The ’80s were a different time for the automotive industry. Right off of the heels of the ’70s oil crisis, cars were smaller in size while technology was evolving, from digital dashboards to a talking door ajar voice on the Chrysler K-Cars.
Things were looking up for the automotive industry at this time and many few cars tried to be futuristic. The cars didn’t necessarily blow the roof off the auto world like thes 1960s muscle cars. Some of were quite attractive and fun to drive while others tried too hard. We took a look at 35 ’80s cars that tried to take us into the future too soon.
35: Ruf CTR Yellow Bird
There were a handful of limited-production sports cars that came out during the 1980s, and one of them was the Ruf. If you’ve never heard of this car, then you’re missing out on some serious culture. The Ruf CTR Yellow Bird was based on the Porsche 911, which at the time was one of the most powerful sports cars in production. With a blisteringly fast 0-60 time and aggressive looks, the Ruf was one of the more futuristic Porsche models. Blazing a trail on the track is only one of the benefits of the CTR Yellow Bird, as the company was going for an authentic track car.
The car was not just an affectionately named halo car with a bright yellow paint job. The 3.2-liter flat-six cylinder engine was finely tuned for performance, and perform it did. Few cars could blister across the autobahn as the yellow bird could. Exterior styling was iconic and the reputation of the car was among the best at the time for the performance. There aren’t many Porsches that are as iconic as the yellow bird was, which is why value on this car has continued to rise.