo Credit: Wikimedia]()
Photo Credit: Wikimedia
20. Plymouth
These type of cars had long boots and long bonnets and are still very common in America but sometime in Ghana, they were very popular, but now they’ve receded into oblivion.
![plymouth savoy]()
21. Packard
Ever seen a packard before? Well! They are those old type of cars with long noses that had wheels beside the bonnet on both sides. They were once very popular in Ghana and used by prominent people in society, some well to do families still have some parked in their garages as a trophy.
![Packard]()
22. Ultima
Ultima is also into fast cars now but back in the days, they had these cars with very long noses and it is what the Americans used to do the car bounce in music videos. Snoop Dogg’s favourite car, if you thought we never had some in Ghana, then you better think again because once upon a time, they were very common in the country.
![Photo Credit: GenerationHighOutput.com]()
Photo Credit: GenerationHighOutput.com
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