The 1980s was a bittersweet decade for the automotive industry. After the emission restrictions of the '70s had forced manufacturers to downsize their engines, they got back to the drawing board and discovered the power of forced induction. Thanks to turbocharging, sports cars with engines half the size of the big V8s that dominated the '70s could generate twice as much power, resulting in a surge in fast sports cars.
The fastest car title changed hands on numerous occasions, with both the big boys and the lesser-known brands trying to outdo each other. Let's look at the ten fastest cars of the 80s.
10 Porsche 944 Turbo - 162 mph
When Porsche introduced the 944 in 1982, it was an instant hit. However, many buyers complained that it lacked power, which is why Porsche introduced the 944 Turbo. The addition of a turbocharger to the 2.5-liter engine allowed the 944 Turbo to generate 220 hp and 244 lb-ft of torque, making it pretty fast.
Porsche also made several subtle changes that made a huge difference. For example, they redesigned the front apron and added a rear diffuser to improve aerodynamics, making it a better driver's car. With 25,245 produced, the 944 Turbo is a superb classic that gearheads can afford today.
9 Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1 - 175 mph
When Chevy introduced the fourth-generation Corvette in 1984, many gearheads were disappointed. While it had a new design, the C4 Corvette was still too slow. Then in 1989, Chevrolet figured out how to inject some much-needed speed into their flagship sports car and built what's considered to be the savior of the Corvette model line - the ZR-1.
The ZR-1 was powered by a Lotus-built all-aluminum 5.7-liter LT5 V8 blurting out 375 horsepower. A top speed of 175 mph meant that the ZR-1 could outperform European sports cars more than twice its price.
8 Isdera Imperator 108i - 176 mph
In the late '70s, Mercedes-Benz unveiled the CW311 concept, which Porsche engineer Eberhard Schulz had designed. Mercedes-Benz had no intention of producing the CW311, so Schultz decided to do it himself through his new company Isdera. That's how the Imperator 108i came to be.
The Imperator had an unusual wedge-shaped design featuring a tubular space frame chassis, fiberglass body panels, gullwing doors, and a rearview periscope instead of normal mirrors. Power came from a Mercedes-Benz V8 engine, which explains why the Imperator is on this list.
7 Ferrari Testarossa - 180 mph
The legendary Testarossa is one of the best cars Ferrari has ever built — and that's saying a lot, considering the Italian marque's reputation. When Ferrari unveiled it in 1984, every gearhead was in awe. Its sporty looks, large cockpit, luxurious interior, and loud engine made it one of the definitive sports cars of its day.
The Testarossa was powered by a 5.0-liter flat-12 engine sending 385 horses to the rear wheels, allowing it to hit a top speed of 180 mph. Ferrari built 10,000 Testarossas, making it one of the most produced Ferraris.
6 Lamborghini Countach 5000 QV - 185 mph
When it comes to building cars with outrageous designs and the power to match, no one does it better than Lamborghini. The Countach shows that perfectly. Designed by the legendary Marcello Gandini, the Countach was a wedge-shaped masterpiece with scissor doors and a huge spoiler. Every boy had a poster of this wonderful car in their room.
The most powerful iteration of the Countach came in 1985 when Lamborghini unveiled the 5000 Quattrovalvole. A redesigned engine meant that the 5000 QV could produce 414 hp, enough to propel it to a 185-mph top speed.
5 Aston Martin V8 Vantage Zagato - 186 mph
After the massive success of the 1960s DB4 Zagato, Aston Martin reached out to the Italian coachbuilders two decades later, asking them to shape new body panels for the already popular V8 Vantage. The result was the V8 Vantage Zagato, one of the rarest classic Astons, as only 89 were built.
Under the hood of the V8 Vantage Zagato lived a 5.3-liter V8 producing 410 hp, a nice increase over the 375 hp in the normal V8 Vantage. French magazine Sport Auto achieved a top speed of 185.8 mph in the car.
4 Ferrari 288 GTO - 189 mph
The 288 GTO may fly under the radar of most Ferrari enthusiasts, as it was overshadowed by the F40 and F50. However, this Pininfarina-designed beauty was truly a special car and is one of the rarest Ferraris today, as only 272 were made.
Few cars could match the 288 GTO on the performance side, as it was developed for Group B racing homologation. However, the FIA canceled the Group B Series, and most of the cars became road-legal. The 288 GTO was powered by a fuel-injected 2.9-liter twin-turbo V8 with 400 hp and 336 lb-ft of torque, making it super fast.
3 Porsche 959 - 197 mph
Porsche was among the first manufacturers to use turbochargers in its cars. After playing around with the technology for a few years, Porsche decided to build the ultimate sports car to show that turbocharging was indeed the future. The result was the 1986 limited edition 959.
The 959 was powered by a 2.8-liter twin-turbo DOHC flat-six engine cranking out 444 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. It could reach a top speed of 197 mph, making it the fastest production car at the time. The 959 is one of the greatest six-cylinder cars ever.
2 Ferrari F40 – 201 mph
The F40 was a key part of Ferrari's history in many ways. It was developed to celebrate the marque's 40th anniversary, and Enzo Ferrari himself envisioned and supervised its production. Unfortunately, the F40 is also the last car built under Enzo Ferrari's leadership, as he passed away a few months later.
Ferrari had one goal when building the F40 — to destroy the Porsche 959. To do this, Ferrari engineers gave the F40 a 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V8 with 471 hp on tap, allowing it to beat the 959's top speed by a marginal 4 mph.
1 Ruf CTR Yellowbird - 210 mph
Yes, you read that right. The fastest car of the '80s is one that most gearheads have never even heard of. The CTR — or Yellowbird — is an awesome supercar developed by German automaker Ruf Automotive. It's easy to mistake the Yellowbird for a Porsche 911, but that's because it was based on the 1987 911 Carrera 3.2.
Ruf Automotive made some weight-saving changes to the 911's body and equipped it with a fuel-injected 3.4-liter twin-turbo engine, giving the Yellowbird an output of 463 hp. The Yellowbird went on to set a new production car speed record of 213 mph.