Major tech innovations in cars during the 1980's and 1990's?

I would look mostly at electronics and safety. ABS, airbags, traction control, stability control, etc..

The NSX was the first production car with variable valve timing in 1991.

 

ABS.
Traction control.
Mainstream electronic fuel injection via computer.
Navigation.
Variable valve lift.
8-track tape. Nevermind, that was the 70's.

 

Ya beat me !

PS; yes look at the NSX. Leader in many technologies including traction control, mass production of aluminum monocoques, and VVS.

Mclaren did do Carbon Fiber construction,

 

1987 - first car to come stock with driver and passenger airbags.. Porsche 944 Turbo

 

Electronic fuel injection. There was some in the late 70's but it became main stream in the 80's.

 

cupholders

 

Airbags

From Wiki of course

 

4 wheels steering was 'supposed' to be a hot innovation during the '80s ...a few cars had it, the prelude 4WS, the VR4 had it too

 

Of course BMW and Porsche applied turbocharging to production road cars in the mid-70's, but turbos really went mainstream with EFI in the 1980's.
Chrysler put a turbo on most everything they could (we had a 1989 2.5L turbo, 5-speed manual equipped Caravan- not kidding!)
I believe that the NSX brought the first true multi-channel ABS to production cars as well in 1991.

Brian

 

very true ....a few have been modded and raced at the local drag tracks around the country ....myself had 3 of them (2.2T omni, 2.2T2 daytona, 2.5T shelby daytona) and last a srt4 with stage3 turbo upgrade

 

Prior to the 80s many were using carb turbo set ups. The combination of Turbocharging and electronic fuel injection really gave a big boost in performance. Such a boost that GM had to stop making the Grand Nationals because they were faster then their "Flagship" car the Corvette.

You could easily discuss how a turbo using a carb evolved into EFI Intercooled engines like the ones found in Porsches & Supras.

 

very true, my first mustang was a 2.3 turbo carbed, later transplanted a EFI thunderbird 2.3 turbo engine into it ...huge difference

i love the GNs and GNX ...the GNX powered firebird (20th anniversary) was a fantastic period example ...and could beat a C4 handily!

 

No disrespect to the GN, but I thought Porsche was turbo'ing since the late 70s, as well as using FI (K jet, I think) since '78. I real Porsche nut could fill in my details.

 

The Mercedes S class has many firsts check into those

 

Also there where changes in head/valve design. Control of turbulence to better mix air/fuel for one. 4v/cylinder cars become a little more common to.

 

Porsche started with merchanical injection in the 1973.5 911T.

And VW was fuel injecting its cars from '78 or so, maybe earlier (Beetle?)

 

Fiero's were better overall cars than the Corvettes of those years

 

Ferrari invented self-dissolving plastics circa '89.

Also I think directional tires (Goodyear Gatorbacks) came along in the '80s.