1987 Chevrolet Sprint Turbo

Description

The 1987 Chevrolet Sprint Turbo was a bold entry into the world of affordable performance cars, offering turbocharged excitement in a compact, fuel-efficient package. Based on the Suzuki Cultus, built in Japan, and sold under the Chevrolet badge as a captive import, the Sprint Turbo was available in the U.S. only for the 1987 and '88 model years. 

Under the hood, the car featured a 1.0-liter, three-cylinder engine equipped with L-Jetronic fuel injection, a turbocharger, and an air-to-air intercooler. This setup produced 70 horsepower and 79 lb-ft of torque — modest by today’s standards, but impressive for a car weighing only 1,633 pounds. This lightweight design allowed the Sprint Turbo to accelerate from 0-60 mph in as little as 8.7 seconds and complete the quarter mile in 16.7 seconds. 

The Sprint Turbo stood out with its sporty styling, including body-colored ground effects, turbo-specific badging, and unique interior touches like a three-spoke steering wheel, and bolstered seats. It even featured a “TURBO” light on the tachometer to indicate boost engagement. 

Priced at just $7,690, the Sprint Turbo offered a compelling mix of performance, economy (32 mpg city / 43 mpg highway), and fun, making it a cult favorite among enthusiasts of quirky 1980s cars. 

Highlights 

• Full restoration completed in 2012 included: 

  • Refinished in White (26U) paint 

  • Gray vinyl seats recovered with NOS multicolored cloth 

  • Dash removed and professionally restored 

  • Power hatch option added using NOS dash switch 

  • Rear spoiler added 

  • Pioneer stereo with Bluetooth 

• Powered by a turbocharged 1.0-liter inline-three engine rated at 70 hp 

• Five-speed manual transmission 

• First place award at the 2012 Japanese Classic Car Show in Long Beach, California 

• Clean CARFAX Vehicle History Report 

Features 

• Air conditioning (blows cold) 

• 85 mph speedometer and 8000 rpm tachometer 

• White wheel covers 

• Classic All Season 135/80R12 tires 

Known Imperfections 

• Interior hatch cover has been removed and needs to be replaced 

• Small rock chips on the lower front grille 

• Paint imperfection on rear edge of driver’s door (touched up) 

• Small paint chip on the real spoiler 

• Steering wheel shows wear  

Included 

• Restored 13-inch, 24-hole wheel covers in addition to the 12-inch wheel covers currently on the vehicle 

• Car show stand 

• Rear window sticker: “This Sticker Adds 5 Horsepower” 

Ownership History 

The accompanying CARFAX Vehicle History Report places this 1987 Chevrolet Sprint Turbo in California and Nevada. The abbreviated CARFAX begins on 5 April 1991 in Carpinteria, California, with 17,871 miles on the odometer. It has been with its current owner, who now lives in Las Vegas, since February 2011. A full restoration was completed in 2012, and the car has been garaged ever since.