Acceleration rules
The latest batch of supercars can hit 60mph in less than 3 secs these days – but it only seems like yesterday that the mark of a true supercar was a 6-sec 0-60mph sprint.
Of course, today a middling hatchback can achieve similar figures and the instant torque of electric propulsion makes the 60mph dash a cinch.
The thing is, sub-6 secs to 60mph is still enough to pin you back in your seat, and the majesty of an engine in full roar as it accelerates away from the line is a slice of aural majesty no EV will get near, even if they’re quicker.
Back in the day these were the hottest cars on the planet – so which of our 1980s superheroes with sub-6-sec 0-60mph times do you want most? Take a look.
Thanks to carfolio.com for its help in putting this together; however, figures may vary from different sources
1. Ford Sierra Sapphire RS Cosworth (5.9 secs)
The original Sierra Cosworth boasted an enormous rear wing to keep its racing cousins glued to the track with downforce.
However, with the number of cars built to homologate those racers surpassed, the Blue Oval packaged its potent 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder into something rather more like an executive express.
The result was a much more slippery shape with a far more subtle rear spoiler (though that doesn’t take much) that got the 0-60mph sprint below 6 secs. Its 201bhp and relatively light weight (1250kg) also helped.
2. Maserati 430 (5.7 secs; 2.24v 5.9 secs)
The Maserati Biturbo was spectacularly quick for its day, thanks to the use of a twin-turbo V6 – the first production road car to use the technology.
By the end of the 1980s the reliability and build problems that had plagued the car’s early years had largely gone, and the Biturbo name was dropped for a series of almost unfathomable numbers.
They were still brisk, leaving their BMW rivals in the shade; 1989’s 2.0-litre, 242bhp 2.24v cracks 60mph in less than 5.9 secs, but it is the 2.8-litre four-door 430 model of 1988 that’s quickest, with a time of 5.7 secs thanks to 247bhp.
3. Porsche 928 S4 (5.7 secs)
The Porsche 928 always looked fast – its swooping, award-winning bodywork saw to that. Add in a sci-fi-like interior and avant-garde seat fabrics, it was a head-spinning take on GT motoring that was in stark contrast to more traditional-looking offerings from Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz.
In 1986 the S4 was launched with a 316bhp 5.0-litre V8 that offered 170mph at the top end, but despite weighing nearly 1600kg (a lot in 1986), it could charge to 60mph in 5.7 secs.
It also looked even faster thanks to a smoother exterior design. Just the thing for blasting across the Alps…
4. Porsche 964 911 Carrera 2 (5.6 secs; Carrera 4 5.7 secs)
The Porsche 964 was 85 per cent new compared to the Carrera 3.2 that came before it, with the 3.6-litre M64 flat-six being one of the highlights. In manual transmission form it could hit 60mph in 5.6 secs thanks to its 247bhp output.
The 964 also saw the introduction of four-wheel-drive to production 911s, and its first attempt was over-engineered in the traditional Porsche manner.
Alas the extra traction wasn’t apparent to 60mph, as it trades 0.1 secs to its two-wheel-drive brethren. The C4 will probably be much quicker in the damp, however…
5. Porsche 944 turbo S (5.7 secs; normal 5.9 secs)
Though the 911 is Porsche’s golden child, it’s actually the 924 and 944 that delivered much of the sales that kept the firm buoyant during the ’80s.
Top of the tree was the 944 turbo, with a 217bhp 2.5-litre engine that was good enough to drag you away from the lights to national speed limit speeds in 5.9 secs. Just as well the North American version became the first production car in the world to be fitted with driver and passenger side airbags.
However, the turbo S of 1988 pumped up power to 247bhp, shaving the 0-60mph time to 5.7 secs, but it also benefited from upgraded Koni suspension. At the time it was the fastest four-cylinder car in the world.
6. Maserati 228 (5.6 secs)
Conceived to take the fight to the Mercedes-Benz SEC models, the 228 essentially meant a four-door ‘Biturbo’ floorpan, but with just two doors and a massive uptick in luxury appointments – oh and some extra chrome on the snout.
While the shiny bits on the front are a matter of taste, the engine was rather more exciting – it was the full-fat 2.8-litre 18-valve fuel injected V6, which could whisk you to 60mph in 5.6 secs and on to 146mph all out.
7. Nissan 300ZX Z32 (5.6 secs)
Nissan shocked the world when the 300ZX appeared in 1989 – not only were its muscular looks something completely new, but its performance figures offered Porsche 928-rivalling pace at Porsche 944 prices.
It was so good, Toyota was forced to shelve its upcoming Supra and start again, eventually coming up with the Supra MiV.
Its impact has been obscured by the Skyline GT-R R32, but the twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 is believed to produce somewhat more than the 276bhp mandated by the manufacturer’s gentleman’s agreement; it can blast to 60mph in 5.6 secs.
8. Nissan Skyline GT-R R32 (5.6 secs)
Talking of the GT-R… conceived to dominate Group A Touring Car racing, it duly did thanks to its 2.6-litre twin-turbo straight-six and clever four-wheel-drive system.
Though it didn’t make it to the British Touring Car Championship, it defeated the previously unstoppable Ford Sierra RS 500 Cosworth Down Under, and upstaged the European racing elite by nabbing victory in the prestigious Spa 24 Hours race.
Of course, it later became a legend thanks to Gran Turismo, but it stands up as a road car irrespective of the late-night computer game scene. Like the 300ZX, it’s widely believed its 276bhp is somewhat conservative…
9. Lotus Esprit Turbo S3 (5.6 secs)
The Esprit dipped under the 6-sec barrier thanks to the introduction of the Type 912 engine, which provided 2.2 litres of displacement and, in high-compression (HC) form, delivered 215bhp in a 1067kg bodyshell.
Weight saving included removing the cigarette lighter, which considering the Formula One team was sponsored by a cigarette brand, seems like a rather strange omission.
The result is a car that can fling occupants to 60mph in 5.6 secs, a fitting way for the Giorgetto Giugiaro-penned Esprits to live out their production lives.
10. Porsche Carrera 3.2 (5.4 secs)
Normally car manufacturers want to shout about their performance prowess, but when it came to the Carrera 3.2, Porsche downplayed the potency of its new car.
While Stuttgart said it would hit 60mph in 6.1 secs thanks to its 231bhp 3.2-litre flat-six, independent testers clocked it at 5.4 secs.
Maybe it was due to insurance worries considering it was the ‘volume-selling’ 911, or that the turbo isn’t especially that much quicker off the line, we’ll never know…
11. Ferrari 512BBi (5.4 secs)
Leandro Fioravanti’s wedge was new ground for Ferrari – sharp-edged design replaced curves, and the flat-12 sat in a mid-mounted fashion, taking the fight to Lamborghini’s Miura in the supercar stakes.
Sadly it never went to the US, because Enzo Ferrari believed environmental and safety legislation would make it difficult to federalise.
The BBi was the last of the 512s, and added fuel injection and extra torque to the mix; with 335bhp and 333lb ft in a 1580kg package, it’ll hit 60mph in 5.4 secs.
12. Ferrari 348tb/ts (5.4 secs)
The 348 might be one of the most maligned Ferraris ever, but look beyond the click-and-paste internet articles and you’ll find a very quick, very pure driver’s experience – unassisted steering, manual gearbox and the need to concentrate. Isn’t that what a Ferrari should be about?
Despite the later whinging from the very same journalists that loved it when it was new, the 348 has started to grow in value. Not quite as quickly as its 3.4-litre V8 accelerates, mind you.
13. Aston Martin Vantage V8 (5.4 secs; Volante 5.6 secs)
The venerable Vantage dates from before the ’80s, but its potency remained strong far into the decade of excess.
Indeed, what started with 390bhp from a 5.3-litre V8 could soon become 403bhp with an X-Pack upgrade that included Cosworth pistons and racing car-derived cylinder heads.
Despite being luxuriously appointed and therefore being rather heavy, the V8 Vantage could charge to 60mph in 5.4 secs, though this could soon drop if you chose a specialist to bore the engine out to 6.3 or even 7.0-litres…
14. Buick Regal GNX 3.8 V6 Turbo (5.3 secs)
GNX stands for Grand National eXperimental, but it really should stand for X-rated. A collaboration with McLaren Performance Engineering/ASC to create something that was later described as Darth Vader’s wheels.
Buick said the turbocharged 3.8-litre V6 put out 276bhp, but owners have found that it’s closer to 300bhp, which is good enough for a 5.3-sec 0-60mph sprint.
What’s perhaps more impressive is that it can wallop a Ferrari F40 and Porsche 930 turbo over a quarter-mile by 0.3 secs and 0.8 secs respectively…
15. AC Cobra MkIV (5.2 secs)
AC Cobra came back to life in the 1980s courtesy of AutoKraft and later Ford itself. The earlier 289 continuation car had been upgraded with independent suspension, but the AC MkIV Cobra received a 250bhp 4.9-litre Ford V8.
The performance for such a light car belied the 1960s origins, with 5.2 secs all it takes to hit 60mph. The Lightweight model of 1990 was even lighter and more powerful. Yikes.
16. Ferrari Testarossa (5.2 secs)
Though others on this list might claim to be an icon of the ’80s, such as the 911 turbo and the Countach, they’re really pumped-up, steroidal versions of ’70s cars.
The Testarossa was Ferrari’s attempt to make a high-speed GT that was usable.
Of course, this being Ferrari, it was wider, meaner and outlandishly styled – perfect for the era. It was remarkably potent, with its 12-cylinder engine pumping out 385bhp, good enough to hit 60mph in 5.2 secs, if in Europe at least (US cars were slightly slower).
17. Porsche 924 Carrera GTS ClubSport (5.2 secs)
The 924 Carrera GT was intended to become Porsche’s competition car for the 1980s as endurance racing was going through a period of change, and more production-based cars might help shift road cars. Of course, it didn’t work out quite that way, but the result was a lightweight, high-performance 924.
The GTS took the lightweight work even further, with fixed Perspex headlamps, while the ClubSport model was even lighter, with a rollcage and race seats. Weighing just 1060kg in ClubSport form, the 2.0-litre engine can get you to 60mph in 5.2 secs.
18. De Tomaso Pantera GT5-S (5.2 secs)
The Pantera outlived the other wedge superheroes from Lamborghini and Ferrari, remaining in production for 21 years. By the 1980s, the Tom Tjaarda-penned lines had become increasingly steroidal.
The good news is the bite matches the bark – the naturally aspirated 5.8-litre Ford Cleveland V8, in a 1475kg package, means it can sprint to 60mph in 5.2 secs.
19. Porsche 930 turbo (5.0 secs)
A legend in its own whaletail, the Porsche 930 turbo is one of the most potent symbols of ’80s excess thanks to its wide wheelarches and heart-pumping performance.
Codenamed the 930, the 3.3-litre 296bhp machine struggled for investment compared to the 928; it even went off sale in the USA for a time.
It soon returned (in slightly detuned form) in 1985, but for Porsche’s special customers the choice of the Werksleistungssteigerung (Works Performance Increase) option took power to 325bhp.
20. Ford RS 200 (5.0 secs)
For British readers, you might be wondering why we’ve got to this car so soon. After all, it was the Fastest Accelerating Car In The World for many years, until the McLaren F1 usurped it in the mid-1990s.
The team at Guinness clocked it at 2.6 secs, after all – but that was a Group B rally car. The road car was slightly different…
It didn’t quite conquer the rallying world as Ford hoped before the category was banned, though it later proved highly effective in rallying.
Ford struggled to sell the road cars, which offered 250bhp from the marque’s 1.8-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engines. Around 25 of the original cars were upgraded to Evo spec later on, which offered more power and a dash more luxury.
21. Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 (4.9 secs)
When GM bought Lotus in the mid-1980s, the US giants wanted to build the world’s fastest production car, based on the C4 Corvette. The result was the LT5 engine, an aluminium-block V8 with four overhead camshafts and 32 valves, giving 375bhp at full throttle. Each engine was handbuilt, and the power was marshalled via a bespoke ZF gearbox.
Despite being 91kg heavier than a normal Corvette, it was enough to blast the ZR-1, which was introduced at the 1989 Geneva motor show, to 60mph in 4.9 secs, though an updated 405bhp version in the 1990s took that to 4.4 secs.
Alternatively, a Callaway Conversions Twin Turbo model offered between 345bhp and 402bhp and was available as a dealer option on the C4 Corvette, which could get you to 60mph in 4.4 secs. The Sledgehammer Corvette is quicker still, at 3.9 secs…
22. Aston Martin V8 Zagato (4.8 secs)
The Aston Martin V8 Vantage was already potent, but this co-production with Italian design house Zagato briefly made it the fastest car in the world.
Its design proved controversial, as did the price on the secondhand market during the boom years. There was no doubting its potency, however.
The 430bhp 5.3-litre V8 is mounted in a shorter, lighter, all-alloy body which meant 186mph at the top end, having flashed by 60mph in 4.8 secs.
23. Maserati Karif (4.8 secs)
This one might be a little bit controversial – it’s widely rumoured that the press vehicle’s 280bhp wasn’t often replicated on the standard production vehicles, which means its 4.8-sec 0-60mph time is a matter of debate.
This was the most potent Maserati of the ’80s – the Shamal was announced in 1989, but production didn’t start until later – and was essentially the shorter, lighter Biturbo Spyder bodyshell with a roof and the highest-output engine in the range, a 2.8-litre twin-turbo V6. Maserati claimed 280bhp, but owners believe it’s closer to 250bhp or 225bhp for the later models with catalytic converters.
24. Audi Sport quattro (4.8 secs)
Here’s another Group B homologation special and probably the most road-car friendly of the lot, which makes the fact there’s just 164 of them a shame.
Even though Audi had revolutionised rallying with four-wheel drive, the first quattro’s ungainly size and preponderance for understeer put it at a disadvantage compared to rivals like the Lancia Delta S4 and Peugeot 205 T16.
The Sport quattro or S1 saw 32cm cut out of the middle, while the body was made up of carbon-reinforced Kevlar, glassfibre and aluminium, slashing weight by 180kg. The 2.1-litre turbocharged five-cylinder engine was more powerful, too, with 302bhp – with all four wheels driven, it could hit 60mph in 4.8 secs.
25. Lotus Esprit Turbo X180 (4.7 secs)
A fresh new look from Peter Stevens over tried and tested mechanicals meant that the new Esprit was even quicker than it was before, even if weight went up. The first Turbo posted a 0-60mph time of 5.4 secs, but by 1989 things got even tastier.
No, not because of the car’s appearance in Hollywood movies like Basic Instinct and Pretty Woman, but with the advent of chargecooling for the Type 910S engine. Power grew to 264bhp, with 280bhp on overboost, which slashed the 0-60mph time to 4.7 secs.
26. Ferrari 288GTO (4.6 secs)
Ferrari’s first true hypercar? The 288GTO was the beginning of a lineage that includes the F40, F50 and Enzo, and is the most exclusive of them all, with just 272 produced.
Though mistakenly believed to be Group B project, its origins were actually in a bid to craft the ultimate roadgoing Ferrari. The Group B idea came later, and would not be fulfilled…
Not that we’re complaining too much. The 288GTO is very light, at 1160kg, and its 2.9-litre twin turbo V8 packs a 395bhp punch, hitting 60mph in 4.6 secs.
27. Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary (4.2 secs)
The most outrageous Countach of them all, featuring Horacio Pagani-designed flourishes, is also the quickest, but the Countach is ever-present throughout the list of most accelerative ’80s cars, so it makes sense to bundle them all together.
At the start of the decade the LP500S took 5.6 secs to 60mph, but the LP5000S QV shaved an entire second off that. The 25th Anniversary was the Countach’s swansong and could slingshot you to 60mph in just 4.2 secs thanks to its 449bhp, naturally aspirated 5.2-litre V12.
28. TVR ‘Wedges’ 450 SEAC (4.5 secs)
Much like the Countach, the TVR Wedges could have featured on this list with each ever-more-potent model, from the 390SE (5.6 secs), 300SE (5.6 secs), 450 SE (5.2 secs) and 420 SEAC (4.7 secs).
All blended the Rover V8 in varying levels of tune with lightweight glassfibre bodywork for truly giant-killing performance.
The most potent was the 450 SEAC, with its 325bhp 4.5-litre engine, which can hit 175mph all out having whisked by 60mph after 4.5 secs.
29. Lister XJ-S Le Mans (4.4 secs)
The standard V12 XJ-S is hardly a slouch, even if it doesn’t quite make this list. Lister saw fit to bore the engine out to 7.0 litres and add not one but two superchargers to it, before clothing it in an outrageous wide-arch bodykit.
The results were spectacular – not only could this bad boy with breeding hit more than 200mph, it could take you to 60mph in 4.4 secs of leather-lined comfort. The car would later form the basis of the Lister Storm supercar.
30. Vector W8 (3.9 secs)
Released in 1989, the Vector W8 had been in the works for more than a decade. When it appeared with a carbonfibre and Kevlar body inspired by the Alfa Romeo Carabo, it was powered by a 6.0-litre twin-turbocharged Rodeck V8 connected to an Oldsmobile Toronado-derived General Motors Turbo-Hydramatic three-speed automatic gearbox.
Though the engine registered 1200bhp on the dyno, in road form it produced 625bhp – which Vector said could slam you into the horizon via 60mph in 3.9 secs, though journalists didn’t get less than 4.2 secs out of it. Just 19 were built.
31. Ferrari F40 (3.8 secs)
Built to celebrate 40 years of Ferrari, the F40 was the last car personally approved by company founder Enzo Ferrari.
So it had to be special – and it certainly was, being the first production car to go past the 200mph mark. As the Porsche 959 and Ruf CTR were deemed to be too low-volume in production, it was cited as the fastest car in the world.
The 2.9-litre twin-turbocharged V8’s 471bhp is swept along in a 1254kg body crafted from Kevlar, carbonfibre and aluminium, meaning 60mph appears in just 3.8 secs.
32. Ruf CTR Yellowbird (3.65 secs)
Using the Carrera 3.2 as a base for its conversion (thanks to its lower drag and weight), Ruf shed more heft with aluminium panels (cutting 200kg) before setting to work on the engine.
It was bored out to 3.4 litres and treated to Porsche’s 962 fuel injection system, to which two turbos and two intercoolers were strapped.
Ruf developed its own five-speed gearbox for the car, which the firm rated at 463bhp, but according to owners it’s closer to 493bhp. At the time of release, it was deemed the fastest production car in the world (though as you’ll have read with the F40, this is disputed).
33. Porsche 959 (3.6 secs)
A technical tour de force when it was launched, the water-cooled, twin-turbocharged 2.8-litre flat-six would point the way for many production Porsches in the future, from the four-wheel-drive system to active aerodynamics.
The engine was a development of that used in Porsche’s 956 and 962 racing cars, and produced 444bhp in Komfort trim and 508bhp in Sport trim.
Its top speed was 197mph in Komfort spec, enough to make it the fastest production car in the world at the time, though more powerful versions took that top speed to 211mph. It’s even rumoured you could get a 523bhp factory upgrade that slashed the 0-60mph sprint to 3.4 secs…
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