lashback to the early '80s: Ronald Reagan was threatening to nuke the Soviet Union and Madonna was still just a lucky star. But car enthusiasts were hardly lucky at all, as truly lust-worthy supercars, which flowered briefly in the early '70s, seemed to be nothing more than a fading memory.

Shaking off a more than decade-long drought brought on by the advent of government-mandated emissions controls and a string of crippling fuel crises across the globe, sports-car makers finally got back into the business of building low-volume ultra-highperformance machinery by the middle of the '80s. Ferrari and Aston Martin were at the forefront of this new supercar arms race.

Ferrari introduced the GTO at the Geneva Auto Show in March of 1984, reviving the name of its hallowed, world-beating 250 GTO from the early 1960s. It was a watershed moment in sports-car history, as it not only marked the return of the supercar, but with 400 horsepower and a claimed top speed of 190 mph, the GTO represented a drastic escalation of performance-the era of the hyper-exotic was born.

Dubbed the 288 GTO in reference to its 2.8-liter 8-cylinder motor, this mid-engined Ferrari was built as a homologation special for Group B circuit racing, which required 200 street-going examples (Ferrari eventually built 272 of them at $84,000 a pop). But this road-racing counterpart to the popular rally series didn't materialize, and the 288 GTO was never raced as intended-a fate that also befell Porsche's 959. Though not as technologically audacious as the Porsche, the Ferrari still bristled with sophistication. Fresh off two consecutive Formula 1 constructors' titles with the turbocharged 126C, Ferrari used forced induction to nearly double the output of its small V8. Though classical in shape, the GTO's bodywork was composed of a cutting-edge combination of lightweight Kevlar, Nomex and fiberglass.

Two people who witnessed the GTO missile launch at Geneva were Aston Martin Lagonda CEO Victor Gauntlett and American Peter Livanos, who owned a majority stake in Aston at the time. The latter actually put down a deposit on a GTO at the show, then suggested to Gauntlett that Aston should take up the Ferrari challenge and build its own limited-production supercar. Duly convinced and not one to waste any time, Gauntlett went over to the Zagato stand at the show to see if the coachbuilder could help create such a car. A month later, a deal having been done, Aston and Zagato sat down and established the performance targets: a top speed of 300 km/h (186 mph) and a 0-60 mph time of under 5 seconds.

In 1986, 25 years after the creation of the DB4GT Zagato-a car that itself was a reaction to the original Ferrari GTO-Aston Martin unveiled the V8 Zagato, a futuristic looking two-seat coupe based on the existing front-engine Vantage platform. With an aerodynamically sculpted greenhouse, a radically shortened chassis and a squared-off grille, its appearance shocked the Geneva Auto Show crowd. Though the Zagato was more of an ultra-gran turismo than than the race-ready GTO, Aston wasn't afraid to take on Ferrari when it came to playing the numbers game: Only 50 of these 432-hp machines were to be built at a then-staggering price of $130,00. All were sold before a single one was manufactured, providing Aston with an infusion of desperately needed cash.

Ferrari Fantastic
When the 288 GTO arrives at our photo location in New England, we are bowled over by its startling beauty. It has hips, a thin waist and moves with feminine grace. Unlike the vast majority of designs from the 1980s, there's a timelessness to the GTO's beauty Over two decades after its debut, this Ferrari doesn't look dated.

The basic styling elements and proportions of the 308 GTB are there; it was penned by the same hands at Pininfarina, namely those of Leonardo Fioravanti. But the GTO is longer, wider, leaner and meaner than the car upon which it is based. Unlike the 308, which had its V8 mounted transversely, the GTO's engine is mounted longitudinally, resulting in a 4.4-inch longer wheelbase. With well-integrated spoilers front and rear and meaty 16-inch wheels filling out the generous fender flares, the GTO's proportions seem nearly perfect.

As owner Chuck Schoendorf, a lifelong car enthusiast from Connecticut and recent convert to Italian machinery, hands me the keys of his beloved 1985 GTO, he gives me fair warning about how difficult it can be to drive. He tells me the gearbox is balky when cold, the side mirrors are "useless" and putting the hammer down in anything but a straight line is a risky proposition (especially with cold tires), confirming the 288 GTO's reputation for being twitchy and biting the inexperienced pilot. At the very least, an unseasonably warm January day gives us a chance to get behind the wheel before the salt comes out and the GTO goes into hibernation.

You don't so much step into the Ferrari as fall into it. The recommended practice is to put your keister into the very narrow, very low, thinly padded leather seat -- it's definitely not for the hefty -- and then swing your legs into the cockpit, doing your best not to kick someone else's multi-hundred thousand dollar masterpiece.

With the wheel arches protruding into the footwell, your feet are forced off to the right. The steering wheel is canted toward the horizontal, as if you were driving a bus -- a ferociously fast, small, red bus. I take Schoendorf's advice and ignore the side mirrors; fortunately, the view from the rearview mirror is excellent.

With a turn of the key and a push of the starter button, the mighty little 2.8-liter motor fires up readily; the Weber-Marelli injection sees to that. With 400 horsepower and 3601b-ft of torque hauling around just 2,557 pounds, acceleration is brisk. The GTO does have some turbo lag, however, and the twin Japanese-made IHI turbos don't reach their full 13.5 psi of boost until over 3,000 rpm. From that point on, the fury of the motor builds and builds until it reaches its 7,000 rpm power peak.

You hear the turbos spooling up behind your head with every mash of the accelerator, but the exhaust note is muted by those big compressors. The GTO doesn't sound as good as a 308 GTB at full song, let alone a classic V12 Ferrari.

It doesn't take long to realize that this Ferrari is a race car for the road. The tight seats are purposeful, not comfortable. You forget about them when concentrating on apexes and braking points, but around town they can literally be a pain in the ass. The gear changes are indeed balky and double clutching on the way down is essential. And the GTO's pedals are placed closer together than in any street car I have driven.

The suspension is board-stiff, and allows negligible body roll. With no power assist on the steering, parking maneuvers require a fair amount of effort, but on the road, the feedback and directional control are unfiltered; the 225/50VR16 Goodyear Eagles in front (mounted on 8-inch-wide modular alloys) deliver every bit of information you need through the small diameter Momo steering wheel. In back, the 265/50VR16s (on 10-inch-wide wheels) do a decent job of keeping the car in line, as long as you let them get warm and don't provoke them with all that power under your right foot.

Like a proper race car, the 288 GTO also possesses "arresting hook" brakes. Initial bite from these 12.2-inch Brembos is very strong without being grabby, and like a python coiled on its prey, they continue to clamp down with intense ferocity until you lift off. The braking system, as much as the prodigiously powerful engine and stiff sus-pension, makes the GTO a great track tool. To Schoendorf's credit, his GTO has seen such use. These days, however, he has an F355 Challenge race car as a dedicated circuit machine, as it is "way more predictable and forgiving" than the GTO.

Not only does the 288 GTO's jaw-dropping beauty and neck- snapping performance seduce, so does its singular purpose as a track-taming homologation special. It's one of the last road-going Ferraris that does not aim to spoil its occupants. No wonder they go for well over five times what the factory charged in 1984.

Uncommon Aston
The V 8 Zagato's styling absolutely belies its 1980s origins, not to mention Aston Martin's conservative reputation. With a solid, monochromatic body, flush glass and completely concealed front and rear bumpers, this Aston must have appeared like "the car of the future" back in 1986. Clearly, Aston Martin wanted to make a big visual splash with the Zagato, but it also needed the slippery coachwork in order to attain its 186-mph top-speed goal; its coefficient of drag is a low 0.29.

Lots of power would be necessary, as well. The existing 5.3-liter DOHC 16-valve V8 in the Vantage was good for 370 horsepower. The addition of more radical camshafts, higher compression forged pistons from Cosworth, larger intake ports and rejetted carburetors resulted in 405 bhp. Not content, Aston replaced the standard 48-mm Webers with a quartet of 50-mm downdraft units and fitted a bigger-bore exhaust system. This brought output up to 432 horsepower and 3951b-ft of torque.

Though Aston was in the process of switching over to fuel injection at the time, it was easier to attain big numbers with carbs; plus, the time and expense of designing then mapping a fuel-injection system for such a limited run of cars was prohibitive. But the sloping hood was seriously short of clearance over the tall Webers, so an ungainly bulge was added to cover them.

The Javelin Gray test car pictured here has a special provenance; its original owner was none other than Peter Livanos. It is the only V8 Zagato delivered from the factory with a "shaker" style hood that features a separate carb cover instead of the bulge. More importantly, below those Webers lurks a fire-breathing 6.3-liter monster, producing some 470 bhp and 4791b-ft of torque.

Unlike the gorgeous 288 GTO, the V8 Zagato is no looker. Even this car's former owner Tom Papadopoulos-whose Autosport Designs, Inc, in Long Island, New York, maintains the car for current owner Brock Vandervliet of San Francisco-describes it as simply "goofy looking.". Let's just say it's definitely better to appreciate this car from behind the wheel.

Upon opening the door, you are immediately met with the powerful and intoxicating aroma of what surely must be the finest leather available. Aston Martin specified English hides, as their Continental counterparts just didn't come close to replicating the scent. More than 20 years on, our obviously well-cared-for test car's seats still look and smell like new. Along with the rich-feeling Wilton wool carpets, the leather is a testament to Aston's emphasis on luxury. Compared to the 288 GTO's somewhat cramped cockpit, the V8 Zagato's interior is downright commodious, which is perfectly in keeping with the nature of a high-speed GT designed to devour continents in a day.

After teasing my nostrils a few more times, I settle into position behind the wheel. Riding on a shortened Vantage platform, the Zagato only has two seats, but I still feel the need to hike up close to the wooden Nardi wheel-the pedal box, canted off to the right and mounted to the floor, seems a long way off. I assume the NASCAR driving position, with my elbows bent at almost 90 degrees. While disconcerting at first, the position in no way affects my ability to drive the Zagato. The full complement of gauges is easy to read and the gearshift lever comes easily to hand, though the throws are somewhat long.

Firing up the engine creates a powerful rumble that immediately lets you know it's serious. When cold, the motor idles somewhat reluctantly, only adding to the menace. While it doesn't have the grunt of, say, a 1969 Hemi Charger big-block V8, this Aston Martin V8 feels muscle-car torquey.

The gearbox is extremely long-legged for having five ratios. Not only was it designed to hit nearly 190 mph in top gear, but also to reach 60 in first, which made it easier to attain the sub-five second 0-60 mph goal. With an abundance of power that comes on strong at 2,000 rpm and builds relentlessly to well over 6,000 rpm, this engine pulls hard in any gear.

Compared to the 288 GTO's high-strung turbocharged engine, the Aston V8's power delivery feels especially seamless.  Whereas the Aston Martin simply wills itself forward with unrelenting force, the Ferrari must first build up the pressure before unleashing its bazooka-like thrust.   While these two cars delivernearly identical on-paper stats, their power delivery and the character of their acceleration is about as different as it gets.

In a 1988 test, Road & Track found the Aston to be the better performing of the two cars.  It recorded a 0-60 mph time of 4.8 seconds and a top speed of 183 mph, while the Ferrari sprinted to 60 mph in 5.0 seconds and topped out at 179 mph.  However, it must be said that the two cars were tested at different locations.

The biggest surprise of the V8 Zagato is not its spectacular acceleration or outright pace, but the fact that it handles quite well.  Some of this can be attributed to the 300+ pound weight reduction Aston achieved over the standard Vantage V8. It got the Zagato down to 3,505 pounds by lopping 16 inches off the Vantages's overall length (most of it in rear overhang), the use of lighter hand-formed aluminum panels and the fitment of special lightweight components like Zagato-designed seats.

Also aiding in the handling department are a set of 255/50ZR 16 Goodyear Eagles (on 9-inch wide cast alloys), which were wide rubber for the day, and some chassis tuning tweaks by Zagato.  But with the rear suspension consisting of a De Dion axle, trailing arms and a Watts linkage, this Aston is definately of an earlier era compared to the 288 GTO with its unequal-length A-arms at each corner.

Still, the Zagato is an easy car to drive fast.  There is good feedback from its rack-and-pinion steering -- though strong inputs are required -- and plenty of grip once it takes a set in the corner.  While it does exhibit a bit of body roll, the Aston does not wallow, and its ride is not overly harsh.  Braking, too, feels up to par with the rest of the car's performance, though its 10.8- and 10.4inch vented discs are puny by today's standards.

With its mountain of torque proving to be as intoxicating as its leather, the V8 Zagato gives me a renewed sense of respect for Aston Martin; the car is t able performer. But its controversial styling has no doubt detracted from its legacy over time, as well as its' value. Unless you count the Subaru SVX, which had similarly funky windows, the V8 Zagato never inspired any imitators. When these exceedingly rare cars change hands, they usually do so for less than the original price.

Ferrari returned to the fray with an evolved version of the 288 GTO, the F40, in 1987; it eventually sold 1,337 of them. Aston Martin sold 37 V8 Zagato convertibles fitted with less powerful fuel-injected engines and flat hoods.

But then, in 1989, the bottom fell out of the Japanese real-estate market. With recession spreading around the globe, the bloom was off the supercar rose. President Reagan was out of office, Madonna turned to prayer and it would be another decade before the exotic-car market thrived again.