FANTASY FORECOURT
We choose between a bunch of turbotastic Eighties everyman classics
Car makers were still experimenting with turbocharging in the Eighties, with some adopting the previous decade’s application of a whopping great blower bolted to the engine, while others were attempting more advanced methods. Whatever the case, the lag was always hilarious and the noises joyous and intrusive. Real-world turbo cars of the era, like the Fiat Uno Turbo, gave first-time drivers their first taste of turbo titivation. While GTi versions of the Golf and 205 get all the adoration from stuffy old hacks, we’ll take a madcap Escort RS Turbo and Maestro Turbo, thanks. Proper traffic light racers and guaranteed to raise a smile from passers-by wherever you go. As for the turbocharged sports cars of the era, how about the Porsche 944 Turbo and Mitsubishi Starion? Does the precision-built Stuttgart star get a thwacking from the tech-heavy Japanese upstart? Which one would you choose? Here are the members of the PC team to tell you which way they swayed…
1 - Porsche 944 Turbo
COST NEW £39,893 VALUE NOW £7500-£30,000
ENGINE 2479cc/4-cyl/OHC
POWER 217bhp@5800rpm
TORQUE 243lb ft@3500rpm
GEARBOX 5-spd man
WEIGHT 1280kg
0-62mph 5.9sec
TOP SPEED 152mph
ECONOMY 23mpg
2 - Ford Escort RS Turbo
COST NEW £11,550 VALUE NOW £5000-£35,000
ENGINE 1597cc 4-cyl/OHC
POWER 132bhp@5750rpm
TORQUE 133lb ft@2750rpm
GEARBOX 5-spd man
WEIGHT 1080kg
TOP SPEED 125mph
0-60mph 8.3sec
ECONOMY 25mpg
3 - Fiat Uno Turbo ie
COST NEW £10,698 VALUE NOW £3000-£15,000
ENGINE 1372cc/4-cyl/OHC
POWER 118bhp@6000rpm
TORQUE 119lbft@3500rp
GEARBOX 5-spd man
WEIGHT 925kg
TOP SPEED 124mph
0-60mph 7.9sec
ECONOMY 28mpg
4 - MG Maestro Turbo
COST NEW £13,995 VALUE NOW £5000-£12,000
ENGINE 1994cc 4-cyl/OHC
POWER 150bhp@5100rpm
TORQUE 169lb ft@3500rpm
GEARBOX 5-spd man
WEIGHT 1087kg
TOP SPEED 129mph
0-60mph 6.8sec
ECONOMY 25mpg
5 - Mitsubishi Starion Turbo
COST NEW £16,450 VALUE NOW £2000-£15,000
ENGINE 1997cc/4-cyl/OHC
POWER 200bhp@6000rpm
TORQUE 206lb ft@3500rpm
GEARBOX 5-spd man
WEIGHT 1230kg
0-60mph 7.3sec
TOP SPEED 140mph
ECONOMY 25mpg
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