1984 Dodge Daytona Turbo Z hatchback coupe

“The American sports car has just grown up.”

1984 was the first year for Dodge’s Daytona. Built on the K-car platform but with a shorter wheelbase, the Daytona was now Dodge’s sportiest car, upending the Shelby Charger. The Turbo Z was the top-of-the-line of three available Daytona versions.

The Daytona Turbo and Turbo Z‘s standard powertrain was the Turbo I 142 bhp 2.2 liter/135 ci inline four with fuel injection and a turbocharger paired with a five-speed manual transmission. A three-speed automatic transmission was optional ($439). Mileage with the hot setup (turbo and manual) was 20 city/27 highway by the day’s standards (18/25 by 2023 standards) while the 0-60 time was about 8.5 seconds. Moving to the three-speed automatic killed highway mileage, making the ratings 20 and 23. With a 14-gallon gas tank, a five-speed Daytona’s owner could expect a range of 270 to 295 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

1984 Daytona Turbo Z advertisement

Standard exterior and mechanical equipment on the Daytona Turbo (priced at $10,227 or about $30,800 in today’s dollars) included dual horns, a performance handling package, quick ratio power steering, power brakes, and 195/60R15 Goodyear Eagle GT tires (a size still readily available) on 15-inch cast aluminum wheels. Inside, performance front bucket seats, dual remote power mirrors, a leather-wrapped Sport steering wheel, a center console, and an AM radio with digital clock were included.

Moving up to Turbo Z ($11,454 or about $35,500 in 2023 dollars) added two-tone paint, a deeper front air dam, extended ground effects, and a specific three-piece rear spoiler.

Options & Production Numbers

Optional equipment included air conditioning ($737), cruise control ($179), tilt steering column ($110), power windows ($185), power door locks ($125), a range of stereos, and a Premium Speaker System ($132). With all the trimmings, a Turbo Z could fairly easily get to $13,200 or so or about $39,700 in today’s dollars—almost exactly what a 2023 Dodge Challenger R/T costs.

Dodge moved almost 50,000 Daytonas in the 1984 model year. The closely related Chrysler Laser actually sold more units in its first two years.

However, Chrysler Corporation must have been disappointed—this was an era where the Chevrolet Camaro, Ford Mustang, and Pontiac Firebird were routinely selling in the hundreds of thousands (the three models combined for 530,000 sold in 1984). By 1987 the Laser would be gone, with the Daytona hanging on through the 1993 model year after a few pretty good years in the late 1980s.

DaytonaLaserSales

The View From 2023

Initial reception to the Daytona was good—Car and Driver called it “America’s first legitimate front-wheel-drive muscle car.” Daytonas sometimes appear in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, or on Bring a Trailer (BaT has auctioned eleven in the last four years).

Make mine the Red/Silver two-tone, please.

Other sporty Chrysler corporation products I have written about include the 1984 Chrysler Laser hatchback coupe, the 1985 Dodge Shelby Charger hatchback coupe, and the 1985 Dodge Omni GLH hatchback sedan.

1984 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight Regency coupe

At the 2023 Mecum Indy, a white Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight Regency coupe with an indicated 6,100 miles sold for $20,000.

1984 would end up being the final year for the rear-wheel drive Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight—1985 would move the Ninety-Eight to the front-wheel-drive C-body. There were few changes for 1984: the 4.1 liter V6 was dropped (making the 5.0 liter V8 standard), there was a new grille with a crosshatch pattern, and the vertical taillamps now had Oldsmobile emblems in their lenses. Changes in options included different body side mouldings and new wire wheel cover designs.

The Ninety-Eight Regency‘s standard powertrain was the LV2 140 bhp 5.0 liter/307 ci V8 mated with a four-speed automatic. Optional everywhere but in California was the LF9 105 bhp 5.7 liter/350 ci diesel V8 ($700). The Ninety-Eight coupe was not quick—with the standard powertrain, 0-60 took about 13.5 seconds in a car with a 3,915-pound curb weight. The diesel was about six seconds slower to 60 mph. Mileage wasn’t horrible: 17 city/29 highway by the day’s standards (14/21 by today’s standards); with a 25.1-gallon fuel tank, a Ninety-Eight Regency coupe owner could expect a range of about 395 to 520 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

Coupe page from the 1984 Regency brochure

Standard exterior and mechanical equipment on the $13,974 Ninety-Eight Regency coupe (about $41,900 in 2023 dollars) included Soft-Ray tinted glass, rear fender skirts, sail panel opera lamps, power front disc brakes, power steering, and P215/75R15 steel-belted radial-ply white-stripe tires (a size still readily available) mounted on 15-inch wheels with Bright Deluxe wheel discs. Inside, all Regency coupes included power side windows, power door locks, Four-Season air conditioning, an electric rear window defroster, a digital quartz clock, front and rear centre armrests, and an AM-FM stereo radio with two rear speakers.

Options & Production Numbers

Exterior and mechanical options included an electric sliding glass Astroroof ($1,195), an automatic leveling system, an engine block heater, and puncture-sealing tires. Inside, electronic cruise control with resume and acceleration features ($175), Tempmatic air conditioning ($55), and automatic power door locks were all available. Options that date this car included a front seat litter container and an ETR AM/FM Stereo with seek and scan, digital display clock, cassette tape player and a 40-channel CB.

Oldsmobile sold 7,855 Ninety-Eight Regency coupes in the 1984 model year, marking the fewest coupes sold in the 10th generation. Though large American coupes in general were fading away, 1985’s all-new front-wheel-drive Ninety-Eight would still offer coupe versions. Despite being all-new, the coupes wouldn’t sell much better in 1985 and would be gone after the end of the 1987 model year.

The View From 2023

There is some collector interest in these cars, though Hagerty does not track their values. Ninety-Eights of this era are often available in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds and at online auctions such as Bring a Trailer that cater to the eighties car market.

Stunningly, this is the first rear-wheel-drive C-body I have written about, though I have covered a few of the slightly small B-body cars. I probably should write about the Electra and the de Ville at some point.

Make mine Autumn Maple Firemist, please.

Interesting Eighties Vehicles at the 2023 Mecum Indy

Mecum’s 3,000-vehicle Indy auction recently completed. In the middle of 2021, I gave up trying to chronicle every eighties vehicle sold at any particular auction—there’s often an endless sameness to them. So, I now only write about the cars and trucks that are less seen at auction—and those that sold (a 1984 Lola race car driven by Mario Andretti was a no-sale at $300,000). Here are ten that attracted my eye, described in a little more detail than usual.

1981 AMC Spirit, linked from Mecum’s website

[Lot J104] 1981 AMC Spirit hatchback coupe. Oriental Red with beige Deluxe Grain vinyl front bucket seats. 100 bhp 4.2 liter/258 ci inline six with a one-barrel carburetor, a three-speed automatic, and 23,000 miles. A $9,500 hammer price for a model that comes up for auction a little more than you’d think.

1985 Monte Carlo LS interior, linked from Mecum’s website

[J133] 1986 Chevrolet Monte Carlo LS coupe. Light Brown Metallic with a matching Landau vinyl top, removable roof panels, and a saddle cloth 55/45 front seat. Unknown replacement V8 (other than it’s “GMC”) with a four-speed automatic. You hardly ever see Monte Carlos of this era up for auction that aren’t the SS version, but I did write about the 1981 Sport Coupe several years ago. $14,000

1986 BMW 528e, linked from Mecum’s website

[J175] 1986 BMW 528e sedan. Silver Metallic with a sunroof and blue cloth front bucket seats. M20B27 121 bhp 2.7 liter/165 ci inline six with fuel injection, a four-speed automatic, and 76,000 miles. $6,000 for a car misidentified as a 528i (big difference) in the auction listing.

1984 Maserati Quattroporte, linked from Mecum’s website

[J235] 1984 Maserati Quattroporte sedan. Dark Garnet with tan leather front bucket seats. 288 bhp 4.9 liter/301 ci V8 with four two-barrel carburetors, a three-speed automatic, and 28,000 miles. $5,000 is about half of Hagerty’s #4/Fair condition valuation—a 1980 model went for $2,000 more later in the same auction.

1984 Oldsmobile 98 Regency, linked from Mecum’s website

[L136] 1984 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight Regency coupe. White with a white landau vinyl top and a blue cloth front seat. LV2 140 bhp 5.0 liter/307 ci V8 with a four-barrel carburetor, a four-speed automatic, and an indicated 6,100 miles. $20,000 for another C-body that somebody saved. Perhaps it is time for me to write a blog post about these handsome cars. Update: I did!

1981 Buick Regal, linked from Mecum’s website

[E222] 1981 Buick Regal Pace Car Edition coupe. Silver Metallic/Dark Maple Metallic two-tone with a hatch roof and maroon cloth front bucket seats. LD5 110 bhp 3.8 liter/231 ci V6 with a two-barrel carburetor, a three-speed automatic, and 44,000 miles. $17,000 for one of the few remaining of the either 100, 125, or 150 originally made (how can this not be definitively known?).

1988 Aston Martin Volante, linked from Mecum’s website

[T110] 1988 Aston Martin Vantage Volante convertible. British Racing Green with a tan convertible top and tan leather front bucket seats. 403 bhp 5.3 liter/326 ci V8 with four carburetors, a three-speed automatic, and 40,000 miles. $175,000 for a car you don’t often see at Mecum—this is the only eighties Aston they’ve had in the last year.

1989 Chevrolet Cavalier, linked from Mecum’s website

[T125] 1989 Chevrolet Cavalier Z24 convertible. Dark Red Metallic with a white convertible top and gray Sport Cloth front bucket seats. LB6 130 bhp 2.8 liter/173 ci V6 with fuel injection, a three-speed automatic, and 73,000 miles. $11,000 for a car that, when new, went for almost precisely twice what a base Cavalier coupe cost. Despite the relatively high barrier to entry—especially for what the EPA classified as a subcompact car—Chevrolet sold 13,075 Z24 convertibles in the 1989 model year.

1988 Mazda RX7, linked from Mecum’s website

[T137] 1988 Mazda RX-7 convertible. Sunrise Red with a black convertible top (why no photos with the top down?) and gray cloth/vinyl bucket seats. 13B 146 bhp 1.3 liter/80 ci two-rotor Wankel with fuel injection, a five-speed manual transmission, and 44,000 miles. $11,000 for one of the more innovative convertibles of the eighties.

1986 Mercury Cougar, linked from Mecum’s website

[T225.1] 1986 Mercury Cougar coupe. Silver Metallic/Medium Charcoal Metallic two-tone with gray cloth bucket seats. Essex 120 bhp 3.8 liter/231 ci V6 with fuel injection, a three-speed automatic, and 4,700 miles. It’s either an LS or a GS (I couldn’t tell for sure) and it went for $10,000.

End of the Year Review: 2022

Typewriter icon

2022 was another positive year for Eighties Cars. We managed 22 new or substantially revised blog entries—one every 17 days on average. Posts counts were divided into fifteen featuring a specific car, five covering auctions, and two miscellaneous posts.

Just one marque made its first appearance in a specific post in 2022, and that was Hyundai. 2022 was by far the best year for page views since I started the blog—we were up a substantial 47% over 2021.

Every year, I look at the end-of-the-year results for the blog’s most viewed posts. For 2022, it once again looked like the key to an individual post’s popularity was often in the rarity of the other coverage available for that particular vehicle. It also didn’t hurt to be a Chevrolet Camaro or a Cadillac Eldorado. In reverse order, we’ll discuss this year’s top ten most viewed posts.

10) 1988 Cadillac Eldorado coupe—the first new entry in the top ten, this 2018 post on Cadillac’s emergency Eldorado restyle gained its share of looks. According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, a 1988 Eldorado coupe in #1/Concours condition is $12,700, with a far more normal #3/Good condition version going for $4,300.

9) 1980 Mercedes-Benz 450SL convertible—another new entry in the top ten, and the first foreign car to make it into the top ten since the 1981 Toyota Celica Sports Coupe did in 2018. Of course Hagerty tracks these SLs, currently at an astounding $66,000 in #1/Concours condition and $15,800 in #3/Good condition.

8) 1980 Chevrolet Camaro Rally Sport coupe—Rally Sports are given short shrift by most late second-generation Camaros followers, with the Z28 getting far more attention. Despite this, Hagerty does track them—seeing them as worth $19,700 in #1/Concours condition and $11,900 in #3/Good condition with the best available LG4 V8. Down one spot for 2022.

7) 1989 Buick Electra Park Avenue Ultra sedan—this 2020 post about the top-of-the-line Buick for 1989 dropped two spots in 2022.

6) 1986 Chevrolet Camaro Berlinetta hatchback coupe—the Berlinetta is rarely written about, with almost all the attention to eighties Camaros going to the Z28 and the IROC-Z. Nevertheless, Hagerty tracks these cars, currently at $17,100 in #1/Concours condition and $7,100 in #3/Good condition for the version with the optional V8. This post dropped three places in 2022 and is now second all time after being first for years.

5) 1988 Mercury Cougar XR-7 coupe—Hagerty does not track these distinctive sixth-generation Cougars, though they do track eighties Thunderbirds on the same platform. Up one place from 2021.

4) 1985 Chevrolet C20 Suburban Silverado SUV—the first eighties SUV to make any year’s top ten dropped one spot this year. According to Hagerty, all the money for a 1985 C20 Suburban Silverado in #1/Concours condition is $39,800, with a more typical #3/Good condition example going for $16,400.

3) 1984 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz convertible—the most expensive Eldorado since the early 1960s moved up one spot this year. According to Hagerty, values are sliding up—a 1984 Eldorado convertible in #1/Concours condition is $39,600, with a far more normal #3/Good condition version going for $10,900.

2) 1980 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 coupe—this post was on the rise in the final quarter of 2021, so it was no surprise that it ranked highly in 2022. The success of a particular post is often challenging to understand—this eight-year-old post was last in the top ten in 2018. Hagerty sees these Z28s as worth $62,900 in #1/Concours condition and $27,900 in #3/Good condition with the top-of-the-line LM1 V8.

1) 1981 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme coupe—the number one post for the second year in a row, this post is now also #1 all-time. It kind of makes sense—Cutlass Supremes were hugely popular in their day. Popularity does not always equal collectability, and Hagerty has yet to track eighties Cutlass Supreme values.

Three posts that did not make it into the top ten in 2022 after doing so in 2021 were those on the 1985 Buick Somerset Regal coupe, the 1987 Chevrolet Caprice Classic coupe, and the 1987 Mercury Lynx XR3 hatchback. The best-performing Chrysler product post was on the 1980 Plymouth Horizon hatchback coupe (27th), while the highest-ranking Japanese car post was on the 1983 Honda Civic S hatchback coupe (39th).

A post on the rise in the final quarter of 2022 was written about the 1980 Pontiac Grand Prix SJ coupe. Finally, seventeen vehicles cleared the all-time 1,000 Views count in 2022:

  • 1980 Buick Riviera S TYPE coupe
  • 1980 Cadillac Seville sedan
  • 1988 Cadillac Eldorado coupe
  • 1989 Cadillac Sedan deVille
  • 1983 Chevrolet Caprice Classic sedan
  • 1983 Chevrolet Malibu sedan
  • 1985 Ford Eddie Bauer Bronco SUV
  • 1980 Mercedes-Benz 450SL convertible
  • 1988 Mercury Cougar XR-7 coupe
  • 1985 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight Regency sedan
  • 1987 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale Brougham coupe
  • 1981 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am coupe
  • 1983 Pontiac 6000 STE sedan
  • 1985 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am hatchback coupe
  • 1985 Pontiac Grand Am coupe
  • 1981 Toyota Celica Sport Coupe
  • 1985 Volkswagen Cabriolet

Once rare, exceeding 1,000 views is now so common that I no longer write a post about it when it happens. I’m thinking of setting the new notable post count at 2,500 views.

Thanks to all who viewed this blog in 2022!

1985 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme coupe

It was Thanksgiving Day in the United States a few days ago. I dropped off my parents in the late morning and temporarily headed home. On the way, I spotted a mid-1980s Cutlass Supreme coupe driving in the other direction. It looked unmodified in its original Light Chestnut Metallic.

“When a champion performs, it has a style all its own.”

For 1985, Oldsmobile’s Cutlass Supreme coupe gained a new grille. Little else changed, though the sporty 4-4-2 package replaced the Hurst/Olds package that had been available in the 1983 and 1984 model years.

The Cutlass Supreme’s standard engine remained the LD5 110 bhp 3.8 liter/231 ci V6 with a Rochester M2ME two-barrel carburetor. The optional engines were the LV2 140 bhp 5.0 liter/307 ci V8 with a Rochester M4ME four-barrel carburetor ($490) and the LF9 105 bhp 5.7 liter/350 ci diesel V8 ($490). A three-speed automatic transmission was standard, while a four-speed automatic was available with the gasoline V8. Mid-eighties Cutlass Supremes were stylish but relatively slow—the best-case V8 and the four-speed automatic yielded a 0-60 time of a little under 12 seconds. Mileage with the V8 was 17 city/24 highway by the day’s standards (15/22 by today’s standards); with an 18.1-gallon fuel tank, a Cutlass Supreme owner could expect a range of about 300 to 330 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

The base Cutlass Supreme coupe was $9,797—about $27,700 in 2022 dollars. Standard equipment included power steering, power front disc brakes, and P195/70R14 blackwall tires (a size still readily available) on 14-inch wheels with Deluxe bright wheel discs. Interior equipment included a Custom front bench seat in either cloth or vinyl, Deluxe seat belts, a Deluxe steering wheel, and an AM pushbutton radio with dual front speakers and a fixed mast antenna.

At $10,486, the Cutlass Supreme Brougham added a velour divided front bench seat with individual controls, Convenience Group, and (of course) specific Brougham ornamentation.

Options & Production Numbers

Cover of 1985 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme brochure

Options included a power Astroroof with sliding glass roof panel ($925), a full padded vinyl roof ($245), Four-Season air conditioning ($750), power windows ($195), and cruise control ($175).

The Cutlass Supreme coupe remained one of Oldsmobile’s sales stars, though numbers did not match the halcyon days back in the seventies and early eighties. Lansing sold 75,045 of the base coupes, along with another 58,868 of the Brougham coupes.

The View From 2022

A few folks are collecting these cars, but they aren’t common at shows. You do see eighties Cutlass Supremes for sale in the Hemming’s Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and at online auctions such as Bring a Trailer that cater to the eighties car market, though non-Hurst/Olds or 4-4-2 versions are relatively rare. As I was writing this blog entry, there was a White 1984 Cutlass Supreme coupe with red cloth seats, a 5.0 liter/307 ci V8 with a four-barrel carburetor, and 131,000 miles listed on Hemming‘s for $20,000.

Make mine Dark Teal Blue Metallic, please.

As of late November, the most viewed post on Eighties Cars during 2022 is one on the 1981 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme coupe that I wrote back in 2015. Other rear-wheel-drive G-platform (designated A-platform before 1982) cars I have written about include the 1984 Buick Regal Grand National coupe, the 1983 Chevrolet Malibu sedan, the 1981 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Sport Coupe, the 1983 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS Sport Coupe, the 1980 Pontiac Grand Am coupe, and the 1987 Pontiac Grand Prix coupe. I’m shocked I haven’t yet written about Oldsmobile’s Hurst/Olds or 4-4-2 variants.

1984 Buick Skyhawk coupe

“Take flight.”

1984 was the third year for Buick’s version of the J-car. It also marked the Skyhawk’s peak sales year, with Buick producing 75,760 coupes, 45,648 sedans, and 13,668 station wagons.

The Skyhawk’s standard powertrain was an LQ5 86 bhp 2.0 liter/121 ci inline four with throttle-body fuel injection paired with a four-speed manual. An LH8 84 bhp 1.8 liter inline four with throttle-body fuel injection was $50, but required an upgrade to a five-speed manual ($75). Both engines were available with a three-speed automatic ($395). An LA5 turbocharged version of the 1.8 liter engine with 150 bhp was only available with the T TYPE coupe.

Performance wasn’t exactly scintillating, but Skyhawk coupe’s relatively low 2,316-pound weight did help. 0-60 times with the 1.8 liter/five-speed combination were likely in the 12 second range. Fuel economy with the same powertrain was rated at 29 city/46 highway by the day’s standards—today’s measures give a far less impressive 23/33. With a 13.5-gallon gas tank, a Skyhawk owner could expect a range of 340 to 455 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

Two Skyhawk pages from the 1984 Buick brochure
Skyhawk pages from the 1984 Buick brochure

Standard exterior and mechanical equipment on the $7,133 base Skyhawk coupe (designated as Custom) included manual rack-and-pinion steering, power front disc/rear drum brakes, and P175/80R13 blackwall tires on 13-inch wheels with Deluxe wheel covers. Inside, full carpeting, reclining front bucket seats, a full-length operating console, a Custom steering wheel, and an AM radio were included.

Moving up to the $7,641 Limited (about $22,400 in 2022 dollars and slightly less than a 2022 Buick Encore SUV costs) added dual horns, an acoustic package, a Limited steering wheel, and instrument gauges, along with cloth-covered seats and door panels.

Exterior and mechanical options for the Skyhawk coupe included tinted glass ($95), tungsten-halogen headlamps ($22), and styled aluminum wheels ($229). Inside, Electronic Touch Climate Control air conditioning ($780), manual air conditioning ($630), power windows ($185), and a series of stereo choices ranging up to an electronic tuning AM/FM stereo radio with cassette tape and graphic equalizer ($505) were all available.

The View From 2022

I haven’t seen a second-generation Skyhawk in person in many years. Buick made them through the 1989 model year, by which time sales numbers had dropped to a mere fraction of those in 1984.

Skyhawks are sometimes available in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds and at online auctions such as Bring a Trailer that cater to the eighties car market. As I write this blog entry in September 2022, Hemmings has a 1986 White Skyhawk T-Type hatchback with gray lower accents, silver/black cloth bucket seats, and 10,000 miles for sale for $16,000.

Make mine Silver Metallic, please.

1987 BMW L6 coupe

I like to think that I was pretty aware of automotive model lines in the eighties. Somehow, I completely missed the BMW L6 coupe until 2022.

“Contempt for Compromise”

For 1987 only, BMW bifurcated the 6-series coupe line into two distinct versions: the sporting M6 and the luxury-oriented L6.

1987 BMW L6 and M6 advertisement

The L6’s only powertrain was the M30B34 182 bhp 3.4 liter/209 ci inline six with fuel injection paired with a four-speed automatic. 0-60 came in a little over 9 seconds in a car with a 3,490-pound curb weight. Fuel economy was rated at 16 city/21 highway by the day’s standards (15 city/20 highway by modern measures). With an 18.5-gallon gas tank, an L6’s proud new owner could expect a range of between 290 and 310 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

The $49,500 L6 came well-equipped—a good thing, as that is about $131,200 in 2022 dollars, which is substantially more than a 2023 840i XDrive coupe. Exterior and mechanical features included a sunroof, power steering, four wheel disc brakes, and 220/55-390 Michelin TRX tires (available from Coker Tire) on 390 mm aluminum wheels. Inside, automatic air conditioning, cruise control, power leather seats, power windows, and power mirrors were included. Distinctive features included a rear center console with individual climate controls, a leather headliner, and a unique leather dash that was notorious for peeling off and warping due to windshield heat. 

Options & Production Numbers

With all that standard equipment, few options were available. A limited slip differential was $390.

The L6 did not sell very well in its single year—BMW moved 1,217. For comparison, the M6 sold 1,767 in the same year.

The View From 2022

Many vintage BMWs have strong forum support, and there is definite collector interest in the 6-series coupes. L6 coupes are sometimes available in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and at online auctions such as Bring a Trailer that cater to the eighties car market.

According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, all the money for a 1987 BMW L6 coupe in #1/Concours condition is $69,100, with a far more normal #3/Good condition version going for $23,500.

Make mine Salmon Silver Metallic, please.

BMWs I have written about other than the 1987 L6 and M6 include the 1983 633CSi coupe, the 1984 325e coupe, the 1988 M3 coupe, and the 1988 750iL sedan.

1988 Buick Reatta coupe

Buick made things more than a bit confusing for some of its higher-end coupe buyers in the middle of the 1988 model year by introducing the two-seater Reatta. For the first time since its introduction in 1963, the Riviera was definitively no longer the top of the two-door Buick line—with a base price of $25,000, the Reatta’s barrier to entry was almost 16% higher.

“Beauty with purpose.”

Designed to be a sporty car, but with no delusions of being a sports car, Buick targeted the Reatta at a perceived niche in the two-seater market for a luxury coupe at a substantially lower price than the high-end luxury convertibles of the day. As Buick general manager Edward Mertz said in January 1988, it was “priced many thousands of dollars less than luxury and sports cars at the top end of the market.” The Reatta was not nearly as expensive as the Cadillac Allanté convertible (which had a base price of $56,533 in 1988) or the Mercedes-Benz 560SL convertible ($61,130 in that same year) but could claim to be nearly as comfortable. Compared to the Cadillac and (especially) the Mercedes, the Reatta lacked refinement and prestige—both important to potential buyers.

Despite being based on the same E-platform as the Riviera, the Reatta’s exterior styling was distinctive, even if some of the proportions looked a little off to some. However, many parts of its interior were familiar to Riviera buyers—indeed, Buick benchmarked the Reatta’s two seats to the Riviera’s driver and front passenger experience. Because of this, the Reatta’s Electronic Control Center was essentially the same as the Riviera’s, and the Reatta’s optional driver’s seat closely resembled the one in the Riviera T Type.

1988 Buick Reatta brochure cover

The Reatta’s sole powertrain was a 3800 165 bhp 3.8 liter/231 ci V6 with fuel injection paired with a four-speed automatic. Car and Driver tested a 1988 Reatta, and recorded a 0-60 mph time of 9.1 seconds in a vehicle with a 3,380-pound curb weight. Mileage was respectable—19 city/29 highway by the day’s standards (17/26 by today’s measures). With an 18.2-gallon gas tank, a Reatta owner could expect a range of 355 to 390 miles with a 10% fuel reserve—enough to take those road trips that Buick was convinced the Reatta would be primarily used for.

Standard exterior and mechanical equipment on the Reatta included Soft-Ray tinted glass, fast-ratio power steering, an independent four-wheel Gran Touring suspension, four-wheel anti-lock disk brakes, and P215/65R15 Goodyear Eagle GT+4 tires (a size still readily available) on 15-inch wheels. Inside, power windows, electric door locks, six-way power seats, and Electronic Touch Climate Control air conditioning were included. The standard and only audio system was an ETR AM stereo-FM stereo radio with seek and scan, acassette tape player with auto reverse, search/repeat, a graphic equalizer, a clock, eight Concert Sound speakers, and automatic power antenna.

Options & Production Numbers

Buick’s new coupe came loaded, with only two options in its introductory year: an electric sliding steel sunroof ($895) and a 16-way adjustable leather and suede driver’s seat ($680).

First-year sales of the Reatta were decent for a new two-seat coupe without that all-important pre-existing audience that many of its competitors had—Buick moved 4,708 of them in about nine months.

The View From 2022

There is collector interest in the Reatta, including club support. According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, all the money for a 1988 Buick Reatta coupe in #1/Concours condition is $20,600, with a far more normal #3/Good condition version going for $4,600.

Reatta coupes are often available in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds, at online auctions such as Bring a Trailer that cater to the eighties car market, and at in-person auctions such as Barrett-Jackson and Mecum. As I write this blog entry in June 2022, Hemmings has a 1988 Bright Red Reatta with saddle bucket seats and 48,000 miles for sale for $9,000.

Make mine Claret Red Metallic, please.

Other Buick coupes I have written about include the 1980 Rivera S TYPE, the 1983 Skylark T TYPE, the 1984 Regal Grand National, the 1984 Riviera T TYPE, the 1985 Somerset Regal, the 1987 GNX, and the 1987 LeSabre T Type. I seem to find Buick coupes interesting.

Interesting Eighties Vehicles at the 2022 Mecum Indy

Mecum’s annual Indy auction finished on May 21st. In the middle of last year, I gave up trying to chronicle every eighties vehicle sold at any particular auction—there’s often an endless sameness to them. So, I now only write about the cars and trucks that are less seen at auction—and those that sold (a black 1989 Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet with 47,000 miles was a no-sale at $180,000). Here are ten that attracted my eye, described in a little more detail than usual.

1988 Buick Reatta, linked from Mecum’s website

[J185] 1988 Buick Reatta coupe. Bright Red with tan leather bucket seats. 3800 165 bhp 3.8 liter/231 ci V6 with fuel injection, a four-speed automatic, and 112,000 miles. $4,000 hammer price for this first-year Reatta—one of the more interesting domestic cars of the eighties. Why do I have no Reatta-specific blog entry?

1989 Cadillac Fleetwood interior, linked from Mecum’s website

[K17] 1989 Cadillac Fleetwood Coupe. White with a white formal cabriolet top and red Dual-Comfort split front leather seats. HT 155 bhp 4.5 liter/273 ci V8 with fuel injection, a four-speed automatic, and 59,000 miles. $12,000 for this big front-wheel-drive Cadillac that someone kind of saved.

1982 AMC Spirit, linked from Mecum’s website

[K142] 1982 AMC Spirit DL Liftback. Olympic White with brown Deluxe Grain vinyl reclining front bucket seats. 110 bhp 4.2 liter/258 ci inline six with a two-barrel carburetor, a three-speed automatic, and 16,000 miles. You see a reasonable number of Eagles of the same era at auction, but not many Spirits. $17,000

1980 Lincoln Versailles, linked from Mecum’s website

[L69] 1980 Lincoln Versailles sedan. Medium Turquoise Metallic with a coach vinyl roof and turquoise leather Twin Comfort Lounge front seats. Windsor 132 bhp 4.9 liter/302 ci V8 with a two-barrel carburetor, a three-speed automatic, and 9,900 miles. $20,000 for this final-year example of Lincoln’s putative Cadillac Seville competitor.

1989 Dodge D250, linked from Mecum’s website

[L112] 1989 Dodge D250 pickup truck. Platinum Silver Metallic/Exotic Red two-tone with an unidentified red interior (the base interior included a vinyl bench seat). LA 145 bhp 5.2 liter/318 ci V8 with fuel injection, a three-speed automatic, and 49,000 miles. $14,500 for an eighties pickup truck that isn’t a Chevy or a Ford.

1983 Chevrolet Caprice Classic, linked from Mecum’s website

[G172] 1983 Chevrolet Caprice Classic sedan. Dark Blue Metallic with a dark blue cloth 50/50 split front bench seat. LG4 150 bhp 5.0 liter/305 ci v8 with a four-barrel carburetor, a four-speed automatic, and 74,000 miles. $8,000 for this rather clean looking (no vinyl roof!) Caprice.

1984 Subaru BRAT, linked from Mecum’s website

[W68] 1984 Subaru BRAT GL pickup truck. Lightning Silver with a stripe and vinyl and cloth front bucket seats (and, of course, those rear-facing vinyl seats in the bed). EA-81 73 bhp 1.8 liter/109 ci flat four with a carburetor, a four-speed manual, and 101,000 miles. $30,000 indicates that at least two bidders didn’t find the mileage that discouraging.

1988 Chevrolet Cavalier Z24, linked from Mecum’s website

[F89] 1988 Chevrolet Cavalier Z24 convertible. Red with a black convertible top and black/gray cloth front bucket seats. LB6 125 bhp 2.8 liter/173 ci V6 with fuel injection, a three-speed automatic, and 12,000 miles. $19,000 for this loaded J-car lacking only a five-speed manual.

1987 Ford Escort GT, linked from Mecum’s website

[F200] 1987 Ford Escort GT hatchback coupe. Medium Red Metallic with medium gray cloth front bucket seats. H.O. 115 bhp 1.9 liter/113 ci inline four with fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and unstated mileage. $6,000 buys what has to be one of the nicest 1987 Escort GT examples that remain.

1988 Lamborghini Countach, linked from Mecum’s website

[S213] 1988 Lamborghini Countach LP5000 Quattrovalvole coupe. Black with black leather bucket seats. 420 bhp 5.2 liter/316 ci V12 with fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and 10,000 miles. $545,000 is almost #1/Concours money, according to Hagerty’s Valuation Tools. Remember when you could buy a really nice LP5000 for under $100,000?

1987 Buick GNX coupe

There are (many) eighties cars that no one is convinced have a following, and then there is the Buick GNX. Unlike many of the other cars I write about, I doubt there’s anything new I can add to the discourse about the GNX. Still, I can’t not cover it.

“A high-performance investment for the fortunate 500.”

1987 Buick GNX advertisement

The story is familiar to many of us. Buick’s Grand National performance variant of the Regal had been around since 1982, and it had gotten steadily more powerful, gaining a standard turbo V6 in 1984, and an intercooler in 1986. For 1987, Buick announced the GNX, which stood for Grand National Experimental.

Buick built cars with Grand National interiors and sent them to American Specialty Cars (ASC). The GNX added a performance suspension with a torque bar and a GNX-only rear differential cover. Its exterior featured functional front-fender louvers, and 16-inch aluminum mesh wheels with black-out faces and GNX center caps, which were equipped with Goodyear Eagle “Gatorback” tires—245/50VR-16 in front and 255/50VR-16 in the rear.

Most importantly, the GNX included a massaged version of Buick’s LC2 3.8 liter/231 ci turbo V6 making 276 bhp paired with an automatic transmission with overdrive. Improvements to the engine over the standard turbo included a Garrett T3 turbocharger with ceramic impeller and a GNX-specific heat shield, a larger capacity intercooler, reprogrammed engine management, and a low-restriction exhaust.

Straight line acceleration was outstanding for the day—0-60 came in 5.5 seconds. The GNX handled well for a Regal, but that wasn’t really the point. Mileage ratings were 15 city/23 highway by the day’s standards (about 13 city/21 highway by today’s measures), which triggered the dreaded gas guzzler tax—$650 in this case.

The GNX was not inexpensive—the window sticker showed $29,290 (about $76,800 in 2022 dollars), with the GNX option alone listed as $10,995. Essentially, moving from a Grand National to a GNX added more than 50% to the price.

By 1987, a Grand National came reasonably well-equipped, with Sport mirrors, air conditioning, a leather-wrapped Sport steering wheel, a full-length operating console, and reclining front bucket seats included. A GNX came standard with many comfort and convenience features that were optional on the Grand National, including tungsten-halogen headlamps, electric door locks, power windows, electronic cruise control, tilt steering column, a six-way power driver’s seat, and the top-of-the-line UX1 stereo with graphic equalizer.

Options and Production Numbers

Buick built a mere 547 examples of the GNX—production was always intended to be quite limited. As far as I can tell, there were no factory options.

The View From 2022

According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, all the money for a 1987 Buick GNX coupe in #1/Concours condition is an astounding $288,000, with a far more normal #3/Good condition version going for $112,000.

The GNX has enthusiastic forum support, and there is intense collector interest. GNX coupes are sometimes available in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds, at online auctions such as Bring a Trailer that cater to the eighties car market, and at in-person auctions such as Barrett-Jackson and Mecum.

Make mine Black, of course.