The 80s. In car-terms, it was a time of big arches, wide bodykits and out-there decals. It was also a period which saw the launch of the hot hatch, and also some of the greatest supercars we’ve ever seen.
Nowadays, these icons still get the heart of many a petrolhead beating a little quicker. Fortunately enough, 80s cars can be found on a decent budget – £15,000, in our case. Let’s see what’s out there.
Ford Capri MK3
There are few ‘everyday’ 80s cars quite as iconic as the boxy Ford Capri. The third-generation model in particular (as it was the one built during the 80s) brought a slice of Americana to UK streets.
It was an affordable way to get into a muscle car-style two-door, and decent examples can be fetched for under £15,000 too – though prices are climbing every day.
Mitsubishi Starion
The market for Japanese sports cars of the 80s and 90s is skyrocketing right now as nostalgia begins to hit millennials with money to burn. Though the likes of a Toyota Corolla AE86 or Nissan’s Z-Cars were once available for pennies, rising prices have seen them exceed £20k and skyrocket above that for the tidiest of examples.
That said, some sports machines from the Far East have managed to slip under the radar, for now at least, and the Mitsubishi Starion is one of those. Though it had all the typical 80s boxy styling and boasts of affordable performance, stronger lust for the likes of the Ford Capri, Toyota Supra and other sports coupes of the era has seen the Starion often overlooked. Though examples rarely come up for sale, this does mean that when they do they can be had for a relatively reasonable fee of around £10k for clean examples — and it’s likely that’s only heading up.
Peugeot 205 GTI
The dinky little Peugeot 205 GTI was one of the first proper examples of a small, French hot hatch. It was initially offered with a 1.6-litre petrol engine, which was later bumped up to a more powerful 1.9-litre – but this was a car more about cornering than outright pace.
Prices are surging upwards on these though, so while examples can be found for under £15,000, we’d advise to get your hands on one now, if you can.
BMW E30 3 Series
Boxy and almost perfectly proportioned, the E30 BMW 3 Series is surely one of the most iconic cars of the 1980s. Built with a variety of different engines, from small-capacity petrols to fire-breathing units in the high-end M3, the E30 3 Series really was all things to all people.
Now we’ll be the first to admit that you’re unlikely to find an M3 for our £15,000 budget, but you’ll easily bag yourself a good example of a lower-powered model.
Volkswagen Golf GTI MK2
The original MK1 Golf GTI was a tough act to follow, but somehow Volkswagen managed to do just that with the MK2. A little bit larger, but no less engaging, the MK2 was a firecracker to drive – and most people wished that Volkswagen hadn’t changed the formula so much with the MK3.
Prices for these are rising, so get your hands on one while they’re under our budget.
Renault 5
Renault has always been pretty adept at making small city cars, and the Renault 5 hit the nail on the head yet again. Light and nimble yet efficient, the 5 has gone down as one of the all-time small car classics. It did spawn performance versions – the Renault 5 Turbo was a particular highlight – but unfortunately these far exceed our £15,000 budget now.
You’ll be able to pick up a regular model for within our price ceiling, though watch out for rust – the 5s are incredibly susceptible to it.
Porsche 944
“It’s not a real Porsche”, many purists would scream — but they are wrong. Ok, so the 944 never quite hit the heights of the 911, but it certainly offers an engaging driving experience while looking monumentally cool. Its lack of popularity has seen values plummet though, meaning a well looked after example can be comfortably had for under £15k.
Mercedes-Benz SL
Mercedes SL models have, throughout their lifespan, been some of the prettiest models the German manufacturer produced. The late 80s drop-top was arguably one of its most brash thanks to square, blocky styling and a real ‘look at me’ attitude.
Mini
It’s hard not to call the Mini anything but iconic, isn’t it? Small but undoubtedly characterful, the Mini represents urban mobility at its very best. By the 80s the Mini had evolved, but still kept true to its dinky roots.
Again, like many cars on this list, prices are rising – so we’d advise to grab one while you can.
Mazda MX-5
Introduced in 1989, the Mazda MX-5 only just sneaks into this category — but it’s a worthy inclusion. The widely-loved sports car nailed the low weight, low power, maximum fun formula since day one, going on to carve itself out as a legend.
Though older tidy models are much harder to come by today thanks to notorious rust problems, the fact they’re easy to modify and that many have simply been crashed, they still remain fairly reasonable value — with the best examples still not quite at the £10k mark yet. This is another case of a car only appreciating though, and quickly at that, so it might be best to jump on the wagon while it’s still just about in town.