The 1980s may not have been the best decade for cars —not for starters, at least—but it was a great decade for car ads. The malaise era was drawing to a close and the economy was picking up speed.

The 1980s treated car commercials like mini blockbusters, with brands racing to outdo one another in spectacle, attitude, and sheer weirdness. Looking back, some of the decade’s boldest spots feel ...