In addition to Miami Vice, MTV, and the fall of the Berlin Wall, the 1980s were about cool cars. This was the decade when the industry rediscovered muscle cars, experimented with turbocharging, introduced vehicles with fuel injection, and began utilizing all-wheel drive.
To celebrate the decade, we present 15 of the coolest cars released in the '80s.
Lamborghini Countach
The Lamborghini Countach is known for its iconic wedge-shaped design. It was one of the last models made under the supervision of brand founder Ferruccio Lamborghini. The Countach embodied cool, and posters of it held hallowed space on the walls of kids' rooms in the 1980s.
It was first designed in 1974 and reached America in 1982. The vehicle featured an array of vents, wings, scoops, and a periscope-style rear-view mirror design. A 370-horsepower V-12 engine powered the Countach. The car went from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 4.5 seconds and could reach speeds of up to 185 mph.
Chevy Corvette C4
After the third-generation Corvette C3 receiveda tepid receptionfor performance and style, the pressure was on the fourth-generationCorvette. It was launched in 1984 and was designed from front to back. The C4, packing a V8, could reach a top speed of 140 mph. It sported adigital dashboardand removable Targa top.
The car restored the appeal and mystique of the Corvette brand. It was a hit among the car-buyer public, who bought 350,000 units.
Audi Quattro
With 300 horses, five turbocharged cylinders, and all-wheel drive, the AudiQuattrowon its share of World Rally events in the 1980s. From 1983 to 1985, only 700 were sold in the United States, and other variants were sold abroad.
Audi's coolness comes from its understated elegance and features, such as the horizontal air inlets above the front grille.
BMW M3
TheBMW M3debuted in the 1980s because of aracing rule. The International Automobile Federation (FIA) required Group A race cars to have a street-legal equivalent. BMW had to construct 5,000 M3s over 12 months to qualify to compete in racing.
The M3 had flared fenders and a large rear spoiler. The U.S. version made 192 hp. It took the M3 6.9 seconds to reach 60 mph. The four-seat coupe weighed 2,857 pounds, light by today's standards. If you wanted one in 1988, it would cost $34,810.
Ford Mustang GT 5.0
Many Mustangs prowled the highways in the 1980s; however, no Mustang was cooler than theFord Mustang GT 5.0.The venerable pony car was in its third generation in 1987, and police departments favored the restyled vehicle because of its quickness.
The Mustang “5.0” engine was a 4.9-liter V-8 that received fuel injection for the first time in 1984. New cylinder heads lifted horsepower to 225, and the car could go to 60 mph in 6.3 seconds and cover a one-fourth of a mile in 14.7 seconds.
Ferrari F40
TheFerrariF40 evolved from the288 GTOand was indeed a very cool supercar. It was the last Ferrari approved byEnzo Ferrarihimself. The vehicles inherited many of the 288 GTO Evoluzione's features, including its singularly spectacular body.
The F40 used advanced materials such as carbon fiber and bonded Kevlar paneling. Its look was spartan and lightweight. Its powertrain was a2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V-8that could deliver 471 hp. The company claimed the car had a top speed of 201 mph. Only1,315were ever produced between 1987 and 1992. Its original price tag was $400,000.
Mazda RX-7 Turbo II
The Mazda RX-7 Turbo IIembodied the best aspects of Japanese sports cars: stylish, high-tech, and lightweight. The vehicle's design drew inspiration from the Porsche 924 and the Porsche 944 for the Turbo's styling and dynamic look.
The Turbo coupe, with its asymmetrical hood scoop, drew on power from its rear wheels. Its turbocharged Wankel rotary engine could generate 182 hp and reach a top speed of 143 miles per hour.
Buick Grand National GNX
Buick's Grand National was the high-performance version of the midsize Buick Regal. It debuted in 1982 and was a success. It returned in 1984 with fuel injection and an intercooler. Knowing the Regal's days were numbered, Buick chose to make its final model year, 1987, with a higher-performance version of the GN.
The GNX boasted a 300 horsepower 3.8-liter turbocharged V6 in a personal luxury coupé. Buick only made 547 of the GNX, and the car was only available in black. It was a pricey $11,000 in 1987.
Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z
TheChevy Camaro, originally conceived to take on the Ford Mustang in the pony car competition in 1964, was one of the most popular early muscle cars. For Camaro enthusiasts, the IROC-Z is the high-water mark in its history, and they consider this model the coolest.
The second-generation 1985 model was introduced as an upgrade to the Z28. It could reach 60 mph in fewer than 7 seconds.
Vector W8
The Vector W8 has become known as America's forgotten supercar from the 1980s. Its signature look is the wedge car design, which strongly suggests the iconic Lamborghini Countach.
The W8 had a twin-turbocharged all-aluminum Rodeck V8 engine and could reach up to 230 miles per hour. Overlaying the vehicle was a body made of Kevlar and carbon fiber. The otherworldly co*ckpit-looking dashboard displayed information on CRT screens.
Porsche 959
The Porsche 959 was described by“Car and Driver”magazine as the “thinking man's supercar” and by “Sports Car Digest” as a “generation-defining 80s car.”
The kudos tumble forth because of thePorsche959's sequential turbocharging, state-of-the-art all-wheel-drive system, six-speed manual transmission, four-wheel-drive, and the 444 horses under the hood. Unfortunately for those in the U.S., the car was unattainable.
Datsun 280ZX
Since its debut in 1979, the Datsun 280Z has been a hit with the car-buying public. More than 64,000 were sold in its first year. In recognition of its importance to the Nissan car company, Nissan released a stunning Black Gold version.
Only 3,000 were built, and according to a sultry television ad from the time, there were no options.
DeLorean DMC-12
Few cars have attained the mystique of theDMC DeLorean. Even before it transported Marty McFly back to 1955 in the film “Back to the Future,” it gained a cult following with its distinctive gull-winged doors. The vehicle debuted in 1981 and was a disappointment, dumped two years later. Owners complained about the electrics inside, which were underpowered, and the ballyhooed wings, which were too heavy to lift.
The image of maverick creator John DeLorean was tarnished by accusations of cocaine smuggling that were eventually thrown out in court.
Dodge Omni Shelby GLH/GLHS
The subcompact Dodge Omni was not a cool car. Then car racer/designerCarroll Shelbymade it the coolest car in the Dodge fleet. The GLH suffix means “Goes Like Hell,” and GLHS stands for “Goes Like Hell Some-more.” The latter model was limited to about 500 units.
Under the hood was a 175-hp 2.2-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. It also featured a black grille and Bosch fog lights.
Ferrari Testarossa
Fans of the 1980s TV cop show Miami Vice remember the cool clothes, the eye candy stars, and, of course, the white Ferrari Testarossa, perhaps the most famous Ferrari to appear on the small or big screen. Few cars expressed the 1980s' wretched excess better than the Testarossa.
It packed 380 hp, and the vehicle could reach 180 mph. It was the fastest car you could buy in 1986 (if you had$181,000), the year it landed on American shores. There were the pop-up headlights, the wide rear fenders, and the center-lock wheels.
