Impact Bumpers
Safety was starting to become a high priority in the ’80s, so automakers were looking for ways to improve upon it. Impact bumpers were another innovation that peaked during this era. The idea behind impact buyers was to allow the car to take a greater impact without damage. Impact bumpers didn’t stay long but the idea behind the technology is still used in modern bumpers today. Crumple zones are what the modern impact bumpers are and most modern cars have this type of technology behind their body paneling (via 80s Goodness).
Automakers tried to come up with several solutions but nothing stuck. Impact bumpers are most notable on the Porsche Carrera and 911 cars. These cars utilized that technology a lot in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Unfortunately, there were better methods for protecting the body of the car. These methods proved to be more cost-effective for the automakers as well and you saw impact bumpers fade away.