The Best ‘80s Supercars
Alexandra Maloney
· 3 min read
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It’s no secret that the ‘80s brought us some of the coolest cars the automotive world has ever seen. Many
car brands
seriously stepped up their game in the ‘80s and the time period is largely viewed as a jumping off point for creativity and exploration in cars for generations of vehicles after. One of the most memorable car trends during the time period was ‘80s
supercars
. Although we don’t see these on the road too often anymore, we still see them depicted in movies, TV, artwork, and more. If you do get to see, or even drive, one of these
classic
‘80s supercars in real life, we definitely consider you one of the lucky ones. 
Ford RS200
Topping
Hot Cars’ list of 15 of the Sickest Supercars in the 1980s
is the Ford RS200. While Ford wasn’t typically known for making supercars, this model was the one exception. This car was definitely unique in its design, with sharp lines, a long hood, and a wing-like rear. The Ford RS200 was most popular in the United Kingdom, so if you’re hoping to drive one today you might need to take a trip to the other side of the pond.
Ferrari 288 GTO
At the top of
CarBuzz’s list of 8 Iconic ‘80s Supercars That You Must Drive Before You Die
is the Ferrari 288 GTO. CarBuzz reports that only 272 models of this supercar were ever produced, but the few that were created were top-notch cars. The power for the Ferrari 288 GTO came from a 2.9-liter twin-turbo V8 engine that carried 400 horsepower and 366 lb-ft of torque. It could also reach an impressive 189 mph.
Vector W8
While most supercars were actually produced outside the United States, the Vector W8 was the rare American-made supercar. It carried a 6-liter engine with 625 horsepower, and could reach up to 218 mph. There weren’t many American supercars, but the Vector V8 was definitely worthy of the title.
Porsche 959
It’s no surprise that a
Porsche
makes the list and the Porsche 959 is, arguably, the best of the best in terms of Porsche cars. Clocking in at a maximum speed of 197 mph, the 959 was the fastest street legal car. It had a six-speed manual transmission, a 2.95-liter twin turbocharged engine, and could produce up to 450 horsepower. That’s pretty impressive, if you ask us.
Lotus Esprit
This supercar has a 2.2-liter four cylinder turbo engine. It’s lightweight, flashy on the streets, and had a long life, from roughly 1976 until 2004. If you’re looking to drive an iconic ‘80s supercar, the Lotus Esprit will likely be one of your best bets to find still cruising on the streets today.
BMW M1
The BMW M1 doesn’t necessarily look like a supercar, but the engine definitely says otherwise. The BMW M1 comes with a 3.5-liter straight six engine carrying up to 274 horsepower that offers the perfect amount of speed and power.
While
BMW
doesn’t historically make supercars, they definitely got it right with this one. It’s the perfect car to end our list of some of the best ‘80s supercars. 
