1984 – Power War

When the third-generation Camaro debuted in 1982, a horsepower war started between Chevy and Ford. Ford’s Mustang GT, equipped with a “Boss” 302 motor (5.0-liter), made 157 horsepower and could get the lightweight car to 60 mph quickly. The more appealing Camaro Z28 made more power but was heavier. So, each year, Chevy and Ford found ways to extract more power out of their pony cars. By 1984, the Z28 was making 190 horsepower – 15 more than the Mustang GT and turbocharged four-cylinder Mustang SVO. To celebrate, Chevrolet added awful electronic gauges to the options list.