Fastest Cars of the ‘80s
Alexandra Maloney
· 3 min read
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The need for speed has been around for years, with one of the best decades of all time for fast cars being the ‘80s.
In this list we shine a spotlight on some
classic car favorites
and some brands that may surprise you for being truly impressive, fast cars. If you'd call yourself a modern day speed demon, you’ll love this trip down memory lane to reminisce on the fastest cars of the ‘80s and get your daily dose of car history
.
Ruf CTR Yellowbird
Coming in at a maximum speed of 210 mph, the Ruf CTR Yellowbird tops
Hot Cars’ list of the Fastest Cars of the 1980s
. This list-topper might surprise you, because it isn’t the typical brand most car lovers associate with speedy cars. Nonetheless, it’s true—this bright yellow, German-made, 3.4-liter twin-turbo engine is one of the fastest cars of the ‘80s.
Ferrari Testarossa
Ferrari is likely a brand you associate more with fast cars, which is why it makes sense the Testarossa is near the top of
Car and Driver’s list of the 13 Quickest Cars of the 1980s
. This monster of a car reaches a top speed of 181 mph with a 4.9-liter all-aluminium design and 3.0-liter boxer. This engine helped Ferrari earn many
Formula 1 championships
, which is why it’s one of the fastest cars of the ‘80s. Porsche 959
Porsche is another quintessential
sports car
that embodies speed. This particular model can reach up to 197 mph. Porsche was one of the first brands to introduce turbocharged engines to the car marketplace, which sparked competitors to update their own technology and engines, as turbocharged engines and other impressive features became the way of the future for the automotive industry. The Porsche 959 supported a 2.8-liter twin turbocharged engine that reached 444 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque.
Isdera Imperator 108i
The Isdera Imperator has an unusual history. The car was designed by Porsche engineer Eberhard Schulz for Mercedes-Benz. After the completion of the design, Mercedes-Benz decided they didn’t want to actually produce the car. Schulz thought it was too good of an opportunity to pass up, so he created his own company called Isdera—their first car to hit production lines was the Isdera Imperator 108i.
Schulz was right that this car was something special. It was powered by a V8 engine, reached speeds of up to 176 mph and had a unique design that forced heads to turn when it came down the road.
Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1
We’re rounding out this list with the Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1. While it is the slowest car on the list (one had to be, right?) it still comes in at a whopping top speed of 175 mph.
In 1984, many were expecting faster for this model of the
Chevy Corvette
, but the company got it right when they brought the top speed over 175 mph for the 1989 Chevy Corvette. The model supports a 5.7-liter LT5 V8 engine with 375 horsepower. It took Chevy most of the ‘80s to pull it off, but they made it into the list of the fastest cars of the ‘80s with one year to spare. 
