Category: By Year

1982 Oldsmobile Toronado Brougham coupe

Barrett-Jackson’s second Northeast auction at the Mohegan Sun casino in Connecticut in late June 2017 included a 1982 black Oldsmobile Toronado Brougham coupe with a tan interior, a 5.0 liter/307 ci V8, an automatic, and 12,000 miles. It sold for $10,000. I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen an eighties Toronado up for auction, though the “sister” Buick Riviera and Cadillac Eldorado are often present. Time to write a blog entry, methinks.

“Nothing ordinary”

For 1982, Oldsmobile gave up on the (slightly) sportier XSC variant that they had offered for two years and made the Brougham the only available version of the Toronado. Changes included a new chrome/argent grille with more horizontal bars, a new memory seat option with two memory positions, a revised instrument panel, and a new optional radio.

The standard engine was the LC4 125 bhp 4.1 liter/252 ci V6 with a Rochester four-barrel carburetor. Optional power included the LV2 140 bhp 5.0 liter/307 ci V8 with a Rochester four-barrel carburetor at no additional charge and the (don’t do it!) LF9 105 bhp 5.7 liter/350 ci diesel V8 ($825). A four-speed automatic transmission with overdrive was standard with all three engines. The Toronado was not light—curb weight was 3,705 pounds—so even with the more powerful V8, 0-60 mph took about 13 seconds. With the gasoline V8, mileage was rated at 16 city/27 highway by the standards of the day; with the 21.1-gallon fuel tank, Toronado owners could expect to travel about 400 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

Toronado Brougham page from the 1982 Oldsmobile full-line brochure

Standard exterior and mechanical equipment included in the $14,462 base price (about $49,400 in today’s dollars) included Soft-Ray tinted glass, tungsten high beam halogen headlamps, power front disc/rear drum brakes, power steering, and P205/75R15 steel-belted radial-ply white-stripe tires (still readily available) on 15 by 6-inch steel wheels. Inside, Four-Season air conditioning, power door locks, cruise control, a tilt steering wheel, divided cloth seats, an electric digital clock, and an AM-FM stereo radio were standard.

Options & Production Numbers

Options included Twilight Sentinel ($57), Tempmatic air conditioning ($50), power Astro Roof with sliding glass panel, and leather seats.

Oldsmobile sold 33,928 1982 Toronado Broughams, down from over 42,000 the previous year. In 1982, Buick sold 42,823 Riviera coupes along with another 1,246 convertibles, while Cadillac sold 52,018 Eldorado coupes, so the Toronado was not holding up its end of the E-body platform bargain.

The View From 2025

Third-generation Toronados from 1979 to 1985 have a following, though (a little strangely) models after 1980 are not rated in Hagerty’s valuation tools. These Toronados sometimes show up for sale in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and on Bring a Trailer. As I update this blog entry in March 2025, Hemmings is listing a 1983 Toronado with an Autumn Red Firemist exterior, a white vinyl top, red leather seats, and 26,000 miles for $17,500.

I like these big front-wheel-drive coupes, though I think the Toronado may have too closely resembled the Eldorado for its own good—something that had not been true in the 1960s. Make mine Medium Slate Firemist, please.

Other big Oldsmobiles I have written about include the 1982 88 Royale coupe and the 1984 Ninety-Eight Regency coupe.

Last updated March 2025.

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1981 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am coupe

“Soul Survivor”

1981 was the last year for the second-generation Firebird and, thus, also the final year for the second-generation Trans Am. With the third-generation cars on the way, Pontiac’s eleven-year-old F-car received only minor changes. The “screaming chicken” decal on the hood was now two colors, compared to the four-color decal from 1979 and 1980. Not much could be done about the general lack of space efficiency (the EPA rated the Firebird as a subcompact car), the high curb weight (about 3,700 pounds when the Mustang weighed about 2,800), and the relatively primitive technology.

Engines & Transmissions

The standard Trans Am powertrain was the Pontiac-built L37 150 bhp 4.9 liter/301 ci V8 with a four-barrel carburetor paired with a three-speed automatic. The only choice for Trans Am purchasers who wanted a manual transmission was the Chevrolet-built LG4 145 bhp 5.0 liter/305 ci V8 with a four-barrel carburetor, but you did get a $147 credit.

The top engine was the $437 Pontiac-built LU8 200 bhp 4.9 liter/301 ci V8 with a four-barrel carburetor and an AiResearch turbocharger, which also added a hood-mounted boost gauge. The turbo engine was emissions-certified only with the combination of air conditioning, an automatic transmission, and a 3.08:1 ratio rear axle. For a period of time during the 1981 model year, Pontiac also required rear disc brakes and a limited-slip differential to get that turbo power.

Combining a turbocharger, carburetors, and primitive electronic engine controls was not easy, and reviews of one of the world’s first turbo V8’s were mixed. The relatively primitive gas of the day meant that Pontiac had to retard spark substantially to minimize detonation, which kept the power returns of the turbocharger relatively low. As Car and Driver stated, “by the time the engine reaches 4000 rpm, the show is essential­ly over.”

Performance & Standard Equipment

A Turbo Trans Am would accelerate from 0-60 in a little over eight seconds (Car and Driver clocked 8.2), which was good for 1981. Fuel mileage was predictably bad—15 city/21 highway mpg by the day’s standards for the combination of the turbo engine and the automatic. With a 21-gallon fuel tank, Trans Am owners could expect to travel about 280 to 305 miles before refueling.

Standard exterior and mechanical equipment included in the $8,322 base price of the Trans Am (about $31,700 in today’s dollars) included a black accent grille and headlamp bezels, dual rectangular headlamps, front and rear wheel opening air deflectors, chrome side-splitter tailpipe extensions, a shaker hood, power front disc/rear drum brakes, power steering, and P225/70R15 blackwall tires (a size still readily available) on 15-inch Rally II wheels. Inside front bucket seats, a floor console, a bright engine-turned dash plate, and rally gauges with a tachometer were standard.

Firebird pages from the 1981 Pontiac brochure
Firebird pages from the 1981 Pontiac brochure

Packages & Options

The Trans Am Special Edition package was $735 additional over a base Trans Am—$1,430 bundled with the removable locking hatch roof (otherwise known as T-tops). There was also a special edition of the Special Edition—the NASCAR Daytona 500 Pace Car, resplendent in oyster white with a black and red interior. It included the LU8 turbocharged engine, the WS6 special performance package, four-wheel power disc brakes, and a limited-slip differential. Inside, the most notable upgrade from other Turbo Trans Ams was Recaro front seats—among the best available production seats from any manufacturer in 1981. All this extra content was a good thing because the NASCAR Daytona 500 Pace Car listed for $12,257—about $46,700 in 2025 dollars.

Exterior and mechanical options available for the Trans Am included the WS6 special performance package, a limited-slip differential, tungsten quartz halogen headlamps ($29), white-lettered tires, cast aluminum wheels, four-wheel power disc brakes, and an automatic power antenna ($50). Inside, an electric rear window defroster ($115), power door locks ($99), Custom air conditioning ($600), Custom bucket seats, and a host of radios (seven!) were all available.

The View From 2025

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Initially neglected by the collector market and with many now used up, late second-generation Trans Ams in good or excellent shape are now getting interesting numbers—almost doubling in the past ten years. According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, all the money for a 1981 Trans Am NASCAR Daytona 500 Pace Car in #1/Concours condition is $69,300, with a more normal non-Turbo Trans Am in #3/Good condition version valued at $14,800. These Trans Ams are often available in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and on Bring A Trailer, and they frequently show up at in-person auctions.

Make mine the black and gold Special Edition, of course. The NASCAR Daytona 500 Pace Car is tempting, if only for those Recaro seats.

I evidently can’t help myself with eighties Trans Ams; I’ve also written about the 1982 hatchback coupe, the 1984 15th Anniversary hatchback coupe, the 1985 hatchback coupe, and the 1989 Turbo hatchback coupe. I have written about the 1986 SE hatchback coupe and the 1987 Formula hatchback coupe, but I probably should write about the base car at some point.

Last updated September 2025.

1985 Mazda RX-7 GSL-SE hatchback coupe

This post was one of my first twenty in this blog, which I’ve updated to reflect both changes in my posting style and substantial improvements in available data. At this point, it’s changed enough to be considered a new post.

“… artfully appointed to raise the aesthetic pleasures of driving …”

The 1985 Mazda RX-7 GSL-SE was the last of the first generation SA (1978-1980/FB (1981-1985) RX-7s, which had debuted in 1978, timing the market perfectly for a relatively low-priced and good-looking sports car. At $7,195 when released, it hit an attractive price point and entered a market with few natural competitors for such a pure sports car.

Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection and more power had come in 1984 with the 13B Wankel 1.3 liter/80 ci two-rotor engine. Power increased from 101 bhp to 135 bhp—respectable for a relatively lightweight (2,447 pounds) sports car and dropping 0-60 times more than a second to slightly under 8 seconds. Even with the five-speed manual transmission, mileage remained somewhat of the traditional rotary bugaboo that would eventually drive Mazda out of the rotary business. At 16 city/23 highway by the day’s standards (15/22 by today’s measures), it was not as good as the Nissan/Datsun 300ZX (19/25) or the Toyota Celica Supra (20/24)—both of which had more power. Owners of a new RX-7 could expect to get about 275 to 290 miles of range from the 16.6-gallon fuel tank before starting to look for more gasoline.

Standard exterior and mechanical equipment on every 1985 RX-7 ($10,945 or approximately $33,800 in today’s dollars) included retractable headlamps, tinted glass, side window demisters, electric rear window defroster, and 185/70HR13 radial tires on 5 x 13-inch wheels. Inside, full gauges, reclining bucket seats with adjustable headrests, a full console with armrest, a digital quartz clock, and an AM/FM stereo radio with power antenna were standard.

1985 Mazda RX-7 GSL-SE print advertisement
1985 Mazda RX-7 GSL-SE print advertisement

By 1985, the fancier RX-7s had slid well up-market—the GSL-SE‘s package’s price was $16,125 (about $49,700 in 2025 dollars; well more than a loaded 2025 Miata MX-5 RF Grand Touring). Exterior and mechanical equipment on the GSL-SE included retractable halogen headlamps, a raisable/removable steel sunroof, ventilated four-wheel power disc brakes, and “low profile” P205/60VR14 Pirelli P6 tires (a size now tough to find) on 5.5 x 14-inch Performance alloy wheels. Inside, every GSL-SE included striped velour seats with solid velour bolsters, air conditioning, cruise control, power windows, dual black remote control sideview mirrors, and an AM/FM ETR stereo radio with a separate auto-reverse cassette player sitting below—with a nine-band graphic equalizer below that.

Optional equipment for the loaded GSL-SE was limited to a leather package ($700), which included leather seats, leather door trim, and a leather steering wheel.

The View From 2025

I followed a first-generation RX-7 for a while in my eighties sports car about a decade ago, and I was struck by how small it looked—smaller than I remembered these cars as being. They were small, of course: 170 inches long and less than 50 inches tall.

RX-7 aficionados call these “5-letter cars.” According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, all the money for a 1985 RX-7 GSL-SE in #1/Concours condition is $53,400, with a more normal #3/Good condition car going for $11,900. RX-7s have fairly solid club support and maintain a reasonable presence in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and on Bring a Trailer.

Make mine Sunbeam Silver Metallic, please—I think light silver works best on these cars.

The only other Mazda I have completed a blog entry for is the 1983 626 coupe. Other 1985 sports cars I have written about include the Ferrari 308 GTB Quattrovalvole coupe, the Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet, and the Toyota MR2 coupe.

Last updated December 2025.

1986 Acura Legend Touring Sedan

“No other automobile line has accomplished so much, so soon.”

The 1986 Acura Legend Touring Sedan was the top-of-the-line vehicle available from the then brand-new Acura brand and the first Honda product made with a six-cylinder engine.

I have always said that Honda is an engine company, and the Legend’s C25A 151 bhp 2.5 liter/152 ci fuel-injected 24-valve SOHC V6 was an interesting one, with a 90-degree V-angle to the crankshaft. Mileage with the standard five-speed manual transmission was decent—20 city/25 highway by the day’s standards (18/23 by 2025 measures). An 18-gallon gas tank gave the Legend a 330 to 365 mile range with a 10% fuel reserve. With that same five-speed manual, 0-60 mph came in a little under nine seconds in the 3,078-pound car.

Photo of 1986 Acura Legend
1986 Acura Legend Touring Sedan

The Acura Legend Touring Sedan’s base price was $19,898—about $59,300 in 2025 dollars, which is almost exactly what a 2025 Acura TLX Type S costs. Standard exterior and mechanical equipment included halogen headlamps, tinted glass, a power tilt/slide sunroof, power steering, power-assisted four-wheel disc brakes, and Michelin MXV 205/60R15 radial tires (a size still readily available) on 15-inch light alloy wheels. Inside, reclining front bucket seats, a power driver’s seat, air conditioning, power folding mirrors, remote locking/keyless entry, an information system that could monitor maintenance intervals, fluid levels, and fuel economy, and a driver’s side air bag were also included. Audio was provided with an AM/FM multiplex, electronically tuned cassette radio with a 7-band programmable graphic equalizer, four speakers, dual-diversity antennas, and remote controls. The Legend was well-equipped—the only factory option available was a four-speed automatic transmission.

The View From 2025

I don’t see a lot of Legends come up for sale in either the Hemmings Motor News classifieds or on eBay Motors, but you do see a reasonable amount on Bring a Trailer. First-generation Legends have a small but avid following (with decent online support), and I find that they stand out when I see them.

Make mine Blade Silver Metallic, please.

I have also written about the related 1987 Sterling 825 sedan.

Last updated September 2025.

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1982 Cadillac Eldorado Touring Coupe

“Created for the person who loves to drive.”

Though Cadillac’s eighth-generation Eldorado had been in production since the 1979 model year, 1982 was the first year for the Touring Coupe edition of the Eldorado. The Touring Coupe marked the first even remotely sporting Eldorado in many years.

Newly standard for the 1982 Eldorado and available on all Cadillacs except the Cimarron was the HT-4100 4.1 liter/249 ci V8 with throttle-body fuel injection. Unfortunately, horsepower for this all-new engine was an unimpressive 125 bhp—somewhat of an issue when considering the Eldorado’s platform mates. Buick’s Riviera T TYPE had a 170 bhp turbocharged V6, and Oldsmobile’s Toronado was available with a 150 bhp V8. Car and Driver clocked a 0-60 time of 15.2 seconds in the approximately 3,800-pound Eldorado, while the Riviera T TYPE was about five seconds faster.

Fuel mileage with the new engine was 17 city/27 highway by the day’s standards. With a 20.4-gallon gas tank, an Eldorado owner could expect a range of 330 to 360 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

1982 Cadillac Eldorado brochure page
Touring Coupe page from the 1982 Cadillac Eldorado brochure

Standard exterior and mechanical equipment in the $20,666 Eldorado Touring Coupe (about $71,900 in 2025 dollars) included the Touring Suspension and P225/70R15 blackwall tires (a size still readily available) on 15-inch aluminum alloy wheels. Inside, reclining bucket seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and a front seat console were all part of the Touring Coupe experience.

Standard exterior and mechanical equipment on any 1982 Eldorado included front-wheel drive, a four-wheel independent suspension, a four-speed automatic transmission, power steering, tungsten halogen highbeam headlamps, and four-wheel power disc brakes. Inside, Twilight Sentinel, power door locks, power windows, side window defoggers, remote trunk release, electronic climate control with an outside temperature display, a six-way power seat for the driver, and an electronically tuned AM/FM stereo radio with power antenna were all included.

Options, Period Reviews, & Production Numbers

Options included Astroroof ($1,195), electronic cruise control ($175), tilt/telescope steering wheel ($169), and Symphonic Sound System ($290).

The Eldorado Touring Coupe got reasonably even-handed (perhaps a little surprised) reviews from the “buff books,” but didn’t sell very well. First-year sales of 1,700 units (about 3% of overall Eldorado production) declined every year until eighth-generation production ended with the 1985 model year.

The View From 2025

Eighth-generation Eldorados definitely have a following. According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, a 1982 Eldorado in #1/Concours condition is $31,400, with a more normal #3/Good condition car going for $7,800. Eldorado Touring Coupes sometimes show up for sale in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, on Bring a Trailer, and at auction.

There was only one color available for the 1982 Eldorado Touring Coupe (later years had more choices), so make mine Sterling Silver.

Other Eldorados I have written about include the 1984 Biarritz convertible, the 1986 coupe, and the 1988 coupe.

Last updated October 2025.

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1989 Chevrolet Celebrity sedan

A co-worker of mine casually mentioned that he owns a beige 1989 Chevrolet Celebrity sedan. That’s enough for me to write a blog entry.

“contemporary front-drive technology”

For 1989, Chevrolet’s Celebrity mid-size sedans and wagons were little changed. The major news was that the five-speed manual transmission that (very) few bought was no longer available and that the coupe had been discontinued.

Standard power on the Celebrity remained the Tech IV 98 bhp 2.5 liter/151 ci inline four with throttle-body fuel injection. The LB6 125 bhp 2.8 liter/181 ci V6 with multi-port fuel injection was available for $610. A three-speed automatic transmission was standard on both engines, but buyers of the V6 could add a four-speed automatic for an additional $175.

With these two engines and curb weights in the 2,750 to 2,800-pound range, the Celebrity was not a fast car. 0-60 mph with the four was a little over 13 seconds, while V6 owners got to 60 mph about two seconds faster.

Mileage with the base four was 23 city/30 highway (21/28 by today’s standards), while owners of the top-of-the-line V6/four-speed automatic combination could expect 20 city/29 highway. With a 15.7-gallon fuel tank, Celebrity V6 drivers could expect a range of between 310 and 350 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

My colleague's 1989 Celebrity, prior to restoration.
My colleague’s 1989 Celebrity before restoration.

Standard equipment on the $11,495 Celebrity (about $30,800 in today’s dollars or about what a 2025 Chevrolet Equinox LT SUV goes for) included power steering, power brakes, 14-inch wheels on P175/75R14 tires (a size now tough to find), and a Delco AM/FM stereo radio with digital clock. Adding the V6 and the four-speed automatic brought the price up to $12,280, or about $33,000 in today’s dollars.

Packages & Options

By 1989, Chevrolet was moving to Preferred Equipment Group option packages as a way to reduce the number of equipment combinations. The Celebrity’s option packages were:

  1. Air conditioning, auxiliary lighting, exterior moldings, floor mats—($931 with the 2.5 liter inline four/$957 with the 2.8 liter V6)
  2. Air conditioning, auxiliary lighting, exterior moldings, floor mats, power door locks, gauge package, cruise control, tilt steering wheel, and intermittent windshield wipers—($1,565 with the 2.5 liter inline four/$1,591 with the 2.8 liter V6)
  3. Air conditioning, auxiliary lighting, exterior moldings, floor mats, power door locks, gauge package, cruise control, tilt steering wheel, and intermittent windshield wipers, sport remote mirrors, AM/FM stereo cassette with digital clock, power trunk opener, and power windows—($2,062 with the 2.5 liter inline four/$2,088 with the 2.8 liter V6)

Adding the Preferred Equipment Group 3 to a Celebrity with the V6 and the four-speed automatic brought the price all the way up to $14,368, or about $38,600 in today’s dollars.

The most glamorous option for the Celebrity continued to be the $230 Eurosport package, which included the F41 sport suspension and P195/75R14 tires (a size still available thanks to Hankook and Kumho) and 14-inch rally wheels. The exterior featured blacked out window trim and red center stripes on the protective rubber door and bumper molding; fender and trunk emblems were red rather than the standard chrome. Eurosports also featured unique red emblems on the interior door panels and dash and a black steering wheel.

Other optional equipment included two-tone paint ($55), aluminum wheels ($195), an engine block heater ($20), cloth bucket seats with a console ($257), and a six-way power driver’s seat ($250).

1989 would end up being the last year for the Celebrity sedan—the wagon would soldier on for one more year.

The View From 2025

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I think of these cars as honest but basic; they aren’t really being collected, though I did see an early (1982-1985) coupe at an AACA show about fifteen years ago. Celebrities occasionally show up for sale in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and on Bring a Trailer.

Make mine Black, I think.

Other A-bodies I’ve written about in this blog include the 1986 Buick Century sedan, the 1985 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera sedan, and the 1983 Pontiac 6000 STE sedan.

Last updated August 2025.

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1984 BMW 325e coupe

“High technology dedicated to heightening your pulse rate.”

For many years, I saw BMW’s 325e as a rare misstep for BMW in the eighties, a decade where BMW generally could do no wrong.

The e stood for efficiency, and the engine was BMW’s torque-optimized M20B27 2.7 liter/165 ci inline six with Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection, making 121 bhp and 170 lb-ft of torque with a fairly low 4,700 rpm redline. Mileage by the standards of the day was pretty good: 21 city/28 highway (18/26 by 2025 measures) with the standard five-speed manual transmission. With a 14.5-gallon gas tank, proud new owners of a 325e could expect between 290 and 315 miles of range with a 10% reserve.

0-60 mph with the five-speed manual took between 8.5 and 9 seconds, and the 325e’s top speed was 116 mph—not exactly the kind of numbers one would expect from the “Ultimate Driving Machine.” As Car and Driver wrote, “the 325e is less of a goer than you would imagine.” Despite this, BMW did its best to present the 325e as a legitimate part of its overall product line.

1984 BMW 325e advertisement
1984 BMW 325e advertisement

The 325e’s base price was $19,700—about $62,900 in 2025 dollars, which is 15% more than what a 2026 BMW 430i xDrive coupe goes for. Standard exterior and mechanical equipment included tinted glass, bumper-mounted fog lights, halogen headlights, power four-wheel disk brakes, power steering, and 195/60R14 tires (the same size as those on the Isuzu Impulse) on 14-inch wheels. Inside, the 325e came well-equipped: cloth or leatherette manual sport seats, a power sunroof, power windows, power mirrors, power door locks, air conditioning, a three spoke leather sport steering wheel, and a BMW/Alpine four-speaker AM/FM stereo with cassette and power antenna were all included.

Options & Model History

There were relatively few options available for the 325e: a four-speed automatic transmission ($595), leather seats ($790), cruise control ($240), many choices of metallic paint ($420), and a limited slip differential.

In 1986, BMW introduced the 325es variant, which included revised suspension tuning and made the limited slip differential standard. BMW would continue with the 325e and 325es as the top-of-the-line 3 series until 1987, when the 325i and 325is were released with the 2.5 liter/152 ci M20B25 inline 6 featuring a much more sporting 168 bhp. Horsepower for the 325e would climb just a little in 1988, but by 1989 it would be gone, replaced completely in the 3-series model line by the 325i.

The View From 2025

One of the things that strikes me, approximately forty years later, is that I have never heard from a 325e owner who didn’t like their car. We tend to think of our vehicle purchase decisions as valid, but it is rare to see such unanimity. Perhaps I and the automotive press missed something about the appeal of these cars.

The 325e is rarely seen in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds, but examples do show up on eBay Motors and Bring a Trailer. According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, a 1984 325e in #1/Concours condition is $34,200, with a more normal #3/Good condition car going for $14,100.

Make mine Baltic Blue Metallic, please.

Other BMWs I have written about include the 1982 733i sedan, the 1983 633CSi coupe, the 1985 535i sedan, the 1987 L6 coupe, the 1987 M6 coupe, the 1988 750iL sedan, and the 1988 M3 coupe.

Last updated August 2025.

1985 Mercedes-Benz 300CD Turbo coupe

A 1985 Mercedes-Benz 300D Turbo Coupe in Radnor, PA
An (I think) Champagne Metallic Mercedes-Benz 300CD Turbo in Radnor, PA

For some strange reason, one—but only one—of the supermarkets in my area often features interesting eighties cars in its parking lot. Back in mid-2016, there was a Mercedes-Benz 300CD Turbo coupe casually parked among the crossovers—a good enough reason for this blog entry.

“A singular new achievement”

1985 was the last model year for Mercedes-Benz’s mid-size W123 models—the substantially revised and very different-looking W124 models would follow for 1986.

For 1985, the 300CD Turbo powertrain continued to be the fuel-injected 125 bhp 3.0 liter/183 ci inline five turbodiesel connected to a four-speed automatic transmission. At about 3,360 pounds, these were not fast cars—Car and Driver recorded a 0-60 time of 12 seconds. Fuel economy was 22 city/25 highway by the day’s standards—19/23 by today’s measures. With the 21.1-gallon fuel tank, the driver of a 300CD could expect 400 to 445 miles of range with a 10% reserve.

Standard Equipment & Options

The base price for the 300CD Turbo was a non-trivial $35,220—about $108,800 in today’s dollars or almost twice what a 2026 CLE 300 4MATIC coupe goes for. You did get a lot of standard equipment for a 1985 vehicle: power steering, power brakes, halogen headlamps, halogen fog lamps, and 195/70HR14 tires (a size still readily available) on 14-inch light alloy wheels were all included. Inside, eight-way power front bucket seats, power windows, power door locks, cruise control, intermittent windshield wipers, electronic climate control, and an AM/FM stereo with cassette player and power antenna were standard.

There were few options on the 300CD Turbo: leather upholstery, an anti-theft alarm system ($335), and a power sunroof (optional at no extra cost) were available.

The View From 2026

W123 models definitely have a following, especially the relatively rare coupes and the 300TD wagons. According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, all the money for a 1985 300CD in #1/Concours condition is $66,300, with a more normal #3/Good condition car going for $25,400. 300CDs sometimes show up for sale in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and on Bring a Trailer, often with over 200,000 miles on the odometer. As I update this blog post in February 2026, there’s a Thistle Green Metallic 1982 300CD with Olive seats and unknown mileage for sale on Hemmings, asking $12,800.

I like these coupes, with their smooth hardtop lines and their reasonable size. Make mine Astral Silver Metallic, I think.

Other Mercedes-Benz models I have written about include the 1980 450SL convertible, the 1981 380 SEL sedan, the 1985 380SL convertible, the 1986 560SEC coupe, the 1986 560SL convertible, and the 1989 560SL convertible.

Last updated February 2026.

1985 Ford LTD LX sedan

“Because Mr. Bondurant shouldn’t have all the fun.”

Late in the 1984 model year, Ford added a performance-oriented model to the Fairmont-based LTD line. The LX was loosely based on a few sedans that Bob Bondurant had cobbled together for use at his high-performance driving school. For 1985, the LX wore the updated nose and tail that came along with all 1985 LTDs.

The engine was Ford’s 165 bhp 4.9 liter/302 ci Windsor V8 with electronic fuel injection. The only transmission available was a four-speed automatic transmission. 0-60 came in a respectable 9 seconds—faster than the Dodge 600ES and competitive with the Pontiac 6000 STE. Mileage was 19 city/23 highway by the day’s standards (17/22 by today’s measures). With a 16-gallon gas tank, the range was 280 to 300 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

LX pages from the 1985 Ford LTD brochure
LX pages from the 1985 Ford LTD brochure

The 1985 LX had a base price of $11,421—about $35,200 in 2025 dollars. Standard exterior and mechanical equipment included quad rectangular halogen headlamps, power brakes, a Traction-Lok rear axle, a rear stabilizer bar, and P205/70HR Goodyear Eagle tires (a size still readily available) on 14-inch styled road wheels. Inside, dual power mirrors, lumbar-support bucket seats, a center console with a floor shifter for the transmission, brushed aluminum trim on the dash bezels, an upgraded instrument cluster with tachometer, a Tripminder computer, and an AM radio with dual front speakers (ah, the glamor!) were included.

Options included cast aluminum wheels ($224), air conditioning ($743), power windows ($272), power locks ($213), and an electronic AM/FM stereo radio with cassette ($409).

Like some other interesting Ford performance cars from the 1980s (I’m thinking of you, Mustang SVO), LTD LXs did not sell well, with only 3,260 sold over the 1984 and 1985 model years (there would be no 1986 LX).

The View From 2025

Likely because of the limited production numbers, you rarely see LTD LXs in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds or on eBay Motors. Bring a Trailer has sold a few eighties LTDs, but none of the LX variety. There is some enthusiast support.

Make mine Medium Charcoal Metallic, please.

The only other 1985 Ford product I’ve written about is the Ford Eddie Bauer Bronco SUV.

SaveLast updated October 2025.

1980 Pontiac Grand Am coupe

“One exhilarating road machine”

The last of the rear-wheel-drive Grand Ams came in 1980. Unlike in 1978 and 1979, the sedan was no longer available—only the coupe remained.

The standard engine in non-California cars was the L37 155 bhp 4.9 liter/301 ci V8 with four-barrel Rochester carburetor and electronic spark control (California cars got the Chevrolet-sourced LG4 150 bhp 5.0 liter/305 ci V8). The only transmission available was a three-speed Turbo-Hydramatic TH200 automatic transmission. Performance was respectable for 1980—Car and Driver recorded a zero to sixty time of 11 seconds. Mileage was 17 city/25 highway by the day’s standards. With an 18.1-gallon gas tank, range was 280 to 305 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

New features for 1980 included a revised soft-fascia front end with three sections per side, an Ontario Gray lower accent color for the exterior, a silver upper body accent stripe, larger wraparound black-out tail lamps, and larger front and rear stabilizer bars for the optional ($45) Rally RTS handling package.

Grand Am page from the 1980 Pontiac brochure
Grand Am page from the 1980 Pontiac brochure

The Grand Am’s base price was $7,299—about $31,400 in 2025 dollars. Standard exterior and mechanical equipment included dual sport mirrors, dual horns, power steering, power front disc/rear drum brakes, and 205/75R14 black sidewall radial tires (a size still readily available) on 14-inch Rally IV cast aluminum wheels. Inside, Grand Am purchasers could expect cut-pile carpeting, Custom vinyl front bucket seats with center floor console, rally gages with a clock embedded in a brushed aluminum instrument panel, and a Custom sport steering wheel.

Options, Period Reviews, & Production Numbers

Available exterior and mechanical options included a power sunroof—either metal ($561) or glass ($773), dual remote sport mirrors ($73), Soft-Ray tinted glass ($107), and electric rear window defroster ($107). Inside, air conditioning ($601), power door locks ($93), power windows ($143), a six-way power driver’s seat ($175), a tilt steering wheel ($81), automatic cruise control ($112), and an AM/FM stereo radio with a stereo cassette player ($272) were all available. A nicely configured Grand Am could easily push past $9,700—real money in 1980 and about $41,800 in today’s dollars.

Period reviews settled into the “we’re glad they make it, but we’re not sure we’d buy it” category. Car and Driver called the 1980 Grand Am “a noble experiment” and praised its handling.

Grand Ams didn’t sell at all well in 1980—Pontiac moved only 1,647 of them, after selling almost five times as many coupes only two years prior in 1978. Despite this, Pontiac would not give up on the Grand Am name—it would be back in 1985 as a small front-wheel-drive coupe.

The View From 2025

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Most of the Grand Ams being collected are the larger and more powerful first-generation Colonnade versions sold from 1972 to 1975. You do occasionally see second-generation Grand Ams for sale in the Hemming’s Motor News classifieds and on eBay Motors. Bring a Trailer’s only second-generation Grand Am sale so far was a very rare 1979 Grand Am coupe with a four-speed manual in 2024. I haven’t seen a Grand Am from this generation for many years.

Make mine Starlight Black, please.

Other G-bodies covered in this blog include the 1980 Grand Prix SJ coupe, the 1981 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Sport Coupe, the 1981 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme coupe, the 1983 Chevrolet Malibu sedan, the 1983 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS Sport Coupe, the 1984 Buick Regal Grand National coupe, the 1987 Buick GNX coupe, and the 1987 Pontiac Grand Prix coupe. Another 1980 Pontiac I have written about is the Sunbird Sport Hatch.

Last updated October 2025.

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