The 80s is the decade of a fashion disaster, where big, bright, and loud looks rule from shoulder pads, brightly colored spandex, acid-washed jeans, leg warmers, and polka dot dresses, not to mention the wicked and sick hairstyles. It's an era where supply-side economics gave capitalism a whole new meaning, a decade where democracy has been reborn, and sci-fi movies are about as hard-hitting as superhero movies of today.
It's also the decade where cool Italian sports cars reign supreme and became bedroom wall posters. Cars like the Lamborghini Countach and the Ferrari Testarossa are prime examples of what life in the 80s looked like.
Getting my South Beach Diet on, it's time to have a word with the cars that became bedroom wall posters 80s kids only understand.
Let's begin with the Lamborghini Countach. Launched in the 70s as the replacement for the Miura, the Countach is widely regarded as the supercar that popularized the wedge-shaped design as well as its signature scissor doors, a Lamborghini trademark. Seen here is the final version of the Countach bloodline; the Countach 25th Anniversary. Made in honor of Lamborghini's 25th anniversary as a carmaker, the final version runs on the same specs as the LP5000 QV, meaning it runs on a 5.2L V12 engine mounted in the middle, but with a heavily revised exterior design to comply with safety regulations. Production of the Countach ended in 1990 at 657 units built and it was replaced later by the Diablo.
Launched in 1984, the Ferrari Testarossa is the replacement for the 512BB. Styled by Pininfarina, the Testarossa's unique exterior design is aerodynamic and radical at the same time. Under the hood, the Testarossa is powered by a 5.0L 180-degree V12 engine producing 385HP of power and 362ft-lb of torque, making it capable of going from 0-60mph in less than six seconds and has a top speed of 180mph. The Testarossa became the car of choice for actor Don Johnson in the Miami Vice TV show. Believe it or not, Enzo Ferrari gifted Don Johnson his very own Testarossa because Enzo's a huge fan of the series.
These two are definitely the ultimate 80s supercars because of their radical styling that fits the decade's big, bright, and loud fashion theme. They're big on size, bright on looks, and loud on performance. They really are the poster cars of the 80s kids.
Anyway, while having a blast with the best supercars of the 80s, the question now is which one is the ultimate 80s supercar? Since I'm in the middle of the South Beach Diet, the sandbox for the day will be Daytona International Speedway, the legendary venue of NASCAR's Daytona 500 and IMSA's Rolex 24-Hour endurance race.
Ah, Florida. The perfect place to give the best 80s supercars a chance to flex their muscles, although the Testarossa blended perfectly with the Florida backdrop because of its Miami Vice appearance. Anyway, no time to get starstruck because it's time to find out which one is the ultimate 80s supercar. Roll the tape.
After a quick lap in Daytona, here are the results;
Countach 25th - 2m08.970s
Testarossa - 2m11.707s
So, the ultimate Countach really is the ultimate 80s supercar but in the end, like that special someone said, they're both expensive and horrible to drive because they're dangerously fast on the straights and tricky to get through corners because they live in the era where anti-lock brakes didn't exist on vehicles yet. Gosh, I've spent almost a lifetime trying to survive driving these dangerously fast Italian marvels. Anyway...
While the Testarossa has the performance and celebrity fan base because of its appearance in Miami Vice, the Countach, in its final form, is by no means the ultimate 80s supercar. It seems the bull has kicked the horse's butt, a fitting example that Lamborghini and Ferrari are still in the supercar world war where both sides trade punches after another.
That's rivalry the Italian way and whichever side you're on, this is how they roll. The more you know.