The VW Golf GTI from 1976 (the Mk. 1?) is, in my opinion, a kindred spirit with the Lamy Safari from 1980. Unspectacular at the start, both have come to be appreciated more and more as time goes by.
The Golf GTI was the proto ‘hot hatch’ - an unassuming little car that packed a wallop under the hood while the Safari was a made-for-schoolkids pen with an ergonomic grip to encourage proper handling and penmanship… that has since schooled penthusiasts worldwide with its countless colorways and limited editions. Both were affordable and had designer cred: the Golf was styled by Giugiaro (!) while the Safari came from the portfolio of Wolfgang Fabian, who also designed the Logo, Spirit, Swift, Tipo and more for Lamy. Lastly, both the Golf and Safari are still produced today, more than 40 years after their respective launches.