Matthew Broderick's delivery of a rebellious yet effortlessly able teen hero in the 1986 film Ferris Bueller's Day Off perfectly encapsulated the feeling of an emerging generation of uncompromising, impatient, outside-the-box thinkers who had their sights set on the promise of a computerled, globally dynamic and have-it-all future.
This was a time when even Bill Gates was left looking out of date, holding a 5% in floppy disk on the cover of Time magazine just as the 3½in version was being widely adopted and flash memory was being conceived. Entire economies shook under the shifting plates of technological and cultural change, as new industries cast aside the simple disciplines of the past and newly unshackled, computerised financial markets pounced on fresh margins of volume trading. The work-hard, play-hard generation behind it all demanded everything at once; from those subject to their urgent exclamations into handheld phones to the ultimate toys, status symbols and personal transport, the do-it-all sports car that strode confidently into the supercar playpen.
The natural choice was the Porsche 911. By then into its third decade, Stuttgart's rearengined wonder had established itself as the arbiter of sporting ability, taste and prestige, with glowing magazine reports and the sort of unattainable allure that came with its increasingly unreasonable cost. But Porsche had timed its even more expensive Carrera 3.2 beautifully and, upon its release in 1984, you could even specify a Sport Equipment kit that made it look just like the MD's 930 turbo. At the height of the UK's post-'86 financial Big Bang, the 911's £32,849 list price fell neatly within reach of many a trader's quarterly bonus.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
RAY HILLIER
Double-chevron oddity proves a break from the norm for this Crewe specialist
SHORT BACK & GLIDES
Eccentric enthusiast Captain RG McLeod's series of Manx-tailed Bentley Specials reached its zenith with this unique S2 Continental.
People's choice
The diminutive but multi-million-selling Fiat 850 packed a remarkable diversity of form and function into its compact footprint
PLASTIC BREAKS FROM THE NORM
Glassfibre revolutionised niche car-body production, but just occasionally strayed into the mainstream.
A SENSIBLE SUPERCAR
The cleverly conceived four-seater Elite secured Lotus a place at the big players' table, but has it been unfairly maligned since then?
"I had a habit of grabbing second place from the jaws of victory"
From dreams of yachting glory to the Le Mans podium, via a stint at the top of the motorsport tree, Howden Ganley had quite the career
Still going strong
Herbert Engineering staked its reputation on the five-year warranty that came with its cars. A century on, this Two Litre hasn't made a claim
One for the kids
General Motors was aiming squarely at the youth market with the launch of the Pontiac GTO 60 years ago, and its runaway success popularised the muscle-car movement
A NEW BREED OF HERO
Launched at the turn of the millennium, the GT3 badge has already earned a place alongside RS, CS and turbo in Porsche lore.
Brits with SIX appeal
The straight-six engine is synonymous with a decades-long legacy of great British sports cars. Six variations on the sextet theme convene for comparison