15. 1980 Chevrolet Corvette
In 1970, the hottest Corvette pumped out 435 HP, but in 1980, the hottest Corvette only produced a modest 180 HP. Worse yet, it was 10 HP less in California, due to the stricter emission standards. So, what happened in just 10 years? Where did all those horses go?
It was the economic recession as well as the tightening emission standards and safety regulations that robbed performance from the legendary Corvette. The 1980 Corvette was a dinosaur with old technology under its plastic skin, lazy engines, and outdated interiors. Although it still looked the business, years had caught up with it and the disco era had passed.