A Guide to 1981 Cars
From roaring sports cars to the first luxury SUV, these are 1981’s best cars.
Written by Cassandra Hamilton
Reviewed by Jessica Barrett
While the
Volkswagen Rabbit
beat out its competition as the best car of 1981, the Range Rover and Lincoln Town Car gave it a run for its money.The 1980s is widely considered the best decade for automakers due to groundbreaking technologies being introduced (like the first turbo engines) and major style points. Many of these cars are now time-honored classics.
The
car insurance
comparison super app
and broker, Jerry
, has a handy guide on all the best cars of 1981 to help you decide which classic car is your favorite. From amazing off-roaders to classic family wagons, check out the greatest cars of 1981.Compare insurance quotes from 50+ insurance companies with Jerry in under 45 seconds
Compare insurance quotes from 50+ insurance companies with Jerry in under 45 seconds
4.7/5 rating on the App Store | Trusted by 5+ million customers and 7 million cars4.7/5 app rating | Trusted by 5M+ driversThe best cars of 1981
From a throaty sports car to a practical family sedan, these seven vehicles are the best of 1981.
The best car of 1981: Volkswagen Rabbit
Average collector’s market range: $6,000 to $10,000
Powertrain: 1.7-liter 4-cylinder engine with four-speed manual or three-speed automatic transmission
What makes it special:
A raging hit after the discontinuation of the
Beetle
, the Rabbit
(now known as the Golf
) was the best car on the road in 1981 thanks to its versatility and dynamic driving experience. Though these stats may not seem impressive today, in 1981 the Volkswagen Rabbit offered 74 horsepower and 40 mpg when you opted for the gasoline engine. You could get either a gas engine or a diesel engine (52 horsepower), and you could choose a four-door option, convertible (later known as the Cabriolet), or even a pickup truck style. The Volkswagen Rabbit is the best car of 1981 thanks to its reliability, driving experience, mileage, and durability—some are still running 40+ years later with several hundred thousand miles on the odometer!
The best luxury car of 1981: Lincoln Town Car
Average collector’s market range: $7,200 to $14,600
Powertrain: 4.9-liter V8 with four-speed automatic transmission
What makes it special:
The
Lincoln Town Car
is iconic—everyone knows them and they’ve earned their place in the automobile history book. It’s the luxury car of the year because 1981 was the flagship year for the Lincoln Town Car. The Town Car was the result of Lincoln consolidating its available models and integrating the Continental and Continental Town Car into one, available in both two- and four-door iterations. Besides an updated exterior, the Town Car led the industry in interior luxury, featuring the first power-controlled seat adjustment dials and a keypad-based keyless entry system that was in use until the model’s discontinuation in 2011. Coupled with a trip computer that displayed “miles to empty” and “estimated time of arrival,” it’s easy to see why the Lincoln Town Car was the best of 1981.
The best SUV of 1981: Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40
Average collector’s market range: $33,995 to $57,995
Powertrain: 3.8- or 4.2-liter 6-cylinder with five-speed manual transmission
What makes it special:
Talk about a vehicle that stirs up the fanatics—the
Toyota Land Cruiser
FJ40 was the top SUV of 1981. While most FJ40s today sell for moderate prices, some diehards restore them to the point they’re worth a whopping $200,000!Why this much fuss for an old SUV? The 1981 FJ40 retained its rugged, off-road qualities while introducing some creature comforts for the discerning driver, such as power steering, upgrades to the interior, a rear heater, and air conditioning. Just after lifetime sales of the model topped one million, Toyota discontinued the SUV in the US in 1983.
The best luxury SUV of 1981: Range Rover
Average collector’s market range: $11,000 to $19,000
Powertrain: 3.5- or 3.9-liter V8 with 4- or 5-speed manual or 3- or 4-speed automatic transmission
What makes it special:
Would you buy a never-before-seen luxury SUV because it was featured in Vogue magazine? You would if it was 1981—and that’s exactly how
Land Rover
shot its Range Rover
model from average popularity to the hottest vehicle of 1981. The Range Rover was originally released as a limited run of 1,000, but manufacturers had to turn up the heat on their factories to keep up with demand.So what made the 1981 Range Rover so hot? Before we get into it, keep in mind that up to this point, SUVs (or 4x4s) were predominantly used for agriculture and off-roading—they weren’t seen as luxury vehicles for the rich or cushy rides for families. That’s why the feature in Vogue was such a big deal—it was the first of its kind!
Luxurious features in the 1981 Range Rover included a fully carpeted cargo area, air conditioning, polished wood door cappings, carpet material for a spare wheel cover and tool kit curtain, and a picnic hamper in the rear load space. These features generally come standard in contemporary luxury SUVs, but they were revolutionary in 1981. You can still get the Vogue trim on Range Rovers today.
The best family car of 1981: Buick Century
Average collector’s market range: $1,200 to $3,450
Powertrain: 4.9-liter V8 with 3-speed automatic
What makes it special:
You can’t talk about a family car in the 1980s without mentioning a station wagon. The
Buick Century
wagon was the best of its class, offering a great fuel economy of 21 mpg and interior comforts such as air conditioning and adjustable seats. You could pile the whole family in, plus luggage, for a classic cross-country vacation or open up the back to enjoy a drive-in movie. The best sports car of 1981: Chevrolet Corvette
Average collector’s market range: $23,500 to $38,300
Powertrain: 5.7-liter V8 engine automatic or four-speed manual transmission
What makes it special:
The 1981
Chevrolet Corvette
featured the world’s first fiberglass-reinforced composite automotive spring (available only with the automatic transmission). What makes this spring so special? It can store six times the strain-energy per unit than a comparable weight of spring steel.The 1981 Corvette blew its competition out of the water when it came to power—the Corvette packs a whopping 190 horsepower and a 0 to 60 time of 8.1 seconds, which beat out other sports cars of 1981 by a whole second!
The best truck of 1981: Jeep CJ-8 Scrambler
Average collector’s market range: $14,400 to $30,500
Powertrain: Pushrod 8-valve inline-4 with 4-speed manual transmission
What makes it special:
If you’ve never heard of the Jeep CJ-8 Scrambler, you’re not alone. Jeep first capitalized on the small pickup trend of the 1980s in 1981 with the introduction of the CJ-8 Scrambler. While it wasn’t super popular in its day, its rarity and uniqueness cinch its place as our top choice of best pickup of 1981.
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What cars came out in 1981?
The beginning of the 1980s rang in the decade regarded as the best for automobiles. BMW and Mercedes moved in as mainstream status symbols and many people still bought American-made cars. These are some of the best automotive offerings of 1981.
Model | Vehicle type | Engine | Collector’s range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Volkswagen Vanagon | Van | 2.0-L 4-cyl | $10,990 to $21,374 | Comes with a small kitchen inside |
Full-size sedan | 3.8-L V6 or 5.7-L V8 | $839 to $3,605 | See if you can find a rare 2-door coupe | |
BMW E28 | 1.8L 4-cyl | $17,600 to $25,500 | First BMW to offer cruise control | |
1.9-L I4 | $900 to $2,000 | Offered as a wagon or soft-top | ||
DMC DeLorean | 2.85-L V6 | $25,000 to $60,000 | Featured as the time machine in Back to the Future | |
2.6-L I6 | $850 to $2,050 | The first year the Maxima was available | ||
Mercedes 240D | 2.4-L I4 | $3,225 to $6,900 | Only available with a diesel engine |
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How to save money on used car insurance
The good news is that it usually doesn’t cost as much to
insure a used car
as a new one. The bad news is that you’ll want to purchase specialty classic car coverage
for any car you own from 1981, and that can sometimes be pricey. Still, classic car insurance is generally less expensive than it would be to cover a contemporary, comparable car.Insuring a classic car involves getting an appraisal before you purchase a policy so your insurer knows what sort of restoration efforts they’re appraising. Standard used car insurance only covers the car’s depreciated cash value, which would be as if your lovingly restored car was rusting in a junkyard somewhere.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by shopping for classic car insurance, you don’t have to. That’s where
Jerry
comes in. Jerry can handle all your insurance needs, from classic coverage to sufficient protection for your daily driver. Just download the app, enter your information, and browse quotes in less than two minutes.Best of all, you’ll save an average of $800 per year or more like other Jerry users!
FAQs
What was the hottest car in 1981?
What was the fastest car in 1981?
The
Chevrolet Corvette
was the fastest car of 1981 with a 0 to 60 time of 8.1 seconds and a top speed of 165 mph.Are you overpaying for car insurance?
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