Top 5 cars from the 80’s- The Daily Episode Network
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  • Writer's pictureTHE DEN

Top 5 cars from the 80’s



Some of the most iconic cars were launched in the 80s, with the inventions and technology on their all time high. Many new features got added to cars and were improved upon. The Automobile industry saw a massive rise in demand and mass produced cars were popular than ever. Check out this mixed bag of the top 5 most iconic cars from that amazing time.

Lamborghini Jalpa

The engineering, design, and construction of the famous vehicles that made the Italian manufacturer Lamborghini so renowned spans generations. The Jalpa was one of those vehicles and Lamborghini's final attempt to build an entry-level car. The name was inspired by the well-known Jalpa Kandachia breed of fighting bulls.

With 420 operating units produced between 1981 and 1988, the Lamborghini Jalpa was a successful model. It was designed to resemble the Silhouette and act as a miniature Lamborghini Countach. With more comfort and less power, the Jalpa would be more appealing and practical for the typical driver.

The Jalpa included certain distinctive performance elements, like the majority of Lamborghinis. The final Lamborghini with a V8 was this Italian sports car. In its homeland, the Jalpa's 3.5L all-aluminum block and two overhead cams allowed the vehicle to produce 255 horsepower and 225 ft-lbs of torque.

The Jalpa was a fairly fast vehicle, with a 0 to 62 mph time of 5.8 seconds and a top speed of 250 kmph. Lamborghini chose a synchromesh manual transmission for the Jalpa, which was ahead of its day and could offer quicker shift times and better driving experiences. The 5-speed manual transmission made for an excellent driving experience.

The Jalpa, which was first advertised as a more "cheap" Lamborghini, is occasionally forgotten in the mix of excess from the 1980s that gave way to the Countach. However, the Jalpa was more drivable, more uncommon, and possibly more significant because it was said to have saved "Lamborghini from the brink of extinction" during a particularly turbulent period for the Lamborghini.

Chrysler made the decision to end production of the Jalpa in 1987 after acquiring Lamborghini. However, Lamborghini was only under Chrysler's ownership for only seven years before it was eventually acquired by Volkswagen. Although the Jalpa name hasn't yet returned, we are optimistic about its comeback.

Audi Quattro

The Audi Quattro is a tool with both narrow and broad applications. It is a five-person package of high-styled civilisation on wheels with four-wheel drive, a turbocharged, intercooled, disc-braked, independently suspended engine. In the 1980s, Audi intended it to be a grand touring vehicle.



Although it wasn't the first vehicle to consider 4WD as a performance booster, it was the vehicle that changed the world's perception of the technology, in part by demonstrating its viability on the world rally stage.



The Iltis provided the bulk of the 4WD system, but it was deemed during development that a centre diff was required to distinguish between the torque sent to the front and rear axles. That was derived from the VW Polo, albeit modified.



The Quattro prefers for you to pick up any slack in its suspension and steering, like most German vehicles do. With the throttle, brakes, and steering, you had to be assertive without being oppressive. If not, the Quattro has a propensity to upset itself when pushed to the limit.



The intercooler and computerised ignition were added to the 2.1-liter 5-cylinder turbo engine from the Audi 200 executive saloon, increasing its power from 170 to 200 bhp. It was therefore a fairly simple task to run the gearbox output shaft to the final drive differential on the back axle after mounting it longways in the engine compartment.



There is a sort of magical button on the Audi Quattro's console. It is a locking or unlocking knob that controls the four-wheel- drive system's centre and rear differentials. Locking the differentials has an impact on handling in addition to the apparent change in tractive capabilities.



Honda Accord



The Honda Accord, a line of cars produced by Honda since 1976 and also known as the Honda Inspire in Japan and China for some generations, is best known for its four-door sedan model, which has been among the best-selling vehicles around the world since 1989.



Around the world, the Accord moniker has been used on a range of automobiles, including coupes, waggons, hatchbacks, and a Honda Crosstour crossover. Honda has produced a variety of Accord car body styles and variations since the model's introduction, and frequently, cars sold concurrently under the Accord label in various locations have very significant differences. It made its début in 1976 as a small hatchback, but this design was phased out in favour of a sedan, coupe, and wagons in 1989.



The Honda Accord 1980 is a well-liked vehicle with a distinctive charm. It has an intriguing design, a streamlined grille, and an alluring spoiler. The coolness of the car is further enhanced by the black overlooks mirror.



The phrase "game changer" is undoubtedly overused and open to interpretation. But it's hard to overstate how much of an impact the Honda Accord had on the global auto industry. Let's focus on the long-term effects: it virtually crushed VW's attempt to recover its formerly undisputed market supremacy in the US with its FWD Golf 1. Additionally, it established the standard for competitive FWD automobiles that were dependable, affordable, well-equipped, comfortable, and smooth-running.



The Honda Accord has competed in numerous different racing series over the years. It won 21 races in the British Touring Car Championship, came in second place in the manufacturers' standings in 1999 and 2000, and took first place in the independents' standings in 1997. The Accord won the championship in the Japanese Touring Car Championship in 1996 and 1997. In 1996 and 1997, it also captured the North American Touring Car Championship.



With cloth seats, an AM/FM radio, an intermittent window wiper system, and a tachometer as standard features, the Accord hatch was impressively well-equipped for its day. After being released, the model underwent various facelifts and is still in production today with a sizeable fan base.



Nissan Skyline GT-R



A sports car based on the Nissan Skyline line is called the Nissan Skyline GT-R. The first "Skyline GT-R" vehicles, with the model code KPGC10, were made between 1969 and 1972. They were successful in Japanese touring car racing competitions. In 1973, a limited number of second-generation vehicles bearing the model number KPGC110 were produced in its place. The GT-R moniker was brought back in 1989 as the BNR32 ("R32") Skyline GT-R following a 16-year absence.



The Skyline skillfully and smoothly connected the brows, dips, and apices that make up this of the most hazardous and difficult racing circuits. Nissan's engineers had the freedom to "out-Porsche Porsche" with the Skyline, in their own words. Since at the time they were the main rivals.



Nissan Motor Company was hell-bent on world dominance in the late 1980s and early 1990s, waging technological battle to usurp Honda as head of the Japanese auto industry. The flagship R32 Skyline featured amazing levels of technology and a stunning fusion of gorgeous engineering and raw power.



Thanks to its remarkable turn-in agility and capacity to put all of its power down when exiting corners, the R32 GT-R gained the moniker "Godzilla" for its complete dominance in Group A racing. The R32 Skyline GT-R was the forerunner of the contemporary GT-R and a JDM icon in the American tuner scene in addition to having a distinguished racing history.



Super High Capacity Actively Controlled Steering (HICAS), a rear-wheel steering system that allowed the rear wheels to turn either in opposition to or alongside the front wheels, was a feature of the R32 Skyline GT-R. In order to maintain high- speed stability and low-speed mobility, the steering system was crucial.



The RB26DETT's stock power output was 320 horsepower but the race trim produced more over 500 horsepower. Nissan engineers installed a computer-assisted boost control system in the street-legal R32 Skyline GT-R vehicles, which the tuners particularly loved toying with.



Ferrari F40



The Ferrari F40 is a mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive sports car with Pininfarina's style. It was created by Nicola Materazzi. The LM and GTE race vehicle models remained in production until 1994 and 1996, respectively, throughout its construction from 1987 to 1992.



It was created as the 288 GTO's replacement to commemorate Ferrari's 40th anniversary and was the final Ferrari vehicle that Enzo Ferrari personally approved. It was Ferrari's fastest, most potent, and most expensive vehicle available for purchase at the time.



Just below the F40's seats is a twin-turbo V8 that generates 357kW at 7000 rpm. It has a startling 576Nm of torque at 4000 rpm and is a two-seater that only weighs a few hundred pounds more than a Golf GTI. Even by today's standards, the automobile is incredibly quick; the F40 was a spaceship back then.



There are those who disagree with the strategy Ferrari used to develop the F40. The F40 is a basic vehicle in comparison to that technological marvel, the four-wheel-drive computer- controlled Porsche 959. It is essentially a pretty lightweight, two-seat, mid-engined vehicle with a lot of power, with little unique about its design or construction outside the use of composite materials.



The F40 is constructed by wrapping an exceptionally robust and stiff tubular steel platform chassis and cabin section—a sort of cage that encloses the occupants and provides the mounts for the suspension and the engine—using materials and methods used from Ferrari's Formula One cars. Modern adhesives are used to attach the panels to the frame, which are made of lightweight but incredibly durable Kevlar.



The wide-based, unequal-length upper and lower wishbones used in the F40's suspension are a tried-and-true design that is rarely improved upon. The suspension parts are crafted like works of art and have anti-roll bars at both ends. The coil spring and damper units are located between the upper and lower wishbones in the front and back, respectively, and rise upward from the top of the alloy uprights in the rear, the car handles like its on rails.




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