When it comes to a decade that really defines the automotive industry, the '90s were a prosperous time of great innovation. The domestic automakers hit their strides especially by selling the big and bold SUVs that the industry still loves to this day. Even more, the decade set the pace for the future of automotive design and innovation. The sports car market has come a long way since then, with a good deal of advancements that have helped the vehicles to be more fuel efficient and fun to drive. The Dodge Challenger Hellcat is among one of the most popular muscle cars that's available now, and surprisingly enough, there are quite a few sports cars from the'90s that could give the powerful Mopar a run for its money.

We're going to take a look at some of the most iconic sports cars that made their way onto the market in the '90s, and how these unique cars had a step up against this expensive muscle car today. Whether the vehicles have a lightweight advantage over the hellcat or are just faster off the line, there have been a few notable cars that defined the '90s as one of the most decades to drive in. Many of these cars we're going to look at have spiked in value recently, such as the GMC Syclone, which has become a true collector's item nowadays.

20 Mazda RX7

Via: Bing

The Mazda brand is not just a new entry to the automotive world. Even though their cars are more well known than ever, the brand has actually been around for quite some time. Mazda is responsible for bringing us the rotary engine, which has, in turn, created some of the most well-known sports cars around. The Mazda RX7 with a small amount of modification can take on a Dodge Challenger with no problem, and the values on these classic sports cars are rising like crazy, making this a better time than ever to get one. (Motor Week)

19 Acura Integra Type R

Via: Bing

Very few sports cars have become as legendary of a vehicle as the Acura Integra Type R, especially in such a short amount of time. Known for its unique look and signature yellow paint job, the Acura Integra Type R is a very expensive vehicle that's going to set you back a pretty penny, as well as make the competition jealous of your very fast and rare sports car. The Acura Integra Type R has a rev-happy engine that's taken out of the Honda Civic, combined with a lightweight and functional design. (Motor Trend)

18 Ferrari 550 Maranello

Via: Bing

There wasn't another car during the '90s that was as iconic as the Ferrari 550 Maranello, a sports car that needs no introduction. With a powerful V12 engine behind it, this Ferrari was more powerful than just about any sports car on the market, and that made it a dangerous combination of performance and fun, to say the least. Everything about the Ferrari 550 Maranello was unique, from the beautiful and inspired styling to the real world interior which was as functional as it was beautiful. (Motor Trend)

17 BMW 850CSi

Via: Bing

The big boy BMW—as its known in many circles—was the BMW 850CSi, a big and powerful sports sedan that offered a pleasurable mix of performance and luxury. The BMW 850CSi was owned by multiple well-known celebrities, such as rap legend Easy-E, and the model managed to create a persona of fun that the brand hadn’t had before. Even today, the BMW 850CSi remains a sturdy performance two-door with a beautiful exterior style and fun to drive design that has given the car a timeless feeling. (Motor Trend)

16 Jaguar XJ220

Via: Bing

The Jaguar XJ220 was at one point in time the fastest car in the world, and, for a while, it was also one of the most beautiful vehicles on the market. With a powerful supercharged V6 engine, the Jaguar XJ220 defined what a sports car could be, and it did so without having an oversized engine and gas guzzling design. The Jaguar XJ220 was owned by such celebrities as Elton John, who was notable for having quite the collection of Jaguar models. The Jaguar XJ220 will go down as one of the best sports cars to ever hit the market. (Motor Trend)

15 Toyota MR2

Via: Bing

Known for being a legendary mid-engine performance car, the Toyota MR2 was fun to drive and a beautiful looking sports car when it hit the market. The final years for the Toyota MR2 were especially tough because the car didn’t have a particular identity in the Toyota lineup. The '90s generation of the Toyota MR2 was more of a car that you would expect to win a race, and the model is often used as the platform for Ferrari kit-cars. The unique mid-engine design will go down as one of the best to come out of a Toyota factory. (Motor Trend)

14 Subaru Impreza 22B

Via: Bing

When it comes to well-known sports cars, the Subaru Impreza 22B is among one of the most decorated and fastest on the market, especially as a used model. In particular, it's one of the most well-known rally racing models on the market, having competed in many different competitions over the years, which has made the car a notable performer. The resale value of this particular model has continued to increase after all these years, and the 22B is especially hard to come across in good condition. (Motor Trend)

13 Porsche 911 GT2

Via: Bing

When it comes to notable performance cars of the '90s, the Porsche 911 GT2 is among the most elite, and this is for a variety of reasons. The Porsche 911 GT2 has a notable style that hasn't been matched, even by today's standards, and this made the 911 GT2 a timeless classic. The Porsche 911 GT2 is also one of the more rare models to come across because there was a lesser number of these particular models put into production. All of this, plus the incredible performance, make the Porsche 911 GT2 a one of a kind sports car, to say the least. (Motor Trend)

12 GMC Syclone

Via: Bing

The GM brands during the '90s were all going through a transition period as the imported automakers started to offer much better products; this created a need to create one of a kind models that attracted attention. GM released the GMC Syclone as an alternative to the much larger Chevy 452 SS performance truck, and the response for the Syclone was astounding. Jay Leno is a notable owner of the one of a kind truck, and still owns his black model to this day. (Motor Trend)

11 Lamborghini Diablo

Via: Bing

Another notable performance car around in the '90s was the Lamborghini Diablo, a one of a kind performance car that managed to captivate an entire automotive market. Owned by celebrities such as Mike Tyson, the Diablo was a whole different breed of car, and the unique style made it known. The Lamborghini Diablo is still a serious contender to this day, and the one of a kind car has managed to increase in style after all of these years which has made the car a collector's item. (Motor Week)

10 Acura NSX

Via: Bing

During the '90s, no one really took Acura serious as a contender in the luxury car market. As a result, the brand needed to release a sports car that would become known as the face of the brand. The Acura NSX was a beautiful looking sports car that took a lightning fast V6 engine and crammed it into a lightweight design that was better than average at the time. The Acura NSX has managed to retain its stellar reputation for performance after all this time, and the values of these original cars will only continue to rise. (Motor Week)

9 Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1

Via: Bing

During the dawn of the '90s, the Corvette was the main brand name when you thought of a true performance car—in fact, it was the fastest. The C4 ZR-1 is a fun to drive Corvette model that's among the first to introduce the fuel-injected LT1 engine that we all know and love today. This was also the engine that made its way into the fourth-gen Camaro and Firebird models. Finding one of these ZR-1 Corvette models is a challenge at best, and if you do manage to find one, you'll be treated to a one of a kind experience. (Motor Trend)

8 Nissan 300ZX

Via: Bing

When you think of the '90s and turbo-powered vehicles, you think of the Supra and a few other well-known models. The Nissan 300ZX, however, was a powerhouse of performance around this time too, and there was even a convertible model that managed to hit the market. The Nissan 300ZX is a serious blend of pure beauty, functionality, and a blazingly fast motor that made the car a blast to drive every time. The Nissan 300ZX is still a fast vehicle to this day and the values on these cars are still very reasonable. (Motor Trend)

7 Mk IV Toyota Supra

Via: Bing

Perhaps one of the most iconic and expensive vehicles to come out of the '90s was the Mk IV Toyota Supra. It's a serious combination of performance, beauty and memorable design that was unlike anything else on the road. The Mk IV Toyota Supra is known for its unique style and, who could forget, that massive wing that made its way to the back of the car? The unique style has made the Mk IV Toyota Supra a famous vehicle that was the main feature in the original Fast And The Furious movie. (Motor Week)

6 Ford Mustang (Foxbody)

Via: Bing

Perhaps going down as one of the most well known Ford Mustang models to ever hit the automotive industry, the Foxbody is known for its very lightweight style and one of a kind design that made the car a blast to drive and own. Values for these one of a kind models have only continued to rise after all of these years. The Fox Body Mustang was known as the model that introduced the world to the 5.0L engine and continues to remain a popular choice on the drift circuit as well. (Motor Trend)

5 Dodge Viper

Via: Bing

When the Dodge Viper hit the scene, people were amazed by the 400HP engine, and many in the automotive press said that you would never see a vehicle this powerful again. Well, the Dodge Viper has managed to be a force in the performance community, and although the model has exited production, these '90s versions are still blazingly fast and manage to remain a hot commodity on the collectors market. The original Dodge Viper was iconic for a number of reasons, and the car will continue to rise in popularity. (Motor Week)

4 Mazda MX-5 Miata

1994 Mazda Miata
Via: Bing

The original Mazda MX-5 Miata was a breakthrough model for a number of reasons. The main reason was the lightweight and fun to drive design. The Mazda MX-5 Miata introduced the world to the fun to drive convertible once again, and this made the car a legend in the automotive community. Finding a Mazda MX-5 Miata is still an affordable proposition and the car can be built up into a serious performance contender, and this has made the Mazda MX-5 Miata a one of a kind vehicle that many people still aspire to. (Motor Week)

3 Ferrari F355

Via: Bing

When it comes to iconic '90s cars, there probably isn't one as noticeable as the Ferrari F355, a vehicle that was seen throughout the '90s as the quintessential Ferrari model. With a lightweight design and that iconic Ferrari look, there is nothing the F355 lacked when it came to its design, and the vehicle is still scary fast even to this day. There have been many different Ferrari models to hit the market after all these years, but the Ferrari F355 still remains one of our favorites. (Motor Week)

2 Nissan Skyline GT-R

Via: Bing

Even during the '90s, the Skyline was a well-known performer in the sports car world, and the Nissan Skyline GT-R is among one of the most elite models in the world. What makes this car special aside from the powerful engine is the lightweight design and one of a kind styling that's made the car an iconic choice. The values for this iconic model have only continued to rise. The Nissan Skyline GT-R is one of the few original performance cars that can actually be imported into the U.S., which makes for a fun ride. (Motor Week)

1 McLaren F1

Via: Bing

Known as one of the fastest cars in the world, the McLaren F1 was part of a 106 car production that included such notable owners as Jay Leno and George Foreman, just to name a few. The McLaren F1 had a beautiful design and one of the fastest motors to ever get crammed into a performance car. With notable features like a luggage compartment, the McLaren F1 was more than just your average expensive sports car. In fact, the model was a work of automotive art that remains true to this day. (Motor Trend)

Sources: Motor Week, Motor Trend