We tend to forget that there was a time where tuned cars were considered to be something like exotics, mostly due to their rarity.
This 1993 Motorweek review features a Mazda RX-7 tuned by Peter Farrel Supercars and a Stillen Nissan 300ZX.
Both had improved handling thanks to their new, adjustable suspension, while performance was increased significantly courtesy of modern ECUs and bigger turbos.
Mazda’s rotary engine was massaged to produce 360hp, while Stillen was able to extract 465hp from Nissan’s twin-turbo V6.
Remember, these were some really huge numbers for the era. Larger turbos, free-flowing exhausts and the ability to control parameters of the engine from the cabin with additional switches and keypads is where the tuning frenzy of the ‘90s has begun.
In that era, tuning mods such as oversized wings, bright colors, additional gauges, aftermarket wheels with much fatter tires were nowhere as common a sight as they are today. Thus, if you were into that game, you didn’t really have to spend a fortune to stand out.