During the past 60 years, Japanese carmakers have undergone huge changes. In the 1960s, they were producing small compact city cars, the 1970s witnessed the rise of the Japanese sports car industry, finally arriving in the 1980s to produce some of the best cars ever.

Are these Japanese cars cool? Opinions will vary but few can argue against some of the greatest motoring icons, MX-5 re-defined small sports cars, Lexus dared to be different and take on prestigious European luxury brands, and, Nissan with their giant-slaying Skyline range proving to be one of the fastest cars in the world.

10 Toyota Celica Supra (A60) - Last Model Before Supra Range Established

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The Supra has come a long way since the first model Celica bore the name in 1978. It would the more famous seconds generation model from 1981 that most gearheads recognize as the beginning of the Supra as we know it. Arguably the best models are the later 2.8-liter 160hp manual transmission cars, these are capable of 60mph in around 8 seconds.

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The Supra, like most Japenese sports cars at the time, provided affordable reliable performance and often looked faster than they really were, in fact, the very first A60 models analog speedo stopped at 88mph.

9 Mazda RX7 Turbo II (FC) - Big Power From Tiny Engines

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Few carmakers have toyed with rotary engines, and to date, only Mazda has stuck with the formula producing some very confusing engine specifications. Second generation (FC) models launched in 1985, and officially have tiny 1.3-liter engines, although this is largely due to the complex nature of how Wankel engines are designed.

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A popular choice among tuners, US Turbo II spec models are rated at 182hp, though this can be considered a minimum, resulting in 60mph in 6.4 seconds, and flat out, gearheads will see 144mph.

RELATED: Mazda RX-7 VS. Toyota Supra: Here’s Which Sports Car Is Best For You

8 Nissan Skyline R32 - No Introduction Required.

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Every gamer and gearhead knows the R32 name, having appeared in just about every racing game and car-based movie of the modern era. Relying on brute power rather than light-weight wind tunnel based designs, Nissan opted for forced induction to generate supercar rivaling performance.

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How much power the 2.6-liter 6-cylinder engine produces is open to interpretation, officially rated at 276hp although independent tests reveal 316hp to be more accurate, resulting in 150+ mph top speed and a sub-five second 60mph time. Just how much gearheads want in the R32 is another matter, 600hp is easily achievable with minor boost tweaks.

7 Toyota MR2 Supercharged - Small Car Big Performance.

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Already proving popular with owners, Toyota upped the game in 1986 with a supercharged MR2 adding more power and fun to the driving experience. Originally envisaged to accommodate a 2-liter engine, Toyota actually used a smaller 1.6-liter version of their 4A-GE unit coupled with a Roots style supercharger and intercooler set-up resulting in 145hp and a top speed of 130mph.

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Offering greater performance only tells part of the story, Toyota fitted a smart clutch system to only engage the supercharger when needed, boosting fuel economy when the system was not needed.

6 Nissan 300ZX (Z32) - Genuine Porsche Alternative

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Everyone wants supercar performance without the price, Nissan recognized this in 1989 when launching the all-new 300ZX. Starting with an all-new design resulted in one of the greatest sports cars to come out of Japan in the last 50 years. Softer rounded bodywork gives the 300ZX a contemporary look that still feels modern by today's standards.

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Most important changes take place under the skin, 4-wheel steering adjustable steering to keep things under control, with 300hp from Nissan's twin-turbocharged V6 engine providing Porsche baiting performance, reaching its limited 155mph top speed.

5 Mitsubishi Starion Turbo - Great Weekend Car

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Much overlooked when it comes to 80s Japanese sports cars, Mitsubishi's Starion Turbo can be picked up quite cheaply, making it a great choice for a weekend car. Unlike most markets, US customers received the larger 2.6-liter engines providing more torque, though total power was roughly the same across the model range with around 197hp.

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Sure turbo lag can be an issue, but then most cars of this era have the same issue but keep the engine revs high and 60mph takes 7.8 seconds, flat out will see near 130mph.

RELATED: Every Gearhead Should Own One Of These Underrated Classic Japanese Cars

4 Toyota Soarer Aerocabin Turbo (z20) - Push Button Open Topped Cruiser.

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Aerocabin branding alone makes this second generation Soarer worthy of attention, though Toyota only produced a limited run of 500 models. Starting with the standard car based on the A70 chassis, the Soarer was designed as a grand tourer with electronically controlled air suspension providing a smooth rather than sporty ride. That isn't to say the Soarer lacked power, under the hood, 3-liter turbocharged engines producing 232hp would be similar to the A70 Supra's performance.

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Just a press of a button and the Aerocabins roof disappears beneath the rear deck, turning the grand tourer into a semi-convertible cruiser with the added cool factor.

3 Mazda MX-5 Miata - 31 Years Young And Still Going

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Without a doubt, one of the finest cheap, open-topped sports cars of all time and now well over 30 years in production proving how good the original was. Often criticized for being a little bit on the feminine side doesn't change the fact that MX-5s, no matter what model, are all great little sports cars, perfectly matching power against performance.

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First-generation models changed the way small sports cars were built and sold, early models shipped with 1.6-liter 115hp engines proving power isn't the key to fun. What Mazda gave owners was 126mph and 60mph in around 8 seconds in a chassis that anyone could drive and have fun with,

RELATED: 30 Years Of The Mazda MX-5 Miata In 15 Pictures

2 Lexus LS400 - Toyota Enters Premium Sedan Market

Lexus LS400
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Before the end of the 1980s, Lexus would launch the LS400 model aimed squarely at the premium sedan market dominated by BMW and Mercedes, taking on two giants in this segment. In true Japanese style, Lexus would cram the LS400 full of new technology as standard many of the features that would be options on their rivals.

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So advanced in its design Lexus listed 300+ refinements to ensure a smooth and quiet ride to match any carmakers in the world, and it worked forcing rivals to up their game. Eager gearheads are well catered for with Lexus boasting 250hp from a 4-liter V8 engine driving the rear wheels via one of the best automatic transmissions of the era, resulting in a top speed of 150mph.

1 Toyota Supra Turbo A70 (3rd Generation) - Supra Goes Its Own Way

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Inevitably, the Supra would become a separate model in its own right, 1986 marked the arrival of the third-generation model to bear the name, adopting sportier credentials to further differentiate the two models. By far the biggest headline would the adoption of turbocharged engines, although Toyota continued to offer normally aspirated models both showing improved performance over the previous model.

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Best of the range Turbo models are the ones to go for, 232hp from their 3-liter engines are capable of delivering 145mph and 62mph in 6.9 seconds.

NEXT: These Are The 10 Coolest European Cars From The 1980s