98srt2dr.
04-07-2008, 06:02 PM
of the 80's
http://jalopnik.com/376157/top-ten-totally-awesome-turbocharged-american-cars
Chevrolet Corvette B2K Callaway Twin-Turbo
http://jalopnik.com/assets/resources/2008/04/Callaway_Corvette.jpgWe all know about the legendary "Sledgehammer" pictured here. With over 880 HP and a top speed of 254 MPH, it was the poster child for Callaway's Twin-Turbo systems. If you wanted your own, you could actually order a similar package by checking the box for option B2K when ordering a Corvette at your Chevrolet dealership. Granted, the price of the twin-turbo system cost nearly as much as the car itself, but you did get 382 HP and a monstrous 562 lb-ft of torque from your 5.7-liter V8.
Buick GNX
http://jalopnik.com/assets/resources/2008/04/Buick_GNx.jpgThe ultimate evolution of the Buick Grand National, the GNX (http://jalopnik.com/cars/jalopnik-fantasy-garage/buick-gnx-274485.php) is pure badass. An intercooled, specially-made T3 turbo put up to 15 PSI of boost into the 3.8-liter V6. The official rating from the General was 276 HP. In reality, an unmodified GNX would make about 300 HP and 400 lb-ft of torque. Combine that with trick underpinnings, and the all-black Buick would go 0-60 in well under five seconds. We like it so much that there's one of the 547 examples in our Jalopnik Fantasy Garage (http://jalopnik.com/cars/jalopnik-fantasy-garage/buick-gnx-274485.php).
Pontiac Firebird Turbo Trans-Am
http://jalopnik.com/assets/resources/2008/04/Pontiac_TTA.jpgFor 1989, Pontiac created a special 20th-Anniversary Turbo Trans-Am. Affectionately known as the "TTA", this wasn't just some tape-stripe go-faster package. Power came from the Buick-sourced 3.8-liter V6, with the intercooled turbocharger pumping out up to 16.5 PSI. The conservative rating from GM was 250 HP and 340 lb-ft of torque, but some people think the TTA was nearly as powerful as the Buick GNX. Basically, the TTA was KITT (http://jalopnik.com/357537/knight-rider-the-classic-intro-can-make-all-this-go-away)-style turbo boost with a white paint job— and not autonomous.
Ford Mustang SVO
http://jalopnik.com/assets/resources/2008/04/Mustang_SVO.jpgFord Special Vehicle Operations' alternative to big-displacement pony cars was the Mustang SVO (http://jalopnik.com/cars/retro/the-late-lamented-mustang-svo-ford-attempts-formula-super-potential-238519.php). The 2.3-liter inline-four was force-fed by an intercooled turbo that boosted output up to 200 HP and 240 lb-ft of torque. It was a fairly civilized package, but overwhelming favor of simpleton V8 models eventually killed the SVO.
Merkur XR4Ti
http://jalopnik.com/assets/resources/2008/04/Merkur_XR4Ti.jpgBased heavily on the European Ford Sierra, the Merkur (http://jalopnik.com/cars/down-on-the-street/1987-merkur-xr4ti-318614.php) has a distinctly German flavor. Powered by a 2.3-liter inline-four with a T3 pushing up to 14 PSI, it was a similar setup to the Mustang SVO. The lack of an intercooler meant power was down to 175 HP and 200 lb-ft of torque. Though if you had access to Euro-spec parts, it was possible to swap in an AWD drivetrain.
Shelby GLHS Dodge Omni
http://jalopnik.com/assets/resources/2008/04/Shelby_GLHS.jpgIt's no secret we love the Shelby GLHS (http://jalopnik.com/371691/hot-hatch-showdown). A 2.2-liter inline-four combined with a intercooled turbocharger made 175 HP and 175 lb-ft of torque. Max boost of 12 PSI helped the Omni run 0-60 in about 6.5-seconds. For a 5-door hatch in that decade, it indeed Goes Like Hell - Somemore. Only 500 blacked-out examples were available, making it a true sleeper.
Shelby CSX-VNT Dodge Shadow
http://jalopnik.com/assets/resources/2008/04/Shelby_CSX_VNT.jpgSome see the CSX (http://jalopnik.com/cars/retro/the-other-rental-shelby-174222.php) as just a gaudy Dodge Shadow. If you know your stuff however, the CSX-VNT is quite special. VNT stood for "Variable Nozzle Turbo", meaning that these 500 examples were the first ever production cars to utilize a version of what we now call a "variable geometry turbo." These variable nozzles meant there was no need for a wastegate. The setup provided up to 15 PSI of boost, which meant torque from the 2.2-liter inline-four was up to 205 lb-ft, though power was still rated at 175 HP.
Pontiac Grand Prix McLaren Turbo
http://jalopnik.com/assets/resources/2008/04/Poniac_Grand_Prix_Turbo.jpgNo, the Grand Prix Turbo was not designed by Gordan Murray (http://jalopnik.com/cars/jalopnik-fantasy-garage/mclaren-f1-327268.php). But it did have a 3.1-liter V6 with an intercooled turbo that made 205 HP and 225 lb-ft of torque. Unfortunately, the turbo Grand Prix was FWD and only came with a 4-speed slushbox. So despite the "Grand Prix" and "McLaren" emblems, this was no Formula One racer.
Chrysler TC by Maserati
http://jalopnik.com/assets/resources/2008/04/Chrysler_TC_Maserati.jpgNot merely an expensive LeBaron, Chrysler's TC by Maserati often gets overlooked for its performance. A joint venture sparked by Lee Iacocca's friendship with Maserati's owner, Alejandro DeTomaso, the TC was multinational and had little in common with other K-cars. Despite looking alot like any other Chrylser, the body was unique and built in Italy. The 2.2-liter engine had special pistons made in Germany. A 16-valve head made by Cosworth in England replaced the standard 8-valve Chrysler unit. The IHI turbocharger came from Japan and was connected to an intercooler, helping the engine produce 200 HP and 220 lb-ft of torque. This was the most powerful version yet of Chrysler's 2.2 turbo, but it would only be offered on the 500 '89 models paired with a 5-speed manual transmission.
Chrysler Conquest TSi
http://jalopnik.com/assets/resources/2008/04/Conquest_TSi.jpgOk, so the Conquest is essentially a re-badged Mitsubishi Starion, but who cares? After all, re-badging a Japanese car as with an American brand is quintessentially '80s. Actually, the American models were a bit different than their JDM counterparts. The Conquest TSi came with a 2.6-liter inline-four that made 188 HP thanks to an intercooled turbo. That power was sent to the rear wheels for Japanese-style drift-o action.
http://jalopnik.com/376157/top-ten-totally-awesome-turbocharged-american-cars
Chevrolet Corvette B2K Callaway Twin-Turbo
http://jalopnik.com/assets/resources/2008/04/Callaway_Corvette.jpgWe all know about the legendary "Sledgehammer" pictured here. With over 880 HP and a top speed of 254 MPH, it was the poster child for Callaway's Twin-Turbo systems. If you wanted your own, you could actually order a similar package by checking the box for option B2K when ordering a Corvette at your Chevrolet dealership. Granted, the price of the twin-turbo system cost nearly as much as the car itself, but you did get 382 HP and a monstrous 562 lb-ft of torque from your 5.7-liter V8.
Buick GNX
http://jalopnik.com/assets/resources/2008/04/Buick_GNx.jpgThe ultimate evolution of the Buick Grand National, the GNX (http://jalopnik.com/cars/jalopnik-fantasy-garage/buick-gnx-274485.php) is pure badass. An intercooled, specially-made T3 turbo put up to 15 PSI of boost into the 3.8-liter V6. The official rating from the General was 276 HP. In reality, an unmodified GNX would make about 300 HP and 400 lb-ft of torque. Combine that with trick underpinnings, and the all-black Buick would go 0-60 in well under five seconds. We like it so much that there's one of the 547 examples in our Jalopnik Fantasy Garage (http://jalopnik.com/cars/jalopnik-fantasy-garage/buick-gnx-274485.php).
Pontiac Firebird Turbo Trans-Am
http://jalopnik.com/assets/resources/2008/04/Pontiac_TTA.jpgFor 1989, Pontiac created a special 20th-Anniversary Turbo Trans-Am. Affectionately known as the "TTA", this wasn't just some tape-stripe go-faster package. Power came from the Buick-sourced 3.8-liter V6, with the intercooled turbocharger pumping out up to 16.5 PSI. The conservative rating from GM was 250 HP and 340 lb-ft of torque, but some people think the TTA was nearly as powerful as the Buick GNX. Basically, the TTA was KITT (http://jalopnik.com/357537/knight-rider-the-classic-intro-can-make-all-this-go-away)-style turbo boost with a white paint job— and not autonomous.
Ford Mustang SVO
http://jalopnik.com/assets/resources/2008/04/Mustang_SVO.jpgFord Special Vehicle Operations' alternative to big-displacement pony cars was the Mustang SVO (http://jalopnik.com/cars/retro/the-late-lamented-mustang-svo-ford-attempts-formula-super-potential-238519.php). The 2.3-liter inline-four was force-fed by an intercooled turbo that boosted output up to 200 HP and 240 lb-ft of torque. It was a fairly civilized package, but overwhelming favor of simpleton V8 models eventually killed the SVO.
Merkur XR4Ti
http://jalopnik.com/assets/resources/2008/04/Merkur_XR4Ti.jpgBased heavily on the European Ford Sierra, the Merkur (http://jalopnik.com/cars/down-on-the-street/1987-merkur-xr4ti-318614.php) has a distinctly German flavor. Powered by a 2.3-liter inline-four with a T3 pushing up to 14 PSI, it was a similar setup to the Mustang SVO. The lack of an intercooler meant power was down to 175 HP and 200 lb-ft of torque. Though if you had access to Euro-spec parts, it was possible to swap in an AWD drivetrain.
Shelby GLHS Dodge Omni
http://jalopnik.com/assets/resources/2008/04/Shelby_GLHS.jpgIt's no secret we love the Shelby GLHS (http://jalopnik.com/371691/hot-hatch-showdown). A 2.2-liter inline-four combined with a intercooled turbocharger made 175 HP and 175 lb-ft of torque. Max boost of 12 PSI helped the Omni run 0-60 in about 6.5-seconds. For a 5-door hatch in that decade, it indeed Goes Like Hell - Somemore. Only 500 blacked-out examples were available, making it a true sleeper.
Shelby CSX-VNT Dodge Shadow
http://jalopnik.com/assets/resources/2008/04/Shelby_CSX_VNT.jpgSome see the CSX (http://jalopnik.com/cars/retro/the-other-rental-shelby-174222.php) as just a gaudy Dodge Shadow. If you know your stuff however, the CSX-VNT is quite special. VNT stood for "Variable Nozzle Turbo", meaning that these 500 examples were the first ever production cars to utilize a version of what we now call a "variable geometry turbo." These variable nozzles meant there was no need for a wastegate. The setup provided up to 15 PSI of boost, which meant torque from the 2.2-liter inline-four was up to 205 lb-ft, though power was still rated at 175 HP.
Pontiac Grand Prix McLaren Turbo
http://jalopnik.com/assets/resources/2008/04/Poniac_Grand_Prix_Turbo.jpgNo, the Grand Prix Turbo was not designed by Gordan Murray (http://jalopnik.com/cars/jalopnik-fantasy-garage/mclaren-f1-327268.php). But it did have a 3.1-liter V6 with an intercooled turbo that made 205 HP and 225 lb-ft of torque. Unfortunately, the turbo Grand Prix was FWD and only came with a 4-speed slushbox. So despite the "Grand Prix" and "McLaren" emblems, this was no Formula One racer.
Chrysler TC by Maserati
http://jalopnik.com/assets/resources/2008/04/Chrysler_TC_Maserati.jpgNot merely an expensive LeBaron, Chrysler's TC by Maserati often gets overlooked for its performance. A joint venture sparked by Lee Iacocca's friendship with Maserati's owner, Alejandro DeTomaso, the TC was multinational and had little in common with other K-cars. Despite looking alot like any other Chrylser, the body was unique and built in Italy. The 2.2-liter engine had special pistons made in Germany. A 16-valve head made by Cosworth in England replaced the standard 8-valve Chrysler unit. The IHI turbocharger came from Japan and was connected to an intercooler, helping the engine produce 200 HP and 220 lb-ft of torque. This was the most powerful version yet of Chrysler's 2.2 turbo, but it would only be offered on the 500 '89 models paired with a 5-speed manual transmission.
Chrysler Conquest TSi
http://jalopnik.com/assets/resources/2008/04/Conquest_TSi.jpgOk, so the Conquest is essentially a re-badged Mitsubishi Starion, but who cares? After all, re-badging a Japanese car as with an American brand is quintessentially '80s. Actually, the American models were a bit different than their JDM counterparts. The Conquest TSi came with a 2.6-liter inline-four that made 188 HP thanks to an intercooled turbo. That power was sent to the rear wheels for Japanese-style drift-o action.
