The 1980s were a decade of opulence, style, and automotive innovation. After the fuel crisis of the 1970s, automakers came up with all kinds of new futuristic designs. From the DMC DeLorean to the Ferrari Testarossa, there was something to be said for this era. So fire up your 80s techno tape and buckle up as we look at 30 jaw-dropping cars that defined an entire era.
Acura Integra (1986-1989)
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You have to truly appreciate the eighties to understand why the original Acura Integra was instrumental. Acura was a luxury car brand that was created by Honda to offer an alternative to German luxury cars from the period. The Acura Integra blended excellent driving with a refined spirit and it instantly became a hit.
AMC Eagle (1980-1987)
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Let’s just put it all out there no one appreciated the AMC Eagle when it was brand new. But, fast forward thirty years later and all anyone drives are crossover vehicles. The AMC Eagle was a trailblazer, a vehicle that could go anywhere and do anything. Although the looks weren’t the most attractive, this car changed the game.
AMG Hammer (1986-1988)
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With a nameplate like the “Hammer” you knew that this car meant business. The AMG Hammer was unlike anything else on the road. Produced in 1986 the sleek black Mercedes-Benz was the talk of the town. At the time there was nothing else like it on the road, and it caused quite a stir.
Audi Quattro (1983-1985)
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Audi is a brand that needs no recognition because they’ve been changing the game for decades. But, it was the original Audi Quattro that took the automotive world by storm. The car was every bit the rally car that it was intended to be. But, it also combined excellent on-road manners with a sleek design.
BMW M3 (1988-1991)
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BMW was redefining itself in the eighties, with a host of new cars that hit the market. The M3 was a bite-sized sport coupe that packed a punch. Based on the 3-Series this car was fun to drive and extremely nimble. There were very few rides that could compete directly with the M3 and the performance that it had to offer.
Buick Grand National GNX (1987)
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GM like most automakers had to find a way to utilize turbo-chargers in the eighties. The Grand National GNX was the product of this. Once the fastest production car in the GM lineup, the GNX performed amazingly without even having a V8 under the hood. The sleek black styling was intimidating and awe-inspiring.
Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z (1985-1990)
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Ah, who could forget the IROC-Z Camaro? It was the car of mullet-loving police chases everywhere. Crack open the T-Tops on a hot summer day and you had the ultimate convertible. The IROC-Z was also the first Camaro model that introduced fuel-injection into the mix. The combination of fuel-injection and the bulletproof 350 V8 made the IROC-Z.
Datsun 280ZX 10th Anniversary Edition (1980)
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Few cars were the epiphany of the eighties like the Datsun 280ZX was. The 10th Anniversary edition of the car was downright memorable, to say the least. The black and gold paint scheme was unlike anything else on the market. There were only 3000 of these limited edition sports cars ever sold.
DeLorean DMC-12 (1981-1983)
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Every kid born in the 1970s remembers this car, and who wouldn’t? Not only was the DMC-12 made famous by Marty McFly, but it also had one of the most unique appearances on the road. The DMC-12 wasn’t the fastest car on the road by any means, but the unique styling was unlike anything else around.
Dodge Omni Shelby GLH/GLHS (1984-1986)
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Perhaps one of the most interesting automotive stories to come out of the eighties was the partnership between Chrysler and Carroll Shelby. The Dodge Omni was an affordable compact car that was sold by Chrysler in the eighties. The limited edition Shelby GLH was a turbo-powered beast of a car that turned the Omni into a real Shelby creation.
Ferrari F40 (1987-1992)
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Ferrari was the epiphany of 1980s style, from Miami Vice to the various other TV shows, these were everywhere. But, when you knew you were really successful, you were able to get an F40. The F40 was a racing quality sports car that anyone could own for the right price tag.
Ferrari Testarossa (1984-1991)
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Ferrari was very instrumental in the eighties, both in-terms of design and performance. The Testarossa was another impressive and well-known vehicle in the Ferrari roster. Part of the reason for this was the beautiful styling and one-of-a-kind performance. There was 380 horsepower on tap at any given moment, and the cheesegrater styling was one of a kind.
Ford Mustang GT 5.0 (1987-1993)
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The Mustang GT 5.0 was another well-known performance car that needs no introduction. The 5.0 was one of the most iconic sports cars of all time. This car marked a shift in the modern muscle car culture. The lightweight design made the car a blast to drive and the Cobra edition was even rarer.
Honda CRX Si (1985-1987)
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Perhaps no car has been as iconic and instrumental as the Honda CRX Si. The two-seater four-banger was synonymous with economy and fun. The car was slightly smaller in size than a Civic and customers went crazy for it. The Si trim was one of the most notable cars on the road and still holds it’s value today.
Jeep Cherokee (1984-2001)
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The original Jeep Cherokee XJ is one of the most iconic vehicles on the road. The iconic boxy design set the stage for the Sport Utility Vehicle to become a mainstream form of transportation. Before the popularity of the Jeep Cherokee sport utility vehicles were rough and tumble.
Lamborghini Countach (1974-1990)
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The Lamborghini Countach was one of the most notable exotic cars from the 1980s. The sleek and futuristic design was wide-bodied and unlike anything else. The gullwing doors became an iconic part of Lamborhini’s marketing, and the performance was almost unheard of then.
Mazda 323 GTX (1988-1989)
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What happened to the age of fun to drive hatchbacks? The Mazda 323 GTX was the epiphany of fun to drive compact cars. The hatchback was developed in partnership with Ford and it had a notable exterior style. At a time when hatchbacks were boring to drive and underpowered the 323 GTX was anything but that.
Mazda RX-7 Turbo II (1987-1991)
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The second generation of the Mazda RX-7 is built on the already amazingly adept platform. The car was fun to drive and it still had the amazing rotary engine under the hood. The Turbo II had a host of performance upgrades over the previous generation. This was by far one of the most popular variations of the RX-7.
Mercedes-Benz G-Class (The Late Triassic Period-2018)
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The G-Class Mercedes-Benz is one of the few vehicles on the road today that has remained largely unchanged since the eighties. The eighties version of the SUV wasn’t sold in America but it wasn’t uncommon to see one imported here. The off-road capability of the G-Wagon was legendary and the durability was on par with Land Rover.
Merkur XR4Ti (1985-1989)
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The Merkur brand was a short-lived experiment by Ford Motor Company in the 1980s to bring British rides over here to the U.S. The XR4Ti was a notable car because it was lauded by the Automotive press. The British ride quality and handling were above average and the design of the car was sleek and aerodynamic.
Mitsubishi Starion (1983-1989)
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In the eighties, Mitsubishi was a little-known car company that was starting to make waves in America. After a partnership with Chrysler dubbed Diamond Star Motors, Mitsubishi began releasing fun-to-drive cars onto the roads. The Starion was an extremely fun-to-drive car that had a turbo-charged engine and an AWD platform.
Nissan Pulsar NX (1987-1990)
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Nissan had a lot of memorable cars in the eighties, but the Pulsar NX was one of the most unique. The car had a configurable rear end that could be turned into a hatchback or a mini-truck. The performance of the Pulsar made it extremely fun to drive and the price tag was much lower than comparable rides at the time.
Porsche 944 Turbo (1986-1989)
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The Porsche 944 Turbo was one of the most unique Porsche models that came out during the eighties. The platform was home to a model that also had a V8 under the hood, but it was the turbo-charged version that was groundbreaking. There was something about the sleek design of the 944 Turbo that caught everyone’s attention.
Porsche 959 (1986-1989)
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The Porsche 959 was one of the most fashion-forward sports cars of the eighties. The body panels were made of kevlar and it was one of the first wide-body sports cars that was mass-produced. The 959 is still one of the most expensive Porsches that you can buy from the eighties.
Saab 900 Turbo (1978-1993)
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Saab was one of those automakers that completely revolutionized driving during the eighties. The Saab 900 Turbo was fun to drive, reliable and could handle just about anything. There was a certain shape and style that only a Saab had, and the 900 Turbo was the epiphany of Saab vehicles.
Subaru XT (1985-1991)
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One of the rarest cars to come out in the eighties was the Subaru XT. The sleek blade-looking sports car was produced in extremely small numbers. The two-spoke wheels and flat-four engine were stellar design elements. Nowadays the XT is a rare glimpse into what eighties engineering offered.
Toyota Celica Supra (1982-1986)
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Toyota sports cars have long been the pinnacle of fun and economy. The Toyota Celica Supra was one of the first early Toyota sports cars sold in America. The A60 as it was called was regularly on top-ten lists and other automotive publications. The sleek styling and one-of-a-kind performance cemented the Celica name.
Toyota MR2 (1985-1989)
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The Toyota MR2 was built a year after the Pontiac Fiero hit the market, and it had a very similar design. Yet, the Toyota was a far better vehicle in every way. The bulletproof reliability and the mid-engine design were fun to drive. The MR2 was only sold as a two-seater and it was quite a popular choice for young sports car shoppers.
Volkswagen Rabbit GTI MkI (1983-1985)
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The Volkswagen Rabbit GTi MKi was the car that put Volkswagen back on the map. In the eighties, the company was in a freefall, and it needed a fun, affordable compact. The Rabbit GTI was the perfect blend of performance and style. The cheap price tag and German engineering provided shoppers with a fun-to-drive hatchback.
Volvo 740 Turbo Wagon (1984-1992)
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Volvo is not the first automaker that comes to mind when you think of performance. But, the 740 Turbo Wagon dubbed the “Brick” was one of the most memorable cars from the eighties. The performance of the turbo-charged engine was unmatched by anything else on the market, and it could seat seven people! This was the ultimate family carrier.