1980s Cars with Ridiculous Price Tags

The Ford Escort RS won’t be the first car in this list to look towards rallying for inspiration. RS, meaning “rally sport”, denotes the Blue Oval’s most extreme and high-performance models. And the Ford Escort RS is one of the most famous of those. Respected and praised for its amazing handling and performance that could make many other prestige cars blush, this RS is up for six quid under £30k.

This is how valuable a car from the 80s can be. The Porsche 959 was born in the 1980s, but sent from the 21st century. At the time it was introduced, technology, such as twin-turbos, tyre pressure monitoring, and all-wheel drive were as hi-tech as hi-tech can get. Comfortable and capable, the 959 could reach 198 mph and has won Le Mans and the Dakar Rally. As one of the greatest cars in history, it commands a seven-figure price tag.

Vauxhall wouldn’t expect to have many cars break onto a list like this, but the Astra GTE is an Astra at the end of the day, and the fact that it can command more than £17,000 is a testament to its rarity. More than that though, the Griffin-badged GTE is great fun to drive and a throwback to the direct, lightweight feeling that only a hatch from the 80s can provide.

Mercedes-Benz made some of its best products in the 1980s, with a reputation for exceptional quality and reliability. The SL Series was a comfortable, stylish convertible, designed for cruising through places like Santa Monica and for endless sunny days. A smooth automatic gearbox and powerful engine only adds to the luxury. Even today, in 2017, the German-made motor is still worth nearly £50,000.

Lancia in the 1980s dominated the World Rally Championship scene, and during the ferocious days of the Group B cars, homologation rules required that the Italian brand produced 200 road-going versions of its S4 rally car. It is rumoured that just 65 were produced; so, if you can find one of these brutal machines from the 80s, you are a very lucky person indeed.

While the cool, but rather clinical Porsche 959 grabbed everybody’s attention, the hot-blooded Ferrari Testarossa is the 1980s car that stole hearts. The beautiful “red head” was a low, sleek Maranello creation with a purring Flat-12 engine mounted in the middle of the machine. The swooping lines on the side of the car are an iconic piece of design.

When you consider how important the Audi Quattro is for its rallying pedigree and all-wheel drive development, not to mention how great it still looks in the 21st century, it’s actually not that much to buy one. Add BBC drama hero car status to the mix, as well as a thrilling driving experience, and you have got yourself a winner. 

Back in the 1980s, the Porsche 911 Turbo developed a reputation for getting bankers wrapped around trees and lampposts. They are very powerful cars, and with the engine placed over the rear wheels, they have a distinctive driving style. The design is simply ageless, and these Teutonic sports machines are now worth more than ever.

There is nothing quite as elegant or as refined as a Rolls-Royce. When it comes to the ultimate roofless car, we have the Rolls-Royce Dawn now, but in the 1980s the drop-top ‘Roller’ was known as the Corniche. 6.8-litres of pure British understated power, vast amounts of beautiful leather and wood, and all the toys a driver and his passengers could need.

Some cars you just look at and know exactly when they were made. The Ferrari 328 GTB is one of those cars: pure 80s angles all over the car and black, boxy plastic dashboards that came to define the decade of big hair, shoulder pads and neon legwarmers. If for some reason, you are after a time-travel device back to the 80s, then just under £90,000 will get you one.