Top 10 Sports Cars 1981 — Best Overall + Best Value

Direct Answer

Looking back at 1981, the best overall sports car was the Datsun 280ZX Turbo, which arrived that year as the first turbocharged Z-car and answered the malaise era's power drought with a boosted 2.8-liter six that hauled the chassis to 60 mph in roughly seven and a half seconds — a genuinely quick number for the period — at a 1981 MSRP of $17,194.

The best value of 1981 was the Mazda RX-7 (FB), a featherweight rotary coupe with near-ideal balance that started at a 1981 MSRP of $9,575 and delivered exotic-feeling handling for economy-car money. 1981 was a turning point: turbocharging was clawing back the horsepower that emissions plumbing had strangled, and the year also gave us the stainless-skinned, gullwing DeLorean DMC-12, a car that would outlive its maker on sheer fame alone.

How We Ranked the Top 10

We weighted each 1981 contender the way an enthusiast buyer (then) and a collector (now) actually cares about them, blending period road tests with modern valuation data:

• Driving fun and handling — 30%: the heart of any sports car, judged on balance, steering, and how alive it felt at real speeds.
• Performance — 15%: period 0-60, top speed, and how the turbo or V8 stacked up against rivals in 1981.
• Value in period — 15%: what you got for the 1981 sticker price versus the competition.
• Reliability — 15%: how dependable the car was when new and how livable it is to own today.
• Style and legacy — 15%: design impact and how the shape has aged.
• Collectibility now — 10%: current market trajectory per Hagerty, Bring a Trailer, and Classic.com.

Sources include period Car and Driver and Motor Trend road tests, Hagerty Valuation Tools, Bring a Trailer auction results, Classic.com market data, and manufacturer specifications archived at automobile-catalog and conceptcarz.

1. Datsun 280ZX Turbo 🏆 BEST OVERALL

1981 MSRP: $17,194 | Best for: the buyer who wanted the most usable speed-per-dollar of 1981

New for 1981, the 280ZX Turbo bolted a Garrett turbocharger onto the 2.8-liter L28 inline-six, lifting output to a stout 180 horsepower and 202 lb-ft of torque at a time when most American V8s were gasping. That was enough for a 0-60 sprint of about 7.4 seconds through a five-speed manual driving the rear wheels, with a quarter mile in the mid-14s.

It was a grand-touring sports car more than a corner-carver — comfortable, well-equipped, and fast in a straight line — and it became the template for affordable Japanese performance. Collectors have finally noticed: Hagerty pegs excellent Turbos around $43,000 with mint examples pushing far higher, and the 1978-1983 280ZX has appreciated roughly 138% since 2019.

Pros:

• First turbocharged Z-car, with real period-quick acceleration
• Huge torque made it effortless on the road
• Well-equipped grand tourer that you could daily-drive
• Strong, fast-rising collector market today

Cons:

• Soft, GT-biased suspension was less sharp than lighter rivals
• Heavier and more isolated than the purist 240Z that preceded it

Verdict: The most complete sports car of 1981 — fast, livable, and now a rising classic. Our Best Overall.

2. Porsche 911 SC

1981 MSRP: $28,900 | Best for: the driver who wanted the timeless rear-engine experience

The 911 SC carried Porsche's air-cooled 3.0-liter flat-six, making about 172 SAE horsepower in US trim and pulling to 60 mph in roughly 6.3 seconds — the quickest naturally aspirated car on this list. More important than the numbers was the feel: the SC's improved, more reliable 3.0 engine cured the fragility of the earlier 2.7, and the chassis delivered that unmistakable rear-engine steering and traction.

Five-speed manual, rear-wheel drive, and a shape already two decades into its run. Values are strong and steady; the SC is widely seen as one of the most attainable ways into an air-cooled 911, though "attainable" is relative.

Pros:

• Quickest 0-60 here at about 6.3 seconds
• Bulletproof 3.0-liter flat-six fixed earlier engine woes
• Iconic, communicative chassis that defined the sports car
• Blue-chip collector status with durable values

Cons:

• By far the most expensive everyday pick of 1981
• Lift-off oversteer demanded respect from new owners

Verdict: The driver's purist's choice and the performance benchmark of 1981 — only the price keeps it from the top spot.

3. Mazda RX-7 (FB) 💎 BEST VALUE

1981 MSRP: $9,575 | Best for: the enthusiast on an economy-car budget who wanted real balance

The first-generation RX-7 weighed barely a ton and wrapped its 1.1-liter twin-rotor Wankel in a low, clean coupe body with near-perfect 50/50 weight distribution. The rotary spun out 100 horsepower and revved like nothing else, and while 0-60 took about 9 to 10 seconds, the car's joy was in the corners, not the drag strip.

Rear-wheel drive, a slick five-speed, and steering that taught a generation how a sports car should feel — all for under ten grand in 1981. First-gen values remain refreshingly accessible, with fair drivers in the low thousands and pristine, low-mileage cars only recently cresting toward $50,000.

Pros:

• Lowest entry price of any true sports car here
• Sublime balance and handling from light weight
• Characterful rotary engine that loved to rev
• Still affordable to buy and enjoy today

Cons:

• Modest straight-line speed against turbo rivals
• Rotary apex seals demand careful maintenance

Verdict: The most sports car for the fewest dollars in 1981 — our runaway Best Value.

4. DeLorean DMC-12

1981 MSRP: $25,000 | Best for: the buyer who valued presence over pace

Launched in 1981, the DMC-12 is one of the most recognizable cars ever built — brushed stainless-steel body, gullwing doors, and a story that ended in scandal. Mechanically it was modest: a rear-mounted 2.85-liter PRV V6 made 130 horsepower, sending the coupe to 60 mph in a leisurely 8.6 to 10.5 seconds via a five-speed manual or automatic.

It was never quick, and the handling was unremarkable, but none of that has mattered to its legend, cemented by a certain time-traveling movie role. Hagerty values the 1981-1983 DeLorean around $75,100, up roughly 73% since 2019 — fame, it turns out, appreciates.

Pros:

• Unmistakable stainless body and gullwing doors
• Genuine pop-culture icon with a cult following
• Strong, rising collector values despite the performance
• Rare debut-year history baked into every car

Cons:

• Slow and underpowered for a car of its looks
• Quirky build quality and parts complexity

Verdict: Bought with the heart, not the stopwatch — but as a 1981 cultural artifact it is untouchable.

5. Chevrolet Corvette (C3)

1981 MSRP: $15,250 | Best for: the American buyer who wanted V8 muscle and a flag to wave

By 1981 the long-running C3 Corvette was in its twilight, but it still served up a 5.7-liter (350 cu in) V8 making 190 horsepower and a thumping 280 lb-ft of torque, good for 0-60 in about 8 seconds. Rear-wheel drive, available four-speed manual or automatic, and that endlessly photogenic shark body.

It was more boulevard cruiser than canyon weapon in this emissions-choked year, but the value was real and the V8 character was pure Americana. 1981 was also the year Corvette production began shifting to the new Bowling Green plant, a historical footnote collectors note.

Pros:

• Big-torque small-block V8 for effortless cruising
• Strong value versus European exotics
• Timeless C3 styling that still turns heads
• Easy, cheap parts and a huge owner community

Cons:

• Soft handling and dated build for a sports car
• Lowest-output years of the C3 era

Verdict: A lot of V8 character for the money — the affordable American hero of 1981.

6. Porsche 924 Turbo

1981 MSRP: $20,000 | Best for: the buyer who wanted Porsche balance and turbo punch on a budget

The 924 Turbo took the entry-level Porsche's front-engine, rear-transaxle layout — superb weight distribution — and added a KKK turbocharger to its 2.0-liter four. US-spec cars made about 143 horsepower (170 in Europe), enough for a 0-60 run just over seven seconds and a top end near 140 mph.

The transaxle gave it handling balance the 911 couldn't match in some respects, and the Turbo cured the base 924's biggest complaint: it was finally quick. It remains an underrated, affordable Porsche, though turbo-related care is essential.

Pros:

• Near-ideal weight balance from the transaxle layout
• Turbo gave it the speed the base 924 lacked
• Genuine Porsche dynamics for far less money
• Still undervalued in the collector market

Cons:

• US emissions trim left power well short of Europe
• Turbo and early-electronics maintenance can bite

Verdict: The thinking enthusiast's affordable Porsche of 1981 — balanced, boosted, and overlooked.

7. Ferrari 308 GTSi

1981 MSRP: $54,000 | Best for: the buyer who wanted a true exotic and the badge to match

The 308 GTSi was the Ferrari of the moment — a mid-mounted 2.9-liter V8 making about 205 horsepower in US fuel-injected trim, hustling the Pininfarina-bodied targa to 60 mph in around 7 seconds and on to nearly 150 mph. The switch to Bosch fuel injection in 1980 softened the edge slightly versus the carbureted cars, but the 308 was a real Ferrari with the looks, the sound, and the prancing horse.

It was also famous before it left showrooms, thanks to a certain Hawaiian-shirted television detective. Good driver examples today trade in the $60,000 to $90,000 range.

Pros:

• Genuine mid-engine Ferrari V8 experience
• Stunning Pininfarina targa styling
• Real exotic performance for the era
• Strong, recognizable collector demand

Cons:

• Far and away the priciest entry of 1981
• Belt-service and Ferrari upkeep costs are steep

Verdict: The exotic of the bunch — expensive then and now, but unmistakably the real thing.

8. Lotus Turbo Esprit

1981 MSRP: $48,000 | Best for: the driver chasing supercar handling and wedge-era drama

Introduced in 1981, the Turbo Esprit added a turbocharged 2.2-liter four — about 210 horsepower — to Lotus's mid-engine, Giugiaro-penned wedge, dropping the 0-60 time to a stunning 5.6 seconds, the quickest figure on this entire list. Lightweight, low, and razor-sharp through corners, it handled with the kind of precision only Lotus delivered, and it had already gone underwater on screen as a certain spy's submarine car.

Production was tiny — fewer than 1,900 over its run — which keeps it rare and coveted. Fragility and parts scarcity are the ownership trade-offs.

Pros:

• Quickest 0-60 here at 5.6 seconds
• Knife-edge mid-engine handling from Lotus
• Dramatic Giugiaro wedge styling
• Rare and genuinely exotic pedigree

Cons:

• British-exotic reliability and parts headaches
• Tight, demanding cabin and ownership

Verdict: The fastest and most thrilling driver's car of 1981 — for those brave enough to own one.

9. Toyota Celica Supra (Mark I)

1981 MSRP: $11,400 | Best for: the buyer who wanted a smooth, refined six-cylinder GT

The first Celica Supra paired a 2.8-liter inline-six (116 horsepower) with a long, comfortable hatchback body, leaning toward refined grand touring rather than outright sport. The 0-60 time of about 10.2 seconds was unremarkable, but the smooth six, fully independent rear suspension, and Toyota build quality made it a relaxed, reliable cruiser that pointed straight at the legendary Supras to come.

Rear-wheel drive, five-speed manual, and a generous standard-equipment list. It is an increasingly appreciated piece of Supra history and an easy, dependable classic to own.

Pros:

• Silky inline-six and genuine refinement
• Legendary Toyota reliability then and now
• Comfortable, well-equipped GT package
• First chapter of the Supra story

Cons:

• Modest power and leisurely acceleration
• More cruiser than sharp-edged sports car

Verdict: The sensible, reliable grand tourer of 1981 — and the dawn of a legend.

10. Fiat X1/9

1981 MSRP: $8,190 | Best for: the budget buyer who wanted a mid-engine targa to toss around

The X1/9 was the cheapest mid-engine targa you could buy in 1981 — a Bertone-designed wedge with a 1.5-liter four making 75 horsepower mounted amidships. It was never fast, but the mid-engine layout gave it delightful balance and chuckable handling that embarrassed cars with twice the power on a twisty road, all with a removable roof panel that stowed in the front trunk.

Italian rust and electrics are the well-known caveats, and values stay modest, which makes a clean one a genuine bargain entry into mid-engine motoring.

Pros:

• Mid-engine balance for pocket-money pricing
• Removable targa top and clever packaging
• Cheapest sports car on this list
• Charming Bertone wedge styling

Cons:

• Very low power and slow acceleration
• Notorious rust and Italian electrical gremlins

Verdict: The budget mid-engine joy of 1981 — slow but endlessly fun, if you can keep the rust away.

Buyer Decision Tree — Which One Was Right for You?

What to Look For in a 1981 Sports Car (Then and as a Classic Now)

• Turbo wear: On the 280ZX Turbo, 924 Turbo, and Lotus Turbo Esprit, check for smoke, shaft play, and oil-feed health — early turbos lived hard, and a tired one is expensive.
• Rust: The Fiat X1/9, Lotus, and even the Japanese coupes can hide rot in floors, sills, and battery trays. A clean shell is worth more than a strong engine.
• Parts availability: Corvette and 911 SC parts are everywhere; DeLorean, Ferrari 308, and Lotus parts are pricier and slower to source. Factor it in.
• Rotary health: On the RX-7, a proper compression test on the Wankel is non-negotiable before buying.
• Documentation: Service history and originality drive collector value far more than raw mileage on these cars.
• A note on numbers: Outright 0-60 figures matter less than nostalgia implies. These cars are bought today for feel, sound, and story — a slower DeLorean or RX-7 can be more rewarding to own than a quicker car you feel nothing for.

FAQ

What was the best overall sports car of 1981? The Datsun 280ZX Turbo. As the first turbocharged Z-car, it combined genuinely quick acceleration (0-60 in about 7.4 seconds), grand-touring comfort, and a sub-$18,000 price, making it the most complete package of the year.

What was the best value sports car of 1981? The Mazda RX-7, starting at $9,575. Its light weight, near-perfect balance, and rotary character delivered a true sports car experience for economy-car money.

Was 1981 a good year for turbocharged cars? Yes — 1981 was a pivotal turbo year. The 280ZX Turbo debuted, the Lotus Turbo Esprit arrived, and the Porsche 924 Turbo and Pontiac Trans Am Turbo all used boost to recover horsepower lost to emissions controls.

Which 1981 sports car is the best collector investment now? The DeLorean DMC-12 (around $75,100, up 73% since 2019) and the 280ZX Turbo (up roughly 138% since 2019) have both appreciated strongly, while air-cooled 911 SC values remain blue-chip and steady.

What new sports cars launched in 1981? The Datsun 280ZX Turbo, the DeLorean DMC-12, and the Lotus Turbo Esprit all arrived in 1981, making it a landmark year for both turbocharging and automotive icons.

Was the DeLorean DMC-12 actually fast? No. Its 130-horsepower PRV V6 took 8.6 to 10.5 seconds to reach 60 mph. The DeLorean was bought for its stainless body, gullwing doors, and fame, not its pace.

Bottom Line

1981 was the year the sports car began fighting back. After a decade of emissions plumbing strangling horsepower, turbocharging arrived in force — the Datsun 280ZX Turbo led that charge and earns our Best Overall for blending real speed, comfort, and value into one fast-rising classic.

The Mazda RX-7 takes Best Value as the purest, most affordable driver's car of the year. Above them sat the exotics — the Ferrari 308, Lotus Turbo Esprit, and Porsche 911 SC — and beside them stood the DeLorean DMC-12, a car whose legend would dwarf its modest performance.

Whatever your budget then or now, 1981 offered a sports car worth remembering.

Sources

• Hagerty Valuation Tools — 1981 Datsun 280ZX Turbo, DeLorean DMC-12, RX-7, Fiat X1/9, 911 SC: https://www.hagerty.com/valuation-tools
• Hagerty 2025 Bull Market List (280ZX, DeLorean appreciation data): https://www.stocktitan.net/news/HGTY
• Bring a Trailer — 1981 Datsun 280ZX Turbo auction results: https://bringatrailer.com
• Classic.com — DeLorean DMC-12 and first-gen Mazda RX-7 market data: https://www.classic.com
• Automobile-catalog.com — 1981 model specifications (280ZX Turbo, 911 SC, 308 GTSi, Turbo Esprit, 924 Turbo, Corvette, Celica Supra): https://www.automobile-catalog.com
• Conceptcarz.com — 1981 Corvette C3, DeLorean DMC-12, Firebird specifications: https://www.conceptcarz.com
• Carweek.com / CarGurus — 1981 DeLorean DMC-12 and RX-7 pricing and specs: https://www.carweek.com
• FastestLaps.com — period performance data for 280ZX Turbo, 911 SC, 308 GTSi, Esprit Turbo: https://fastestlaps.com
• Ate Up With Motor — 1980-1981 Pontiac Trans Am Turbo history: https://ateupwithmotor.com
• Period road tests, Car and Driver and Motor Trend (1980-1981 model-year reviews)

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