There is no question that the 1980s brought us some of the best cars to ever enter the automobile world. However, even though this is the case, there are many vehicles from this decade that are completely forgotten due to the amount of time that has passed. In other cases, they may be forgotten because they did not leave much of an impact when they were on the primary market. Now, that is not to say all of these vehicles were bad, but some simply could not keep up with the intense competition around them. This is common even today, as many top car manufacturers see their lower tier cars completely avoided by buyers.
With all that has been stated thus far, in this article, we will be looking at 25 cars from the 1980s that are completely forgotten today. It is important to note that these vehicles will be coming from a wide variety of car manufacturers, as it will show that even the most popular of ones had their struggles. Most of these vehicles were actually pretty decent, but they simply could not gain any ground with their sales.
However, there are also some pretty awful lemons in it that completely ruined their series before it could even get started. At the end of the day, they will forever be a part of the automobile world.
Nonetheless, let's look at these forgotten cars from the 1980s!
25 1985 Yugo
The 1985 Yugo was one of the most hyped-up cars in the history of the automobile world. Due to this clear fact, there was an abundance of individuals who desperately wanted to purchase one. However, it would turn out to be a massive lemon due to how poorly it ran.
After being heavily criticized for much of the 1980s, the Yugo essentially has disappeared from the minds of drivers today. The series was not able to last long-term, so unless you are a car enthusiast, it is understandable why you've never heard of it.
24 1982 AMC Eagle
The 1982 AMC Eagle is a vehicle that had a decent amount of publicity during its time on the primary market, but it was not in a positive light. Sadly for AMC, this vehicle would turn out to have an immense amount of issues with its engine.
Like the Yugo, it would go on to be heavily disliked during its time on the primary market. However, with AMC no longer running and this being a short-lived series, it is virtually unknown to today’s younger drivers—and rightfully so.
23 1980 Dodge Mirada
The 1980 Dodge Mirada had all the makings of being an instant classic, but sadly for the car manufacturer, it simply was overshadowed by the immense amount of competition around it. However, it was still a very solid vehicle that was liked by those who owned it.
With so much time passing by since its release, as well as it not being very popular when it was first released to the public, it makes a lot of sense why it is a forgotten car today.
22 1984 Lamborghini Jalpa
Lamborghini is a widely popular car manufacturer because of their ability to develop spectacular sports vehicles at a consistent level. However, there is a car in their history that many people today have completely forgotten about: the 1984 Lamborghini Jalpa.
For the record, this was not a bad vehicle in the slightest, but it simply was overshadowed by the immense amount of competition that around it. Due to this clear fact, it is a car that many people have never even heard of at this present time.
21 1981 Jeep Comanche Pickup
The 1981 Jeep Comanche Pickup is a vehicle that many people have forgotten about today because the car manufacturer has gone in a completely opposite direction over the years. A Jeep pickup is truly a rarity at this present time, though Jeep is ramping up to re-release a truck.
For a truck from the 1980s, it is important to note that it actually did a fairly solid job when it came to its capabilities in working conditions. However, with there being so much time since its original release, this is a vehicle that is entirely forgotten at this point.
20 1988 Chevy Nova Twin-Cam
The 1988 Chevy Nova Twin-Cam is a spectacular-looking vehicle that should have gotten far more attention than it actually did on the primary market. However, sometimes the automobile world can be cruel, and it was to this model.
This series would end up being short-lived because of its low sales and as a result of this, it is clear that not many people have even heard of it today. Yet, that does not mean that it was a bad car, as it actually was quite reliable and fun to drive.
19 1982 Ford EXP
There is no question that Ford cars are among the most recognizable ones in the entire automobile world, but this is not the case with the 1982 Ford EXP. This car has essentially been forgotten, as it failed to sell well during its time on the primary market.
At the end of the day, this is another classic example of a vehicle that drove extremely well but simply was forgotten because of its lack of publicity. However, it clearly had some wonderful qualities that deserve praise.
18 1980 Pontiac Phoenix
The 1980 Pontiac Phoenix came into the automobile world with the expectation that it was going to be a top-notch vehicle. However, this ended up not being the case, as it would go on to have some of the most extreme engine problems of all time.
Although it was heavily disliked during its time on the primary market, it is fair to state that time has made it essentially forgotten. To car enthusiasts, this is easily one of the worst vehicles to have ever been released.
17 1988 Chevy Beretta
The 1988 Chevy Beretta came into the automobile world but virtually nobody had even realized its presence. Due to this clear fact, its sales were extremely low and many people would go on to miss out on its solid driving.
At the end of the day, this car was simply overshadowed by the immense amount of releases that the car manufacturer made that year. Although it is forgotten by most people today, it clearly was a solid car that deserves to be looked at more in depth.
16 1988 Sterling 825SL
The 1988 Sterling 825SL failed to make any impact during its time on the primary market, and due to this unfortunate fact, it is now a vehicle that virtually no one is aware of today. However, it actually would go on to run quite smoothly.
This is a vehicle that many car enthusiasts are intrigued by, but that is virtually it. Today’s regular drivers have probably never even heard of this series, as it was a complete and utter failure when it came to its overall sales.
15 1983 Isuzu Impulse
The 1983 Isuzu Impulse had an immense amount of expectations to be something special, but it ultimately never achieved the sales to do so. Like a handful of other cars on this list, it simply was overshadowed by the more popular car brands out there.
However, this vehicle did deserve far more recognition during its time on the primary market. It had an amazing design and it rode fairly well. However, at the end of the day, it now is a car that has been forgotten entirely.
14 1989 Chrysler TC
The 1989 Chrysler TC is a vehicle that could have been a decent one but the car manufacturer clearly did not spend enough time on it during its developmental stage. Due to this, many car enthusiasts consider it to be one of the worst cars from the 1980s.
This vehicle had an immense amount of issues when it came to its steering, as well as its transmission. Due to this, the car manufacturer never went on to continue the series, so many new drivers have no idea about the existence of this model.
13 1984 Buick Century
It is fair to state that virtually nobody has ever heard of the 1984 Buick Century. This vehicle went under the radar during its time on the primary market and as a result of this, it failed to make any impact on the automobile world.
That is not meant to come across as harsh, but at the end of the day, it clearly is a vehicle that nobody knows about. Now, that does not mean it was a bad car. In fact, it actually drove fairly well and had decent protective features for a car from the 1980s.
12 1982 Lancia Beta
The 1982 Lancia Beta is a vehicle that not many people have heard about and this is largely because of the fact that it did not sell well during its time on the primary market. Of course, due to this, it is safe to say it is a forgotten vehicle.
There had been a few issues that came from this vehicle, as it clearly was weak when it came to its overall structure. Due to this clear fact, it would go on to have an immense amount of issues when it came to its steering.
11 1986 Dodge Omni
The 1986 Dodge Omni has essentially been forgotten by the automobile world and this is definitely a blessing for the car manufacturer. This vehicle was a complete and utter disaster during its time on the primary market.
Seeing how this vehicle would essentially break down on its own because of its awful engine, it makes a lot of sense that it never made headlines. At the end of the day, it is for the best that this vehicle is completely forgotten by many.
10 1980 Morris Marina
The 1980 Morris Marina is a vehicle that many people have forgotten about and this is probably for the best. This is easily one of the biggest lemons of the 1980s, as it was prone to having an immense amount of breakdowns.
There is no question that the majority of people who owned this vehicle despised it immensely, as it never had the ability to be reliable. Thankfully enough time has passed so that many newer drivers have no idea of its existence, as it was discontinued.
9 1989 Maserati Biturbo
The 1989 Maserati Biturbo definitely looks cool at first glance but this vehicle would turn out to be a complete and utter disaster because of how poorly it would end up running. It had a magnitude of issues that never seemed to be resolved entirely.
At the end of the day, this vehicle is one that definitely should have never been released. It clearly needed more time during its development. However, due to the fact that the Biturbo came to a close, many people have no idea about this older model.
8 1982 Jeep CJ-8 Scrambler
The 1982 Jeep CJ-8 Scrambler was not a bad car at all but it is clear that it has been forgotten because of the abundance of other models that Jeep has released since then. This series simply never took off.
These situations are always difficult because this vehicle actually was a pretty solid one but will never get the recognition that it actually deserved. Due to this clear fact, it makes a lot of sense as to why it is basically nonexistent in the minds of the most knowledgeable drivers today.
7 1981 Oldsmobile Omega
The 1981 Oldsmobile Omega is a vehicle that just did not reach the level of expectations that were originally handed to it. Due to this clear fact, it soon became a complete commercial failure, which made it quickly disappear.
This vehicle is old enough to be forgotten on its own but seeing how no one liked it during its prime years only hurts it more. At the end of the day, this vehicle is widely considered to be one of the worst to ever have come to the automobile world.
6 1989 Holden Camira
The 1989 Holden Camira was not necessarily a bad vehicle but it definitely failed to gain much attention. This is largely because of the fact that it was overshadowed by the abundance of competition around it that it faced.
The Camira series also was very short-lived, so it makes plenty of sense as to why many people would have completely forgotten about its existence. At the end of the day, it just failed to make any impact, which now easily classifies it as forgotten at this point.