The late 20th century isn’t something American car manufacturers like to reminisce about. It is a bit of a taboo for pretty much all of them, just like the ever so secretive period from 1933 to 1945 for many German companies. Since the peak of American design and innovation of the post war period and the 1960s, a lot had changed in the 80s and 90s.
The ingenuity, trend-setting designs and V8 rumble were replaced by lackluster technology, engine and bodyshell downsizing, rushed product planning and poor attempts to catch up with the Germans and Japanese. There were however attempts to better the situation and in some cases, the Big 3 did end up creating some genuinely brilliant cars. Here’s a few quality picks!
Dodge Spirit R/T
The Dodge Spirit R/T is one of the underdogs that is forgotten for no good reason. The Dodge Spirit was built on the Lee Iacacocca envisioned Chrysler AA platform, sharing it with a few other siblings from the Chrysler division. The R/T model though, was so much more. With a 2.2 liter turbo 4 cylinder, a Lotus engineered 16-valve head, jazzy bodykit and 5-speed manual gearbox, this little family car was the fastest sedan in America. 0-60 mph happened in a mere 5,8 seconds, beating the king of the hill BMW M5 and many others. Only 1,208 models were built.
Chevrolet Citation X11
The X-11 was the performance model of the compact Chevy Citation, which could be purchased in two-door coupe, three-door and five-door hatchback form. The coupe was killed off quickly since nobody bought it, but the public certainly liked the hatchbacks, as over 800,000 were sold in its first year, making the Citation the best-selling car in the USA for 1980. The fact that so few are seen today probably tells you all you need to know about GM's quality control of the day.
But let’s gloss over that. The sporting version, called the X-11 had the range topping high-output 2.8-liter V6. At a time when Mk2 VW Golf GTIs were making 110 horsepower, the X-11 pushed out 135 hp and could reach 60 mph in 8.5 seconds, making it a close competitor to the SAAB 900 turbo. According to magazine reviews of the time, the X11 was actually the better driver’s car compared to the SAAB. Chevrolet also upgraded the suspension, gave it bigger wheels, and changed up the gearing. It even enjoyed some success in SCCA racing.
Ford Taurus SHO
Launched in 1985, the Ford Taurus was a very influential design that saved Ford from bankruptcy bringing many innovations to the marketplace and starting the trend towards aerodynamic design in North America. The Taurus became a huge seller, as over 200,000 would be sold in the 1986 model year, and over a million were sold by 1989.
The Ford Taurus SHO (Super High Output) was the high-performance variant of the Taurus. Sharing its body shell with the Taurus sedan, it differed from the standard car in its drivetrain, suspension, brakes, wheels, and cosmetic changes. The 3.0L DOHC V6 was developed and built for Ford by Yamaha and at 220 hp, the engine was rated only 5 hp less than the Five-O V8 in the Ford Mustang. And to finish it all off, all SHO’s were paired with a 5-speed manual transmission.
Chevrolet Corvette C4
This was a brand new chapter not just for the Corvette but for Chevrolet itself. After producing the C3 Corvette for over 14 years, it was more than necessary for a serious makeover, and what a makeover it was. The C4 Vette was one of the most seamless looking cars of the 1980s, being completely reworked from the C3, with slender, computer designed suspension, a modern interior, rich amenities, and brand new engines. The double-wishbone suspension and L98 V8, paired with a manual gearbox made the Corvette a true driver’s car and with the Z51 package, Chevrolet literally obliterated the German offerings. It was cheaper, faster, generated an astonishing 0.95g on the skidpad and was so good that Porsche even bought 2 Corvette’s with the Z51 package, brought home to Germany and started dismantling them to find out why they drove so well.
Jeep Cherokee XJ
One reason the XJ Cherokee became so popular was that it was so simple, yet ahead of its time. It was one of the first modern, compact sport utility vehicles that fused all-terrain capability, practicality and decent road manners. The American Motor Company gave it a simple, boxy design, and a strong and exceedingly durable engine – the famous and potent 4.0-liter inline-six, producing 190 horsepower and 225 lb-ft. Not many things in the automotive world last longer than the XJ Cherokee. It had an 18 year production run and proved to be one of the greatest Jeep products ever.
Chrysler Voyager
The very first Chrysler Voyager revolutionized family transportation. It was introduced in 1984 and marked a milestone in the industry as one of the earliest modern minivans. General Motors could have been first, since they did create a concept based on the compact X platform of the Chevy Citation, but scrapped it. By offering a spacious and versatile interior with seating for seven passengers within a very compact physical footprint, the Voyager showed the future of family travel. Ample passenger space, sliding rear doors, and a flat load floor for cargo were perfect solutions for everyday family life. Its success paved the way for the widespread adoption of minivans by other manufacturers and solidified Chrysler's reputation as a leader in the segment. There’s not much in terms of driving excitement with a Chrysler minivan, but there was a turbo version with a manual transmission.
Cadillac Seville
Some manufacturers had entirely different brand identities and their produce couldn’t be more different from today. Cadillac comes to mind instantly, as once the stateside competitor to Rolls-Royce, it is now building some of the latest sports sedans with a manual transmission and a V8 engine.
Cadillac was still a great luxury land yacht manufacturer in the 80s and 90s too, the 4th generation Seville being a great example with streamlined styling, Audi-esque interior and competent driving dynamics. Even though the Northstar V8 underhood is known for its fixable, but quite major overheating issue, at the time it was a very high-tech solution with good fuel economy and up to 300 horsepower, an amount BMW or Audi had not yet achieved.
Buick Roadmaster
The very last generation Buick Roadmaster marked the end of what was the quintessential American car. It was the last vehicle to be built on the legendary B-body platform, upon which many full size sedans and station wagons were built. The Roadmaster was tough, durable, had a Chevrolet Corvette derived LT1 V8 engine, acres of space inside and could tow everything you hooked to the back of it. The Roadmaster hasn’t gone unnoticed though, as they garner strong sales prices and have a huge cult following in 2024.
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