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80s Legends – Best US Cars From The Hairspray Decade

Vukasin Herbez December 30, 2024

After the problematic 1970s, the 1980s were a decade in which the US car industry finally started to recover and again present interesting and performance-oriented models. At the same time, US car makers accepted new technologies like turbocharging and aerodynamic design and also listened to global trends. All of that resulted in an exciting line of models, and today, we will showcase the 15 most interesting ones.

Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe

Thunderbird Turbo Coupe Morphs From Wagon To Laid Out Speedster In Quick Steps 1 — Photo Credit: Ford

Ford Thunderbird isn’t the car you would typically consider a muscle car. Still, in the ’80s, Ford introduced a couple of Thunderbirds that could have that designation and were an interesting addition to the performance car scene in those days. The TC received a Mustang SVO, a 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with a manual transmission, 190 HP power level, and a top speed of a whopping 143 mph. The top speed was affected by the car’s relative lightness and the ninth-generation Thunderbird’s aerodynamic shape.

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Lincoln Mark VII LSC

LSC stood for Luxury Sport Coupe, and this Mark VII was just that. Under the hood was a 5.0-liter V8 with up to 225 HP straight from Fox-body Mustang GT. The performance was slower than the Mustang, but the LSC was an excellent touring car with options, special seats, and luxury items. The LSC is forgotten today but still presents great value and classic American car.

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Ford Mustang SVO

Ford’s SVO (Special Vehicle Operations) department introduced a special Mustang SVO for 1984, which featured a 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 175 hp. The package included four-wheel disc brakes, stiffer suspension, and sharper steering, transforming the little Mustang into quite a capable sports car. For 1985, the SVO upped the power to a pretty impressive 205 hp, which turned the eyes of the motoring public to third-generation Mustangs.

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Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z

1989 20chevrolet 20camaro 20iroc Z 201le 01 Lg — Photo Credit: GM

Introduced in 1985, the IROC-Z was kind of a tribute model to the Chevrolet-sponsored International Race of Champions racing series. However, it was more than an appearance package and a cool name. Under the hood was 350 V8 with 225 HP in the early years and 245 HP in later versions. The buyers could opt for manual or automatic, and the suspension was tuned, as well as steering. Chevrolet even offered a cool-looking convertible, which was the first Camaro rag top in 18 years. The IROC-Z proved to be a very popular and influential muscle car, finally giving buyers an actual performance.

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Chevrolet Corvette C4

Olympus Digital Camera — Photo Credit: Car Domain

Introduced in 1984, the C4 Corvette is a true ’80s classic. Wedge-shaped bodies, pop-up headlights, rear hatch, and bright colors make this generation a true pop culture icon. However, there is much more about this car than funny stereotypes. The Corvette C4 was the car that singlehandedly saved the Corvette from its demise caused by recession and lack of popularity. The car was new from the ground up, with a new chassis, new engines, design, and a crazy digital dash in the interior.

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Jeep Cherokee XJ

1996 Jeep Cherokee 155913220265a23891c45 — Photo Credit: Car Domain

Despite being a modern and comfortable vehicle, the Cherokee XJ retained all of the Jeep’s characteristics, such as rugged mechanics, dependable AWD drivetrain, and good engines, which helped it claim the title of one of the best SUVs ever. In some foreign markets, the Cherokee XJ was produced until 2014 for foreign markets, showing how good of a car this Jeep was. The XJ is the next big thing since the good examples are hard to find, and people fondly remember this great vehicle.

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Ford Mustang GT 5.0 HO

Ford Mustang Gt 5.0 Convertible 2 0193006c0b8408a5 — Photo Credit: Flickr

The rise in domestic car power during the ’80s brought the first actual performance to the Mustang range in almost 20 years. The Fox-body Mustang grew more and more potent with each model year, starting from 175 HP in the 1983 model. By the late ’80s, the venerable 5.0-liter V8 engine was pumping 225 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque, translating to reasonably competent 0 to 60 mph times. The Mustang was once again an affordable performance car with cool styling, lots of options, and enough power to spin the rear wheels in any gear. That is why we consider the 1988 to 1993 Mustang 5.0 GT one of the best ’80s muscle cars.

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Pontiac Trans AM GTA

Autowp.ru Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Gta 1 — Photo Credit: Auto Wp

Arguably, the Trans AM was the best version of the third-generation Pontiac’s F-body. It was introduced in 1987 and was the top-of-the-range Firebird on offer. The package was available until 1992 and produced in relatively limited numbers. The secret weapons of the GTA were the engine and WS6 handling package. The engine was a 350 V8 with 210 HP in early models and up to 245 HP in later versions.

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Chevrolet C/K “Square Body”

Chevy C K Square Body Truck — Photo Credit: Motor1

Colloquially called “Square Body” for its boxy design, the third generation C/K featured a computer-designed body with more space and comfort than ever before. The truck was more significant and tougher due to the new platform, revised suspension, and tougher axles. Customers had numerous cab configurations, special editions, engine options, and details to choose from, making the third-generation C/K one of the best trucks in the world at the time.

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Ford Bronco

Along with Chevrolet’s Blazer, the Bronco is the quintessential American compact SUV of the 80s. Like all cars in this market segment, the Bronco was a rugged, well-engineered SUV built on a truck chassis with heavy-duty components. Most of them were used as off-road or law enforcement transportation, which explains why well-preserved examples are rare. Rare means expensive; if you want to own a proper Bronco, you’d better act fast.

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Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS

Chevrolet Monte Carlo 93 0063000007500480 — Photo Credit: GM

The mid-80s Monte Carlo was one of the most fabulous two-door coupes of the period, although the performance wasn’t exhilarating. Under the hood was a 305 V8 with 180 HP mated to a pretty slow automatic transmission. What the SS lacked in performance contributed to the looks and reputation. In a 5-year production run, Chevrolet built over 180,000 of those sleek coupes.

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Lincoln Town Car

The early ’80s brought much-needed downsizing to the American car industry, and enormous cars with monster engines were a thing of the past. Lincoln responded by presenting a very popular Town Car model built on Ford’s venerable Panther platform and powered by a 5.0-liter V8. The Town Car was a recognizable boxy-shaped sedan with a prominent chrome grille, bumpers, and a comfortable ride. It was a typically styled luxury model, and buyers loved its proportions, soft ride, and plush interior.

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Ford Taurus

In the mid-’80s, Ford caused a revolution by introducing the Taurus model. This was the first truly modern American sedan that ditched heavy ladder-type chassis and big engines and went in a different direction with a sleek and aerodynamic body, new technology, and front wheel drive. The Taurus sold in volumes and even featured the performance SHO version. The Taurus is still sold but will soon be discontinued with the rest of Ford’s sedan offerings.

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Dodge Omni GLH

1986 Dodge Shelby Omni Glhs380739 Scaled.jpg — Photo Credit: Mecum

It was called Omni GLH and was a proper hot hatch and one of the best affordable performance models money could buy in those days. Nobody expected that Dodge could produce a hot hatch that could beat the European competitors, but with Shelby’s help, it did just that. Shelby took the 2.2-liter four-cylinder and added a turbocharger to produce a total output of 175 hp and 0 to 60 mph time of less than 7 seconds. The best thing about this car is the name GLH, which means “Goes like Hell.”

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Shelby Dakota

The Dakota wasn’t a compact car but a compact pickup truck from Dodge. It was dependable, tough looking, and came with various engines and trim levels. However, Dodge wanted more, and in the late 80s, the company conceived a performance version created by the legendary Carroll Shelby, who was currently working with Chrysler Corporation. Shelby took the regular production Dakota and installed a 5.2-liter V8 engine with 175 HP. Despite the relatively small power output, the Dakota was light and had lots of torque, which meant that this compact truck had some convincing performance.

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