Interesting Eighties Vehicles at the 2026 Mecum Harrisburg

The 2026 version of Mecum’s annual Harrisburg auction finished on July 25th. About five years ago, 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 Satin Black Metallic 1989 Porsche 911 Carrera 50th Anniversary Edition coupe with Silk Gray leather front bucket seats and an indicated 85,000 miles was a no-sale at $89,000). Here are five that caught my eye, described in more detail than I used to when these surveys were more exhaustive.

1981 Checker Marathon, linked from Mecum’s website

[Lot W107] 1981 Checker Marathon sedan. Gray with a Black vinyl front seat. LF9 105 bhp 5.7.liter/350 ci diesel V8 with a three-speed automatic and an indicated 114 miles. Said to be originally deployed as a municipal fleet vehicle in New York City and then parked for over 35 years, this unusual diesel Marathon generated a $5,000 hammer price.

Photo of 1980 Camaro Sport Coupe
1983 Pontiac Grand Prix, courtesy of Mecum

[T95.1] 1983 Pontiac Grand Prix coupe. Maroon Metallic with a Maroon vinyl top and a Maroon Luxury cloth notchback front seat. LD5 110 bhp 3.8 liter/231 ci V6 with a two-barrel carburetor, a three-speed automatic, and an indicated 38,000 miles. $9,500 for this handsome Grand Prix, decently equipped for a base coupe. I have written about the notably more powerful 1980 SJ and the 1987 base coupe.

1985 Buick Riviera, linked from Mecum’s website

[T204] 1985 Buick Riviera T Type coupe. Red Firemist (but not listed as such) with Red Prima cloth front 45/45 seats. LM9 200 bhp 3.8 liter/231 ci V6 with sequential fuel injection and a turbocharger, a four-speed automatic, and an indicated 41,000 miles. $10,000 seems light for a relatively rare turbo T Type—perhaps better photos would have helped. I have written about the closely-related 1984 version of this car.

Photo of 1981 Datsun 280-ZX
1981 Datsun 280-ZX, courtesy of Mecum

[T210] 1981 Datsun 280-ZX GL 2+2 hatchback coupe. Light Brown Metallic with Beige leather front bucket seats. L28E 145 bhp 2.8 liter/168 ci inline six with fuel injection, a three-speed automatic, and an indicated 60,000 miles. I have written about the two-seat coupe version of the 1980 model. At $7,500, how much was the discount because it was a 2+2?

1981 Cadillac Fleetwood 75, courtesy of Mecum

[T265.1] 1981 Cadillac Fleetwood Series 75 limousine. Cotillion White with a White vinyl top and Blue cloth seats. L62 140 bhp 6.0 liter/368 ci V8-6-4 with fuel injection and cylinder deactivation, a three-speed automatic, and an indicated 27,000 miles. $7,000 for a limousine whose photos and video didn’t give a good view of the rear seating area.

Interesting Eighties Vehicles at the 2026 Mecum Indy

The 2026 version of Mecum’s annual Indy auction finished on May 16th. About five years ago, 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 Bianco 1989 Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary coupe with Bone leather front bucket seats and an indicated 47,000 kilometers was a no-sale at $480,000). Here are five that caught my eye, described in more detail than I used to when these surveys were more exhaustive.

Photo of 1980 Camaro Sport Coupe
1980 Camaro Sport Coupe, courtesy of Mecum

[Lot K153.1] 1980 Chevrolet Camaro Sport Coupe. Bronze Metallic with Camel vinyl/cloth front bucket seats. LC3 115 bhp 3.8 liter/229 ci V6 with a two-barrel carburetor, a three-speed automatic, and an indicated 17,000 miles. Simply a wow—this attractive Camaro was never messed with in almost half a century. Leaving it original generated a $17,000 hammer price—spectacular money for an early eighties Sport Coupe with a V6. I have written about the 1980 Rally Sport, but not the Sport Coupe.

1987 Subaru BRAT, linked from Mecum’s website

[W95] 1987 Subaru BRAT GL pickup truck. Moon Silver Metallic with blue/gray vinyl/cloth front bucket seats. EA-81 73 bhp 1.8 liter/109 ci flat four with a two-barrel carburetor, a four-speed manual, and an indicated 74,000 miles. An astounding $25,000 for this final year BRAT, which features the bed-mounted seats that were no longer included in 1987. I really should complete my draft blog post on this vehicle.

1988 Chevrolet Camaro, linked from Mecum’s website

[W169] 1988 Chevrolet Camaro convertible. Bright Red with a Black convertible top and Bright Red cloth bucket seats. L03 170 bhp 5.0.liter/305 ci V8 with a throttle-body fuel injection, a four-speed automatic, and an indicated 19,000 kilometers. $20,000 bought this relatively rare Canadian-market convertible, simply called the “Camaro convertible” until they renamed it to RS in 1989.

1986 Pontiac Grand Prix interior, courtesy of Mecum

[W210] 1986 Pontiac Grand Prix coupe. Light Blue Metallic/Dark Blue Metallic two-tone with blue cloth notchback front seat. LD5 110 bhp 3.8 liter/229 ci V6 with a two-barrel carburetor, a three-speed automatic, and an indicated 18,000 miles. A base Grand Prix (not an LE or Brougham—you can tell by the pull straps on the doors). $10,000—I have written about the 1987 version of this car.

1987 Porsche 959, linked from Mecum’s website

[S133] 1987 Porsche 959 Komfort coupe. Graphite Metallic with Gray leather front bucket seats. 444 bhp 2.9 liter/174 ci flat six with electronic fuel injection, a six-speed manual, and an indicated 3,500 miles. At $2,100,000 (that’s Hagerty #2/Excellent money), by far the highest eighties vehicle sale in this auction—a slantnose 1986 RUF was closest at less than a quarter the price.

Interesting Eighties Vehicles at the 2026 Mecum Glendale

The 2026 version of Mecum’s annual Glendale auction finished on March 21st. About five years ago, 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 Pearl White 1987 Toyota Supra Turbo hatchback coupe with burgundy leather front bucket seats and an indicated 5,300 miles was a no-sale at $65,000). Here are five that caught my eye, described in a little more detail than I used to when these surveys were more exhaustive.

1989 Chrysler Fifth Avenue, linked from Mecum’s website

[Lot G145] 1989 Chrysler Fifth Avenue sedan. Light Pewter Pearl Coat with a Tan vinyl top and Almond leather 60/40 front seats. LA 140 bhp 5.2 liter/318 ci V8 with a two-barrel carburetor, a three-speed automatic, and an indicated 67,000 miles. A $5,500 hammer price for this late eighties rear-wheel-drive Mopar. I have written about the 1987 version of this car.

1982 BMW 320i, linked from Mecum’s website

[W130] 1982 BMW 320i coupe. Polaris Metallic with Black leather front bucket seats. M10B18 101 bhp 1.8 liter/108 ci inline four with fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and an indicated 76,000 miles. $10,000 took home one of BMW’s marque-defining cars in the “correct” color. I have written about the 1983 320i.

1982 Chevrolet Camaro interior, courtesy of Mecum
1984 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight, linked from Mecum’s website

[W175] 1982 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Indy 500 Commemorative Edition Car hatchback coupe. Silver/Metallic Blue two-tone with blue Custom cloth bucket L/S Conteur front seats. LG4 145 bhp 5.0 liter/305 ci V8 with a four-barrel carburetor, a four-speed manual, and an indicated 49,000 miles. $16,000 for a specific year and model that I have written about.

[T103] 1984 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight Regency sedan. Dark Royal Blue Metallic with a Dark Blue vinyl top and a Blue divided front cloth seat (plenty of blue here). LV2 140 bhp 5.0.liter/307 ci V8 with a four-barrel carburetor, a four-speed automatic, and an indicated 5,900 miles. $22,000 for this well-kept Olds—I should write about a rear-wheel-drive Ninety-Eight at some point.

1982 Chrysler Imperial, linked from Mecum’s website

[T235] 1982 Chrysler Imperial Frank Sinatra Edition coupe. Glacier Blue Crystal Coat with Glacier Blue Kimberly Velvet cloth 60/40 front seats. LA 140 bhp 5.2 liter/318 ci V8 dealer-converted (as was very common) from electronic fuel injection to a two-barrel carburetor, a three-speed automatic, and an indicated 80,000 miles. An ouch! at $3,000. I have written about the final year 1983 Imperial, which did not offer a Frank Sinatra Edition.

1986 Volkswagen Scirocco 16V hatchback coupe

“Igniting the exhilaration of true sports coupe performance.”

For 1986, the second-generation Scirocco gained a substantial amount of power, elevating it from a VW loyalist’s car to one considered by a wider range of sports coupe buyers. The engine was a notably upgraded version of the 90 bhp 8-valve 1.8 liter/109 ci inline four that shipped on the base Scirocco. The new 16-valve version made 123 bhp, changing the character of Volkswagen’s sportiest coupe.

With a curb weight of 2,380 pounds, Car and Driver recorded a 0-60 time of 8.0 seconds and a top speed of 124 mph for the 16V. Fuel economy was rated at 23 city/28 highway by the day’s standards (21/26 by modern measures). A 13.8-gallon gas tank meant that a Scirocco 16V‘s owner could expect a range of 295 to 315 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

Classified as sub-compact by the EPA, the Scirocco was not a large car—its 165.7-inch length is three inches shorter than the current Golf GTI hatchback sedan. All Sciroccos continued to be assembled by Karmann in Osnabrück, Germany.

Cover of the 1986 Volkswagen Scirocco 16V brochure
Cover of the 1986 Volkswagen Scirocco 16V brochure

The 1986 Scirocco 16V‘s base price was $11,980—about $36,000 in today’s dollars, or almost exactly what a 2026 Golf GTI hatchback sedan goes for. Standard exterior features included halogen headlamps, tinted glass, body colored rocker panels, wheelhouse flares, and a 16V-specific rear spoiler. Mechanical features of the 16V included front wheel drive (still on the window sticker in 1986), quick-ratio power rack and pinion steering, four wheel power disc brakes, and 185/60HR-14 steel belted radial tires (a size still readily available) on 14-inch Sport alloy wheels. Inside, reclining front Sport seats with height adjustment, a foldable rear seat, a leather-wrapped Sport steering wheel, a digital clock, and a stereo prep package were standard.

Options & Period Reviews

Options for the reasonably well-equipped Scirocco 16V were relatively few—a manual tilt and slide sunroof ($450), metallic paint, leather seats, air conditioning ($750), a power door locks and windows package ($445), cruise control, and an AM/FM stereo cassette radio with a cassette storage tray ($390).

Period reviews of the Scirocco 16V were good, though the exterior styling took some lumps for its lack of distinctiveness. Car and Driver stated that the new motor made for an “amazing transformation.” MotorWeek was a little iffy about the 16V‘s price in a very competitive market. Both Car and Driver and MotorWeek noted that the 16V was the fastest Volkswagen yet sold in the United States.

The View From 2026

Second-generation Sciroccos attract collector interest, and there is club support. They 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.

Make mine Tornado Red, please. The only colors available for the 16V in 1986 were Black, Tornado Red, and Flash Silver Metallic.

The only other Scirocco I’ve written about is the 1981 S. Other Volkswagens I have written about include the 1981 Dasher station wagon, the 1983 Rabbit GTI hatchback coupe, the 1985 Cabriolet, and the 1985 Jetta GLI sedan. Sports coupe competition for the 16V in 1986 included the Chevrolet Camaro Berlinetta, the Chevrolet Cavalier Z24, the Honda Prelude Si, and the Mercury Capri.

1989 Ford Taurus SHO sedan

“… superbly equipped …”

For 1989, Ford introduced a high-performance version of its Taurus family car, which Dearborn designated as the SHO.

SHO engine photo from the 1989 Ford Taurus brochure
SHO engine photo from the 1989 Ford Taurus brochure

The centerpiece of the SHO was its engine. Designed and built by Yamaha, it was a 220 bhp Super High Output 3.0 liter/181 ci V6 with four valves per cylinder and sequential multiport electronic fuel injection. A five-speed manual was the only transmission initially available with the SHO. Car and Driver recorded a 0-60 time of 6.7 seconds and a top speed of 143 mph—astoundingly fast for a mainstream sedan in 1989. Mileage ratings were 18 city/26 highway by the day’s standard (16/24 by today’s measures). With an 18.6-gallon gas tank, a SHO‘s proud new owner could expect a range of between 335 and 365 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

The 1989 Taurus SHO sedan’s base price was $19,739—about $53,400 in today’s dollars. Standard exterior and mechanical equipment included fog lamps, cornering lamps, a handling suspension, 4-wheel disc brakes, and P215/65VR15 black sidewall tires (a size still somewhat available) on 15-inch cast aluminum wheels. Inside, reclining cloth front bucket seats, a 6-way power driver seat adjustment, a center console, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, manual control air conditioning, power side windows, and power door locks were included.

One Package, Individual Options, & Period Reviews

Preferred equipment package 211A ($533) included an autolamp system, an illuminated entry system, and the High-Level Audio System.

Individual options included a power moonroof ($741), a keyless entry system ($137), electronic climate control air conditioning ($183), front bucket seats with leather seating surfaces ($489), a 6-way power passenger seat adjustment ($261), and a rear window defroster ($150).

Period reviews were extremely positive, and often seemed somewhat stunned by what Ford and Yamaha had achieved. Road & Track called the SHO “one of the great surprises for 1989” and, astoundingly, beat Car and Driver‘s 0-60 time by a tenth of a second. As for Car and Driver, their December 1988 issue called the 1989 SHO a “breakthrough car” and compared it to the 1964 Ford Mustang and the 1970 Datsun 240Z. MotorWeek was also enthusiastic.

The View From 2026

According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, a 1989 Taurus SHO in #1/Concours condition is $21,100, while a far more typical #3/Good car goes for $6,900. SHOs of this age come up for sale regularly in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and Bring a Trailer, so folks are saving them.

Make mine Light Titanium Clearcoat Metallic, please. There were only four exterior colors available with the 1989 SHO, and only one interior color (Titanium).

I have written about the first Taurus sedan. Other aerodynamically styled Ford Motor Company products I’ve written about include the 1983 Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe, the 1984 Ford Mustang SVO hatchback coupe, the 1984 Ford Tempo sedan, the 1984 Lincoln Continental Mark VII LSC coupe, the 1987 Ford Thunderbird standard coupe, and the 1988 Mercury Cougar XR-7 coupe.

1980 Mercury Capri hatchback coupe

“Every bit a driver’s car.”

1980 was the second year for the Fox-body Capri and brought few changes from the debut year, and some of those weren’t great, such as a downgraded V8. There was a new rear deck spoiler standard on all RS models.

The standard powertrain on the base Capri was Ford’s Lima 88 bhp 2.3 liter/140 ci inline four with a Holley-Weber two-barrel carburetor matched with a four-speed manual. Three engine options were available:

  • a 91 bhp 3.3 liter/200 ci inline six with a one-barrel carburetor ($169)
  • a Windsor 118 bhp 4.2 liter/255 ci V8 with a Motorcraft 2150 two-barrel carburetor ($288), which required the three-speed automatic ($340)
  • a Lima inline four with a Holley-Weber two-barrel carburetor and a turbocharger ($481). Sources disagree as to whether this engine was rated at 118 bhp, 120 bhp, or 132 bhp, but everyone agrees that it included a 12.5-gallon gas tank

Thus, for 1980, the fastest available Capri had a 0-60 time of a little under 11 seconds. With an 11.5-gallon gas tank and 23 city/38 highway fuel mileage, the owner of a Capri with the base four could expect a range of about 260 to 280 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

The base 1980 Capri hatchback coupe went for $5,672—about $24,500 in 2026 dollars. Standard exterior and mechanical equipment included dual rectangular headlamps, dual paint stripes, a liftback third door, wraparound taillamps, rack-and-pinion steering, front disc/rear drum brakes, and P185/80R13 tires on 13-inch semi-styled steel wheels with trim rings. Inside, vinyl high-back front bucket seats, a fold-down rear seat, a Sport steering wheel, full instrumentation (tachometer, trip odometer, fuel/temperature/oil/alternator gauges), a lockable glove box, and a cigar lighter were included.

The Capri RS ($204) added a simulated hood scoop, a rear deck spoiler, dual remote control mirrors, and P175/75R14 black sidewall tires on 14-inch wheels with Sport wheel covers.

Front cover of the 1980 Mercury Capri brochure
Front cover of the 1980 Mercury Capri brochure, displaying an RS Turbo

The Turbo RS ($1,185) made the turbocharged 2.3 liter engine standard and added a sports-tuned exhaust system, the Rally Suspension package, and Michelin TRX 190/65R390 tires (they’re still available!) on 15.3-inch forged aluminum three-spoke wheels. Inside, low-back front bucket seats, Deluxe trim, and an 8,000 RPM tachometer were included. Power front disc brakes ($78) were a mandatory option. A base Turbo RS came to $6,935—about $30,000 in today’s dollars and almost what a 2026 Ford Mustang EcoBoost fastback goes for.

Taking a different direction, the comfortable Capri Ghia included P175/75R14 black sidewall tires with 14-inch wheels with Sport wheel covers. Inside, low-back front bucket seats with European type headrests, a four-spoke Luxury steering wheel with a woodtone insert, and Light Group were included. The Ghia‘s base price was $5,968. Power front disc brakes ($78) were a mandatory option.

Options & Production Numbers

Exterior and mechanical options included tinted glass ($65), a flip-up, removable moonroof ($219), power steering ($160), and power brakes ($78). Inside, Recaro adjustable front bucket seats, air conditioning ($538), an electric rear window defroster ($96), interval windshield wipers ($39), a tilt steering wheel ($78), and the power lock group ($113) were available. A series of five stereos was available, with the most capable being an AM/FM stereo radio with a cassette tape player.

The 1980 Capri sold decently. 79,984 were produced, accounting for 23% of Mercury’s overall sales in a brutally down year.

The View From 2026

Capris come up for sale occasionally in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and on Bring a Trailer.

Make mine Bright Bittersweet, please.

The only other Capri I have covered is the final-year 1986 hatchback coupe. Fox-body Mustangs I have covered include the 1980 Cobra hatchback coupe, the 1981 coupe, the 1982 GT hatchback coupe, the 1983 GT convertible, the 1984 SVO hatchback coupe, and the 1987 LX coupe.

Interesting Eighties Vehicles at the 2026 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale

1980 Suzuki Samurai,
image linked from Barrett-Jackson’s website

Barrett-Jackson‘s signature annual Scottdale auction finished on January 25th this year. 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. Below are five of the 1,900 or so vehicles sold at Scottsdale that attracted my eye, described in a little more detail than I used to when these surveys were more exhaustive.

[Lot 13] 1988 Suzuki Samurai SUV. Champagne with a black convertible top and tan front bucket seats. G13A 63 bhp 1.3 liter/81 ci inline four with a one-barrel carburetor, a five-speed manual, and unknown mileage. A $9,500 hammer price for this tiny (80-inch wheelbase) vehicle.

1984 Mercury Marquis,
image linked from Barrett-Jackson’s website

[140] 1984 Mercury Marquis Brougham sedan. Oxford White with Academy Blue Twin Comfort Lounge cloth front seats. Cologne 120 bhp 3.8 liter/231 ci V6 with fuel injection, a four-speed automatic, and an indicated 35,000 miles. You do still occasionally see examples of the far more popular sister 1983-1986 Ford LTD, but somebody was evidently hoping to strike gold with a Mercury I haven’t seen any examples of in about three decades. That didn’t happen—$1,000.

Photo of 1981 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am
1981 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am, photo courtesy of Barrett-Jackson

[671.1] 1981 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Special Edition coupe. Black with Pimlico cloth front bucket seats. LU8 200 bhp 4.9 liter/301 ci V8 with a four-barrel carburetor and a turbocharger, a three-speed automatic, and unknown mileage. $40,000 is Hagerty #2/Excellent money for a very nicely restored example of a final-year second-generation F-car with almost all the trimmings (turbo, SE, WS6).

1987 Ferrari Testarossa,
image linked from Barrett-Jackson’s website

[1432.1] 1987 Ferrari Testarossa convertible by Straman. Rosso Corsa with an unknown convertible top color and white leather front bucket seats in an otherwise blinding bright red interior. 380 bhp 4.9 liter/302 ci flat 12 with fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and an indicated 19,000 miles. $240,000 for a car absolutely not for the shy and retiring among us.

1987 Ford Thunderbird,
image linked from Barrett-Jackson’s website

[1521] 1987 Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe. Silver Clearcoat Metallic with Scarlet Red cloth adjustable articulated front bucket seats. Lima 190 bhp 2.3 liter/140 ci inline four with fuel injection, a turbocharger, and an intercooler, a five-speed manual, and an indicated 37,000 miles. $18,000 takes this sharp Turbo Coupe just about back to what it cost when new.

What eighties vehicles did you like at this year’s Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale?

1985 Cadillac Coupe de Ville

“The Cadillac of tomorrow is here …”

Along with its sedan sister, the Cadillac Coupe de Ville was all-new for the 1985 model. Introduced in April 1984, it moved to front wheel drive and lost significant length, width, and weight compared to its immediate predecessor.

The Coupe de Ville’s powertrain was Cadillac’s 125 bhp HT-4100 4.1 liter/249 ci V8 with throttle body fuel injection paired with a four-speed automatic transmission. Fuel economy was 17 city/26 highway by the standards of the day (15/24 by today’s measures). Since the engine and transmission remained essentially the same and the Coupe de Ville was smaller and lighter, performance improved but still not very impressive: 0-60 improved to a little under 12 seconds.

Coupe pages from the 1985 Cadillac de Ville brochure
Coupe pages from the 1985 Cadillac de Ville brochure

The 1985 Coupe de Ville’s base price was $18,355—about $57,700 in today’s dollars, or about what a loaded 2026 Cadillac CT5 Premium Luxury sedan goes for. Standard exterior and mechanical equipment included Soft Ray tinted glass, power front disc/rear drum brakes, power rack-and-pinion steering, and P205/75R14 white stripe all-seasons steel-belted radial tires on 14-inch wheels. Inside, a front notch bench seat, electrically powered door locks, electronic climate control, and an ETR AM/FM stereo signal seeking radio with scanner and digital display were included.

Options & Period Reception

Options included firemist paint ($235), aluminum alloy wheels ($429), cruise control ($185), Twilight Sentinel ($79), automatic door locks ($162), and the all-conquering Delco-GM/Bose Symphony Sound System ($895).

The challenge—of course—with downsizing the de Ville was that the target market did not appreciate downsizing. Many thought that the previous downsizing—in 1977—had been quite enough. Reviews from the “buff books” were a general “huh?”. Car and Driver wrote “Could it be that Cadillac is trying too hard to turn its efficient new sedan into an old-school luxocruiser?”

The View From 2026

According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, a 1985 Coupe de Ville in #1/Concours condition is $18,100, while a far more typical #3/Good car goes for $8,200. Coupe de Villes of this age come up for sale regularly in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and Bring a Trailer, so folks are saving them.

Make mine Corinthian Blue Firemist, please.

Other Cadillacs from the second half of the decade that I have written about include the 1986 Eldorado coupe, the 1986 Fleetwood Brougham sedan, the 1988 Cimarron sedan, the 1988 Eldorado coupe, the 1989 Allanté convertible, and the 1989 Sedan de Ville.

Interesting Eighties Vehicles at the 2026 Mecum Kissimmee

The 2026 version of Mecum’s huge annual Kissimmee auction finished on January 18th this year. 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 white 1984 Mercedes-Benz 500SEC 5.4 AMG Widebody coupe was a no-sale at $325,000). Here are ten that caught my eye, described in a little more detail than I used to when these surveys were more exhaustive.

1987 Dodge Diplomat, linked from Mecum’s website

[Lot E17] 1987 Dodge Diplomat SE sedan. White with a Dark Red vinyl top and Red cloth 60/40 front seats. LA 140 bhp 5.2 liter/318 ci V8 with a two-barrel carburetor, a three-speed automatic, and an indicated 27,000 miles. A low $4,000 hammer price suggests that folks who appreciate late eighties rear-wheel-drive Mopars may not have been in the room.

1982 AMC Eagle, linked from Mecum’s website

[E191] 1984 AMC Eagle Limited wagon. Olympic White/Garnet Metallic two-tone with Honey leather front seats. 110 bhp 4.2 liter/258 ci inline six with a two-barrel carburetor, a three-speed automatic, and an indicated 33,000 miles. $10,500 for one of these Eagles that definitely have an enthusiast following.

1984 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight, linked from Mecum’s website

[J47] 1984 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight Regency Brougham sedan. Dark Sable Brown Metallic with a Dark Sable Brown vinyl top and a Sable Brown divided front cloth seat (plenty of brown here). LV2 140 bhp 5.0.liter/307 ci V8 with a four-barrel carburetor, a four-speed automatic, and an indicated 5,800 miles. $11,000 doesn’t seem like a lot of money for this lovingly kept Olds.

1983 Rolls-Royce Corniche, linked from Mecum’s website

[K231] 1983 Rolls-Royce Corniche I Drophead Coupe. Blue with a gray convertible top and blue leather front seats. L410 237 bhp 6.75 liter/411 ci V8 with fuel injection, a three-speed automatic, and an indicated 100,000 miles (this Corniche was enjoyed). $35,000 for a car I should probably write about at some point—I wrote about the concurrent Silver Spirit last year.

1985 Chevrolet Camaro interior, courtesy of Mecum

[M221] 1985 Chevrolet Camaro Sport Coupe hatchback. An unmodified third-generation Sport Coupe is now as rare as hen’s teeth, but Mecum had one this year. Black with Red standard cloth bucket seats (no fancy Custom interior here). LB8 135 bhp 2.8 liter/173 ci V6 with fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and an indicated 3,700 miles. $6,000 shows the limits of the market for mid-eighties Camaros that are not Z28s or IROC-Zs, even with impressively low miles. I have written about the 1984 Sport Coupe.

1985 Toyota Celica, linked from Mecum’s website

[G269.1] 1985 Toyota Celica GT-S convertible. White with a black convertible top and gray cloth front bucket seats. 22R-E 113 bhp 2.4 liter/144 ci inline four with fuel injection, a four-speed automatic, and an indicated 151,000 miles. $11,500 for a final year example of the third-generation Celica.

1987 Chevrolet Chevette exterior
1984 Dodge Daytona, courtesy of Mecum

[T22] 1984 Dodge Daytona Turbo Z hatchback coupe. Gunmetal Blue Pearl Coat/Black two-tone with gray cloth front bucket seats. Turbo I 142 bhp 2.2 liter/135 ci inline four with fuel injection and a turbocharger, a five-speed manual, and an indicated 5,100 miles. $12,000 for this top-of-the-line first-year Daytona that I have written about.

1980 Chevrolet Corvette, linked from Mecum’s website

[T292] 1980 Chevrolet Corvette Duntov Turbo convertible. Red with a black convertible top and red leather/gray cloth front bucket seats. 300 bhp (estimated) 5.7 liter/350 ci V8 with a four-barrel carburetor and a turbocharger, a four-speed automatic, and an indicated 15,000 miles. $35,000 for this rare Corvette—American Custom Industries made 86.

Photo of 1983 Jeep Wagoneer Limited SUV
1983 Jeep Wagoneer Limited SUV, photo courtesy of Mecum

[T358] 1983 Jeep Wagoneer Limited SUV. Topaz Gold Metallic with woodgrain side panels and nutmeg leather front bucket seats. AMC 175 bhp 5.9 liter/360 ci V8 with a two-barrel carburetor, a three-speed automatic, Selec-Trac four-wheel-drive, and an indicated 35,000 miles. An impressive $80,000 for this Wagonmaster-refurbished Wagoneer.

1980 BMW M1, linked from Mecum’s website

[S174] 1980 BMW M1 coupe. White with BMW Motorsport tri-color stripes and blue leather front bucket seats. M88 273 bhp 3.5 liter/211 ci inline six with fuel injection, a five-speed manual, and an indicated 20,000 kilometers. $700,000 for this car, once owned by F1 champion Niki Lauda—which may be why it sold for more than Hagerty #1/Concours money.

1989 Ford Thunderbird coupe

“The new spirit of Thunderbird …”

Ford’s Thunderbird personal luxury coupe was all new for 1989. The twelfth-generation ‘Bird was code-named MN12 and cost over a billion dollars to develop.

The standard Thunderbird’s powertrain was an Essex 140 bhp 3.8 liter/232 ci V6 with electronic sequential multi-port fuel injection paired with an automatic overdrive transmission. The Super Coupe‘s powertrain was an Essex 210 bhp 3.8 liter/232 ci V6 with a supercharger, an intercooler, and electronic sequential multi-port fuel injection paired with a 5-speed manual transmission. The automatic overdrive transmission was an option for the Super Coupe.

Page from the 1989 Ford Thunderbird brochure
Page from the 1989 Ford Thunderbird brochure

The Thunderbird Standard‘s base price was $14,612. Exterior and mechanical equipment included tinted glass, power rack-and-pinion steering, power front disc/rear drum brakes, and P205/70R15 black sidewall tires on 15-inch stamped steel wheels. Inside, cloth front bucket seats with recliners, a full-length console with floor-mounted shift, air conditioning, and an electronic AM/FM stereo search radio with a digital clock were included.

Moving up to the $16,817 LX added speed-sensitive power steering, Luxury cloth front bucket seats with recliners, a six-way power driver’s seat, Luxury door trim and carpeting, and the power lock group.

The top-of-the-line Super Coupe ($19,823) included fog lamps, dual exhausts, a Traction-Lok rear axle, four-wheel disc brakes with an anti-lock braking system, and Goodyear Eagle P225/60VR16 performance tires on 16-inch cast aluminum wheels. Inside, articulated sport seats with power lumbar and power seat back bolster adjustments, a Sport soft-feel steering wheel, and performance instrumentation were included.

Packages, Options, Production Numbers, & Period Reviews

Each 1989 Thunderbird model offered a Preferred Equipment Package:

  • 151A was for the Standard coupe and cost $1,235. It included bright window moldings, styled road wheel covers, a six-way power driver’s seat, a tilt steering wheel, dual electric remote-control mirrors, a rear window defroster, speed control, the power lock group, the Luxury light/convenience group, and an electronic AM/FM stereo search radio with a cassette tape player
  • 162A was for the LX coupe and cost $735. It included P215/70R15 tires, aluminum wheels, a six-way power front passenger’s seat, front floor mats, a rear window defroster, a keyless entry system, the Luxury light/convenience group, and an electronic Premium cassette radio with Premium sound and a power radio antenna
  • 157A was for the Super Coupe and cost $1,327. It included a six-way power driver’s seat, a tilt steering wheel, a rear window defroster, speed control, the power lock group, and an electronic AM/FM stereo search radio with a cassette tape player

Individual options for all versions of the Thunderbird included clearcoat paint ($163), a power moonroof ($841), an anti-theft system ($183), a Ford JBL Audio System ($488), and a compact disc player ($491).

Ford sold 122,909 Thunderbirds in the 1989 model year, with about 11% being the Super Coupe. 63% of the Super Coupe versions came with a manual transmission. The 1989 Thunderbird Super Coupe won Motor Trend‘s Car of the Year award, and MotorWeek designated it as their best sports coupe. Many buff books mentioned the Thunderbird’s similarity to large BMW coupes.

The View From 2025

These Thunderbirds often appear for sale in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and on Bring a Trailer. As I write this blog entry in January 2026, there’s a Twilight Blue Clearcoat Metallic 1989 coupe with shadow blue cloth bucket seats and 10,000 miles for sale on Hemmings, asking $30,000.

Make mine Currant Red Clearcoat Metallic, please.

Other Thunderbirds I have written about in this blog include the 1980 coupe, the 1982 coupe, the 1983 Turbo Coupe, and the 1987 standard coupe. I’ve also written about the closely related Mercury Cougars—the 1980 XR-7 coupe and the 1988 XR-7 coupe.