The '90s was a real boom era for sports cars, and out of the decade came some of the most universally-loved cars of all time. In Japan, the economic bubble meant money was being poured into developing the most technically advanced cars possible. In Europe, the raw performance held center stage, with brands like Ferrari and Cosworth leading the charge.
Some of the cars birthed during the decade were so good they can even compete with modern sports cars today. Putting reputations aside, just on performance alone, these cars are so capable that in the right hands that they're almost unstoppable. Let's take a look at ten '90s cars that drive like they were made this year.
10 Toyota Supra Mk4
It's famous for many other reasons too, but one of the reasons so many car fans love the Mk4 Toyota Supra is its handling. It's a common myth that being an RWD, it won't be able to corner as fast as its AWD rivals, but in fact, the opposite is true.
The Supra's superior straight-line performance and balanced chassis mean most rivals, AWD or not, won't stand a chance in a head-to-head. One owner even compared their Supra's handling to their Lotus Elise, a car specifically designed for its cornering ability.
9 Ford Escort RS Cosworth
The Ford Escort RS Cosworth was built as a rally homologation special between 1992 and 1996. It was sold in extremely limited numbers, meaning examples are very valuable today.
As well as its unmatchable 2.0L Cosworth engine, the Escort RS kept very similar handling to the WRC car. That means it's able to hold its own against the best off-road performance cars of today.
8 Ferrari F355
The F355 isn't the most celebrated of Ferraris, but it gives owners a driving experience that hasn't been matched since. A steel monocoque chassis means handling stays sharp and over 1,300 hours of wind tunnel testing went into making sure the car's aero was spot on.
A 0-60 time of 4.5 seconds and a top speed of 183mph are impressive stats today, but were class-leading at the time. The F355 is also one of the most affordable Ferraris right now, so those in the market for an Italian classic could scoop up a bargain.
7 Mazda RX-7
A rotary-engined, precision-engineered driving machine from Japan, the RX-7 deserves its stellar reputation. Despite what some might think, in stock form, it's not that fast, but its handling is perfectly balanced.
It has just the right amount of body roll that drivers can sense when they might be coming into a corner too fast, but even then the RX-7 is unlikely to lose grip. Steering is weightier than a modern car but provides a much more authentic sense of feedback so drivers can really feel the road they're driving on.
6 BMW M3 E30
The E30 is recognized by many as one of the best cars BMW has ever built. It was built between 1986 and 1991 but still manages to provide a world-class drive to this day. That's the main reason why it's such a sought-after collector's car, with the best examples going for over $200,000.
It's a beast around corners, with its handling set up to give drivers maximum confidence to take bends at full speed. In a straight line, it can't compete with a modern performance car, but that's to be expected of something that was designed when Ronald Reagan was in power.
5 Porsche 911 Carrera RS
The regular 964 Porsche 911 is still an enjoyable car, but the Carrera RS took the model's capabilities to another level. Porsche stripped everything out of the car that wasn't absolutely necessary, resulting in several hundred pounds of weight saving.
The result was a machine that was more nimble, more athletic, and more capable than any other 964 before it. It offered an unrivaled package that can outperform a surprising number of modern performance cars.
4 Subaru Impreza 22B
The 22B is, without question, the ultimate version of the Subaru Impreza. Subaru built the car at a time when it was a relatively unknown manufacturer, and the 22B was never sold in the US. That's a huge shame, as the car was fast enough to keep up with supercars of the time, and is still in a league of its own to drive.
Sporting an unofficial 0-60 time of 3.9 seconds, the car is more than capable of going toe-to-toe with $100,000 sports cars today. With only 425 22Bs ever made, it's almost impossible to own one, but that doesn't stop it from being the holy grail of most Subaru fanatics.
3 Mazda Miata
The real confirmation of a winning formula is when it doesn't need to be changed for years, and that's exactly what's happened with the Mazda Miata. The car that's sold today is still in essence the same as the one which debuted over 30 years ago.
It offers affordable fun and an accessible driving experience that hasn't lost its appeal in all those years. Parts are plentiful and modification kits abound, so drivers can really put their own spin on their Miata or choose to keep it bone-stock. Either way they'll get the full enjoyment of one of the best-loved affordable sports cars ever.
2 McLaren F1
The McLaren F1 revolutionized the auto industry when it debuted in 1992. It offered power and handling in a package that just hadn't been thought possible before, and opened the door for the hypercars of today.
As well as its revered status, the McLaren can still claim the title of being one of the fastest cars on the road, even now. It has a perfectly balanced setup that was precision-engineered by the team in Woking, UK, and to top it all off, the McLaren F1 was drop-dead gorgeous as well.
1 Honda NSX
The Honda NSX was a severely underrated car in its day, and only in recent years have values for MkI NSXs started to creep back up to where they deserve to be. Although it wasn't the fastest car on the market at the time, it made unique use of electronic aids and advanced design techniques.
This created a performance profile that was several decades ahead of its time. It managed to be both capable on the road, fun around a track, and accessible enough that even the most novice sports car owners could comfortably drive it. It's not quite obscure enough to have been totally forgotten about, but the NSX certainly deserves more respect than it gets.