Forgotten gems from the ’80s | Six of the best

With the passion that continues to surround the 2JZ-powered A80, it can sometimes feel like the Toyota Supra didn’t exist before 1993. There were, in fact, three generations before it, all the way back to the Celica Supras of the ’70s. The A70 generation, as seen here, was notable for being the first to be known only as a Supra; the Celica would be a predominantly front-wheel drive sports coupe (sometimes a 4WD rally rocket), while the Supra would feature as Toyota’s luxury GT. It was a sleek, stylish, six-cylinder in-line with rear-wheel drive, themes that would be reflected in the Supra from then on. What was a huge new hit (with almost a quarter of a million copies sold worldwide) is now a much rarer sight; thank the oxidation and excess for that. This one, however, seems to have seen hardly anything bleaker than a drizzle, left dry by its original owner for decades. An incredible survivor, pop-up lights and all, for far less than any A80 would cost.

Although the ’80s are known for BMW’s launch of the first M3, it was also the decade where Alpina really ramped up its 3 Series hot rodding. It had first made a name for itself in motorsport with compact BMWs, so it made sense to transfer that expertise to cars like the E30 when road cars arrived. Today, the very best Alpina 3 Series from the 1980s can fetch almost £200,000, such is the reverence that surrounds them. This one isn’t quite of that caliber, but it is a Sytner-supplied 3-series from the ’80s, complete with the stripes, the wheels and an inline six-cylinder. So it’s really cool. It is not entirely clear exactly what Alpina flavor this E30 has, but you know what to expect: it will be a fantastic version of what is still a beloved BMW 3 Series. Here with a low mileage, a very neat underside and a recent specialist inspection. Who actually wants an M3?

An 80s Blue Oval hot hatch without the XR2, XR3 or XR4 badge? Yes, they exist. And no, it’s not an RS Turbo either. This is a Fiesta Sport, probably more of a hot hatchback than a real fire breather, but an intriguing piece of fast Ford history nonetheless. The goal was to bring a little XR2 sportiness at a lower price, which it did with those fancy wheels, red pinstripes, badging and spotlights. In the ’80s, nothing was as sporty as spotlights. There was no doubt that this was your Nan’s Ghia, and that was important, even if not much had changed in the engine. When new, the 1.4 S was all but extinct, as most of the attention in classic circles was focused on the XR2. Luckily, some love has gone into this car, and it’s a Fiesta, fresh from restoration and ready for the road. Imagine showing up to a classic car show in one of the rarest things around – and it’s a Ford. Only a few years away from the APK and ULEZ exemption. Expect lots of bidding when this PH auction goes live next week.

Who can’t claim to have a strange affection for the Maestro? It goes without saying that there was a lot wrong with British Leyland (the wonderfully bleak Wikipedia entry for the original MG is a succinct description of a company tripping over its shoelaces), but the Turbo, with its clumsy, bodykit-esque attempt to follow contemporary hot hatch fashion, is now impossible to behold without a smile. This one, to be auctioned next week, is doubly notable for its wonderfully idiosyncratic attempt to coax modern performance out of the old girl, including the novelty of a 340bhp all-forged T-series engine. Apparently it’s good for 0-100 km/h in 4.2 seconds. If you want to know what that feels like: bidding starts on Tuesday.

Any sentence containing the letters XJR-S and TWR takes you to a specific time and place. Ditto the vision of every V12-engined Jaguar in Westminster Blue, a combination as proud as seeing the White Ensign flying high above HMS Belfast. The 5.3-liter engine was a product of JaguarSport, a joint venture between the OEM and its touring car racing partner. It was good for 320 hp, a figure helped in this case by a few more TWR cost options, including Bilstein dampers and an aero kit. In 2026, it looks like the company is back on the road, after what seems like a long period of inactivity. Who could resist that interior?

True, it is difficult to forget about the W201, because its ten-year existence has become a legend and has contributed a lot to laying the foundation for the modern reputation of Mercedes. You may have to be an enthusiast to pick a 190 E 2.5-16 from the crowd, but the sheer fame of subsequent Evo versions means no car is far from the spotlight – hence the asking £40,000 for this fine example. The secret sauce is of course poured in thanks to the cylinder heads built by Cosworth. Ideally you’d want one with the quirky Getrag five-speed manual gearbox, but we imagine the car is still a blast from the past with the automatic gearbox. It certainly looks good and has been with the last owner for 18 years. Let’s hope the next one gets the public attention it deserves.