24. Ford Mustang McLaren M81
The late ’70s and early ’80s were bad times for muscle cars, but there were still a few unique versions Detroit released in that period. One of those is the famous M81 McLaren Mustang. This interesting car was built with the help of the well-known McLaren racing team from Michigan.
The idea behind the project was to take the 2.3-liter turbo engine from the regular Mustang and transform it into a street racing beast. It would include a race-tuned suspension and a lightweight body. McLaren and Ford installed a tuned turbo engine with 190 HP, which was a big number coming from 2.3 liters. They also changed the looks of the Ford Mustang. The result was a good performance and driving dynamics, but also a high price tag. Ford offered the McLaren M81 for $25,000, which was roughly three times the price of a regular Ford. Even though they installed lots of improvements in the M81, it was a tough seller.