[Closed] 1980s supercars

jimjam - Member

By almost every metric you could use to judge them the F40 (or the 288 GTO) is superior.

And that's why the Countach in my opinion is a better supercar.
Metrics....measuring stuff...testing...values...blah blah. It's just very, erm....Pistonheads.

Most people won't own or experience these cars, so metrics are irrelevant.
But as something to lust after and have as a poster on your bedroom wall. Something to dream about owning and getting properly excited to actually see one....it's the Countach for me.

It was going so well...

Dodge Viper engined, was ‘treated’ to 150mph experience in that one.

Love the history of the F40. But yeah, the romance and daftness of the Countach wins it for me.
My dream car is ‘slightly’ more humble though, I’d pick the bag o’shite DeLorean. Like Stumpy says, it’s about fulfilling your kid dreams. Flux capacitors and all.

Three pages in and nobody has brought up the Reliant RS200?

Even 30 years later they are stil competing. I'd take one of those or a 038 over anything mentioned so far.

Or a twin turbo Delorean.

The tesstarossa should only have one mirror,

How about a Porsche 924 that sold for half million quid? A bit faster than the base model that I had....

https://www.silverstoneauctions.com/porsche-924-carrera-gtr

By almost every metric you could use to judge them the F40 (or the 288 GTO) is superior. Faster, rarer, more valuable, better handling, racing heritage, first production car to do 200mph, last car signed off by Enzo Ferrari, one of the first production cars to use carbon fibre body panels, the fastest accelerating and fastest top speed car of the decade. If you were to buy one as an investment you'd buy the Ferrari, if you were to buy one to drive you'd buy the Ferrari. It was actually faster and more powerful than claimed as opposed to grossly exaggerated figures and under performing.

You can say all that but if I was given the option of any supercar for free (and I couldn’t sell it) I’d have the Lambo.

I simple couldn’t pretend I was in the Cannonball Run in the F40.

Harry Mercalf has one and he’s had a custom power steering unit fitted to it which apparently transforms the driving experience.

Slightly out of the era and completely in Japanese but this is fun (sort of)

[video]

I simple couldn’t pretend I was in the Cannonball Run in the F40.

Are you pretending to be the red head or the blonde?

I agree the Lambo Contact is the ultimate supercar full stop. Of any decade. However not sure i'd have one if I could because they are supposed to be truly horrible to drive and what's the point if the thing is a pig to drive?

I think for me the 959 is the ultimate 'real world' supercar. Supercar performance and enough of a supercar bonkers thing about it, but will be capable enough ,and reliable enough, to be driven on real roads.

Hate this thread, was offered a ferrari gts turbo (basically a 2 litre turbo intercooler 328) for 55k euro, missus said no... Just need to convince her it will be a better investment than a house

jimjam - Member

By almost every metric you could use to judge them the F40 (or the 288 GTO) is superior. Faster, rarer, more valuable, better handling, racing heritage, first production car to do 200mph, last car signed off by Enzo Ferrari, one of the first production cars to use carbon fibre body panels, the fastest accelerating and fastest top speed car of the decade. If you were to buy one as an investment you'd buy the Ferrari, if you were to buy one to drive you'd buy the Ferrari. It was actually faster and more powerful than claimed as opposed to grossly exaggerated figures and under performing.

Spot the tales of the fanboy! 😆

The F40 never did 200mph, it famously topped out at 199mph.
The various Porsches of the era were quicker, faster and actually won races.
Dry yer eyes! 😛

supposed to be truly horrible to drive

It’s often quoted by people who step out of their new modern luxo barges and drive one for the first time. No they aren’t easy to drive but they aren’t as bad as people make out.

They aren’t, and never were, designed to be driven slowly which is what most people do in them. Apparently at higher speeds everything lightens up and they handle very well indeed.

As I mentioned before Harry Metcalf had power steering fitted to his - he has a video on YouTube about what they are like to drive which is worth watching.

They are designed for Italians so tall and far people don’t fit very well but I think I’d be great in one as I’m small!

sbob - Member

Spot the tales of the fanboy!

The F40 never did 200mph, it famously topped out at 199mph.
The various Porsches of the era were quicker, faster and actually won races.
Dry yer eyes!

Oh yes, admittedly I was a huge Ferrari fan boy growing up. I've bimbled about in a Testarossa and had a full bore passenger run in an F40 on a closed motorway. The only Porsches of the era that were faster were limited run, modified or race homologation versions. Not production cars.

The F40 was raced extensively in Competizione trim and did very well against the other GT class cars of that era. An Italian magazine timed the car at 202.6 mph. An F40 with aero wheels (due to local regs) but otherwise stock did 229mph at Bonneville. It's probably harder for non VAG manufacterers to achieve max speed runs without a facility like VW's test track.

Also this.

[video]

The 512BB remains absolutely gorgeous, especially in that un-Ferrari shade of metallic blue. Far, far prettier than the Testarossa that replaced it IMHO of course.

The Lotus Carlton amused me. In the words of Jasper Carrott "What sort of family needs a 170mph saloon car, the Fittipaldis?"

I’d bet it was a kit car, I saw one a few weeks back, it looks tired and a bit ‘off’ the spoiler looked a bit warped, the paint rough and a bit tatty - Regchecked it and it was a kit with a rover V8.

Exactly this. I've seen a couple of very ropey looking Countaches, complete with terrible metallic paintwork and wonky interiors. A mate almost bought one that was apparently powered by a 1.3 litre Ford engine. Unfortunately, the existence of the counterfeit Countach means that genuine examples are judged with the suspicion usually reserved for that dodgy bloke in the pub who keeps showing off the Rolex they bought for a tenner on holiday.

Depending on your definition of production car, it could have been the Jaguar XJ220 which was the first production car to hit 200mph.
Unfair to compare the Jag and the Ferrari though, what with the F40 being not much more than a street legal track car, whereas the XJ220 is a fully finished supercar that is equally at home on the road and track, not suffering from the horrendous turbo lag or lack of basic functionality of the F40, as well as being quicker, faster, faster around the 'Ring and much rarer if that sort of thing is important to you.

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not suffering from the horrendous turbo lag

Really? Watched this last night, and they paint a different picture...

Not production cars

Depends on your definition.

The F40 was raced extensively in Competizione trim

How extensively can you race eight cars? 😉

[s]did very well[/s] lost against the other GT class cars of that era

An Italian magazine timed the car at 202.6 mph

'Course they did, and my Mum tells me I'm handsome. 😆

An F40 with aero wheels (due to local regs) but otherwise stock did 229mph at Bonneville

No it didn't, and it wasn't stock.

I wonder what would happen if Jaguar ever visited Bonneville? 😕

[video]

Local regs must have changed as standard tyres were used. 😉

The XJ220 tends to get a bit of bad press for the controversy surrounding its development and the fact it was overshadowed by the Mclaren F1, but it was an astonishingly quick car for the 1990s

I'm quite lost at the definition of "production car" TBH.

Homologation, surely?

PJM1974 - Member

I'm quite lost at the definition of "production car" TBH.

Homologation, surely?

I'm pretty sure the definition will hinge somewhere around the production figures of the F40. 😆

squirrelking - Member

Or a twin turbo Delorean.

There's a DMC12 that lives just down the road from me- you see it out occasionally on a sunny day. And even without the BTTF geekery it's still an amazing looking thing to see out and about on a british street.

OTOH I'm pretty sure it's got the original engine in so it'll be slower than my diesel mondeo.

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Just look at that, a thing of beauty from any angle, and most importantly instantly recognisable as a Jag.

It's no wonder that Sergio "designer of the F40" Pininfarina's favourite car was a Jaguar.

😀

Northwind - Member

There's a DMC12 that lives just down the road from me

Can't remember where but I drove past what I assume was a DMC-12 owner's club meeting down the road from my mate's house. About half a dozen parked up, quite a sight.

sbob - Member

Not production cars

Depends on your definition.

Well they made 1300 F40s which is considerably more than the 29 RUF CTR or the 6 homologation 959's or the five Ferrari 288 Evoluzione's which had 650bhp and did 225mph.

An Italian magazine timed the car at 202.6 mph

'Course they did, and my Mum tells me I'm handsome.

So you can only trust British magazines? Do you think it's impossible that some determined journalists managed to get a car which had consistently done 199mph in tests to do 202 mph in a test???

How extensively can you race eight cars?

They made over 30 LM and Competiziones. An unknown number of road cars were also adapted for racing.

Just look at that, a thing of beauty from any angle, and most importantly instantly recognisable as a Jag.

Are you trolling in the character of some kind of myopic British patriot?

Graet thread, although it 80s and 90s supercars, as some of them bridged the two or crept into the latter

Graet thread, although it 80s and 90s supercars, as some of them bridged the two or crept into the latter

And I agree with whoever said the Lambo Countach is arguably a 1970s motor.

The original styling is iconic '70s to my eye. It did look very '80s with all the spoilers and skirts they later stuck on it - but not in a good way.

instantly recognisable as a Jag

If I'd not laid eyes on one before i'd probably have said Toyota or Mazda. Lotus at a push.

Was it Coogan, Elton or Mr Bean that interfaced one with a tree?

Which do people prefer then?

Exhibit A...
[img] [/img]

Exhibit B...
[img] [/img]

A to own.
B for top trumps.

It's a bit like 911's, the superfast/GT3 ones take the accolades - but i'd have a 60s/70s brown or green & chrome trimmed beauty all day long.

Blatantly the one with the spoiler!

It looks like what an 8 year old boy would come up with if you gave him a crayon and said 'draw a cool car'.

And that's why it's the best 😀

chakaping - Member

Which do people prefer then?

Exhibit A...

[img] [/img]

Exhibit B...
[img] [/img]

Exhibit C....
[img] [/img]

Exhibit D....
[img] [/img]

I'm pretty sure the definition will hinge somewhere around the production figures of the F40.

😐

jimjam - Member

Well they made 1300 F40s

Bingo!

6 homologation 959's

They made almost 300? 😕

So you can only trust British magazines?

And French, and German, just not the Italians.

a car which had consistently done 199mph in tests

That isn't true.

Are you trolling in the character of some kind of myopic British patriot?

Look, I'm no car designer, but Sergio "Lead designer of the F40" Pininfarina was, and his favourite car was a Jag.

I'm not in any position to argue with the world's most famous car designer, YMMV... 🙂

doris5000 - Member

Blatantly the one with the spoiler!

It looks like what an 8 year old boy would come up with if you gave him a crayon and said 'draw a cool car'.

And that's why it's the best

Looks like they crossed the original with a fighter jet.
Big wing for the win! 😀

Beauty is always in the eye of Beer-holder of course, but to my eye.

Just look at that, a thing of beauty from any angle

It's looks massive, far bigger than it actually is, even though it's actually pretty big.

The overhangs are massive, the wheels don't fill the arches either in hight or width. The panel gaps are big enough to wonder "how big are those panel gaps?!" from that photo never mind in the flesh.

The design lacks any real detail, supposedly to keep it smooth and aerodynamic, but to cut costs they left the wipers well above the bonnet line and fitted £2 black ugly plastic door locks from a 90s Ford Escort

and most importantly instantly recognisable as a Jag.

Apart from the oval grill, I don't think it looks much like a Jag at all, in fact a lot of its shapes are very Ford Probe.

It's no wonder that Sergio "designer of the F40" Pininfarina's favourite car was a Jaguar.

But not that one.

sbob - Member

6 homologation 959's

They made almost 300?

300 production cars. 337 mechanically identical road cars for sale. They also made a variety of homologation specials and prototypes for group b rally and experimental class circuit racing.

Not a production car.
[img] [/img]

...not a production car
[img] [/img]

..not a production car
[img] ?itok=Ludg-ZOP[/img]

also not a production car
[img] ?itok=ySZ0Mxc2[/img]

Exhibit C everytime*!

the original 70s Countachs always looked a bit unfinished and like somone had plopped a big body on a small chassis.

The later and last versions had too many skirts and wings and bumpers and were into the realm of 90s plastic tat.

Round bellied, but with proper sized wheels and flared arches it's where it's at 🙂

XJ220 was awesome in a lot of of ways and I had a massive little-boy-car-crush on it at the time, F40 was always impressive but a bit dull to me, yes it was good, yes it was fast, and whatnot but it's *just* another Ferrari...Countach on the other hand? Bonkers and at the time Lambo hadn't made that many well known cars and it was just outrageously 'Supercar!!!!!!!' to look at.

Porsches always ace, and if I had to actually own one and use it that's the way I'd go, but although they are supercars, they just don't look bonkers enough. Refined and improved, polished to excellence yes, but bonkers? not really, even with a whale-tail bolted on the back doesn't look [i]bonkers[/i], it just looks like you've stuck a massive wing on a 911, oh, because that's exactly what it is...

*Well, unless a Pantera is an option, but then they both have similar overall shape and stance.

Was it Coogan, Elton or Mr Bean that interfaced one with a tree?

Atkinson wrapped his McLaren F1 round a couple of trees. Aviva insured it, they tried to write it off but he wouldn't let them. It cost £600k to repair IIRC, it was (and might still be) the most expensive own damage insurance claim in the UK ever.

Good effort sucking the fun out of the thread folks!

Is this silly and 80s enough?

[img] [/img]

Is this silly and 80s enough?

Nice from that angle. This is a bit classier though...
[img] [/img]

Exhibit A...

obvs, look at it...It looks like a blinking spaceship!!

Exhibit C for me .... but with farah fawcett climbing out of it ... wearing a shinny jump suit with its front zip at half mast.

Exhibit C for me .... but with farah fawcett climbing out of it ... wearing a shinny jump suit with its front zip at half mast.

Adrienne Barbeau. Not Farah.

[img] [/img]

P-Jay - Member

It's looks massive, far bigger than it actually is, even though it's actually pretty big.

The overhangs are massive

It is a big car but then the size and shape gives it stability at high speeds.
Remember that it is a true 200mph+ supercar, not some ropey 199mph pretender.

the wheels don't fill the arches either in height or width

We must be looking at different cars.

The panel gaps are big enough to wonder "how big are those panel gaps?!" from that photo never mind in the flesh.

They're massive, like this woman's carrier bag:
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But not that one.

Sshhhh!!! 😆

C is very nice, but could almost be a modern car. I honestly prefer the more vintage look of A.

with farah fawcett climbing out of it ... wearing a shinny jump suit with its front zip at half mast.

😆
Close enough?
[img] [/img]

Nah ... the cars a heap ... 🙂

Which bring us to ...

[img] [/img]

No not a supercar ... but still up there for an 8 year old, who didnt know better, in the early 80s

I do love how an 1980s supercar thread has a bunch of adults arguing like the big kids that we all are. Superb!

If I had to pick a Lamborghini, then it would be C. I'm not a fan of the wing, even though it was a prerequisite, but the understated black works well with gold wheels (I'm guessing that was a circa 1980 car?). I'm also pretty sure that the white Lambo with a spoiler is a QV (four valves per cylinder and fuel injection, circa 1985?). The final Lambo is of course a 25th Anniversary, with unique skirts and no spoiler. It also has the US specific rear lights in place of the trapezoidal lights that we all know and love. Also, the fit of the skirts and bumper isn't the greatest.

[edit] A is an LP400 with a slow cut out of the roof so that you could see something in the rear view mirror, referred to a "periscope" I believe. It's a clean looking car, but those tall 1970s tyres on 14" wheels don't quite work for me.

It also has the US specific rear lights in place of the trapezoidal lights that we all know and love.

Rear lights can make a car, like the iconic twin rounds of the *Corvette, the three vertical lights of the Mustang, or the Rover 200 lights found on the XJ220.

*gets 'em wet, so I am reliably informed.

As mentioned above a few times, for me it has to be

[img] [/img]

Ghah! How did Faguar make it onto a page about "supercars"? Driven and owned by Fogies in M&S check shirts and green corduroys and 44yr old second hand brogues. Complete with dribble stains adorning mohair cardigans.. Christ on a Bike, they've no place being anywhere in a thread about supercars. 🙄

Some of the choices here have been well considered, a few would probably make a hit list top ten on a kids bedroom wall.. but for the most part anything with the word Ferrari on it would win, certainly if it was red.

I'm a 70's US Muscle Car fanbouy, MOPARs FTW in my world (except the Porker I posted earlier) so I'm about to post a Dodge Charger form that era, it has been revamped and semi customised but to me back in the 70's in the US it was the car to own if you were just entering puberty.. or maybe looked like this..
[img] [/img]

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The overhangs are massive

Is that what they're called these days?