2025 was a good year for Eighties Cars, with page views up a substantial 91% over 2024. We managed an all-time high of 76 new blog entries in 2025—one every five days on average.

Post counts were divided into 66 featuring a specific car, 4 covering auctions, and 6 miscellaneous posts. Three marques made their first appearance in a specific post in 2025—Lamborghini, Rolls-Royce, and Yugo. You cannot say that we don’t discuss a wide range of vehicles on Eighties Cars …

I look at the end-of-year results for the blog’s most-viewed posts every December. For 2025, 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. We’ll discuss this year’s top ten most-viewed posts in reverse order.

10) 1989 Buick Electra Park Avenue Ultra sedan—this 2020 post about the top-of-the-line Buick for 1989 (more expensive than the Riviera) dropped five spots in 2025.

9) 1989 Chevrolet Celebrity sedan—this 2016 post, which was inspired by a work colleague’s Celebrity, returned to the top ten after a five-year pause. Most Celebrity coverage I have seen is about the sporty Eurosport version, not the far better selling base car.

8) 1983 Ford Eddie Bauer Bronco SUV—the highest ranking SUV this year is a new entrant to the top ten list.

7) 1980 Pontiac Grand Prix SJ coupe—a relatively recent post from early 2022 shows some staying power. Down three spots in 2025 for Pontiac’s final SJ version of the Grand Prix.

6) 1985 Buick Somerset Regal coupe—this post has been picked up by other websites a few times, including in 2018 by Jalopnik. Hilariously, I’m not sure I would have ever gotten around to writing about the Somerset Regal if I hadn’t seen one on the streets of Philadelphia back in 2014. Down three steps this year, this post is the fourth most popular entry since Eighties Cars debuted over a decade ago.

5) 1987 Mercury Lynx XR3 hatchback coupe—Mercury is, of course, an orphan make, but this blog entry has been viewed about six times more than my write-up on the related 1981 Ford Escort hatchback coupe. Down four spots this year.

4) 1988 Cadillac Eldorado coupe—this late 2018 post on the emergency 1988 Eldorado restyle never stood out until this year, when its views went up 279%. It edged the far more glamorous 1984 Eldorado Biarritz convertible by a solid 28% (we won’t talk about how the 1986 Eldorado coupe did).

3) 1989 Cadillac Sedan de Ville—this post on the final de Ville of the decade did well, but not great, for eight years after it was first written. This year, somewhat inexplicably, it is this year’s highest-ranking new entrant.

2) 1981 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme coupe—this post is #1 all-time (over 5,700 views), and repeats at number two for 2025. Popularity when new does not always equal collectability now, and Hagerty has yet to track the values of “civilian” (non-Hurst/Olds, 442) eighties Cutlass Supreme.

1) 1980 Pontiac Sunbird Sport Hatch—up nine slots this year (top five all-time with over 4,100 views). Perhaps the salient example of my rarity theory—any first-generation Sunbird coming up for sale is now a rare sight.

Five posts that did not make it into the top ten in 2025 after doing so in 2024 were the 1983 Honda Civic S hatchback coupe (still the best performing Asian vehicle at #12), the 1984 Dodge Daytona Turbo Z hatchback coupe, the 1985 Chevrolet C20 Suburban Silverado SUV, the 1988 Mercury Cougar XR-7 coupe, and the 1989 Buick Park Avenue Ultra sedan. The top European car for 2025 was the Jaguar XJ6 Series III, at #11. An entry coming on strong at the end of 2025 was a recent post on the 1980 Porsche 911 SC coupe.

Thanks to all who viewed this blog in 2025!

Unlike the Delco/GM Bose, Alpine’s presence in the eighties car stereo market was associated with many individual models released over the decade.

Between the early 1980s and the end of the 1990s, Alpine supplied car audio to Lamborghini and used their Countach as its mascot car, featured in every product brochure, advertisement, and poster. The Alpine-equipped Countach was also a regular presence at trade and public shows.

Alpine had come a long way by the early eighties. Established in 1967 as Alps-Motorola—a joint venture between Alps Electric and Motorola—it became Alpine Electronics, Inc. in 1978 when Alps bought out Motorola’s share of the company. Alpine’s stereos had distinctive green faces, first seen with the 7128 cassette player in 1980.

Sales Numbers & Period Reviews

The eighties were salad days for Alpine. The combination of the highly visible Lamborghini affiliation and substantial technical innovation yielded impressive sales numbers of fairly high-priced stereos. A select set of authorized car audio installers ensured that Alpine’s systems worked well in the generally higher-end vehicles they were installed in.

Stereo equipment review magazines of the age were generally impressed with Alpine’s products. Audio magazine stated that 1984’s $600 Model 7347 car stereo did much to “advance the science and art of car stereo equipment design.” A late 1986 write-up in Stereo Review observed that the $800 Model 7900 compact disc player was “thoroughly insulated from road shock and vibration.”

The View From 2025

Alpine is still very much with us, though the green faces are long gone. For those looking to the past, eBay’s vintage section does pretty well. There are also repair shops that will fix these now forty-year-old stereos.

Make mine an Alpine 7900, please—one of the very first car stereo compact disc players.

It’s now almost 12 years (!) since I began posting on Eighties Cars. Over that time, my style of posting has changed, and I’ve discovered better sources for much of the information. Below are ten early posts from those first two years that I have significantly updated over time:

1985 Ferrari Testarossa coupe—in late 2013, this was my first post on a specific car. At this point, it is about 90% longer than it was initially, and, of course, the pricing guidance is more current—and far more stratospheric.

1988 BMW 750iL sedan—this was my fourth post about a specific car and introduced me to how hard it is to find specifics about options in high-end German vehicles from the 1980s. Much modified, it’s now about 76% longer than the original.

1986 Porsche 944 Turbo hatchback coupe—my first Porsche post was also quite an education. Writing about the 1986 944 Turbo led me to finding the superb source of data that is excellence, which I’ve used in every Porsche blog post since.

1985 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z hatchback coupe—this post from late 2013 was the seventh I made about a specific car. IROC-Z values and the information about them have gone crazy in the last twelve years, resulting in a current post that is just about exactly twice the length of the original.

1985 Buick Somerset Regal coupe—this early 2014 post got both Autoblog and Jalopnik references at a point when both of those sites were extremely popular. Welcoming readers from those two sites and making some other changes makes that post more than 40% longer than when it was first published.

1983 Honda Civic S hatchback coupe—this post was initially a “short take” because information about the first sporty Civic was tough to find. That’s changed to at least some extent, and the post is now two and a half times as long. No more short take …

1986 Ford Taurus sedan—at about 600 words, this might have been my first relatively long-form post, in part because Ford’s trim levels and options were so complex. What’s changed since is mostly the writing style.

1986 Chevrolet Camaro Berlinetta hatchback coupe—this was another successful post about a car that is rarely written about (the attention goes to Z28s and IROC-Zs). Now over 40% lengthier than the original, it remains #2 overall.

1983 Pontiac 6000 STE sedan—this was an early challenge, as there were very few reliable sources for the STE‘s first year when I was writing in early 2014. Over time, that changed, resulting in a blog post that is now 50% longer and far more accurate than the original.

1981 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme coupe—this post from mid-2015 is the single most popular post on Eighties Cars. It’s actually not too much longer than the original (a little over 20%), but the style is now far different.

Do you see other older posts about specific cars on Eighties Cars that need a revision or update? There are about 300 out there …

For unclear reasons, one, but only one, of the supermarkets in my area often has interesting eighties cars parked outside. In late July 2025, there was a 1986 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale Brougham sedan on “display”—good enough reason for this blog entry.

“Sleeker, more attractive, more aerodynamic”

Oldsmobile’s long-running Delta 88 was all-new for 1986. Downsized for the second time, the ninth generation also moved from rear-wheel drive to front-wheel drive. For 1986, the base Delta 88 was the Royale, while the top-of-the-line was the Royale Brougham.

The Delta 88’s base engine was the LN7 125 bhp 3.0 liter/181 ci V6 with multiport fuel injection. Optional power was the $370 LG3 150 bhp 3.8 liter/231 ci V6 with sequential fuel injection. Both engines were mated to a four-speed automatic. EPA fuel economy ratings for the base engine were 18 city/27 highway by the day’s standards (16/24 by today’s measures). Hilariously, the more powerful upmarket 3.8 liter V6 was rated at 19 city/30 highway by 1986 standards (17/27 by 2025 measures). With an 18-gallon fuel tank, a Delta 88 owner who had sprung for the optional engine could expect a range of between 360 and 395 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

This “buy the more expensive engine and you’ll get more power and better mileage” thing happened a lot with bigger GM cars in the eighties—both front-wheel-drive and rear-wheel-drive. Car and Driver recorded a 0-60 time of 10.3 seconds in a 1986 Royale coupe with the larger engine. The somewhat heavier 3.8 liter sedan was likely about 10.5 seconds, the 3.0 liter sedan around 12.1 seconds. No (further) comment.

Standard exterior and mechanical equipment on the $12,760 Delta 88 Royale sedan (about $31,900 in today’s dollars) included Soft-Ray tinted windows, power rack-and-pinion steering, power front disc/rear drum brakes, and P205/75R14 steel belted radial ply all season blackwall tires on 14-inch wheels with bright Deluxe wheel discs. Inside, a Custom bench seat with a center armrest, a Four-Season air conditioner, a side window defogger, a Deluxe steering wheel, and an AM/FM stereo radio with four speakers were included.

The $13,461 Royal Brougham added the Convenience Group, a 55/45 divided front bench seat with a center armrest, and Royale Brougham identification.

Options & Production Numbers

Among the many exterior and mechanical options were a tinted glass removable panel sunroof, a full vinyl rooftop covering, a Level III suspension, aluminum styled wheels, and P205/75R14 steel-belted radial-ply all season white-stripe tires. Inside, power door locks, power side windows, a tilt-away steering wheel, a Tempmatic air conditioner, an electronic instrument cluster, electronic cruise control with resume and acceleration features ($175), and the all-conquering Delco/Bose Music System ($875) were all available. Custom leather trim in the seating areas was only available with the Royale Brougham.

The Delta 88 Royale sedan sold well, with 88,564 Royales sold and 108,344 Royale Broughams moved—up 12% from the 171,983 in 1985. The Delta 88 was Oldsmobile’s second best-selling sedan, behind only the Cutlass Ciera, which sold an astounding 268,493 units. The final Delta 88 of any kind came off the production line on January 6, 1999.

The View From 2025

Hagerty’s valuation tools do not track any Delta 88 after the 1975 convertible, and Delta 88s of this generation rarely show up in the Hemming’s Motor News classifieds or on eBay Motors. Bring a Trailer has sold more stock cars of this generation of Delta 88 than production cars.

Make mine Dark Teal Blue Metallic, please.

Other H-platform cars I have written about are the 1987 Buick LeSabre T Type coupe and the 1987 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale Brougham coupe. Other Oldsmobiles covered include the 1980 Cutlass coupe, the 1981 Cutlass Supreme coupe, the 1982 Toronado Brougham coupe, the 1984 Omega sedan, the 1985 Cutlass Ciera sedan, the 1985 Cutlass Supreme coupe, the 1985 Firenza ES sedan, and the 1985 Ninety-Eight Regency sedan.

For the 1983 model year, the Delco-GM/Bose Music System became available for the Buick Riviera coupe, the Cadillac Eldorado coupe, the Cadillac Seville sedan, and the Oldsmobile Toronado coupe. The industry’s first custom-engineered, factory-installed sound systems, “the Bose” marked the first time that an audiophile (or someone who aspired to be one) wouldn’t automatically remove the factory stereo, call a local car stereo installer, and order something from Crutchfield upon vehicle delivery.

Most higher-end automotive stereo systems of the day combined various high-quality components and hoped to generate good sound from them. Instead, the Delco/Bose alliance developed both the imaging and the equalization via iterative testing specific to each make and model. Interestingly, the equalization between fairly close platform-mates varied considerably—seemingly minor details in the three different coupes’ interiors made a significant difference.

The Bose’s two main differentiators were excellent sound imaging for the two front passengers and individual equalization for each of the four speakers, each with its own 25-watt amplifier. The system’s head unit looked basic, with fewer controls than some lesser Delco systems—something not typical in the 1980s, where higher-end systems (either in the home or auto) usually had more buttons, dials, and sliders. There was no balance control (having one would mess with what Bose saw as the all-important imaging) and no graphic equalizer.

We’re spoiled in the 2020s, where almost every mid-range car stereo leaves little to be desired, but this was not always the case. Reviews of the Delco-GM/Bose Music System from nearly every source were astoundingly good. Some mainstream home audio magazines devoted several pages each to discussing the fantastic new car stereo. The June 1983 issue of Stereo Review even included a sneak peek of the Bose in the 1984 Corvette, with their finishing sentence being, “That’s some car!—and that’s some car stereo!” Depending on the specific model, 15% to 25% of buyers ordered the expensive ($895) new stereo system—a significantly higher take rate than General Motors had expected.

Of course, there were no Corvettes for the 1983 model year. Chevrolet’s incredibly cheesy introduction commercial for the 1984 Corvette—”You’ve Never Seen … Anything … Like This Before”—explicitly referenced the Bose, with a breathless voiceover mentioning “four never-before speakers separately engineered for sound that is out of this world.” In this case, Chevrolet was actually close to the truth: 1984’s Delco-GM/Bose Music System was light years ahead of the 1982 Corvette’s top-of-the-line UN6 Delco ETR AM/FM stereo radio with cassette player and CB—and only a little more expensive.

When the C4 Corvette did appear in early 1983 as a 1984 model, its take rate for the Delco-GM/Bose Music System (RPO UU8) was an astounding 85%. Some Chevrolet dealers found they could not sell a Corvette if it didn’t have the music system, which was the single most expensive option available on the all-new car.

For the rest of the decade, the take rate for the Bose in the Corvette remained very high, ranging from 89% (1988) to 93% (1986). Pricing edged up to $905 in 1987 and then dropped to $773 in 1988. By 1988, the radio delete option was gone from the Corvette’s RPO list.

Among the many GM cars from the eighties I have written about that offered the Bose include the 1984 Buick Riviera T Type coupe, the 1984 Chevrolet Corvette hatchback coupe, the 1985 Buick Electra sedan, the 1985 Buick Somerset Regal coupe, the 1986 Cadillac Eldorado coupe, the 1986 Chevrolet Corvette convertible, the 1988 Chevrolet Corvette 35th Anniversary Edition hatchback coupe, the 1987 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Brougham coupe, the 1988 Cadillac Eldorado coupe, and the 1989 Buick Electra Park Avenue Ultra sedan. By the late eighties, the Bose brand name was also showing up in other cars, such as the 1989 Nissan Maxima sedan.

Most material in this blog entry was sourced from the unfinished Riviera Project. I have also written about Alpine‘s eighties car stereos.

One of the canards of eighties cars is how performance returned over the decade. I’ve accepted this for many years, but recently, I got interested enough to put some time into it.

I ended up plotting about 175 individual 0-60 times of cars I have blogged about, and this chart was the result. The curving green trendline is a polynomial best fit, which drops from 12.5 seconds in 1980 to 7.9 seconds in 1989.

The quickest car I’ve written about is the 1989 Turbo Trans Am, which Car and Driver got to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds—still very respectable even in 2025. The slowest car was a 1980 Cadillac Seville with its standard diesel engine, at 19.7 seconds. Outliers on the lower performance side include the 1986 Hyundai Excel (16.1 seconds), while the 1983 Ferrari Berlinetta Boxer stands out with its 5.0 second 0-60.

The chart definitely supports the premise that performance improved in the 1980s, but there are challenges with the data:

1. The only data points are from my blog entries. I like to think that I write about a wide variety of cars, but I tend to choose the more interesting ones—which are often the faster versions. So, this skews the data, but likely by about the same for every year.
2. Some 0-60 times are hard to find, especially of less glamorous or little-changed cars. About 15% of my blog entries did not have a reliable enough 0-60 time for me to usefully plot.
3. I find that the 0-60 estimation tools are often well off compared to “real” 0-60 times. Thus, I do not trust these tools to create reliable placeholders when I do not have actual data.
4. There are also the classic differences in 0-60 times between various automobile magazines. Car and Driver was almost always faster—sometimes significantly. An example that comes easily to mind is the 1983 Volkswagen Rabbit GTI, where Car and Driver recorded a 9.7 second 0-60 time, and Road & Track managed a 10.6 second 0-60. Which one to trust?

What do you think?

I look at the end-of-year results for the blog’s most viewed posts every December. For 2024, 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. We’ll discuss this year’s top ten most viewed posts in reverse order.

10) 1980 Pontiac Sunbird Sport Hatch—dropping eight slots this year, but hanging on (still top five all-time with almost 4,000 views). Perhaps the salient example of my rarity theory—any first-generation Sunbird coming up for sale is now a rare sight.

9) 1985 Chevrolet C20 Suburban Silverado SUV—the first eighties SUV to make any year’s top ten dropped two spots this year, proving that SUVs don’t dominate everything in 2024. According to Hagerty, a 1985 C20 Suburban Silverado in #1/Concours condition is $47,300, with a more typical #3/Good condition example going for $20,300.

8) 1984 Dodge Daytona Turbo Z hatchback coupe—a newish post from July 2023 makes its first appearance in the top ten. It’s also the highest ranking MOPAR entry ever.

7) 1983 Honda Civic S hatchback coupe—for me, at least, researching early eighties Hondas is challenging. Thus, this post was a 250-word “short take,” but it makes its first appearance in the top ten.

6) 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. Dropping one slot for this year.

5) 1989 Buick Electra Park Avenue Ultra sedan—this 2020 post about the top-of-the-line Buick for 1989 (more expensive than the Riviera) rose four spots in 2024.

4) 1980 Pontiac Grand Prix SJ coupe—a relatively recent post from early 2022 shows some staying power. Up two spots in 2024 for Pontiac’s final Grand Prix SJ.

3) 1985 Buick Somerset Regal coupe—this post has been picked up by other websites a few times, including in 2018 by Jalopnik. Hilariously, I don’t think I would have ever gotten around to writing about the Somerset Regal if I hadn’t seen one on the streets of Philadelphia back in 2014. Returning to the top ten this year, this post is the fourth most popular entry since Eighties Cars debuted over a decade ago.

2) 1981 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme coupe—this post is #1 all-time (5,500 views), but drops one spot for 2024. Popularity does not always equal collectability, and Hagerty has yet to track eighties Cutlass Supreme values.

1) 1987 Mercury Lynx XR3 hatchback coupe—Mercury is, of course, an orphan make, but this blog entry has been viewed more than six times more than my write-up on the related 1981 Ford Escort hatchback coupe. Up three spots this year.

Three posts that did not make it into the top ten in 2024 after doing so in 2023 were all Chevrolets—the 1980 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 coupe, the 1983 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS Sport Coupe, and the 1986 Chevrolet Camaro Berlinetta hatchback coupe. The best-performing European product post was the 1983 Jaguar XJ6 sedan (15th). An entry coming on strong at the end of 2024 was the 1984 Buick Skyhawk coupe.

Thanks to all who viewed this blog in 2024!