Category: 1986

1986 Cadillac Eldorado coupe

“Imaginatively new. Decidedly Cadillac.”

Is it possible to miss the market more than this? For the 1986 model year, Cadillac downsized the front wheel drive Eldorado coupe again. This time, the wheelbase dropped to 108 inches, and overall length was down by over 16 inches to 188 inches—what was supposed to be the top of the non-limousine Cadillac line was now about the size of a 1986 Chevrolet Celebrity (or a 2025 Cadillac CT4 sedan) and a full three feet shorter than the (admittedly massive) 1978 Eldorado.

EightiesEldoradoSales

Predictably, Eldorado buyers didn’t go for it. Sales collapsed from about 74,000 in 1985 to about 21,000 in 1986—definitely not what would be expected from a complete model revision. Six years later, GM had now managed to duplicate the carnage that Ford had experienced with its 1980 luxury vehicle downsizing. Notably, Ford Thunderbird, Lincoln Mark VII (the Continental name departed that year), and Mercury Cougar sales were all up for 1986, along with those of some of GM’s “junior” personal luxury coupes. The December 1987 issue of Special Interest Autos simply called the Eldorado/Riviera/Toronado downsizing “the E-body disaster” and speculated that it was costing GM half a billion dollars a year in lost profits.

1986 Cadillac Eldorado brochure page
1986 Cadillac Eldorado brochure page

So, what did those relatively few buyers get with their $24,251 (about $70,900 in today’s dollars) 1986 Eldorado? Standard exterior and mechanical equipment included power four-wheel disc brakes, power steering, and aluminum alloy wheels. Inside, front bucket seats, power mirrors, power windows, power door locks, a power trunk release, cruise control, electronic climate control, and an AM/FM stereo radio with power antenna were all included, so the Eldorado was at least pretty well equipped.

Packages, Options, & Performance Numbers

Moving up to the Biarritz (almost always the top-of-the-line Eldorado since 1956) cost either $3,095 (with cloth seats) or $3,495 (with leather seats) raising the price to either $27,346 ($79,900 today) or $27,746 ($81,100 today). Standard equipment on the Biarritz included nicer seats with power lumbar support, two-tone paint, and real walnut accents.

Options included a power Astroroof ($1,255), a nicely integrated cellular phone ($2,850), the FE2 touring suspension with 15-inch aluminum alloy wheels and 215/60R15 Goodyear Eagle GT tires ($155), and the Delco-GM/Bose Symphony Sound System ($895).

The Eldorado’s engine was Cadillac’s 130 bhp HT-4100 throttle body fuel injected 4.1 liter/249 ci V8 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 standards). Since the engine and transmission remained the same and the Eldorado was smaller and lighter, performance was better but still not very impressive: 0-60 improved to about 11 seconds.

The View From 2025

According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, all the money for a 1986 Eldorado in #1/Concours condition is $19,100, with a far more typical #3/Good car going for $6,900. Eldorados 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 Eldorados I have written about include the 1982 Touring Coupe, the 1984 Biarritz convertible, and the 1988 coupe.

Last updated March 2025.

1986 Chrysler Town & Country convertible

“Why sit around waiting for a summer breeze to come up when you can create quite a stir yourself?”

1986 was the last model year for Chrysler’s Town & Country convertible. Basically a special version of the LeBaron convertible, the Town & Country was first available in 1983 and was intended to remind potential buyers of the classic (and valuable) Town & Country convertibles in production from 1946 through 1950. The newer Town & Country was not especially successful, selling only 3,721 units in four years, with only 501 sold in 1986.

Like all LeBarons, the Town & Country‘s front and rear fascias, headlights, grilles, and taillights were all updated with a more rounded and aerodynamic look in 1986. The center-mounted brake light mandated for all 1986 vehicles by U.S. federal law was mounted atop the trunk lid. Inside, the standard digital instrument cluster was redesigned for better legibility.

Also for 1986, a throttle-body fuel injected K 2.5 liter/152 ci inline four producing 100 bhp replaced the carburetted 2.6 inline liter four built by Mitsubishi as the base engine. The optional fuel-injected Turbo I 146 bhp 2.2 liter/135 ci turbocharged inline four remained for an additional $628. Both engines were paired with a TorqueFlite three-speed automatic. Mileage with the base engine was 23 city/25 highway by the day’s standards (20/23 by 2025 measures). The Turbo I was rated at 20 city/24 highway—not a big price to pay for a significant percentage of extra horsepower.

1986 Chrysler Town & Country convertible brochure picture
1986 Chrysler Town & Country convertible pages from the LeBaron brochure

The base price for 1986 Town & Country was a non-trivial $17,595 (about $52,600 in today’s dollars). For that money, you got halogen headlights, dual horns, power brakes, wire wheel covers with locks, and the Town & Country’s distinctive white ash moldings and teak appliques on the body sides. Inside, you got a very attractive Mark Cross leather interior along with air conditioning, power mirrors, a power driver’s seat, and the Ultimate Sound System AM/FM stereo cassette with a graphic equalizer and six speakers.

Packages included the $302 Deluxe Convenience Package (cruise control and tilt wheel) and the Power Convenience Discount Package (power windows and power locks).

The View From 2025

A small set of enthusiasts is collecting these eighties Town & Country convertibles, and I have seen nice examples at several AACA-judged shows. You see them for sale in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and on Bring a Trailer. As I update this blog entry in October 2025, there’s a White 1986 LeBaron Town & Country with almond seats and 178,000 miles for sale on Hemmings, asking $14,000.

Of course, these Super K convertibles also started Chrysler’s long tradition of making convertibles that might occasionally be sporty but were not sports cars—a market niche they finally exited with the demise of the Chrysler 200 convertible at the end of the 2014 model year.

I still like what Chrysler was trying to do, and I appreciate how these cars look. Make mine White, please, with that killer Almond/Cream leather interior.

I have also written about the debut 1982 Chrysler LeBaron convertible.

Last updated October 2025.

1986 Chevrolet Camaro Berlinetta hatchback coupe

“Elegance With a Technical Touch.”

1986 was the last model year for the Berlinetta semi-luxury version of Chevrolet’s Camaro, and they were by far the rarest of the three Camaro types available. With only 4,579 Berlinettas built in 1986, Chevrolet sold more than eleven times as many IROC-Zs alone. There were few changes for the 1986 Berlinetta—among them the appearance of the federally mounted center high-mounted stop lamp, new colors, updated interiors, and a new automatic closure for the large and heavy rear hatch.

The base powertrain for the Berlinetta was the LB8 135 bhp 2.8 liter/173 ci multi-port fuel-injected V6 with a five-speed manual transmission. Optional power was the $450 LG4 155 bhp 5.0 liter/305 ci V8 with a Rochester Quadrajet four-barrel carburetor, which was paired with a $425 four-speed automatic transmission (the five-speed manual was not available with the V8 on the Berlinetta).

Fuel economy with the base powertrain combination was 17 city/26 highway by the day’s standards (15/24 by modern measures). Moving up to the V8 dropped mileage ratings only slightly—to 17/25, and reduced the 0-60 mph time to a respectable 9 seconds in a car that weighed approximately 3,065 pounds. With a 16.2-gallon fuel tank (for some reason 0.7 gallons larger than with the V6), a V8 Berlinetta owner could expect a range of 275 to 305 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

Your $11,902 base price (about $35,400 in today’s dollars) bought standard mechanical and exterior equipment including power brakes, power steering, dual horns, and P205/70R-14 blackwall steel-belted radial tires (a size still readily available) on 14 x 7 inch wheels with Berlinetta-specific full wheel covers. Inside, custom cloth reclining seats with adjustable headrests, a Berlinetta-only steering wheel, intermittent windshield wipers, a roof console with a removable flashlight, a fold-down rear seat, a locking rear storage cover, Quiet Sound Group, and an AM/FM stereo radio with a clock and four speakers were included.

Chevrolet Camaro Berlinetta print advertisement
Chevrolet Camaro Berlinetta print advertisement

Of course, the most notable interior component in the Berlinetta was the “Welcome aboard Starship Camaro.” (yes, that was an actual advertisement) electronic instrument cluster with dual adjustable control pods, a vacuum-fluorescent digital speedometer, and a bar graph tachometer. To an aspiring young audiophile, the killer feature of this interior was the optional (an extra $242) AM/FM stereo on a swivel with a “proper” upright (no slot) cassette deck and a five-band graphic equalizer. For 1986 only, the stereo received substantially improved backlighting.

Options

Among the many exterior and mechanical options were four-wheel disc brakes ($179 and only available with the V8), t-tops ($846—ouch!), a rear spoiler ($69), halogen headlamps ($25), electric rear window defogger ($145), and nice looking Berlinetta-only aluminum finned wheels ($225). Inside, you could add cruise control ($185), Comfortilt steering wheel ($115), power door locks ($145), and Berlinetta-specific electronically-controlled air conditioning ($775). The Berlinetta could get expensive: I had no trouble getting a V8 version up to $15,400—about $45,800 in 2025 dollars.

The View From 2025

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According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, a 1986 Berlinetta with the LG4 in (rare) #1/Concours condition is $21,900, with a more normal #3/Good condition car going for $6,100. Third-generation Camaros generally have good club support and are often available in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and on Bring a Trailer. However, Berlinettas of any year (Chevrolet first brought them to market in 1979) are relatively rare. As I update this blog post in August 2025, there is a Medium Gray Metallic 1986 Berlinetta with gray cloth seats, the V8, and 29,000 miles available for sale on Hemmings, asking $17,900.

Make mine Black, please.

Thanks to the GM Heritage Center for some really specific information on the 1986 Berlinetta.

Other third-generation Camaro hatchback coupes I have written about include the 1982 Z28 Indy 500 Commemorative Edition, the 1984 Sport Coupe, and the 1985 IROC-Z. I have yet to write about any of the 1987 through 1989 Camaro convertibles.

Last updated August 2025.

Sav

1986 Ford Taurus sedan

“An automobile that evolved from a new way of thinking.”

Front cover of the 1986 Ford Taurus brochure
Front cover of the 1986 Ford Taurus brochure

Ford’s 1986 Taurus marked an almost unbelievable change from the Fox-platform LTD that it replaced. Gone was the rear-wheel-drive and squarish looks, replaced by something front-wheel-drive with Jack Telnack’s completely different design.

The Taurus definitely looked different on the road, especially for a Ford. Getting beyond the looks, the base engine on the Taurus was the central fuel injected (CFI—otherwise known as throttle-body injection) 90 bhp HSC 2.5 liter/152 ci inline four. Optional was the fuel-injected 140 bhp Vulcan 3.0 liter/182 ci V6. Mileage with the base engine and the standard three-speed automatic transmission was 20 city/27 highway by the day’s standards of the day (18/24 by 2025 measures). Mileage with the top-of-the-line V6 and four-speed automatic transmission combination was rated at 20 city/28 highway.

Standard equipment on the $9,645 (about $28,600 in today’s dollars) base Taurus L was … fairly basic. Exterior and mechanical features include halogen headlamps, power steering, and power brakes. Inside, cloth seats (either bench or bucket) were standard, along with a rear window defroster and an AM radio with two speakers.

  • Intended to be the sportiest Taurus, the Taurus MT5 ended up being quite rare. It added a five-speed manual transmission with a floor console but paired that with the base engine. Power mirrors, intermittent wipers, tilt steering wheel, bucket seats, a tachometer, and AM/FM stereo radio with four speakers were also included.
  • The Taurus GL was the usual step up from the L and included the Vulcan V6 and the four-speed automatic as standard equipment. With a GL, you also got power mirrors, intermittent wipers, and an AM/FM stereo radio with four speakers.
  • The top of the line for 1986 was the Taurus LX (there was as yet no SHO). Beyond all the GL features, every LX included lower body cladding (you’ll have to believe me that it was at least a little hip at the time) and front cornering lamps. Inside, the LX came with air conditioning, power windows, and a tilt steering wheel.

Options, Production Numbers, & Period Reviews

Optional exterior and mechanical equipment available for every Taurus included 15-inch aluminum wheels, power antenna, power moonroof, keyless entry system, and an engine block heater. Inside, you could upgrade to six-way power seats, cruise control, and the Premium Sound System. An interesting option was the extended range fuel tank, which added 2.5 gallons to the standard 13.3-gallon tank—perhaps another 55 miles of range in the real world.

Options only available on the upmarket GL and LX models included an electronic air conditioner and leather seating surfaces (LX only).

A car that could have killed (or at least severely wounded) Ford if it had failed, the first-generation Taurus was instead very successful. Over 230,000 were sold in the 1986 model year alone, and the Taurus made Car and Driver‘s “10 Best” in 1986 in addition to being Motor Trend‘s “Car of the Year” (one of the few choices that MT made in the 1980s that hasn’t ended up being embarrassing).

The View From 2025

For such a popular car, you don’t see many “civilian” (non SHO) first-generation Taurus’s that have made it to forty. They’re rarely seen in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds or on eBay Motors. Bring a Trailer has yet to auction a 1986 Taurus.

Make mine Silver Clearcoat Metallic, please. If (as many claimed) the Taurus was imitating the Audi 5000, we might as well go all the way and use a proper German color.

Other aerodynamically styled Ford products I’ve written about include the 1983 Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe, the 1984 Ford Mustang SVO hatchback coupe, and the 1984 Lincoln Continental Mark VII LSC coupe.

Last updated August 2025.

1986 Porsche 944 Turbo hatchback coupe

This post was one of the first I wrote for this blog, and definitely the first on a Porsche. Substantially revised and updated, it’s now also almost 80% lengthier.

“Keeping Up with a Porsche 944 Has Just Gone from Difficult to Impossible”

Porsche released its Turbo version of the 944 for the 1986 model year, marking yet another step in the evolution from the original 95 bhp (!) 924 “nearly a Volkswagen” design, which dated from 1976.

The 944 Turbo featured a turbocharged and intercooled version of the standard 944’s 2.5 liter/151 ci inlin-four that produced 217 bhp. New forged pistons were included, along with a strengthened gearbox and standard external oil coolers for both the engine and transmission.

Despite some major turbo lag, performance was quite good for the mid-1980s: Car and Driver managed to get a 0-60 time of 6.1 seconds and a top speed of 157 mph, though they noted that the base price of almost $30,000 might freeze out some previous 944 customers.

Looks weren’t sharply different from the “civilian” 944, which stayed in production. The nose was somewhat simplified with an integrated front bumper, and the rear had a fairing fitted to clean up the appearance of some underside components. Wheels resembling those on the “big brother” 928 were fitted. The result looked quite good in commercials.

1986 Porsche 944 Turbo print advertisement
1986 Porsche 944 Turbo print advertisement

Standard exterior and mechanical equipment on the 944 Turbo included fog lights, all around tinted glass, front and rear stabilizer bars, and power steering. Tires were 205/55VR-16 in the front and 225/50VR-16 for the rear, both mounted to 16-inch pressure cast wheels (both tire sizes are still readily available). Inside, a leatherette interior with cloth inlays, a driver seat with electric height adjustment, a 4-spoke leather-covered steering wheel, automatic full climate control, and power windows were included.

Options & Production Numbers

Options included a limited slip differential ($625), 16-inch forged alloy wheels ($516), a central locking system ($263), and a Blaupunkt Monterey digital cassette radio ($657).

The 944 Turbo sold well in 1986—Porsche sold 7,513 in the United States. 1986 would turn out to be the best year for the 944 Turbo—by 1991 the 968 would take over.

The View From 2025

There is excellent club support for the 944 Turbo, as there is for all Porsches. According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, all the money for a 1986 944 Turbo in #1/Concours condition is $70,000, with a more normal #3/Good condition car going for $22,000. I’m seeing 944s at judged car shows, and they maintain a reasonable presence in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and on Bring a Trailer.

Make mine Guards Red, please.

Other eighties Porsches I have written about include the 1980 911 SC coupe, the 1980 924 hatchback coupe, the 1982 924 Turbo hatchback coupe, the 1982 928 hatchback coupe, the 1985 911 Carrera Cabriolet, the 1986 911 Turbo coupe, the 1987 911 3.2 Carrera coupe, and the 1988 944 hatchback coupe.

Last updated August 2025.

1986 Pontiac Fiero GT coupe

While I was out on the highway in my 1980s car in September 2013, I saw a Pontiac Fiero coming up quickly from behind.

You just didn’t see that many Fieros on the road in 2013—the youngest of them was over 25 years old. This one was red, and I believe it was a 1987 or 1988 base coupe—the dead giveaway is that it did not have the black bumper pads but otherwise had the debut Fiero 2M4 look. I gave the driver of the Fiero a thumbs-up, he gave me a wave, and we went our separate ways.

“One red-hot with everything, to go.”

The Pontiac Fiero came to market in 1984 with ridiculous expectations brought on partially by Pontiac and partly by how the public sees two-seat mid-engine cars. What had initially been designed as a somewhat sporty commuter car became a significant part of Pontiac’s We Build Excitement strategy.

At this point, the painful fact that the Fiero’s mechanical parts were from the low end of the General Motors parts bin became stunningly obvious. Citation and Chevette suspension parts abounded, and the only available engine was the distinctly uninspiring 2.5 liter/151 ci Iron Duke inline four with fuel injection, featuring all of 92 bhp. Predictably, handling and acceleration did not meet expectations.

By 1986, Pontiac had gone a long way toward fixing some of the underlying issues. The L44 2.8 liter/173 ci V6 was made available in 1985, its 140 bhp and multi-port fuel injection both major upgrades. In 1986, the fastback GT body style was added, and a five-speed manual transmission became available for the V6, though only late in the model year. With that powertrain, 0-60 came in a little under eight seconds. Mileage in the 2,500-pound car wasn’t bad, either—18 city/28 highway by the day’s standards (16/26 by today’s measures). With the Fiero’s small 10.2-gallon gas tank, range was between 195 and 210 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

Pages from the 1986 Pontiac Fiero GT brochure
Pages from the 1986 Pontiac Fiero GT brochure

Standard exterior and mechanical equipment on the $12,875 GT (about $38,200 in 2025 dollars) included retracting halogen headlamps, Soft Ray glass, and P205/60R15 front and P215/60R15 rear tires (both sizes still readily available) on 15-inch diamond-spoke wheels. Inside, reclining bucket seats, a full length console, side window defoggers, and a Delco-GM ETR AM/FM stereo with seek, scan, auto reverse cassette, and clock were included.

The fastback GT was a striking car—the flying buttresses in the rear and aero nose in front substantially changed the look of the Fiero. I liked the base design more at first, but the fastback has grown on me over time.

Options & Production Numbers

Options included air conditioning ($750), power windows, intermittent windshield wipers, tilt steering wheel, and a rear spoiler.

Pontiac sold 17,660 Fiero GTs in the 1986 model year, making it a successful brand extension.

The View From 2025

According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, a 1986 Fiero GT in #1/Concours condition is $20,500, with a more common #3/Good condition car going for $6,800. Fieros have a good club following and a fairly strong presence in Hemming’s Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and on Bring a Trailer. As I update this blog entry in August 2025, there’s a White 1986 Fiero GT with 99,000 miles for sale on Hemmings, asking $18,000.

Make mine Bright Red, please.

Other mid-1980s Pontiacs I have written about include the 1984 Fiero coupe, the 1984 Firebird Trans Am 15th Anniversary Edition hatchback coupe, the 1984 2000 Sunbird S/E hatchback coupe, the 1985 Firebird Trans Am hatchback coupe, the 1985 Grand Am coupe, the 1986 Firebird SE hatchback coupe, and the 1987 Firebird Formula hatchback coupe.

Last updated August 2025.

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