We've changed so much! How were the summers, from 1973 until today

“Eva María se fue, buscando el sol en la playa” Eva María was the most named woman in the summer of ‘73. This was one of Formula V’s greatest hits. Both its lyrics and the rhythm of its melody are a perfect example of how we have changed in the last 45 years. Since then life has taken many turns in such every-day activities as the holidays and how we live the summer... At that time we started out with our first rental cars in Benidorm, Do you want to know how summer has changed since then?

The 70s and the Summer of ‘73: The summers of black and white in full color

We went back in time to year ‘73, when our story began with 6 Seat 600s in a Benidorm that was the desired holiday destination inside and outside of Spain. Color television appeared by then, bell jeans were trendy and summer days were much hotter. Freedom floated in the air, and the youngsters spent their summers looking for places to discover new spots. On the other hand, families traveled to beaches and rivers to cool off and enjoy Sundays in the sun, 6 and 7 people crammed in a Seat 600. Safety belts were the last thing you thought of when jumping into a car... until 1975, when the first road safety campaign raised awareness about safer driving.

The techie 80s

The 80s saw the rise of the personal computer and the Internet, but at that time we did not imagine the magnitude that both would have a few years later. In the summer of '83 the song "Vamos a la playa" was played along, a mix of disco music of the time with very catchy summer lyrics that is enjoyed in local festivals to this today. At that time, many families already owned a car, and there was no lack of games on holiday trips, when they went to the nearest beaches of the Mediterranean. Counting vehicles, singing songs, and making stops at viewpoints, helped make long road trips much more enjoyable.

The 90s and the Macarena 

The "Macarena" made Spain and the whole world dance. This song broke all the records, being recognized as the Spanish song most listened to until then, who does not remember Bill Clinton dancing the summer song? Summer trips to the beach for sunbathing and walks to the mountain for those who wanted a cooler climate predominated in the 90s, there were few who at that time traveled outside Spain to live new adventures.

Technology continued to evolve with mobile telephony and those bulky phones that only a few could afford, although smartphones still took a while to arrive. We still looked for new destinations with large maps, a good sense of orientation and lowering the windows to ask directions to someone friendly. Almost at the end of the 90s, in the year 98, Google was born. It would forever change the way we relate to the world, although we did not know yet to what extent... at that very moment, in Centauro, we started one of our best adventures, we launched the first e-commerce of the sector in Spain, and how we have changed since then!

Year 2000, Welcome to the 21st century, the  much expected turn of the century

The year two thousand was a year long awaited by everyone... We wanted to find out what the new century had to offer, the pace of life began to accelerate with the expansion of the Internet and new venues for communication. The use of maps to find new spots gave way to the technological world with GPS. Improvised routes, although we had always loved it, became less frequent thanks to our tireless navigator. Borders fell down and holiday destinations skyrocketed with the explosion of the Internet, which became the most used tool for making all kinds of reservations: hotels, apartments, and activities were booked online. We were not going to be left behind, so also car hire went online.

2010, summers  without limit

The "Waka waka" made us move our hips like Shakira after the triumph of Spain in the World Cup in South Africa 2010, when social networks had already reached our homes and with it, the exposure of our lives to an interconnected world. Borders were more blurred than ever and we took a fondness to share our trips with all our friends through Instagram or Facebook, which soon flooded with the most exotic holiday photos. Selfies do not lag behind, they are the protagonists now, showing the places where you spend your holidays, who you are with, in what hotel, what car you rented and especially: what are you eating...

Of course, today, 45 years later, the road is still our main travel companion in those moments at the wheel when we still yearn to travel, learn more and continue having a unique life with you.