Can You Identify All Of These 80s Cars?

AUTO

By: Robin Tyler

7 Min Quiz

Image: Hoovies Garage via Youtube

About This Quiz

One photo. With just that as your guide, are you able to identify a range of vehicles from the 1980s?

Everybody loves this decade of decadence, don't they? Think of the music, the fashion and the cars. OK, forget the fashion, that was a little tragic. The music and, above all else, the cars still stand out. Some really iconic vehicles were first introduced in this decade, from sports cars to the birth of the SUV as well as regular sedans and cars for the average Joe.

And for the not-so-average Joes, the 1980s saw a range of luxury models come to prominence from a host of automakers, not only in the United States but in Europe and Japan as well. In fact, three Japanese automakers started their luxury lines with just the United States in mind. Yes, the U.S. is where their extravagant vehicle brands were first marketed.

We now have taken a host of car models — 38 to be exact — and we want to see how many of these 38 you might be able to identify. Don't worry. We'll provide a photo to help you. Or you can read the clue if you're really stumped. 

But it's not that difficult. So, fasten your seat belt, floor the accelerator pedal, burn some rubber and ace this quiz!

Good luck!

Name the luxury car from the 1980s shown in this image, please.

Built between 1980 and 1999, the Silver Spirit is the epitome of luxury. Four distinct marks were produced of this vehicle during its 19-year history with the first version, the Mark I, powered by a 6.75-liter L410 V8 engine. This model was also the first to be able to retract its iconic hood ornament, the Spirit of Ecstacy, in the event of an accident or encountering a thief looking for a classic bit of bling.

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An American off-road classic, can you name this make and model?

The Pioneer was a trim package for the Cherokee that was available from 1984 to 1990. It included steel wheels, an AM radio and an alternate cloth trim with a plaid pattern. The Pioneer Olympic Edition, offered in 1988, threw in air conditioning and FM radio.

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You should easily be able to identify this iconic vehicle produced from 1983.

Maurice Wilks designed the first Land Rover in 1947. Over the years, the Land Rover has become a favorite of many with the Defender being one of the company's most iconic models. The first Defender rolled off the production line in 1983 and remained in production until 2016. Safety regulations took the model out of U.S. showrooms in 1997.

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The car in this image is a ___________.

Produced for a 20-year period from model years 1981 to 2001, the Town Car was a Lincoln entry in the luxury full-size car segment. Three generations of this vehicle were produced over its two-decade run, during which it was the most produced limousine in the U.S. and Canada.

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Can you name this full-sized sedan that was first released in the '80s?

The Maxima, a full-sized sedan, has been a Nissan model since 1981 and is currently in its eighth generation. The Maxima is the flagship of the automaker's sedan segment, which also contains the Altama and the Sentra. The current generation offers a 3.5-liter V6 capable of going from 0 to 60 mph in 5.9 seconds.

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Made by a well-known sports car manufacturer, this model was marketed for three years, from 1986 to 1988. What is it?

A Porsche from the 1980s, the 959 was produced for a period of two years between 1986 and 1988 and again from 1992 to 1993. Only 345 were built. It originated as a rally car but 200 production models needed to be built as per Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) rules.

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This small vehicle was designed to compete with the influx of smaller Japanese vehicles in the United States in the 1980s. Do you know what it is?

The Ford Tempo was an attempt by the Ford Motor Company to produce a compact vehicle that would compete in the U.S. with Japanese imports in the 1980s that were smaller and more fuel-efficient. The Tempo was also badged by Mercury under the name Topaz. This compact car was produced from 1983 to 1994 when it was replaced with the Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique.

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G'day mate! This model hails from the Land Down Under. What is it?

This compact car was sold by Holden in Australia, New Zealand and surrounding islands between 1975 and 1986. During this time, there were two generations of the Gemini, both based on the Isuzu Gemini platform. While the first generation had offered a range of body styles, the second generation of the Gemini offered only the four-door sedan option. Just under 250,000 Geminis were sold during its run.

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Any ideas as to the make and model of the vehicle in this image?

The flagship model of the Honda fleet of vehicles, the Legend has been in production since 1985, sitting out only in 2013. It has taken other name badges around the world, including Acura Legend, RL and RLX as well as Daewoo Arcadia. The Legend is a four-door luxury sedan and currently is almost identical to the Acura RLX.

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Can you name this car from a well-known British automaker?

The Midget was produced by MG from the model years 1961 to 1980 with four generations produced. A two-door roadster, the last generation was powered by a 1500 cc engine. In order to be sold in the U.S., MG added larger front and rear black bumpers and increased the ride height of the vehicle, which forced the addition of anti-roll bars to offset the vehicle's now-higher center of gravity.

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This vehicle was based on an Isuzu. Are you able to identify it?

The Rodeo pickup was marketed by Holden for three generations, from 1980 to 2008, in the Australasia region. All vehicles were based on Isuzu models with the third generation essentially the Isuzu D-Max.

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This off-roader is the __________.

The International Harvester Scout was built during the late 1960s into the early 1980s and proved to be a popular off-roader. More than 500,000 were built during this period. Several special trim package editions were available for the Scout II, which was released in 1971.

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Name this impressive race car, a participant in the IMSA championship in the United States in the '80s.

After they moved out of the rally circuit following the demise of Group B racing in the mid-1980s, Audi turned its attention to something new. The result was the highly modified Audi 90 GTO which raced in the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) championship in the United States. Although it did not win the championship, it did come close with Hans-Joachim Stuck at the wheel.

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Although this vehicle was very popular in Europe, it took some time for it to hit the roads in America. Do you know what it is?

The Ford Escort was first released as a model in Europe in 1967. One of the most iconic Ford brands on the continent, it took until 1980 before it graced the roads of North America and replaced the PR disaster that was the Pinto. The Escort, Ford's first front-wheel-drive car made in North America, was the best-selling car for most of the 1980s. It was replaced by the Focus in 2003.

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This vehicle was first produced from 1968 until 1983 and was one of the highest-selling models for the automaker that produced it. Name it, please.

Not many people know it, but Peugeot is the oldest car manufacturer in the world (it started producing coffee mills in 1810). One of its most popular models, the 504, was produced between 1968 and 1983 — more than 3 million 504s were produced during that period and can be found in many nations around the world.

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Identify this Japanese model, please.

Powered by either a 1.0- or 1.2-Liter engine, the Sumo was a microvan released by Subaru between 1983 and 1998. With a five-speed manual gearbox, some even had the option of four-wheel drive. Its replacement, the Subaru Forester, had a larger 2.5-Liter engine and more cargo space.

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Can you name this off-road vehicle?

Based on the four-wheel-drive Jeep CJ series, the DJ was a two-wheel-drive variant. It was produced from 1955 until 1984. The last model was powered by an AMC straight-4 engine. It was a favorite of postal carriers in the U.S., even offering a right-hand driver's position for easier mailbox delivery.

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Can you name this model from one of America's "Big 3" auto manufacturers?

Produced between 1970 and 1980, the Pinto was a Ford model in the subcompact car segment, their first model in this segment in America. It had three body styles — a two-door coupe, station wagon and a three-door hatchback. The Pinto was popular, with 3 million produced by 1980, but several fires resulting from rear-end collisions — and Ford's mishandling of the situation — left it a PR nightmare by the time it was replaced by the Escort.

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Name this model, the best-selling car in the United States in 1980.

With sales of 2.8 million over a 12-year period, the Chevette served Chevrolet well in the subcompact class. In fact, in 1979 and 1980, it was the best-selling small car in the United States. Only one generation was ever available in the U.S., offering 1.4-, 1.6- and 1.9-Liter engine options.

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Name this pickup, please.

This truck was Dodge's answer to the heavy trucks of the 1980s produced by Chevrolet and Ford. It was noted for its diesel engine designed by Cummins which up to that point, had only featured in large commercial trucks. The truck proved popular and helped Dodge get some market share in the heavy truck segment.

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Can you name the vehicle in this image?

Also known as the Isuzu Rodeo Bighorn in Japan, the Trooper was produced over two generations from 1981 to 2002. Initially, the Trooper offered only a four-cylinder engine and a four-speed manual transmission, but later models offered more options, including a V6. The off-road credentials of the Trooper are born out by the fact that these models won a number of international off-road races.

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Any idea as to the make and model of this massive off-road vehicle?

Know for their sports cars, the LM002 was a massive departure for Lamborghini. It was built between 1986 and 1993 with 328 made. The LM002 offered either a 5.2- or a 7.2-Liter V12 engine, and Pirelli was commissioned to make custom tires for the vehicle. The U.S. Army used an LM002 formerly owned by Saddam Hussein's son, Uday, to demonstrate the effects of a car bomb on a concrete barrier.

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Identify this luxury sedan — if you can!

This four-door sedan, marketed by Lexus since 1989, is in its seventh generation and currently features in the compact-executive-car segment. It remains an excellent seller and has been the best-selling Lexus in the U.S. for more than 15 years — more than 1.5 million have been sold in the United States.

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Name this Japanese model, please.

This three-door sports coupe formed part of the Mazda fleet from 1987 to 1989. It was powered by two engine options, the top of the range being a double overhead cam 1500cc powerplant with either an automatic or manual transmission. The car never really caught on, with only 10,000 being made over its two-year lifespan.

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Released in the United States in the late 1980s, this model wasn't very popular. Do you know what it is?

Released in the United States between 1987 and 1991 by the Austin Rover Cars of North America, the Stirling 800 series was based on the Rover 800 series. Initial sales were strong but soon dipped after the car proved to be unreliable and poorly made; it became a massive flop. Rover never returned to America after 1991.

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Any ideas as to the name of this successful race car?

The McLaren MP4/4 is possibly the greatest Formula 1 car ever built. Powered by a Honda V6 turbo engine, it won 15 out of 16 races when it competed in the 1988 Formula One season, giving Ayrton Senna his first world title. The MP4/4's 93.75% win rate has never been topped.

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The vehicle in this image is a __________.

Also known as the Pajero in parts of the world, this Mitsubishi model has an excellent off-road pedigree and won the Paris-Dakar rally in 1985 in its third attempt and has won it 12 times, including seven straight wins from 2001 to 2007. Manufactured in Japan and Portugal, it remains just as popular now as it was in the 1980s.

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Please name this vehicle, a product of Australia.

Marketed between 1982 and 1989, the Holden Camira was a mid-sized four-door sedan or five-door station wagon based on the General Motors J-body series and was named after the Australian Aboriginal word meaning "wind.". Rust problems, along with cylinder heads prone to warping and other problems, hurt sales of the model.

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Now a top seller in America, this model was first introduced in the early 1980s. Any clue as to what it is?

The Japanese automaker introduced the Nissan Sentra in 1982. Over the years, this vehicle, found in the compact car class, has been sold in a number of markets around the world, including America. In fact, it quickly became a top seller in the United States and in 2018, more than 200,000 units were sold. The Sentra is currently in its eighth generation.

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This vehicle is marketed by many different names and by different automakers. It fell under the General Motors banner, however. Can you name it?

First introduced in 1982, the Vauxhall Corsa is marketed as the Opel Corsa in Germany. Still in production, the Corsa is currently in its fifth generation and offers a number of engine choices, ranging from a 1.0-Liter inline-three to a 1.6-Liter turbo inline-four engine, as well as two diesel power plant options. A sixth generation is to be released in 2019 and will include an electric version.

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Identify this off-roader, a popular model since it was first introduced in the 1980s.

Based on the Wagoneer platform, the Grand Wagoneer was introduced by Jeep in 1984. By 1987, the 25th anniversary of the Wagoneer design, the Grand Wagoneer came standard with all-weather tires, air conditioning, leather bucket seats, roof racks, fog lamps and many other features. It also included a hood ornament.

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Can you tell us the make and model of the car in this image?

The Barina badge was a part of Holden's vehicle range in Australia and the surrounding region from 1985 through 2018. The sixth-generation Barina was based on the second-generation Chevrolet Aveo, a five-door hatchback, and offered a 1.6-Liter straight-four engine.

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Name this successful rally car from the 1980s, please.

The Peugeot 205 T16 was designed to take part in the now-defunct Group B Rally world championship. In the hands of drivers Juha Kankkunen, Ari Vatanen and Timo Salonen, the 205 was formidable and wracked up 16 victories between 1984 and 1986.

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Are you able to identify this popular Japanese sedan introduced in the 1980s?

Released in the compact car market in 1982, the Toyota Camry has changed over the years, and since 1991 has found itself in the mid-size car category. In that guise, the Camry has undergone several facelifts to remain a modern offering on the dealership floor. It is an extremely popular model in the United States, selling almost 2 million units between 2014 and 2018.

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The car in this photo is a _________.

Available in Japan only, the Chaser was produced between 1977 and 2001, first as a compact car and then from 1988 on as a mid-sized vehicle. The Chaser shared the same chassis with two other Toyota models, the Cressida/Mark II, and the Cresta. Thanks to its front-engined, rear-wheel-drive layout, the Chaser became a popular car to use in drifting competitions.

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This car received some styling from an Italian styling house. Can you identify it?

Part of the Volvo 200 series, the 262C was a special edition designed with the help of Italian styling house Bertone. The mid-size luxury car was available for the period between 1978 and 1981 and was designed to compete against Cadillac and Mercedes-Benz offerings. It was only available as a coupe which featured some unique styling when compared to its counterparts in the series.

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In the 1980s this was one of Britain's most popular vehicles. Do you know its make and model?

First marketed in 1980, the Metro wore many names over the years — the Austin Mini Metro, the MG Metro, The Rover Metro and the Rover 100 — but whatever name it went by, it was a popular car in Britain, with almost 1.5 million being produced by the time the line was discontinued in 1998. Later versions of the Metro were powered by 1.1- to 1.4-Liter inline-four gas engines or a 1.5-Liter diesel inline-four engine.

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Name this four-wheel-drive performance sedan, please.

Produced between 1980 and 1991, the Quattro was a two-door coupe with four-wheel drive. Later models offered a 2.2-Liter inline-five turbocharged engine. Not only was it popular with the public, but it also dominated the Rally scene in the mid-‘80s.

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