In the good old days, a popular saying among nostalgic retirees, things kept getting better. Looking back at the 90s, this is certainly true, most of the most famous brands in the world have tried their hand in speed, power and performance to make it the best era for gearboxes.
The 1990s were a time of booming economies, and automakers were quick to get rid of excess cash from buyers and bring bolder and more exciting cars to market. In short, it was about having all the horsepower you could afford and handle. So it’s no wonder that the 90s produced Sports car and supercars terrifyingly regular.
The chances that we’ll ever see another high point in car design, the simplicity and purity of McLaren’s F1 alone remains to be seen, better than just enjoying the 90s as the best era for gearboxes ever.
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Supercars and turbos are reaching new levels of speed
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In response to the ’80s pin-up posters, the Ferrari F40 and Porsche 959, Jaguar unleashed the XJ220 and set a new world record with a top speed of 212 mph, not bad for a brand better known for luxury sedans . It never got the V12 engine promised by Jaguar, but despite the loss of six cylinders, the XJ220 used a 542 hp, 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 instead.
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The record didn’t last long, waiting in the starting blocks, Bugatti, resurrected from history’s cancellations, took turbocharging to new heights. Under the hood of the slightly less pretty EB110 was a 3.5-liter, four-turbocharged V12 in SuperSport guise that made 603 hp and raised the benchmark to 213 mph.
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Then McLaren crashed the party
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Twin or quad turbos were undoubtedly fast, but McLaren had other ideas. They turned to the genius Gordon Murray, which was and is the fastest naturally aspirated street car of all time. With extensive experience building the fastest racing cars, McLaren would take the path of the weight-saving carbon fiber body.
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However, the McLaren F1 needed a helping hand from BMW in the form of a 6.1 liter naturally aspirated V12 engine. The combination of 628 hp and a lightweight, race-car-inspired chassis broke all records, from 0 to 60 in just 3.2 seconds at a top speed of 240 mph.
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V10 engines and the resurgence of Scuderia Ferrari
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As part of the ever-changing face of Formula 1, the FIA approved a change to the engine regulations in 1995 that wrote the glorious-sounding but extremely inefficient V12s in the history books. In their place 3-liter V10s, smaller, lighter and just as potent, Ferrari’s Tipo 048 with 790 hp in racing trim.
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The new engine regulations also changed the balance of power, Ferrari in the decade-long doldrums quickly returned to winning ways and in 1999 won the designer’s title. However, the top of the V10 era belongs to BMW with its consistently developed E41-4 unit in 1999 with 810 hp at a deafening 18,000 rpm.
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Offroad special editions
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A fierce off-road rivalry between Mitusbishi and Subaru resulted in some of the fastest off-road machines we’ve ever seen. In the early 1990s, in commemoration of Tommi Makinen’s fourth WRC title, Mitsubishi released the EVO VI Makinen Edition, which featured a more powerful 4G63 2-liter turbo engine, active yaw control and a host of other extras that set it apart from the standard -EVO VI.
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Fast forward to 1998 and Subaru’s “Special Edition” offering, the 22B Sti is one of the most sought-after Scoobies of all time, with a production of 424 units. The nickname 22B refers to the 2.2 liter boxer engine that claimed it produced 280 horsepower, whether the horsepower figure is right or not is a different matter, the Subaru feels to sixty faster with a sprint under five seconds.
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Family man could go quickly too
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In recent years we have got used to fast, everyday, four-door sedans with almost super sports car performance. Imagine the surprise when GM launched the Lotus Carlton in 1990, a full-fledged four-seat, four-door car that could travel up to 280 km / h. The Lotus badge reveals the game, based on the Carlton GSi with a larger 3.6-liter in-line six-cylinder C36GET and two turbos with 377 hp.
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A year after the sinking of the Lotus Carlton, Audi and Porsche have teamed up to produce the craziest station wagon ever. The RS2 was launched in 1994 and had engines and suspensions in the body of the S2 Avant that were tuned by Porsche. The results are downright spectacular, four high and a trunk full of luggage does not slow down the RS2, 0 to 60 takes 4.4 seconds.
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And if you are in a hurry
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Any naive gearhead who starts up at the traffic light next to one of these and expects an easy victory will experience a shock. Aside from a handful of Syclone stickers, there is little out of the ordinary which suggests this is anything but a normal truck, i.e. until the traffic light turns green and leaves you dead and choked on its dust.
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Fast trucks had been made before, but not on the same level as the Syclone, faster to sixty than the supercars of the day, with a time of 4.3 seconds. When the hood is raised, a 4.3-liter V6 emerges, complemented by two turbochargers, producing 280 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque.
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Arrival of affordable supercar performance
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Without a doubt, the current Supra is a great car, it just fails because of the previous generation. Mk4s are legendary in the tuning community. In 1993, Toyota had no way of knowing how popular the Supra would get, reliably offering supercar performance for little money.
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These things meet all the needs in a fast car without worrying about fragile powertrains. Part of the success of the Supra can be traced back to the Toyota 2JZ engine, which delivered 326 hp in the standard equipment, did much more in the hands of the tuners without touching the internals.
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Insane engines, insane cars
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Bigger is better, right? Somebody at Dodge thought that the Viper was launched in 1991 with the largest engine ever built into a production car, with few driving aids. Nobody could deny that the Viper wasn’t a pure sports car without any form of driving aids, which makes them a handful even for experienced drivers.
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The Viper’s 8-liter V10 engine, a flat two-seater with an emphasis on weekend fun, put out 425 horsepower with enough torque to loosen the huge rear tires with the slightest breath of gas, a suggestion that put many gearboxes off.
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Insane engines, not always where you expect them to be
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As a contender for the fastest minivan in the world, the 1995 Renault Espace F1 project was created to showcase or celebrate the success of Renault Motorsports on the racetrack. Why they chose a minivan is unclear.
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A masterful Renault 3.5-liter V10 engine that can unleash 780 horsepower via a semi-automatic six-speed box with rear-wheel drive is enough to grab the attention of any transmission. The performance data alone is nothing short of staggering, Renault, claiming a top speed of 193 mph.
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Only the brave have to apply
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Rounding out the best decade for gears and probably the scariest ride you will experience without a rocket engine. Suzuki’s Hayabusa, the fastest way to separate men from boys.
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Two palm-sized rubber contact surfaces are everything that keeps the 175 hp 1.3-liter in-line four-wheeler from rushing its rider into the nearest landscape. Oil or diesel spills are a biker’s worst nightmare. In 1999, this was as fast as you could ride on two wheels before bike manufacturers agreed to a speed limit of 186 mph.
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About the author
Jason Garbutt
(361 published articles)
Growing up in a car-obsessed environment from an early age, generated a keen interest in everything to do with cars. primarily an F1 fan, but also an avid fan of other motorsports. Professional background who has worked closely with an established UK supercar manufacturer over the past few years.
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