Toyota MR2 1984-1989
The MR-2 ('Midship Runabout 2 Seater') was a departure for Toyota, famed for economical, practical vehicles. But the adoption of transverse front drive for the bread-and-butter Corolla in the late 1970s provided the building blocks. The twin cam, fuel injected 1600 cc came with variable intake valves and gave 128bhp. Supercharged SC versions had 145bhp and did 0-60mph in 6.5 seconds. The boxy-straight line styling was functional but Toyota's reputation for bullet-proof reliability, and goodies like adjustable steering wheel and power mirrors, put it ahead of any competition.
For the Alfetta, on which the GTV was based, Alfa Romeo revived the layout of its legendary 158/9 GP cars by mating the clutch and gearbox with the differential at the rear of the car. The result was excellent handling and balance. The Bertone bodied GTV received a much needed shot of charisma when it inherited the V6 unit from the unloved Alfa 6 sedan. Bosch fuel injection replaced the six un-tunable Dellorto carbs, providing 125mph and a 0-60 in 8.4 seconds. Light and powerful, the GTV6 dominated the European Touring Car Championship from 1982 to 1985.
Aston Martin V8 Zagato 1986-1990
It is claimed that orders for all 50 planned Zagato coupes were taken at the 1986 Geneva Show despite customers only being shown sketches of the car. Since the late 60s Aston had been soldiering on with bodywork from the original DBS. In the midst of one of its frequent periods of financial insecurity, an all new car was out of the question, but the distinctive Zagato coupe gave Aston some much needed attention. Tadek Marek's 5.3 litre engine gave 430 bhp and clothed in its all-alloy body, the Zagato was good for 186mph. Just 52 coupes were built, along with 37 convertibles.
Audi 100 C3 1982-1991
Having transformed its image with the rally-winning Quattro, Audi moved on to face its ultimate challenge - Mercedes and BMW. The front drive 100 was voted European Car of the Year in 1983, for its clever design detailing which gave it a spectacular 0.30 drag coefficient. Wind cheating innovations included flush-fitted windows that made the opposition look dated. But Audi's ambitions were thwarted by claims in the USA that the car was prone to unintended acceleration when the brake was applied. Americans blamed the Audi, Audi blamed stupid, clumsy Americans as no drivers in any other country ever had the same problem.
Bentley Turbo R 1985-1997
The first 'blower' Bentley in 50 years was a belated attempt to revive the spirit of its Le Mans winning days. Such was the reception that parent company Rolls Royce quickly followed it with the 'R' version, re-engineered to make the chassis worthy of the extra power. Inside there was a rev counter and sportier seats. An air dam, alloy wheels and body colour radiator cowl gave the car a brutish purposeful presence. And with 0 to 60 in under seven seconds and a 130+ top speed Bentley was on its way to one of the great automotive comebacks of all time.
BMW M3 Series 1 1986-1992
Initially built to homologate the 3 Series for Group A Touring Car contests, the 2.3 litre E30-based M was used to destroy the main competition - the Mercedes 190 2.3-16v - and win the 1987 championship. The road version had 195bhp, rising to 238bhp as the model was developed. 0-60 was possible in 6.5 seconds and top speed was 146 mph. Much stiffer than the standard E30, its only shared panels were the bonnet and the roof. Although not the first BMW 'M' car, it launched a sub-brand that underlines BMW's sporting image today.
Ferrari F40 1987-1992
The first road car to achieve 200mph, and the last pet project of 90-year-old Enzo Ferrari, the F40 was named to mark the company's 40th anniversary. Enzo wanted a no frills, street legal track car in the spirit of Ferraris past. Pininfarina's body featured kelvar, aluminium and carbon fibre. The windows were plastic, there were no carpets, or stereo. The only luxury concession was air conditioning. A stunning 0-60 time of three seconds was achievable thanks to nearly 500 bhp, which made it just faster than the Porsche 959.
Ferrari Testarossa 1984-90
The polar opposite of the F40, the Pininfarina-designed Testarossa oozed 80's pose, helped by a starring role in the hit TV series Miami Vice. Despite the legendary competition name, this Testarossa wasn't one for the track. Distinctive features included side-mounted radiators which breathed through huge vents behind the doors, and grills that stretched almost to the front wheel arches. It could do 181mph and reach 60 in 5.3 seconds. To prove Ferrari's improved durability, British journalist Richard Bremner successfully drove one across the Sahara desert.
Fiat Uno 1983-1995
Fiat's first supermini replaced the 127 but was a far more versatile and space-efficient vehicle. Its tall, functional square body from Giorgetto Giugiaro's ItalDesign was strongly inspired by his 1978 Lancia Megagamma concept car. Engines ranged from 900cc to a 1.7 diesel and a CVT (constantly variable transmission) derived from DAF was offered. Voted 1984 European Car of the Year, it saved Fiat from collapse and went on to sell over 6 million examples. Unfortunately, the money made by the Uno was wasted on no-hopers like the Tipo, and the Punto then had to save the company all over again.
Lancia Delta Integrale 1987-1994
Giorgietto Giugiaro's Delta was a class-leading family hatch but in Integrale guise it became a supercar. Quick to respond to Audi's domination of rally with the Quattro, Lancia came up with its own four wheel drive weapon which took the Italian team to 46 WRC victories and a record six WRC Constructors Championships. At its heart was a complex but highly efficient transmission capable of distributing power to which ever wheels had the most traction. Exceptionally for rally inspired road-cars, the Integrale had subtle styling modifications that gave the car a pleasingly understated presence.