This was a decade where neon was king, big hair was mandatory, and cars were more about “making a grand entrance.”

Some of these machines became bonafide legends, gracing bedroom posters and arcade games. Others? Well, they might have rattled like a can of spray paint in a washing machine, but they still carved out a permanent spot in our hearts.

So buckle up, pull up your Members Only jacket, and set your flux capacitor to 1.21 gigawatts — we’re about to dive headfirst into the totally tubular world of ’80s cars, from sharp angles and pop-up headlights to turbo badges that (sometimes) actually meant something.

How we picked: Our totally rad selection process

We didn’t just pull these cars from a dusty Trapper Keeper. Our list was shaped by cultural impact, design, popularity, and the legacy that car built. We dug into classic car forums and auction trends and even poked around some questionable ‘80s fan pages to see which models still get hearts racing or at least inspire knowing nods from fellow enthusiasts.

Sure, some of these rides weren’t the fastest or most reliable (we see you, DeLorean, you beautiful stainless steel paperweight), but they left a mark. We wanted cars that captured the spirit of the ’80s-cars that were fun, bold, sometimes a little weird, and forever unforgettable — like your kiss at the prom, but these went a lot further.

1981 DeLorean DMC-12

Nothing screams the ’80s like gullwing doors and brushed stainless steel. Thanks to a certain time-traveling movie about flux capacitors and accidentally making your mom fall in love with you, the DeLorean DMC-12 became a cultural icon — despite its, let’s say, underwhelming performance.

The DeLorean was actually supposed to have a Wankel rotary engine at first, then a Ford V6, before finally settling on the anemic Peugeot-Renault-Volvo (PRV) V6. This gave it a leisurely 10.5-second 0-60 record, slower than most family sedans of the era (but one that would look a lot cooler doing it). Also, who cares about performance when you could theoretically hit 88 mph and travel through time? It will forever be trapped in the cultural amber of pop culture, proving that sometimes, being famous for being famous is enough.

1982 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am

Two words: Knight Rider. This car wasn’t just transportation — it was your talking, crime-fighting best friend. The Firebird’s aerodynamic styling and digital dash were pure sci-fi dreams back then.

Voiced by William Daniels, KITT basically had more charisma than half the actors on TV. Even if you didn’t know a thing about cars, you wanted to ride in KITT. It made us all believe that maybe, just maybe, our cars could talk to us one day, too. The Firebird wasn’t just cool — it made you feel like the hero every time you got behind the wheel. With a 16-second or so quarter mile, you were definitely a hero on the track.

1984 Ferrari Testarossa

A rolling poster for teenage bedrooms worldwide. The Testarossa’s wide hips, side strakes, and exotic roar made it the car you circled in magazines and daydreamed about. With a 0-60 of 5.2 seconds and a top speed of 180 mph, the Testarossa had the performance to back it up.

It wasn’t just about speed, however. It was about arriving in style, preferably with Phil Collins playing in the background. The Testarossa was loud, brash, and perfect for the era that celebrated excess. In fact, the Testarossa was worth more when it was released than it is now — it originally sold for $180,000 and now has an average cost of $160,000. Knock off a few thousand more, and that’s totally going in my collection.

1983 Volkswagen Golf GTI (Mk1)

The original hot hatch made practicality fun. Light, nimble, and surprisingly quick, the Mk1 GTI proved you didn’t need a Ferrari to smile on your morning commute. Its red-trimmed grille and tartan seats became signature touches.

VW initially greenlit the GTI as a “special project” by a small team of engineers working in secret, fearing it would dilute the brand. Good thing they didn’t listen to the bean counters! It quietly started a revolution that still dominates roads today, proving that sometimes, the best things come in small, unassuming packages.

1985 BMW M3 (E30)

Race-bred and perfectly boxy, the E30 M3 is the stuff of legends. It’s the car that still makes grown men weep at classic car auctions (the average price is a just-out-of-reach $85,000 ).

It was originally built to homologate BMW’s racing program, which is why it handles like it’s on rails. Its flared fenders and high-revving 2.3-liter S14 four-cylinder engine (a masterpiece of engineering derived from BMW’s Formula 1 engine) made it an instant motorsport darling and a street machine that could embarrass much more expensive metal.

1984 Toyota MR2

The poor man’s Ferrari, but with Japanese reliability. The MR2’s mid-engine layout, sharp handling, and go-kart feel made it an ’80s gem. It was surprisingly affordable for what it offered, sitting at just under $11,000 to hopefully entice young buyers.

The pop-up headlights and wedge shape made it feel much more exotic than its price tag suggested. In fact, the MR2 is still pretty affordable for a vintage mid-engine JDM sports car to this day. We may get attacked for this, but the MR2 deserves as much love as the Mazda MX-5 Miata. There, we said it!

1987 Buick GNX

You thought Detroit was all V8s and chrome? Then the Buick GNX rolled in, dressed in sinister black, ready to embarrass your fancy European sports car. Grand National? Cool. GNX? Legendary. This turbocharged monster was quicker than almost anything else on the road at the time, reaching 60 mph in 4.7 seconds. This made it even faster than a Ferrari Testarossa.

It didn’t need loud paint or wild spoilers; it let the turbo do all the talking. It was fast, it was mean, and it was gone before you even realized what happened. The GNX was the ultimate street sleeper, and to this day, people still talk about it with a kind of quiet, almost reverent respect, like a legend that slipped through the cracks.

1982 Lamborghini Countach

Wait, why is the MR2 in here again? Just kidding — this car is worth up to $550,000 more. Not a big deal. The Lamborghini Countach wasn’t practical. It was nearly impossible to see out of, a challenge to park, and you basically had to be a contortionist to get in or out. And honestly? Nobody cared. It was loud, wild, and utterly ridiculous — which made it the ultimate dream car.

The Countach’s iconic scissor doors (or “Lambo doors”) were initially designed purely for practicality, as the wide sills made conventional doors impossible. However, it ended up giving the already incredibly stylish Countach even more of a wow factor. With its dramatic wedge design and those doors that opened like a Transformer, the Countach was pure poster material.

1989 Mazda MX-5 Miata

Okay, we’re slightly cheating-barely sneaking in before the ’90s-but the Miata rewrote the rulebook on affordable fun. Lightweight, affordable, and fun, it was the spiritual successor to classic British roadsters. At 2,160 pounds and a lack of traction control, the Miata is like being inside an adorable, winking go-kart.

The Miata’s pop-up headlights were actually a nod to classic sports cars like the Lotus Elan, which heavily influenced the Miata’s design. It brought back the simple, joyful driving experience that had been lost in the ’80s horsepower wars. It’s still the answer to almost any car enthusiast’s question today, proving that sometimes, less truly is more (especially when it comes to weight).

1983 Ford Mustang GT (Fox Body)

After years of underwhelming “performance,” the Fox Body Mustang GT dragged muscle cars back into the cool zone in the ’80s. It offered affordable V8 power, endless modification potential (from street racers to drag strip monsters), and a shape that now oozes retro charm like a freshly opened can of Tab. The sound of its 5.0-liter V8 became a street anthem.

It was the ultimate “my first fast car” for a generation of enthusiasts. Almost everyone who owned one of these as a teen in the ’80s has stories of illegal street racing and parking lot burnouts in this track-hungry monster. I mean, who wouldn’t have a little fun when you could outrun the cops at a top speed of 140 mph?

Fun Fact: The beloved “Fox Body Mustang” got its name from the Ford “Fox” platform it shared with other models, even though calling the entire car a “Fox Body” is technically a misnomer, but hey, that’s what everyone says anyway!

1986 Porsche 959

The 959 was supercar royalty. It was so advanced it made other cars feel like wooden carts. With twin turbos, all-wheel drive, and computer-controlled suspension, it was like something from the future in a decade that still loved cassette tapes. Porsche didn’t just build it to go fast — they built it to prove what was possible.

The 959 was originally conceived as a Group B rally car, which explains its extreme engineering. It was so technologically advanced that Bill Gates had to fight a special act of Congress to import his, as it didn’t meet U.S. emissions or safety standards. Porsche didn’t just build it to go fast; they built it to prove what was humanly possible on four wheels. Even Ferrari was scrambling to keep up with this technological marvel.

To this day, the 959 still feels more modern than most cars from its era. It wasn’t just quick; it completely rewrote the rulebook for supercars while looking like nothing else on Earth.

1985 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z

If you wore acid-wash jeans and blasted Van Halen, the IROC-Z was your ride. It wasn’t the fastest, but it was a four-wheeled rock star with a T-top, ready to steal the spotlight. The bold graphics, aggressive stance, and undeniable street cred made it the ultimate boulevard cruiser. There’s a reason the IROC-Z was used to win over a love interest in Better Off Dead.

The “IROC-Z” name originated from the International Race of Champions series, where Camaros (and Firebirds) were used as race cars. While its maximum speed of 140 mph won’t win any street races today, it still turns heads at classic car meets.

Why we still love these ’80s cars

The ’80s weren’t just about the music, the fashion, or pretending your hair was bigger than it actually was — the cars were just as unforgettable. Some were lightning-fast, some were wonderfully funky, and some just made us smile like we’d just won the lottery. They weren’t perfect, but that’s what made them special. They were flawed but lovable, much like our own memories of the decade.

Whether you actually drove one of these beasts, desperately wanted one, or just remember seeing them cruising down the street with a bass line thumping, these cars still bring back a tidal wave of great memories. And honestly, who wouldn’t want one more chance to cruise with the windows down, the cassette player cranked up to eleven, and a world that seemed a little less complicated?

So, which of these ’80s icons makes you want to dig out your old mixtapes and go for a drive?