Beauty Wasn't Everything
The 1980s were a strange decade for car designs, whether we want to admit it or not. It was a sign of the times to rock straight edges, oversized bumpers, tiny wheels, excessive plastic, or awkward proportions—and if you were lucky, sometimes you found a model with all those kooky features! Fortunately, some manufacturers spent considerably more time worrying about what happened from behind the wheel, and we’re here to pay homage to the 20 that knew beauty was on the inside.
1. AMC Eagle
The AMC Eagle combined the tall stance of a four-wheel-drive vehicle with bodywork that looked dangerously similar to an ordinary family car. Its appearance was awkward, but the Eagle offered impressive traction, useful suspension tuning, and surprisingly good steering feedback for an American car of the period. A 1980 road test even praised its control and overall road feel despite the modest power from its 4.2-liter inline-six.
2. Dodge Omni Shelby GLHS
Nobody could say the five-door Dodge Omni looked fast. Nobody could say that adding black paint and Shelby badges disguises its economy-car origins, either. But the 1986 Shelby GLHS changed the conversation with a turbocharged 2.2-liter engine producing 175 horsepower and serious grip. It may not have looked like much, but it drove like a dream.
3. Merkur XR4Ti
The Merkur XR4Ti arrived with a lot of weird proportions, including bulging windows and, on early examples, a huge two-level rear spoiler. Underneath all that, though, sat the European Ford Sierra's rear-drive chassis paired with a turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder. It gave American buyers something far more sophisticated than its styling suggested.
dave_7 from Lethbridge, Canada on Wikimedia
4. Saab 900 Turbo
Saab seemed determined to make the 900 look unlike anything else on the road, though that wasn’t necessarily for the best. It came complete with its long hood, upright windshield, enormous bumpers, and distinctive hatchback rear end. Not the best on the outside, but the 1985 Turbo's 16-valve engine delivered 60 mph in 8.5 seconds and a 128-mph top speed. Its unusually mild torque steer also made the eccentric option much more rewarding.
5. Volvo 760 Turbo
Few performance cars have ever looked more prepared for an accounting convention than the Volvo 760 Turbo. Say what you want about its ruler-straight body and stern front end, though. It all hid an intercooled 2.3-liter turbo four that turned the large sedan into a surprisingly serious highway machine.
6. Subaru XT6
Subaru took wedge styling farther than we thought possible with the XT6. What didn’t it have? Hidden headlights, slab sides, an exceptionally low nose, and a profile that still looks weird to this day. But the XT6 also used a 145-horsepower flat-six and could be ordered with full-time four-wheel drive and a five-speed manual transmission. Improved brakes and recalibrated suspension also made it the most polished performance car Subaru gave us up to that point.
7. Pontiac 6000 STE
Pontiac tried very hard to turn the ordinary-looking 6000 into a serious European-style sports sedan. Sadly, no amount of trim could hide the roof and square proportions—even if the STE gained four-wheel disc brakes and optional all-wheel drive for 1988. Weirdly enough, it was far more composed than its rental-counter appearance looked.
dave_7 from Lethbridge, Canada on Wikimedia
8. Chevrolet Citation X-11
The Chevrolet Citation wasn't just plain; its hatchback body and awkward proportions made even the sporty X-11 version look uncomfortable. Looks can be deceiving, though, and Chevrolet nevertheless gave the X-11 a stronger V6, firmer suspension, larger wheels, and other performance upgrades that made it more capable than the standard Citation.
CZmarlin — Christopher Ziemnowicz on Wikimedia
9. Alfa Romeo Milano
We know it’s hard to get on board with the high trunk and low hood. It was… an acquired taste among 1980s sports sedans. That said, Alfa did concentrate on the important parts, including rear-wheel drive and a glorious aluminum V6.
Frank Lemmen from Eindhoven, Netherlands on Wikimedia
10. Renault Alliance GTA
We’ll admit—turning the little Renault Alliance into the GTA didn't make it glamorous. What it did do, though, was give drivers a 2.0-liter engine, larger brakes, sport seats, and 15-inch wheels. The whole thing was unexpectedly comfortable and impressively secure on demanding back roads, too.
CZmarlin — Christopher Ziemnowicz on Wikimedia
11. Dodge Shelby Charger GLHS
The front-wheel-drive Dodge Charger of this era shared almost nothing with the muscle-car shape we associated with its name. Its stubby body wasn't exactly an improvement, either. But don’t let any of that fool you! Shelby's 1987 GLHS version received 175 turbocharged horsepower and additional chassis tuning that transformed it into a wonderfully unruly performance car.
DestinationFearFan on Wikimedia
12. Audi 5000 Turbo
There wasn’t much to love in the Audi 5000 Turbo's appearance. Between the long body and narrow headlights, its appearance gave little indication that Audi was secretly hiding a very advanced sedan. Then came the five-cylinder engine, while revised suspension and lower-profile tires gave the 1980 version considerably stronger cornering ability.
13. Isuzu Impulse Turbo Handling By Lotus
Isuzu's first-gen Impulse may have been designed by a big name, but that didn’t negate the unpleasant stuff. Not only did it have weird proportions, but it also had partially covered headlights and busy details that didn’t age well. If you could get past that, though, it also boasted gas-filled dampers, Bridgestone tires, and extensive suspension development that turned this into a gem.
14. Volvo 240 Turbo
The 240 Turbo looked like someone slapped sporty wheels on the standard Volvo's design. That sounds good on paper, but all we got was a brutally practical body. Fear not, however! Turbocharging gave the famous Swedish sedan enough power to become a legitimate enthusiast's car—which is how it’s remembered even today.
15. Volkswagen Jetta GLI 16V
Second-gen Jettas weren't ugly because they were odd; they were ugly because VW seemed determined to avoid drawing anything that wasn't absolutely necessary. Luckily for us all, the 1988 GLI 16V compensated with a 123-horsepower twin-cam engine, excellent seats, and four-wheel disc brakes.
16. Peugeot 505 Turbo
The Peugeot 505's oddly serious expression didn't really scream performance sedan—until you drove one. Turbocharged versions brought substantial extra power to a chassis already respected for its handling, which only gave the sedan an unusual combo of speed and composure.
17. Ford Taurus SHO
By 1989, the Taurus's smooth shape wasn't hideous per se, but its body made the SHO look comically plain. Then again, big things come in small packages, and hidden underneath was a Yamaha-designed 3.0-liter 24-valve V6 producing 220 horsepower. It was also paired exclusively with a five-speed manual when the SHO debuted.
18. Peugeot 405 Mi16
The Peugeot 405 Mi16 had such restrained styling that it practically became set dressing on the road. No one was prepared for what it offered: a 16-valve engine, five-speed manual, low weight, and eager chassis. Scoff all you want at its looks; the specs gave this sedan serious personality once it got moving.
19. Renault Fuego Turbo
The Renault Fuego mixed a huge glass hatch with deeply grooved body trim, neither of which looked futuristic or especially interesting. But what it lacked in flash, it made up for on the road. It wasn't the fastest, but the combination of low weight and responsive steering made it genuinely entertaining.
Riley from Christchurch, New Zealand on Wikimedia
20. Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais Quad 4
The Cutlass Calais looked every bit like an inexpensive late-'80s GM compact. At first glance, it was easy to ignore. Things got a lot more interesting when Oldsmobile installed all its hardware, though. A high-output Quad 4 and 16-valve engine in 1989? Now we’re talking!
