The ‘80s was an amazing era for every other industry. It was the decade when innovation was embraced and every other creator, maker, or manufacturer wanted to stand out from the crowd. On this side of the table, where we petrolheads sit, cars from the ‘80s were nothing short of loud and crazy. Automakers from America to Italy were on the hunt for something revolutionary. Something that will stick on the minds of petrolheads for years to come. And that’s exactly what they achieved with these 8 vehicles.
Design during that era was taken a notch higher. We saw amazing design concepts that inspired the making of the future generation of cars. The Lamborghini Countach is one such example. It inspired a new sports car design language that’s still being used to date.
Well, the cars in this list are not exactly of the same caliber as the revered Countach. You can’t get that ‘80s Italian bull for $15,000 today. However, the classic cars on this list were still icons of their time, and you can get to drive them home today at an affordable price.
8 Chevrolet Corvette C4 - $8,000
The C4 Corvette was one of the most outstanding creations from Chevy. Immediately after its launch in 1983, it became an object of desire for teenagers not just in America, but across the world. Why? Because it was a formidable machine at the time. Chevy fitted the C4 with a rampaging 5.7L V8 engine that made 230hp, a mega figure at the time.
Yes, the C4 went on to become one of the most popular Corvettes at the time not only because it was fast and powerful but also very affordable. That trend has carried on to date, where you can get a used C4 Corvette for roughly $8,000.
7 Ford Capri – $10,000
One of the vehicles that Ford managed to not only make sporty but also practical was this, the Ford Capri. Designed and manufactured as a coupe, the Ford Capri was the Porsche for blue-collar workers. It was exciting to drive. Plus, it was a very practical vehicle with an impressive reliability score.
What made this car exciting to drive was not its sporty looks and body. Rather, the easy handling, coupled with 4 engine options, ramping up from a 1.3L to a 3.0L V6 engine, allowed buyers to choose the kind of driving dosage they required. Today, this exciting machine goes for $10,000 on the used car market.
6 Renault GTA Turbo - $10,000
Speaking of practical cars, Renault’s own sporty yet practical driving machine was the GTA Turbo. Dubbed the “blue-collar Porsche 928”, the Renault GTA Turbo was a car built to excite the driver when alone behind the wheel, and still be civilized to carry his or her family when going to church.
The GTA Turbo was also a coupe, just like the $10,000 Ford Capri. And interestingly, over 2 decades later, both cars go for the same price at the used car market. The only difference between the two will depend on how hard you can bargain.
5 Jaguar XJS - $15,000
Yes, you can own a “Jaaag”, for $15,000 or less, depending on how good of a bargainer you are. And that specific Jaguar is the iconic XJS. This Jaguar managed to stay in production for an amazing 15 years until 1996. That long run was not by luck. This car, was, and still is, one of the best Jaguars ever produced.
The design was unique and beautiful, the most striking feature being that long nose only drivers of AMG GTRs can relate to. Plus, it was remarkably reliable and cheap, at least to buy that is. Well, in the sub-$15,000 used car market, it sits at the top of the price list. But that’s what you get with a “Jag.”
4 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 – $13,000
Perhaps the most important and impactful Camaro of all time, the Z28 is a timeless machine that gearheads talk about to date. It was not just good-looking. It also had the key ingredients of a proper muscle car of the ‘80s – raw, brave, and very powerful.
Its iconic legacy has lived on to date. Basic Camaros from its era are going for a few grand in the used car market. However, to get your hands on the Z28, you need to part with a clean $13,000.
3 Pontiac Fiero GT – $11,500
This is one of the very few Pontiac mid-engine vehicles ever produced. The Fiero GT was a sports car on a budget. Its mid-engine layout gave it an amazing weight distribution which made it one of the best-handling Pontiacs ever made.
Plus, it had a great choice of power units, ranging from a 2.5L 4 cylinder to a 2.8L V6. The latter topped the dyno at 140hp which, for a car as small as the Fiero GT, was a substantial amount of power. Today, $11,500 gets you this amazing machine.
2 Porsche 928 – $11,000
You can drive home with a Porsche from the ‘80s for a meager $11,000. That Porsche is the heavily talked about Porsche 928. Yes, some gearheads and Porsche purists argue that the Porsche 928 isn’t a true Porsche. But to that, petrolheads on the other side of the table would ask why Tony Montana, a mafia boss, would choose to buy this car when he got rich in the movie Scarface.
This is still a magnificent Porsche. That’s why it made headlines back in the 80s.
1 Alfa Romeo Spider – $10,000
If you’d not pay attention to the badge, this would easily pass for a Jaguar. However, it is an amazing machine from the Italian automaker. The Alfa Romeo Spider was built to provide pure driving pleasure. The open roof, coupled with a bellowing 2.0L turbocharged engine, provides a wild driving experience when rushing through mountain and country roads under the sun of the summer.
What’s even better is that Alfa Romeo released two variations of that power unit, with the turbocharged option being good for an impressive 133hp. All that power for a car that only weighed 928kg and was a rear-wheel-drive. That’s why $10,000 on this car today is a bargain.