The 1980s was not the greatest decade for the American automotive industry. Japanese and European rivals had started to make inroads into the US market during the 1970s, and by the following decade, some manufacturers were even opening their plants on US soil.
Despite the stiff competition from around the globe, American motor companies were still able to develop and build some truly iconic cars during the 1980s. Many of these models had already been around for years but reached new heights during the decade, while some of the entries on this list were true creations of the 1980s.
10 1987 Buick Grand National GNX
The Buick Grand National was the high-performance model of the Buick Regal mid-size car, which was first developed to compete in NASCAR races in the early 80s, before being made available to the public as a limited-edition production vehicle.
1987 was the final year that the much-coveted GNX variation was built, and it is generally considered to be one of the best Buicks ever made. GNX models in good condition have even been known to change hands for as much as $200,000 at automotive auctions in recent years.
9 1989 Ford Thunderbird Coupe
The Ford Thunderbird is a car with a long and colorful history. First sold in 1953, the T-Bird was described as a personal luxury car, and though it was eventually ditched in 1997, before a short comeback in the 2000s, over 4.4 million Thunderbird models were sold between the 50s and 2005 when it disappeared for good.
The tenth generation of the Ford Thunderbird was unveiled in 1989 and although it looks different from the classic 1950s T-Bird design, it was still a powerful and stylish set of wheels.
8 1984 Chevy Corvette
Like the Ford Thunderbird, the Chevy Corvette was first sold in 1953, though unlike its rival, the Vette is still in production today. Another icon of the American automotive industry, the fourth-generation Corvette, or the C4 model as it is sometimes known, was launched in 1984 and saw the vehicle undergo a complete redesign for a new era.
The change was a success, with the Corvette not only looking more stylish but also boasting impressive performance, with a top speed of 140mph.
7 1982 Pontiac Firebird
By the 1980s the heyday of the American muscle cars was over, but performance models like the 1982 Pontiac Firebird were still selling in significant numbers. The Firebird had first been sold by Pontiac in 1967 as a coupe, and gradually improved its performance stats over subsequent years until the third generation was launched in 1982 with a new sportier design and the option of a powerful Chevy V8 engine.
Production on the Firebird sadly came to an end in 2002, just a few years before General Motors scrapped the whole Pontiac brand.
6 1987 Dodge Daytona Shelby Z
The Dodge Daytona was a reasonably exciting sports car manufactured by Chrysler for a decade between 1983 and 1993. What elevated this car from ordinary to extraordinary was the Shelby Z performance model of the Daytona which was unveiled in 1987.
It may look a little dated to our 21st century eyes, but the Dodge Daytona Shelby Z was the height of 80s chic when it first went on sale. Add in the fact that it could accelerate from 0 to 60mph in 7.3 seconds (an impressive number 30 years ago) and it is easy to see why this has become a classic.
5 1981 Lincoln Mark VI Continental
The 80s wasn’t all about muscle cars and sports cars, however. Another great vehicle from this decade was the Mark VI Lincoln Continental town car, which was unveiled in 1980 but which was replaced just a couple of years later by the Mark VII model.
The Mark VI Lincoln Continental managed to look a little out-of-date even as it was launched, yet it was one of the most technologically advanced cars on the market at the time, thanks to its digital instrument panel, electronic fuel injection engine, and even an early example of keyless entry available as an option.
4 1985 Chevy Camaro IROC-Z
The Chevy Camaro was one of the early muscle cars and is still popular with 21st century drivers looking for a vehicle with style and speed. Launched in 1964, the Camaro was canceled in 2002 before making a return in 2009 with a revamped look.
For many Camaro fans, however, the high-point of the car’s history remains the Chevy Camaro IROC-Z which went on sale in 1985. The stylish 80s design is now fashionable once again, and the IROC-Z was also capable of accelerating from 0 to 60mph in less than seven seconds.
3 1989 Pontiac Firebird Turbo Trans Am
The regular Pontiac Firebird may have been one of the best cars of the decade, but Pontiac managed to make it even better with the Firebird Turbo Trans Am model in 1989. Trans Am was a specialty trim available for the Firebird, which transformed a sporty coupe into a powerful muscle car.
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Firebird Trans Am in 1989, Pontiac worked with engineering company PAS to create a turbo-charged engine for that year’s model, which had a top speed of over 150mph.
2 1987 Ford Mustang
Another classic American muscle car, the Ford Mustang was first built in the 1960s and is still in production today, with the company even unveiling an electric version of the vehicle in 2020.
The third-generation Mustang, built between 1979 and 1993, is not often thought of as one of the best Mustang models, as it was built on the larger Fox platform which didn’t have the best reputation. A redesign for 1987, however, created a much more stylish interpretation of the Fox-body Mustang, and the convertible model was great fun to drive.
1 1981 DMC DeLorean
The DMC DeLorean was far from a perfect car, with owners complaining about problems with the electrics and the fact that those iconic gullwing doors were too heavy to lift. Nevertheless, the DeLorean was something of a cult classic even before its starring role in the Back to the Future trilogy.
The car was launched in 1981 and was scrapped just two years later after it proved a flop with drivers, but Hollywood has helped to restore the image of a truly unique American vehicle.