Every year, I look at the end-of-the-year results for the blog’s most viewed posts. For 2023, 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. In reverse order, we’ll discuss this year’s top ten most viewed posts.
10) 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 $19,200 in #1/Concours condition and $8,000 in #3/Good condition for the version with the optional V8. This post dropped four places in 2023 and is now second all time after being first for years.
9) 1989 Buick Electra Park Avenue Ultra sedan—this 2020 post about the top-of-the-line Buick for 1989 dropped two spots in 2023.
8) 1983 Monte Carlo SS Sport Coupe—this March 2022 post about the first of the eighties Monte Carlo SS’s makes its first appearance in the top 10. According to Hagerty, all the money for a 1983 Monte Carlo SS Sport Coupe in #1/Concours condition is $38,600, with a more typical #3/Good condition example going for $19,400.
7) 1985 Chevrolet C20 Suburban Silverado SUV—the first eighties SUV to make any year’s top ten dropped three spots this year. According to Hagerty, a 1985 C20 Suburban Silverado in #1/Concours condition is $42,200, with a more typical #3/Good condition example going for $17,400.
6) 1980 Pontiac Grand Prix SJ coupe—this was a rapid riser at the end of 2022, so there’s no surprise it showed up in the 2023 top 10.
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. Holding steady at number 5.
4) 1987 Mercury Lynx XR3 hatchback coupe—after dropping off the top ten in 2022, this post is back at number 4 and is now the fourth most popular all-time. Mercury is, of course, an orphan make, but this blog entry has been viewed almost five times more than my write-up on the related 1981 Ford Escort hatchback coupe.
3) 1980 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 coupe—Hagerty sees these Z28s as worth $56,700 in #1/Concours condition and $25,200 in #3/Good condition with the top-of-the-line LM1 V8. Down one spot from 2022.
2) 1980 Pontiac Sunbird Sport Hatch—another car that been off the list for a while (since 2020) inexplicably returns.
1) 1981 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme coupe—the number one post for the third 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.
Four posts that did not make it into the top ten in 2023 after doing so in 2022 were those on the 1984 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz convertible, the 1988 Cadillac Eldorado coupe, the 1980 Chevrolet Camaro Rally Sport coupe, and the 1980 Mercedes-Benz 450SL convertible. The best-performing Chrysler product post was on the 1980 Plymouth Horizon hatchback coupe (18th) and the leading European car post was the 1985 Volkswagen Cabriolet (19th) while the highest-ranking Japanese car post was on the 1981 Toyota Celica Sports Coupe (25th).
Thanks to all who viewed this blog in 2023!
Eighties Cars 