This week, Brian, Chad and I are going to be listing eleven of the best production vehicles from the year that we were born. which in my case is 1984.
Setting some ground rules here, I’m going to attempt to only list cars and trucks that were either created after Chad was born (Most cars it seems) and after Brian was born (Little trickier), with the exception of vehicles that had a specific performance variant only available after 1980. Since 1980 was an equally terrible year, I’m pretty sure that Brian is going to cheat by listing race cars, so production stuff only. If it couldn’t be registered for the street, it shouldn’t be on the list.
I’m going to state the obvious now and give “Old Man” Reynolds the overall win for this one, as he is old enough to have been born prior to the oil crisis, back when the Big Three were in full swagger and offered everything and anything with a V8.
In the battle for “First Loser” I think I have a slight edge on Lohnes, since as bad as 1984 was in terms of performance (205 horsepower CrossFire Injection Corvette, anyone?), 1980 was a pretty big stinker as well. In fact, I’m so confident that I’m going to start off my list with a K car…
11. Dodge Daytona Turbo
I’ll admit that it was a bit of a toss-up between the Daytona and the Chrysler Conquest/Mitsubishi Starion, with the Daytona winning out in spite of having “wrong wheel drive” solely because I want Brian to know that I used a K car and STILL was born in a better year than him. The turbo-charged 145 horsepower motor and decent looks (For the time; remember this was a period of Member’s Only Jackets and leg warmers) didn’t hurt either.
10. Jeep Cherokee
Ah, the good old XJ. While this is probably the least powerful and slowest vehicle on the list, I’m adding it in as 1984 was the first year of the XJ, and it really came into its own a few years later when the 4.0L inline-six was added as an available power plant.
I’ve got friends that go wheeling on a regular basis and swear by Cherokees over Wranglers, especially since they’re cheap to pick up. Sure, the ‘84 model year may be weak sauce compared to the later models, but know your roots, people.
9. Ford Escort RS Turbo/GT Turbo
You know it’s a bad year for performance when an Escort makes your list. Yes, it’s a tin can with four gerbils powering the front wheels, but hear me out: While the pedestrian Escort was a terrible vehicle, the 1.6L GT Turbo, and the even hotter RS turbo that our friends in the UK got to play with were actually kinda cool. 130 horsepower, five speed manual, and roughly 2000 lbs? I’ll take it.
8. Subaru BRAT
“Seriously, another furrin (Foreign) four cylinder vehicle”? ‘84 was a REALLY bad year. Seriously though, BRATs can be a lot of fun, even with less than 100 horsepower. I mean, what other vehicle can claim that it has two plastic passenger seats in the bed (FROM THE FACTORY) and was once owned by Ronald Reagan? When I eventually buy a farm out in California, I’m getting a BRAT in honor of The Gipper.
7. Toyota AE86 Corolla
Listen, I swear that this list is not just crappy little Japanese vehicles and four-bangers; I’m just getting them out of the way early. I’m not totally sold on the AE86 myself, but if you were into the Japanese car scene in the mid nineties and/or obsessed with Initial D, this was the car to have and this particular chassis was introduced in 1984, so I’m going with it. Besides, it’s rear wheel drive, a hair over 2000 pounds, inspired the BRZ/FR-S twins, and has that 80’s “I’m so ugly I’ve gone through to the other side and reached this bizarre state of attractiveness” look. Sold.
6. Mercury Capri
I don’t think that the Capri gets enough love apart from the most diehard of foxbody aficionados, and I can see why: As much as the foxbody Mustang is a product of the 80s, the Capri looks like one of those paper cutouts of a Mustang where you print out a drawing on a piece of paper and slide tab A into slot B to make a miniature three-dimensional car; somehow they took a car that is basically a box on wheels and made it boxier. Still, I dig the look and appreciate them more for their relative rarity. The turbo version offered in ‘84 was no slouch, and if you wanted that V8 sound it was also available with a 5.0. The ASC McLaren version is pretty sweet looking to boot.
5. Ferrari 288 GTO
In terms of raw performance the 288 GTO should be much higher up the list, but your average man on the street would be thinking Pontiac and not Ferrari if you mentioned “GTO”, so that has to be accounted for. Still, the car is absolutely beautiful and had a zero-to-sixty time under five seconds, which was about as long as it took for the average Corvette owner in 1984 to realize that the light had turned green.
4. Ford Mustang SVO
There’s a whole bunch of hand-wringing around the 2015 Mustang being offered with a four-cylinder turbo, which I think it ridiculous in light of how cool the original turbo-charged four banger Mustang was, the SVO. Ain’t nothing wrong with rolling in my 5.0 (Did I really just quote Vanilla Ice?), but in 1984 the SVO had the 302 beat stock for stock. Besides the power figures, the SVO also received four wheel disc brakes and five-lug wheels before any other Mustang. Why is this higher up the list than the turbo-charged Capri? Because “SVO” is much cooler to say, that’s why. Oh, and it has a funky hood scoop. Chicks dig hood scoops.
3. Audi Quattro
What’s that you say? The Quattro came out in 1980, so this should be on Brian’s list? My sources tell me that it wasn’t available for sale in North America until 1983, and since I’m going first I’m calling dibs on this one. Good luck with your 1980 Camaro, Lohnes…
For all of my babbling about STIs and EVOs and how close they are to an AWD rally car for the street, the Audi Quattro was the granddaddy to that concept. Sure, the street going version only had about 160 horsepower, but just look at it! Seriously, it looks like it’s ready to tackle a rally stage even when parked on pavement. There’s a guy the next town over that is selling a ur-Quattro that needs bodywork for mid to high teens, and it takes all of my energy to not cash out part of my 401k every time I drive by it.
2. Buick Grand National
Are you really surprised that I saved a G-body for this far down the list? Sure, the ‘84 is a “hot air” car and not one of the nasty intercooled versions, but with its sequential fuel injection it was a portend of things to come for 1986 and 1987. Besides, 200 HP in 1984 was more than respectable, especially for a mid-sized family car, and if you’re really looking to turn up the wick all of the parts to intercool a Hot Air car are relatively easy to obtain.
1. Ferrari Testarossa
If I was born in 1987, the Ferrari F40 would be at the top of my list, however I was born three years earlier, so the Testarossa is the next best thing (This is like saying that Heidi Klum wasn’t available, so I had to settle for an older Elle Macpherson. Rough, huh?). I’m not even going to bother justifying this car any further. It’s a freaking Testarossa. I’m off to go raid my parents’ basement for a light colored suit and pastel t-shirt.
That’s my list of top 11 vehicles! I’m sure that I missed at least one vehicle from 1984 that didn’t completely suck, so let me know in the comments!
Surprised you didn’t list the Toyota Celica GTS. It didn’t have the power of the Supra but IMHO it handle better! I was born in 1963 which had way cooler cars!
That’s a pretty sorry list. But considering the crap ya had to work with nothing you put on it could have improved it.
A high school friend’s dad had a 5.0 Capri, with T-tops. Holley/factory headers. Bitchin’ car, I’d have one in a heartbeat.
Realistically you are dealing with a pretty suck hand here (I’m another 1980 baby so I’m in even worse shape). I can think of maybe 2 more that were worth considering, not saying that they should replace something but worth considering.
Mercedes 500 SEL (grey market Euro version)
Ford LTD LX
Yes are both 4drs and have 5.0L V8’s but the 500 SEL has ~225hp which is more than anything on your list short the Ferraris. The LTD LX was also one of the first real attempts to make a performance 4dr with a tach, floor shift, and blacked out trim pieces. I still want one to this day because of the shop car (base trim with a 3.8 V6) we had when I was a mechanic back in HS.
I remember the commercials when the Daytona came out. James Earl Jones intoning “The competition is good, we have to be better”.
Nutting pulled a ninja editing move here on the race cars deal. He knows that he’s boned for tomorrow. Sorry pal!
Just remember: You had to resort to race cars because you couldn’t come up with a list of 11 production vehicles from 1980 that could beat a K car and a Ford Escort.
Dude, not sure if you know this but your list has a Subaru BRAT on it.
You’re right, my apologies.
You had to resort to race cars because you couldn’t come up with a list of production vehicles from 1980 that could beat a K car, a Ford Escort, AND a BRAT.
Dont make me throw my hat into the ring and school all of you with my year of birth ….. 1970, yea I can hear you all cringing from here
You could really just about scratch all the Detroit stuff for the entire decade.
I was born in 1996 so here’s my top 11
1. Corvette Grand Sport
2. Dodge viper GTS
3. Impala SS
4. Firehawk
5. Camaro Z28
6. Dodge Stealth RT
7. Dodge Ram 1500
8. Chevy S10 SS
9. Nissan 300ZX
10.Buick RoadMaster Wagon
11 Mazda RX7
Let me get this straight: Chevy rolls out the first all new Corvette since 1968 as an 1984 model and it’s passed over for an Escort and a Brat? You guys must vacationing in CO because you must be high!
No Hurst Olds either? Really?!
I’ve been informed by The Management that I am only allowed to reference one G-body per article, so the GN won out over the Olds.
No comment on the Corvette…
My first car was an 88 conquest tsi and i know they went up in performance by then, but they were way cooler than k cars. They were powered by a boosted mini hemi, had an actual cockpit feel (16 year old me thought so at least lol) and weren’t that slow if you dumped weight and fiddled with a few things, btw you left out the Shelby charger? Was that not the hottest k car of all?
Hot-air, schmot-air…#2 is a damned fine choice for ANY list, sucky door hinges notwithstanding(hey, had an ’85 Cutlass, an ’86 Monte SS and ever-so-briefly, an ’85 GN..thought it was an ’86, but nope…’85….door hinges sucked it HARD on the A/G-bodies).
I was 10 years old in ’84, still remember all of these. The FWD Mopar crapcans were steaming piles even when new(how Lee Iacocca managed to bail Ma Mopar out with these damned things, I’ll never know…..”and if you can find a better car for the price? BUY IT”)…a neighbor had a Daytona identical to the one shown on the list…oil-spewing pile of shite(yes, so bad I’m having to go Olde English on it to convey the amount of suck). Better than a Renault Alliance, but that’s not saying a hell of a lot.
The Ferarri’s are always a safe bet…the only thing the Fox-body Capri’s had going against it were the Hunchback-of-Notre-Dame hatch design….weird bulging glass just looked out of place. The SVO’Stangs were ahead of their time…..balanced performers, but pricey….and people still just really wanted a V8. The dolled-up Escort GT’s…eh, they were around but noone paid much mind to them.
Most Corollas and BRATS that I recall were either out of commission due to seized engines or Truk Lagoon-level body rot within 2 years(they must’ve used the cheapest, thinnest metal for exhaust, because damned if I ever seen/heard many BRATS without being semi-deafened)…the Audi’s were normally sitting at the Autohaus in Indy with some sort of terminal failure the owner wouldn’t pay the requisite arm&leg to sort out if not on the road.
Yeah, I know, “you bitch a lot about this list, ‘smoke…”…but hey, I admit this selection is better than what was to be had from MY year of birth(remember, 1974).
I was born in 1964 so I’ve got a long list. But as far as 84 was concerned there are many potential car from that year. ( I was 19 that year and driving a 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T convertible )
1984 had
Camaro/ Firebird twins, Mustang/Capri. T-bird,Regal/Monte/Cutlass/Grand Prix, Elcamino, or any one of the shortbed half tons (F150,C10,D150)
All of these cars make pretty cool hotrods and many can still be had reasonably if you can find one not all rotted out. Some were decent performers from the factory and oters need a little help.
84 was a great year for performance enthusiasts when put in perspective coming from the mid 70’s
Better than Brains list, this is way more inline with what I would expect to see in a “cool car from the year I was born list” Not a bunch of race cars that only one or two people could get….I like most of the cars on the list, I would have added the 84 Olds 442 over that Toyota. Replaced the Brat with the Omni GLH Turbo….otherwise I am down with this list…sorry Brian, your list is lame.
Thought about the GLH, but I believe that the turbo version wasn’t available until ’85 or ’86. The ’84 version got a 110 horsepower NA motor.
Trust me. Nobody wants to see the cars built during the year I was born except a few lead sled fans.