The 1980s marked the introduction of smaller and more efficient car engines. Car manufacturers all over the world were focused on building environmentally friendly cars without compromising on performance.
While the main goal was performance, aesthetics were also a determining factor since big engines were out of the picture. Car manufacturers like Porsche, Ferrari, Lotus, and Buick had already gotten the formula to building these cars figured out.
While some 80s cars have seen their prices skyrocket out of reach, others did not have that big of an impact to be engraved in people’s memories, leading to some fast cars from the 1980s being forgotten by most people today.
10 Buick Regal GNX
Buick is one of the many companies that nobody expects much from these days. However, back in the day, they knew how to make a statement. In the early to late 1980s, Buick built 547 units of the Buick Regal GNX. The GNX was built to celebrate the Grand National’s retirement. At the start of the project, Buick had intended to build only 200 units of the Buick Regal GNX, but they upped the number to have the car feature in the Indy 500 and Daytona 500.
This ride was powered by a 3.8-liter tuned V6 engine that pushed 276 horsepower at 4,400 rpm and delivered 360lb-ft of torque at 2,400 rpm. The Buick Regal GNX accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds and hit a top speed of 124 mph.
9 Lotus Esprit Turbo
Before Lotus retired from motor racing, it was a force of nature. This translated to the company being one of the top five greatest Formula 1 racing teams of all time. They also had luck in other motoring sports like Indy races, Formula Ford, Formula 2, and other sports car racing events.
The Lotus Esprit Turbo underwent over 24 facelifts and power upgrades during the 28 years it was in production. The Esprit featured a 2.2-liter 16 valve turbocharged engine that pushed 215 horsepower at 6,205 rpm and 192 lb-ft of torque at 5,000 pm. This British ride cleared 0 to 60 mph in 5 seconds and hit a top speed of 148 mph. Just like any lotus car, this ride was fast and light on its feet.
8 Porsche 911 964 Carrera 4
Porsche has over the years gained notoriety for being one of the few car manufacturers to build high-performance cars that can double as daily drivers. The Porsche 911 964 Carrera 4 was once described as a low-flying bomber on the Autobahn. This ride was at the time the most technically advanced Porches ever made. The 911 964 Carrera 4 featured a 3.6-liter flat-six engine that pushed 247 horsepower and 228 lb-ft of torque.
This German beast accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in 5.5 seconds. This was, however, refuted when an independent tester found that it accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in 5.1 seconds. The top speed of this ride was 163 mph.
7 Audi Sport Quattro
The Audi Sport Quattro can be described as one of the early hot hatches that were built for performance and practicality. When the car first debuted, nobody thought that it was going to be a hit since most of its competitors looked sleeker and well put together.
However, after a few people got behind its wheel and felt the power that this ride delivered, the Quattro quickly became a favorite. Over 11,452 units of the Sport Quattro were built in the 11 years it was in production. This ride was powered by a 2.1-liter five-cylinder engine that was fitted with an intercooler and turbocharger. This engine pushed 197 horsepower and 210 lb-ft of torque. The Audi Sports Quattro accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in 7.1 seconds and hit a top speed of 137 mph.
6 Ferrari 288 GTO
Ferrari, or as it is better known across the motorsport platform, the Prancing Horse, has for the longest time set the bar for performance vehicles. When Ferrari unveiled the Ferrari 288 GTO, they expected people to go crazy about it. This expectation was as a result of how people reacted when the Ferrari F40 and the F50 were unveiled. However, with the 288 GTO, people didn't feel like Ferrari built the ultimate beast.
The 288 GTO was powered by a 2.9-liter twin-turbo V8 that pushed 400 horsepower and 336 lb-ft of torque. This ride accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in 5 seconds and had a top speed of 190 mph.
5 Porsche 944 Turbo
The Porsche 944 Turbo was unveiled in January 1985. This ride was at the top range in the 944 lineup. This ride underwent several subtle facelifts during its production run. These included aero alignments of the car’s body, new fog lights and headlights, and a rear diffuser.
The Porsche 944 Turbo was powered by a 2.5-liter turbocharged engine that had a power output of 220 horsepower and 243 lb-ft of torque. This beast accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in 5.5 seconds and achieved a top speed of 162 mph.
4 RUF CTR Yellowbird
The RUF CTR Yellowbird debuted in 1987 at the Geneva Motor Show. This car was based on the Porsche 911. It featured a 911 chassis but flaunted wider and lightweight body panels, and a tuned flat-six 911 engine.
The power output of this tuned 3.4-liter engine was a max of 469 horsepower and 408 lb-ft of torque. The engine was fitted with twin intercoolers and a pair of KKK turbochargers. A five-speed manual transmission was paired to the engine as well. The RUF CTR Yellowbird had a top speed of 210 mph and accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds.
3 Isdera Imperator 108i
The Isdera Imperator 108i is not your typical German car. This ride looks more voracious, but it did share some Mercedes aspects.
The Isdera Imperator 108i was unveiled at the 1984 Geneva Motor Show. This ride was designed and built by the former Porsche and Mercedes design engineer Eberhard Schulz. Schulz founded the Isdera Company and in a span of nine years, the company built only 30 cars before it went under. The Imperator 108i featured a 5.0-liter AMG V8 engine that pushed 235 horsepower and had a top speed of 176 mph. This ride cleared a 0 to 60 mph run in five seconds.
2 Ford RS200
Ford is one of the many American car companies that went through the 1970s with a lot at stake. This was because just like their American competition, they had to downsize their engines to comply with the emission standards put in by the EPA.
The Ford RS200 was an all-wheel-drive car that featured a 1.8-liter single turbo Ford Cosworth engine that pushed 444 horsepower. The Ford RS200 included streetcars (200 units) with engines that pushed 246 horsepower. The performance variants of the Ford RS200 competed in the Group B rally races and accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in 2.8 seconds.
1 Yamaha OX99-11
Yamaha is popular for its motorcycles as well as musical instruments and equipment. However, This Japanese manufacturer once aced in the art of car manufacturing. In 1989, Yamaha joined Formula 1. As a result, they built quite powerful engines. After their stint on the grid, they took their skills and engines to build the Yamaha 0X99-11.
This ride featured the Yamaha V12 F1 engine that pushed 400 horsepower. However, due to the expensive cost of manufacturing, Yamaha pulled the plug on this ride six months into production.