The 1980s is a famous time period, mainly because it was when the Cold War began to end. It also saw the revival of various muscle cars such as the V8-powered Fox-body Mustangs and the Buick’s Turbocharged V6s. Beyond these, there were also a number of performance cars available in Europe such as the Volkswagen GTI and the Lamborghini Countach.
And of course, who can possibly forget the white-painted hatchbacks too. It is safe to say while the period must have experienced its share of politics, it also got to experience the arrival of a bunch of great cars.
During the 1980s, the automobile industry made a few strides through the introduction of emissions-friendly power. All-wheel drive systems were being looked into during this period as well. However, above everything - the 80s was an amazing time for the style of auto vehicles.
Here are 15 vehicles that defined style in the 80s:
15 Acura Integra
The standard 16-valve 1.6-liter four-cylinder was considered very special and rare during the 1980s, and it was one of the most exciting cars to have. Even with a maximum of 118 horsepower, the car was well known for its strong performance. If you wanted a cool car back then, this was the one.
14 AMC Eagle
The AMC Eagle had been presented as a wagon in the beginning. Later on, sedan and coupe variants were introduced, all of them featuring lifted suspensions and wood-grain siding. You can give the AMC Eagle for being one of the vehicles that can be credited for the all-wheel-drive station wagons that can be found everywhere in the market today.
13 AMG Hammer
The AMG Hammer consisted of the 300E, a luxury sedan and placed it on the Mercedes W124 E-class platform. It also featured a 5.5-liter V-engine from the S-class. However, the best part about this vehicle was that it could produce a total of 355 horsepower, and reach a top speed of 178 mph.
12 Audi Quattro
The Audi Quattro was seen as a massive force during its time, as it came with five turbocharged cylinders and an all-wheel-drive system. It certainly made a big name for itself when it was a part of the early 1980s World Rally Scene. It had a lot of power, with its ability to produce 591 horsepower.
11 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z
The third-generation Chevrolet Camaro was seen as an embodiment of the 1980s, with the angular styling being a suitable reflection for leather jackets which had become a new-found craze during that time. The removable T-tops were just what all the girls needed so that they could get their blow dries done on the go.
10 Buick GNX
During the 1980s, the Buick GNX was seen as the advanced version of the muscle car. It was much faster than most cars out there, even the speedy Camaros available on the road. In fact, it even gave the Corvettes a lot of competition. These facts were enough for the car to have made a bold statement.
9 Porsche 944 Turbo
When we think about why a front-engine Porsche is an inevitably great decision - the Porsche 944 Turbo is the first vehicle that comes to mind. It featured amazing handling, was lightweight, and in turbo form, it could bring a crazy amount of power on the road. This car is a famous one even to this day.
8 Ford RS 200
There is one really good thing about this car and one really bad thing about it. First, it was a huge failure as a rally car. But on the other hand, it is seen as an all-time great as a homologation special road car. It could speed from 0 to 60 mph in a mere 3.5 seconds.
7 Ferrari 288 GTO
Another homologation car from the 80s, this car was meant to serve as competition for this in the same class as the RS 200 on the racing track. However, the class was cancelled before the car was prepared, and instead, it became the fastest car of the world during the time it was introduced.
6 BMW E30 M3
The BMW E30 M3 is seen as one of the most special and successful homologations to have ever existed in this world. It was on top of racetracks all across the world, and it succeeded commercially to the point that it received its own line of factory-souped-up 3-Series Bimmers.
5 Ferrari F40
This was the last Ferrari that was designed during the life of Enzo. It featured all the state-of-the-art technology, and it was shaped in a wind tunnel. In all of history, it was the first production car to cross the top speed of 200 mph. During the 80s, this was the car to have.
4 Porsche 959
The Porsche 959 is considered a great due to the fact that it’s influence can be seen in Porsche’s lineup even today. This car was an absolute winner, as it dominated everything all the way from Dakar to Le Mans. On any surface at all, no car could come close to the Porsche 959.
3 Datsun 280ZX 10th Anniversary Edition
There was no way that a “black-gold” car wasn’t going to make its way to this list. Only 3000 of these were made, and they were the perfect option for those looking for a lavish and luxurious car. It shot to fame due to an extravagant advertisement run by Datsun for the promotion of the vehicle.
2 Dodge Omni Shelby GLH/GLHS
The Omni was the first domestic-built subcompact produced by Chrysler. It consisted of a hatchback body and front-wheel-drive layout very similar to the Volkswagen Golf. During the 80s, this was seen as the coolest car produced by Chrysler. All the credit for it goes to Carroll Shelby, with his work on this car bringing Chrysler back on the radar.
1 Ferrari Testarossa
The Ferrari Testarossa came with a 4.9-liter 12-cylinder which gave it enough power to be at part with a supercar. It had a wild appearance, an aspect which helped the car stand out the most. All those looking for an exotic car had no option but to be obsessed with this vehicle.