1986 Porsche 944 Turbo Vs Mitsubishi Starion ESI-R, Mazda RX-7 Turbo, And Nissan 300ZX Turbo

[@Motorweek]

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[@jb43278]

I had the Mitsubishi Starion back in the day. I’m a grandma now. I still have to focus on controlling my speed. Thanks for the memories!

[@tonymontana897]

One of my all time favourite cars was that Starion. I'd have it over the Porsche any day !

[@tonymontana897]

@@G_I_D_S That's so cool. I live in Australia and we didn't get that version with the pumped guards. I'd love one just like in this video. I wonder If it would be worthwhile importing one from the U.K. if there's any good ones left that is..

[@gamersplaygroundliquidm3th526]

hmm i bought mine off a woman, was yours white? lol

[@jb43278]

@@gamersplaygroundliquidm3th526 The color was Nevada sand.

[@Lance2773]

Starion....Independent Rear Suspension, Positraction, Anti-lock brakes, standard equip, but detuned from the factory. Boost it up baby, she's a torque monster.

[@Flying_GC]

They all had IRS and LSDs, and out of the 3 Japanese cars the 300ZX and the RX have the most power potential although the Starion goes well for a 4 banger.

[@scottlowell493]

It needs at least 100 more hp

[@youngshreddfilthy2930]

Starion ESi R and the FC was overlooked in the late 80's. Now turned heads when you see one.

[@vetteluvnh]

The Starion/Conquest is simply the coolest, most visually stimulating car of the bunch. I'd buy one of these today in heartbeat!

[@olliecrow3547]

No doubt!

[@carwrtr1]

I would gladly own one!

[@dazzazulu777]

Word!

[@B.A.512]

That Starion, what a beauty

[@joeb1808]

I agree. That would be my choice.

[@abracing199]

Amazing styling

[@allanmacbadger5692]

+Bart ten Thije I had one of the very last 2.6 Turbo EX Wide Body JD's coming into the UK and it was also Champange in colour, to cost effectively increase the performance I removed all the emission controls and the CAT converter, added a K&N air filter, fitted a gas flowed exhaust manifold with a customer made performance exhaust system, then I replaced the 2.6 turbo with a smaller one from a 2.0 turbo, this delivered the turbo boost 1000 rpm further up the rev range, so much greater acceleration in 3rd and 4th gears (4th would pull to 120MPH quite easily) and no unforseen 360's on wet roundabouts, I also got rid of the big steering wheel for a smaller Momo and this made a massive difference to the drivability on fast twisty UK roads. The guys at the UK Starion club reckonned I was pushing 220BHP.

[@joeb1808]

+Allan McDigger damn. I have a headache! crazy stuff. I think the starion is an awesome car. love that 2.6 turbo

[@TheNathan696969]

+Bart ten Thije yeah thats why i just bought one :D

[@harleyguyinmilw]

I would gladly take the Starion ESI-R over the other three, such a good looking car with so much potential

[@cptnoremac]

It is a nice body style. Shame it sounds so horrible.

[@Lance2773]

Sounds grrreat with my stainless aftermarket exhaust.

[@RoadCone411]

It didn't have Bendix brakes, so you might as well crash it into a pole.

[@eddybulich3309]

the 82 Starion was considerably quicker than the weighed down 86 model.

[@79tazman]

I would take the Chrysler Conquest lol

[@liquidsilver1941]

man what happened to Mitsubishi? they used to make one of cooler cars back in the day.

[@ronaldderooij1774]

Drive@earth philosophy. That is what happened to Mitsubishi. They acknowledge that environment is more important nowadays than a few tenths of a second faster to 60. When asked if they were not afraid to lose money, they answered that Mitsubishi does not earn money with cars. Directive from the top is that the car division should not lose too much money. That's all. They make money with all sorts of weapons, electronics and Household machines.

[@isaakwelch3451]

It's a shame, mitsubishi used to make some of the coolest cars around imo.

[@roddydykes7053]

Ronald de Rooij it’s too bad they don’t run with that non-profit situation and stop following market trends of bland electric SUVs - and make something interesting for the hell of it.

[@rodmunch69]

Yeah the 3000GT in particular was a real head turner, still is today. The early Eclipse as well, was just a cool car. Now it's all boring garbage - I think mainly because most people are boring now, back in the 80s and 90s people liked to stand out and not be a boring dullard like now.

[@Maleekus]

shorter answer: they made pretty looking garbage that no body was stupid enough to buy

[@chrisdooley6468]

God I loved watching these Saturday mornings growing up. Brings back good memories ;)

[@emt9370]

Chris Dooley I always looked to Saturday mornings because of this show

[@hpmetabolics7558]

Definitely! It would come on the PBS station right after I finished cutting the yard in my early teen years and right before College Football...good times

[@Trance786]

Omg me tooo

[@trashpanda314]

Used to watch it on TNN, along with Shade Tree Mechanic, Trucks, Etc.

[@patricksheehan8157]

I did also, my parents didn't have cable back in the 80's it was public television all the way!

[@rxtuninginc8444]

The Starion looks awesome. Love the bulged fenders

[@stealthmeisterx3533]

Those were the good old days. I remember recording the original episode on a VHS tape and woukd watch it over and over. I lost the tape over the years and thanks to Motorweek's KZbin channel I can re-live my early teen age years once again!

[@rich0585]

I have a 1987 Starion ESI-R in my driveway, she needs a turbo rebuild but she is hard to not love.

[@Nobody-xh5qe]

Hope you got her back on the road

[@rars0n]

Mitsubishi turbos are so easy to work on, I had a 14b that was completely coked up and I took it apart and cleaned it and it worked beautifully. Just be smart, mark the alignment of the pieces and don't forget to use Loctite on the shaft nut so that it doesn't come off and wreak havoc on your turbine blades.

[@edgarcook9607]

I owned an ESI/R exactly like the one in the video back in '93-'95. It had the usual cylinder head replacement problem along with many other repairs. Finally it ran so rough I was convinced that the balance shaft drive had let go. That's when I let go! And: This is the one car that was always slower than the ads. Oh, wait: it had one of the slickest 5-speeds ever.

[@paveldaddy]

I have a 944 turbo and I love it 😍

[@1rstGear]

Yours was slower? Man both of mine have been ridiculous with simple stupid modifications. The Conquest I have now with just exhaust and a fuel injector swap dynoed 201rwhp and 287rwtq at 6.8psi which is 2psi less than the stock setting. I also had a 2degree bump in timing and ran 93 octane. Considering the power these are rated at if my car had been there the day they tested it would have probably beat the field. Even before I made changes my car always ran a touch stronger than the advertised stats...🤷🏾‍♂️ Maybe I got a Wednesday car? Lol

[@403patriot3]

that RX-7 was aimed square at the 944's customer base, the body has more than a few similarities an was radically different than the previous generation purposefully. i have always admired these generation's RX-7's and 944's, those lines are superb. hell the starion ain't bad looking, either but i never liked the 300zx until the next generation...THAT was a real beautiful classic, too. EPIC post, MW...

[@justinprohm]

Pan tera the starion looks more like Porsche

[@ColtSSR]

@@justinprohm what, not even close.

[@justinprohm]

Sausage Skeleton Thats your opinion, my opinion is some of the car is familier to a porsche 944

[@ColtSSR]

@@justinprohm No god damn it, we will fight to the death on this matter.

[@403patriot3]

I got ten bucks AGAINST Justin...

[@GHOSTJERKER]

The Starion/Conquest was one of my favorite cars as a teen. I remember driving a brand-new 88 yellow Conquest and getting it sideways the first time behind the wheel. Still a special memory for me((;

[@ScottDunlap420bd]

I had the Dodge too. Red-must have gotten 20 tickets in that badge-engineerered mopar.

[@ShamanNoodles]

GHOSTJERKER ive always wanted one since i heard of it, they are torque monsters! Could never find one in decent shape for a good price, though. Being up in New England, it is nearly impossible to find one that isn't rusted through all over. Did they have digital dashboards?

[@mikeobarr8589]

Ha, mine got sideways on an entrance ramp at 70mph when the boost peaked. God I miss that car.

[@BACON-l3t]

Just find another one there out there

[@michaelfigert4030]

Not one Starion for sale in the whole of Australia. Rare as hens teeth

[@gordonmcelvany8990]

I had my 1988 Chrysler Conquest turbo upgraded with more air in and out and had waste gate set a 15 lbs. It would eat alive all of the above. Cost? 2500 bucks O-60 in five flat and it went about its business smoothly and quietly. What a sleeper for a four banger.

[@kinster02]

Me too, for 12 years.

[@Flying_GC]

That's kinda irrelevant dude. If you upgraded the turbo on the VG30 or the 13B they make miles more power than the 4G. Apples with apples

[@BasedMan]

@@Flying_GC Well, yeah, but cant beat the starions performance-per-dollar value Specially modded

[@illoominate]

Back in '85 fresh out of college I drove my Starion across the country. Once out in New Mexico I took it up to 134 mph. It was still running smoothly at that speed.

[@joethomas6457]

My mother got to take it in one doing a buck 41

[@frontxxrunner]

I miss my 87 Starion ESI-r. The flared rear looked so cool. Was not the most reliable car I've ever owned, but I loved it's look.

[@christoforospaphitis4090]

the Starion has a small intercooler and that is an issue especially in traffic. First order of the day is to modify the front grill and enlarge the intercooler by 50% or add a second one.

[@jdonns2221]

Mitsubishi used to make great cars

[@tom11zz884]

Joseph Rogers They really did...shame the pretty much gave up on the American market.

[@SolarBlackShine]

+tom11zz884 That is false. They have not given up. If you look up current news on Mitsubishi, they are re-organizing and increasing sales which in turn will give them the chance to build some fun cars once again. If I remember correctly, the plan is for 10 years in which they have been in for a few years already. I can't wait to see the outcome.

[@tom11zz884]

***** They are all but dead in America dude, the Outlander is the only thing going for them, and that isn't selling well compared to the competition. They have no midsize car, no small car...nothing. Honda, Nissan Toyota, Hyundai and others have kicked Mitsubishi ass big time. And I liked Mitsu cars too, especially the Lancer Evolution.

[@nutsackmania]

+Jay Cass MITSABUSHI IS GARBAGE

[@skylinefever]

+Joseph Rogers What can you expect when the 2nd gen Eclipse had numerous mechanical problems, and the 3rd gen had nothing that made the 1G and 2G Eclipse great. The 4th gen Eclipse was just nicer version of the 3rd gen. They made numerous engines that burned excessive amounts of oil. I bought my 2010 Lancer Ralliart because of the DCT transmission and the timing chain engine. If someone else built those things, I'd have chosen that. My rules were: 1. No GM, Chrysler, or Fiat. The scam of 2008 is why. I'd get a Ford, they didn't do that bullshit to the American public. 2. No timing belts. People who choose to design engines with timing belts should be hung by one. 3. Not FWD 4. Manually shiftable transmission with no torque converter.

[@thomascampr]

Stations were GREAT!!! Great leather interior and digital dash and the Stereo was cranking!!!

[@mowowie]

Like being in the cockpit of a jet fighter..

[@michelangelo5903]

seeing these cars in mint condition brings a tear to my eye i love it

[@FUNKOfilms]

Back in October I parked my newly acquired Dodge Stealth next a beautiful Conquest with only 30,000 miles at a car show. It was quite the fitting pair.

[@dadelives1]

Look at the starion!!! Deep dish wheels b4 the hype lol.

[@1rstGear]

EXACTLY

[@jakedover5301]

80’s was an innovative decade for cars, and nobody was more innovative then the japanese

[@cloud819]

Nice to see a good capture of this. The Starquest is awesome.

[@junechris]

178 HP 223 Lb ft of torque for the Mitsubishi was pretty good for it's time in 1986! Probably a fairly quick ride!

[@Bellathebear777]

I'd give reliability, to Nissan, But #1 Starion, #2 Nissan, #3 Mazda. lol distant fourth ( built to break) 944

[@wheelmanstan]

yeah and it's only 2800lbs, sportscars today are a good thousand pounds heavier

[@BrandonLy3993]

I miss the old mitsubishi... back when people drooled over them. made fantastic TVs also...

[@rodmunch69]

My Mitsubishi 65" 1080p DLP projection TV from a decade ago still looks great and still is on the original bulb. They did make great TVs - and that 3000GT was pretty cool too.

[@jakedover5301]

i think im too young to remember desirable mitsubishi’s, only thing i got to experience was 2nd gen eclipse and 00’s evolutions. i wanted a 2nd gen eclipse for my first car but dad said they were pos. i ended up with a 93 mr2 turbo. definitely dont regret that, the 3sgte is a beast

[@henrysniper8481]

​@@rodmunch69 April 2023 and my 65in Mitsubishi TV with new bulb and chip has a gorgeous picture and I also have an ESIR Starion like new but with new metallic orange Pearl paint , ( Lamborghini color) 😅 true story !

[@highwaystar8310]

I had the Starion back then and it wooped ass on everything in a drag race except the Buick GNX! But I got him in the corners!

[@rhyskelly47]

XD

[@spkprobe2]

Highway Star yeah right ..LOL

[@tomhertz1614]

I had a starion and it was awesome. digital everything and leather. Stereo was bangin.

[@davidrubey1298]

Highway Star I still have my 85.5 intercooler conquest. Back in the early 90's I used to take on the GN on the hwy. At about 60mph punch I would walk them by 100mph and they never closed the gap. (I never raced or saw a true GNX) I'll admit my was slightly modified... turbo back HKS exhaust, open airbox, cam, and running 14.5psi boost. 5.0 'stangs and z28 Camaros were no challenged.

[@davidrubey1298]

... and i had serious suspension mods. It would easily run with 944 turbos on the track and tight corner roads (without long staights to get above about 130) The main mechanic that helped do a lot of the suspension work autocrossed a modified 240z, and when done said my would out corner his, and was much faster in 2nd and 3rd gear than his car.

[@mannycastle3011]

Now that is a fun job to have! Driving these awesome cars to the limit

[@publikenemi49]

Had 87 starion and loved it. Started developing power loss, couldn’t figure out what it was and assumed it was a blown cylinder . I later learned it was probably just a vacuum loss in turbo or intake manifold based on the symptoms. . Apparently common with these. Would’ve been a relatively simple fix, I’m just kicking myself now. Was in my early 20s and gave up on it instead of researching it. 😕. But I just paid for a head gasket job and feared I was throwing away good money after bad once the power loss developed months later .

[@andydhillon1977]

The engines have a lot of inherent issues unfortunately. But they all can be resolved.

[@alouiciousjackson5812]

The Starion was the best of them. It was a beast. Handled great, looked great, and could easily be made fast.

[@nutsackmania]

lol no

[@1400IntruderVS]

Since Motorweek always gets the worst test results compared to many publications I would argue that they are the closest to what you may expect from your average driver.

[@rodmunch69]

Yeah, they test the cars from a dead stop, without a race car driver revving the engine, etc. It's just hit the gas and go - exactly like 99% of people would do. The only people who sit there revving the engine, spinning the tires to warm them up, etc, are assholes.

[@dr.lyleevans6915]

@@rodmunch69 That’s not true. They definitely rev the motor. Either their drivers aren’t talented, or they don’t account for 1 foot of rollout like other publications do

[@rodmunch69]

@@dr.lyleevans6915 you can literally just watch their 0-60 runs, they don't rev the engines, they just push the pedal and go - again, exactly like real people, who aren't a-holes, do in real life. So they give you a real 0-60 time. There is no 1-ft rollout rule in the real world, there is press a pedal and go unless you're a prick who drinks Monster Energy 24/7 and says "LETS GO!!!! LETS GO!!!!" to random women with kids in their cars as they rev their engine and spin their tires at stop lights.

[@fry.master]

@@dr.lyleevans6915their testing conditions are realistic and launch methods repeatable… it’s not a skill issue: it’s a skill issue on the readers part understanding the information of the number / footage of the run. Use your own brain, they don’t cut their stopwatch numbers to stroke manufacturer cock like most of your magazines.

[@bryanmchugh1307]

I am old enough to remember when MW first started on Maryland Public Television. Good stuff

[@JRGarage]

951 for the win!!

[@jackallen6261]

I have a 1986 944 Turbo, such a great car!!

[@masterchinese28]

It's a classic now.

[@Lance2773]

See Jackie Chan and Jaws in a Starion/Conquest in the movie, "Cannonball Run 2" with Burt Reynolds.

[@RoadCone411]

'It's not what you do, it's how you do it. Be anything you want to be...'

[@Guy_de_Loimbard]

Ah, fond memories. I had an '88 Chrysubishi StarQuest back in the mid-90s. I lived in small-town downstate Illinois at the time where this car was practically considered an exotic by folks who weren't fooled by its Chrysler badge. Another fellow in town with even more exotic tastes had an '85-ish 944 N/A. We never actually met or knew each other, but whenever we crossed paths we knew it was on, whether it was stoplight-to-stoplight skirmish or a blast down a farm road. I have to say that Conquest acquitted itself quite well against its Axis ally. Good times. :)

[@publikenemi49]

DroverChicago , sounds like you and I were enjoying the same car around the same time - I had an 87 station in 1994-95. But I was in New England

[@Dragunov302]

Starion looks the best

[@olliecrow3547]

Agreed

[@hertzair1186]

Flat4Fan : 944 wins the beauty contest here...

[@jamiebarth1011]

Had 2 RX7 Turbo II's back in the day...what a great car!

[@DaveA441]

I found a Conquest Tsi for sale. Should I buy it. It's in average condition

[@veg776543]

+DaveA441 you should, it is hard to find

[@timsgta]

So are parts id imagine. Lmao

[@timsgta]

Its hard to find bc most of them rotted in junkyard...

[@youcanbesmartaskhow3857]

Yes and get a license plate that says ''FLY TSI'' My friend had one.20 yrs ago

[@publikenemi49]

I hope you bought it !?!?

[@petertyrell9699]

944s got that 50/50 weight distribution and high build quality. Turbo's are still sought after for track enthusiasts today.

[@rodmunch69]

I never cared about 50/50 weight distribution until I bought a BMW 428i - which I picked over the 435i because of that 50/50 weight distribution - in that the 435i was nose heavy and less responsive. I've owned tons of other performance cars like Corvettes, Camaro's, a Mustang, a '05 GTO and others, and while the 428i wasn't as fast as some of those, the thing about it is how easily you can drive it - the thing is so incredibly precise. The Cadillac ATS is basically a ripoff of the 3-series, which is all the 4-series is, and I would say might handle just a tad better, but it had that God awful entertainment touchscreen which just doesn't work, so I went with the BMW, and it was impressive. Still, with all that said, the '85 Fiero GT is still the most fun to drive car I've ever owned, you could just throw that thing around and it just stuck to the road with the engine right behind your head - it was just a big go-kart. But the 50/50 stuff, for pure driving excellence, is a must after having experienced it.

[@gerhardhillmann1]

@@rodmunch69 944, so easy to rotate. Iift, it rotates, throttle, go! Easy for a beginner to do.

[@Superflight777ge]

@@rodmunch69 same here but mine was a 128i 6-speed sport pkg over the nose heavy ( 200+ lbs frt axle more )135i. It was a fun go kart but no room for a tall man.

[@rmp5s]

Poor Z31...I still love you...lol

[@1rstGear]

The Z31 did great, it was just too heavy to compete with lighter cars that made about the same power. Love me some Z cars! And the Z31 looked great out there on the track. I always dig em with Tee Tops!

[@mcqueenfanman]

@@1rstGear Didn't Nissan have a less optioned lighter sport model of the 300z?

[@1rstGear]

@@mcqueenfanman not that I'm aware of state side until the Z33/34 variants that had track editions.... the Z31 here came in anniversary flavor which is actually heavier than the standard turbo cars due to options that the others didn't have, and the lightest version was the N/A 2+2 in 1985 and the final Z31 turbo in 1989 before the release of the Z32. In the end none of that matters though. Add an air to air intercooler, toss on a .60 trim T3/T04E with a .82 hotside, run 550cc injectors, a Walbro 255 fuel pump, a good fuel control system, a decent exhaust, intake, and a maf conversion and the VG30ET wakes up! 350-375whp in a Z31 is extremely entertaining. The chassis can take so much more power than that, and the car looks good doing what it does at that power level.

[@indiextronic]

@@mcqueenfanman In 1988 Nissan released the 'Shiro Special' edition of the 300ZX- quickly differentiated by its all white paint job and white wheels. It was the most stripped down version of the Z31 and offered around 100lbs of weight savings. Though, to be fair, probably not enough to stay competitive on the track with lightweights like the RX-7 and Starion. The Z at the time was decidedly more GT car than track car. Lots of love for that generation nonetheless.

[@staplehead3]

@@mcqueenfanman Yea, you're thinking of the 200zr. Came with the rb20 and stiffere suspension. Was only ever available in Japan though.

[@baph_nooky8255]

Gotta love that Starion. It's a shame that Mitsubishi is a shadow of their former selves anymore.

[@timsgta]

RetroScotsman that's because who would buy Mitsubishi, Isuzu, or Suzuki when there's Toyota, Honda, and Nissan?

[@jdrancho1864]

@@timsgta Exactly for that reason. They're everywhere.

[@jOoomOooo]

its not as bad as lancia

[@bradfromthevalley]

@@timsgta Eclipse and EVO, over the Z and whatever Honda and Toyota were making at that time.

[@HardRockLady1]

First car ever bought when I was in college was a 87 Conquest TSI turbo ... man that car was ahead of it’s time in technology

[@mick5137]

_An_ 87, college boy.

[@carwrtr1]

Conquest and Starion were beautiful cars that were ahead of their time; never drove one, but I certainly would have one, as it is a dream ride I’d have..

[@grandizer4531]

Damn I miss my Starion.

[@redneon06]

These reviews are amazing and informative!

[@danield9021]

Love Starion rims. They look surprisingly great on a MKIII supra with a mild drop.

[@clockandballtorturewithcra5010]

Supras are basic

[@yungkidnf]

Oh pop up headlights, how we miss you so. . .

[@HoosierDaddy_]

Oh my gosh. I had an identical 86 red 300zx turbo just like that one. I turned up the boost and it was way faster. I loved that comfortable beast. Excellent 12ish way adjustable seats.

[@WE.R.NOT.OK.W.U.TRMP_GTFO]

I had an 89' Conquest (Starion) TSI, loved that car so much. Super fun, super laggy, lol, esp. once I got the HKS kit installed.

[@hectorsantiago5350]

Back when cars were actually fun to drive and own!😎

[@reggieice1342]

I love MotorWeek and I know that the 1st gen 300zx, fc rx7, and Mitsubishi Starion aren't the fastest cars in the world lol but I still have thought in my mind that the tested 0-60 times are pretty slow and that these 3 cars were capable of having a way better/faster 0-60 time with their true potential.

[@timsgta]

Reggie ice no they were actually that slow

[@BACON-l3t]

Actually i agree with him i was almost a teen when these cars was around every single one of them were very quick if the driver knew how to shift them properly, allot of times its the driver's poor skills and slow reaction coordination to throttle response and rpm timing.if these guys were pros then they sucked cause i know allot of average Joes myself included that knows how to make these here vehicles get it

[@timsgta]

I don't know about all that I had a 1980 280ZX with a 5-speed and a friend of mine had a much newer Honda Odyssey Minivan and the 280ZX could not outrun the minivan and a 300ZX Turbo from 1988 has only got 50 or 60 horsepower on my 280ZX and the 300 weighs more than the 280ZX did so I don't know you do the math. These cars of this era are just dogs plain and simple without any kind of work being done to them, that's why when the 87 Mustang GT 5 liter high output came out it was such a performer because aftermarket were so available for it that it just absolutely destroyed anything short of a pre 1972 muscle car. It took Pontiac and Chevrolet several years to catch up to the Mustang performance, speaking of stock performance straight from the factory that is. Pontiac and Chevrolet really didn't have anything that could compete with the Mustang until the new Z28 came out 1993 and the Trans Am also from that year. So these cars are cool looking and all and they're fun to drive because they're small a lot of them are two-seaters and their Nimble they're very agile the very quick in the corners but stop light to stop light out on the highway they don't perform straight from the factory at all you have a hard time walking away from a 4-cylinder Ford Fusion nowadays if you have a stock one of these cars and try to do anything on the highway with it

[@BACON-l3t]

@@timsgta well hell wut do you expect you telking bout kers thet's 30 yrs. old, vs newer technology im not even going into thet sensless stetement you high es hell lol, 4 the record i'd still put money on the Sterion /Conkwest well if restored properly with just light mods it'll durn neer dust most kers of 2dey just look et some of the videos on here en you'd close your mouth es you don't know wut you're telking ebout.

[@mrpayne1974]

I owned an rx7 t2 an 0to60 atleast a mid to high 6seconds you gotta rev her up high

[@jjs777fzr]

Loved the Starion.

[@rjetta8v]

It would have been cool if they threw the XR4Ti in the mix.

[@1rstGear]

I’m a glutton for punishment, I have both an XR4Ti and a Conquest TSi.... I agree it would have been cool to toss it in there! Lol

[@creekhed1]

when I was in high school my Dad had a 300ZX Tunbo and it was awesome (for its time)! Before that though he has an '81 280ZX Turbo...THAT was my FAV BY FAR!!!

[@dumbcat]

had a Starion. funnest car i ever had but mine was behind on maintenance when i bought it. was young and couldn't afford to fix it up. would love to have a cherry one today

[@starquestman1544]

Ive got an 86' Conquest funnest car in the world just don't do what I did and forget to check the water temp regularly. Mine developed a bad fan relay which overheated it and caused a coolant leak into the block that took out the main bearings! now I gota do an engine rebuild :(

[@dumbcat]

@@starquestman1544 dang. sucks man. if it makes you feel any better a week after i bought my starion i drove it 3 hrs into mexico and blew a head gasket. and i didn't speak spanish. took me 2 weeks to get home!

[@kevinjohnston5998]

The first car I purchased in 2002 was a 88 300zx N/A...it was a blast to drive great handling...and with the tops off...ouff...great all around car and nice sporty look...loved it...and guess what, l am lucky enough to still own it. Dropped suspension and a few mods, it handles pretty well. I tried every other car on that list and my heart still beats for the Z...it's such a great rider.

[@deaconblue5994]

Yep, just like I remember. I had an 85 Mustang GT back then and the only car that gave me a run for my money was the 944 turbo. Now I'm talking about stock cars here with no modifications. I had a co-worker who bought a new 86 300zx turbo. We all went out at lunchtime to check out his new car. It was a nice car. Then he started talking about how fast it was, then I said jokingly "hey wanna race". He looked at me like I was crazy and said "you know this is turbocharged".

[@deaconblue5994]

After that it was on, all the guys were egging us on. So we decided to go out to Airport Road after work. Three races and three wins for me. Maybe it was the K&N air cleaner. Lol.

[@timsgta]

85 mustang vs 87 completely diff animal. Mustang came alive with the 5.0HO

[@BACON-l3t]

Mustang guys will tell you anything! (not hating i own a Mustang,"14 Premium CS V6 R.ed.

[@BACON-l3t]

to clearify i wasn't saying red which it is was saying Roush edition

[@timsgta]

@@BACON-l3t I'm sorry bud but a V6 Mustang is not a Mustang

[@DugEphresh]

My 1986 Porsche 951 (944 turbo) is a beast and I bought it because of the review.

[@andydhillon1977]

Stock or with upgrades?

[@MrUltraworld]

I owned the RX-7 Turbo. I absolutely loved it. It was $10k less than a stripped 944 Turbo.

[@eddier3835]

I had the silver 86 Starion ESI-R. Got it new from the dealership. Kept it pristine for 20 years and finally gave it away to my cousin. Only thing I disliked about it were the leaky fuel injectors. I had them replaced and they leaked again after a few years.

[@roxannenuttall1510]

I really do not understand where they get their figures and performance stats from..... I do agree that the Starion is easy on the eye and it's easily seen how they appeal, in saying that the wide body version only. I personally own a 85 Z31, auto trans turbo and I have to say that I'm only running it @ a slight higher than standard 7psi. I have raced all the vehicles featured on this vid and I have to say that it was really a one horse race. It was on a closed section of back road roughly 2.5kms in length which each had driven before so there were no excuses to be had there. Apart from having a slightly higher than standard psi and semi decent rubber the rest of my vehicle was absolutely standard. The others vehicles had various mods from running higher psi, to upgraded suspension and brakes, strut braces to expensive rubber. I'm not trying to detract or put down any o the other vehicles, however I really do not believe the true story is being told and that they want a particular vehicle(s) look better than others.

[@rodmunch69]

Another douche who claims the numbers are wrong because they "know" they're wrong...ugh, embarrassing.

[@Randall974]

I had a Plymouth Conquest, warm silver with dark tinted windows. Coolest car ever with really good looks. I bought a dealer demo for $15k. The manager had been using it to drive back and forth to work. Leather seats, dash, door panels, steering wheel, and headliner. Recaro seats. Excellent sound and climate control. And outstanding performance and handling with the intercooled turbo and a super suspension. Plus tons of room with the hatchback and rear seats that could lay down. I wish I still had it. A really enjoyable car.

[@andydhillon1977]

Buy one! I'm going to buy one. Always loved these cars.

[@bbqsundae]

I owned a 1986 Black Mazda Turbo II , my favorite car I ever had.

[@skip741x3]

very same here bro and i felt the same abt it..miss that car.. mine almost killed me

[@nilsutt]

please do you have any Volvo videos you can post, maybe 740/760 turbo or 850 glt or T5 (turbo). Greetings from sweden

[@Motorweek]

We've got plenty. I'll get some up soon. Thanks for watching

[@thomascampr]

***** Do you have the Chrysler laser XT turbo Big in 1985 1/2 and 86.

[@xsduprwd3937]

Yeah I would love to see a Volvo review, loved the 850 glt one.

[@lucasmaciel8188]

nilsutt de um amigo meu que tem como eu ia me esquecendo de uma pessoa de um amigo e o meu coração que a minha conta isso é uma boa opção é um bom trabalho i

[@robertobuenrostro2781]

Starion!

[@JDsHouseofHobbies]

Did the Starion have IRS? Man, I can't remember the last time I saw one! These old Motorweek videos are just awesome.

[@Guy_de_Loimbard]

Yes it did.

[@DavidB-rx3km]

McPherson struts on the front and back.

[@davidrubey1298]

With Limited Slip Dif, and antilock disc brakes.

[@rxtuninginc8444]

Yes it had independent rear

[@rxtuninginc8444]

@@davidrubey1298 ABS was on rear wheels only.

[@OutlawFarmersRC]

Now this is a great comparison video!!!

[@Transpower]

I love Porsches, of course, but I have to admit that that Mitsubishi looks darn good.

[@RyanBonnecarrere]

Would love to see this test in the early 90's 3000GT, Supra, Rx-7, 944 Turbo, Z32 300ZX

[@aryazad1]

Had a red manual 88 RX7 bought in 90 after high school, what a great ride it looked to be ahead of its time compared to most other cars in its class,.. always wanted to get the turbo but could never get one and still to date it feels like an unfinished task in my life.. I absolutely loved my RX7.. damn time flies 😑

[@boss12]

Turbos aren’t super expensive. Go get you one.

[@hartsickdisciple]

The 0-60 and 1/4 mile times listed for the Z are about what you would get out of an N/A Z31 300zx. The turbo did 0-60 in 7 seconds, and the 1/4 mile in about 15 flat @ 93-94 mph in most tests. I'm not sure what motorweek did to get such bad times out of it.

[@ShamanNoodles]

hartsickdisciple i was thinking the same

[@hartsickdisciple]

***** If that were the case, it should have affected all of the cars. Turbocharged engines are generally less affected by altitude, since they have a blower pushing air into the engine. An N/A engine has to make due without that advantage.

[@hartsickdisciple]

***** They weren't all a lot slower than they should have been, comparing to other tests from that era. The 300zx turbo was the only one running well over a second off a normal pace. Besides, where do you think they were testing these?

[@skylinefever]

+hartsickdisciple The Z31 300ZX turbo had no intercooler, so on a hot day, it would lose more HP than the other turbocharged engines in the test.

[@hartsickdisciple]

Skyline Fever That may be true, but this is BY FAR the slowest time I've ever seen for a Z31 turbo.

[@redhatt69]

I had one of the Starion/Conquests, that car was a blast to drive!

[@1rstGear]

Trust me they still are! I clutch kick mine into power slides all the time, so neutral and nimble and mine is on all original suspension.... these cars are still a gas to throw around, and they still get comments when you’re just cruise’n around 😁

[@darkmatterm4a1]

Motorweek, I love all of your retro review videos! Any chance you guys could upload the 91 Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4/Dodge Stealth Turbo review? I remember watching it so many times back in the day, but I can't seem to find it anymore. Thanks!

[@glenniz1]

I owned an 86 Starion ESIR, it was by far the best car I have ever owned, especially after I replaced the stock Yokahama tires, with A008 Yokahama race tires! BTW, it did go beyond the factory claimed 154 mph top speed.....I have the ticket to prove it!!!

[@timsgta]

glenniz1 there's no way you had a ticket the prove it it would have been a ticket at all it would have been going to jail. No ticket just take your ass to jail for going that fast

[@timsgta]

And I'm pretty sure speed that fast is a felony offense in any state under any circumstances

[@glenniz1]

!985 on my through Parump Nevada $600.00!!!

[@jakesmith2984]

glenniz1 You have the ticket to prove it.... And the IQ to prove your gene pool too?

[@rodmunch69]

Oh bullshit. You were not doing 154mph with 170hp, in fact the specs at the time are that it topped out at 127mph. You're fake news.

[@johnnyk8211]

Those were the days i was junior in high school going surfing all the time lovin it

[@r.a.p.k.models4160]

Puerto Rico took those three Japanese engines and currently they have world record in drag , fastest 13b, fastest vg30 (lazcano), starion 2.6 first doorslammer to touch 7 seconds (zakura)🏁🏁🏁

[@fgeiger41]

Great video. Loved that old school game show music Bink! Lol

[@alphamaledriveshard]

2:16. Wait a minute. Just 200hp from a 3 litre v6 despite having a turbo? What the hell Nissan? The 1986 Toyota Supra had a 3 litre inline 6 which made 200hp without a turbo. The Porsche 944 turbo had 17hp more.

[@MSimmonsAZ]

I had a 1990 rx7 for 17 years. It was a good car, mine worked great, although driven as a second car. I bought it used. I remember sitting in the garage and going through the manual. I learned so much about the car that way, the anti squat suspension in the rear for example. Mazda's tag line at the time was "it just feels right" The car always felt balanced, steering was direct, brakes with were direct. I miss that car the most.

[@SilverScarletSpider]

Oh man, the late 1980’s. Precursor to the 1990’s legends with timeless design

[@ThePhotographyHobbyist]

Funny how far technology has come. I remember working as a teen at the Porsche/Audi dealer and drooling over the 944 Turbo....but today, my stock twin turbo F150 accelerates faster to 60 than the 944 Turbo. I guess 420 lb ft of torque helps. Gotta love progress :-)

[@PistonAvatarGuy]

Torque does almost nothing for acceleration performance, it has much more to do with hp to weight ratio.

[@rodmunch69]

@@PistonAvatarGuy Actually torque does matter, but not as much as gearing. My 428i, which weights 3500lbs, and only has a 240hp 4-cyclinder in it, can do 0-60 of 5.4 and do 13.8 quarter miles. BMW tunes their car in a way that you get a lot of that power lower in the power ban than you do with American cars, so they'll jump out 0-60 and even over a quarter they do well, but when you're doing 80 and floor it, there's very little left - it will of course go faster, but my bigger CTS, which had over 300hp, would get smoked 0-60 and over a quarter, but from 60-100, 120 would kill the BMW.

[@PistonAvatarGuy]

@@rodmunch69 Your BMW probably has a better power to weight ratio than your CTS. Either way, it's all about power, whether it's power in the low rpm range, or power at peak power output.

[@jordanprice9285]

Well since Mitsubishi is somewhat with or in cahoots with dodge, hopefully they will get back on their feet with something fun and tuneable again.. As much as I love Subaru's just a tad more for good reason, I kinda feel bad that Mitsubishi was kicked to the wayside and tbh it's not as fun without them competing against Subaru and they only had the Evo going for them all this time up until March this year.. I hope they don't stop the company cuz I would love to see what cars they would come out with and I'm not ready for them to leave the game yet.. .

[@rodmunch69]

2 years in the future and I check the Mitsubishi website... and!... nothing but garbage. Sorry, the good ole days are over.

[@SilverScarletSpider]

Please do more reviews like this!

[@MisterBShi]

I have an 85 Starion/Conquest in my garage. 112k original miles. Bought it in 2014 from 93yo original owner who garaged it in 1998 and left it. Same color as one in this vid too. I fixed it up, kept it bone stock aside from wheels and tires and am keeping it until my son is grown so he can have his first badass project car (my first car was a 77 Celica GT)

[@proehm]

I had the Plymouth version of a Starion, bought new in '85. If it hadn't been destroyed in a flood, I would still have it. Most fun car I ever owned...

[@anibalbabilonia1867]

Those cars where my dream car's back in the day! I ended up buying an 85 mazda rx7 gsl-se 13b. What a car it was for those times! And still impressive after all those year's! I jist wish i still have it today! If i knew then what i know now! Boy!

[@88tcoupe]

Would loved to have seen an '86 SVO in this mix. Also, can't wait to see the TurboCoupe, just like the one I own :)

[@rodmunch69]

Why are Ford owners such morons - it's literally called a test of east vs west - meaning Germany and Japan.

[@1rstGear]

He Calls Ford owners Morons....fails to recognize the west includes the United States...😂 I agree with you, I would have loved to see the SVO, the XR4Ti and the Turbo Coupe tossed in just for the sake of seeing all Turbo cars get down

[@3.2Carrera]

Great test from back in the day. I guess the best one to own now would be the 944 because of Porsche Classic and the original OEM's still cranking many of the parts . I'm sure low production volume on cars like the Mitsubishi these days would have spare parts listed as NLA.

[@Vicus_of_Utrecht]

Well of course, it's standard practice to dump all inventory of a discontinued line after ~ten years. OEM still making parts for Porche is just an exception.

[@andydhillon1977]

​@Vicus_of_Utrecht Toyota often does, too. BMW is pretty good mainly because the actual manufacturer of the "genuine OEM" parts produce them.under their own names.

[@jjs777fzr]

These videos are gold.

[@bobt5778]

The Starion's styling certainly stands out here with that '80s "Mr. Roboto" look. I still like them!

[@bjgeorge762]

Im loving these vids! Do you have a review of the 87-88 Thunderbird Turbocoupe?

[@Gunsforfreedom]

Excellent request!

[@Motorweek]

Affirmative. Very soon

[@georgejacob3162]

***** Ok. They're all shit! That's it. Old Hyundai/Kia review done!

[@georgejacob3162]

***** Hyundai's and Kia's were based on Fords back in the 80's and 90's. The compact Kia Pride for example was based on the Ford Festiva/Fiesta/Mazda 121 chassis.

[@danmccarthy4700]

Darren Martin A good portion of them, yes... but not all of them. The Stellar may have been a rebodied 1960s Ford Cortina, but The Excel used Mitsubishi mechanicals.

[@MRShifty24211]

I love RX7 I have an 85 it's extremely fun to drive very fast those rotary are crazy

[@berrisfueller8205]

I drove a late 80's rx7 turbo a few times back in the day and it sure felt faster than the times posted in this video. That thing was crazy quick. It even had an audible alarm when you hit redline because it rev'd up so fast, especially 1st gear. All are cool cars though. I like the conquest too. Looks awesome.

[@timsgta]

A1 Tint Kits felt fast cuz your butt was dragging the ground

[@skip741x3]

I agree bro cuz I oqwed the rx7 turbo and it was a freakin missile...that surge would come on, and it would feel like the hand of God was pushing you from behind...I could effortlessly pass rows of cars in a few secs and they would become a dot in my rear view

[@ClassicTVMan1981X]

The successors to the Starion and Conquest, the 3000GT and Dodge Stealth respectively, were more powerful and more inline with the 300ZX and 944.

[@TheVet3184]

I had a 1988 Chrysler Conquest TSI in black

[@johnnyturbo8460]

Loved my 944 turbo!

[@noelaguirre7104]

Back in the day, I worked for a Mitsu dealership, I made it my mission to give at least one test drive on a Station every day, precisely the stick shift. I absolutely loved that car. If I came across one for sale now will sure buy it.

[@Sonic_1000]

Didn't the Starion later become the Conquest?

[@davidburton3447]

+Sonic_1000 no. they were released at the same time. conquest was what it was called under the dodge badge. like the 80's chevy nova/toyota corolla.

[@Sonic_1000]

+David Burton ah, okay

[@Cre8Lounge]

Back when we had much more sports cars

[@cytherians]

The Starion was an amazing value for its time. Nice beefy wide body style that has aged well. But that interior... so dated. Instrument clusters end up with faded amber digital displays. And mechanically speaking, it just can't compete with what is produced today. Sure would be great to see some retro car styles introduced (like modernized version of the Starion) with modern day car technology. Don't bother trying to hunt down an old Starion... you'll just be buying a money pit and disappointment.

[@BACON-l3t]

So wht do you suggest just let the rest of them rot in someone's yrd, reel ker lovers don't think like you these r some people's dreem to own one of these hot rides specielly when you grew up during the eru when these kers were some of the most sought .fter vehicles, once eegin (some keys on my keybourd not working).

[@starquestman1544]

Starquests do require lots of patience but are very rewarding cars to own. I quite like the amber dash lighting and as far as fading goes only the needles fade to a yellow color, the rest of the interior used much higher quality materials that resist fading and cracking that its a little odd to find an interior thats in bad shape unless its just abused. I had a friend that owned a 92' corrado with the supercharged 4 cylinder and the interior quality was horrible and things like the wiring looking like it came from the 60's I would never buy a european car especially from the 80's or 90's, heck i worked on my cousins 06 mini cooper and its wiring looked like that VWs wiring all tinny guage wire with little press on brass connectors. Yes the G54B engine was far from perfect but there are many workarounds for it and if someone doesn't want to work around them there are plenty of engine swaps that have been done. but saying that they aren't worth owning because of this is a bit ridiculous considering just how unique of a car they have become. Heck mine has developed an engine knock and needs a rebuild but thats no reason to just give up and buy a mustang or something.

[@hyperlogos]

The 300ZX was a Corvette competitor, it wasn't made to battle the 944. It offers more performance than the 'vette at a lower price, but the seats aren't as squishy. I had an '84 300ZX Turbo.

[@MatrixDiscovery]

Martin Espinoza A Vette in the 80's??? That's not saying much.

[@hyperlogos]

smasila You must be new. The point was that in 1984, the 300ZX was just as fast as the Corvette... Just like the 300ZX TT was just as fast as the Corvette in 1992 or whenever the Z32 came out. And like the 240Z was as fast as the Corvette in 1971... for half the money

[@chrisxaf1237]

@@hyperlogos the 71 240Z was as fast as a 250 nova

[@MrMadamS69]

The Golden Age of sports cars -- so many choices! And this doesn't even include the Supra or any american cars