The best American cars of the 1980s
George Rusu
Researcher
Content Editor
Content Writer
Autocar
The 1980s were a turbulent decade for American automotive companies.
Automakers struggled to keep up with new fuel efficiency standards and emissions regulations, and produced many cars that were slow and underpowered as a result. The buying public was hurting as well, with an economic recession followed by inflation. However, some truly great models were produced especially as the dreaded Malaise Era came to an end around 1983. These cars are great for a variety of reasons, whether that be performance, influence on the auto industry, or sheer cultural impact. There are many to choose from, but we’ve listed 30, in the order of when they first went on sale.
