1989 Ford Probe hatchback coupe

“A performance you won’t forget.”

Ford’s sporty Probe hatchback coupe was all-new for 1989, adding another model line to Dearborn’s expansive list of offerings.

Few eighties cars came to market with as much of a backstory as the Probe. Most enthusiasts at the time knew that Ford’s original intention had been to make the new Mazda-based front-wheel-drive car the next-generation Mustang, replacing the beloved but aging rear-wheel-drive Fox-platform version. Autoweek magazine’s April 13, 1987 issue was the first to publicly reveal these plans in a cover story titled “Exclusive: The ’89 Mustang.” The response from Mustang traditionalists was visceral, and later in 1987, Ford decided to bring the new design to market as a separate model.

The Probe’s engine depended on the version. GL and LX models received a Mazda F2 110 bhp 2.2 liter/133 ci inline four with three valves per cylinder and multi-port electronic fuel injection. The top-of-the-line GT received the same engine, but with a turbocharger and an intercooler, resulting in 145 bhp and the designation of F2T. All Probes came standard with a five-speed manual transmission, but only the GL and the LX offered an electronically-controlled four-speed automatic with overdrive as an option.

Car and Driver recorded a 0-60 time of 6.7 seconds in the 1989 Probe GT—really fast for a car with a supposed 145 bhp (many period reviews believed the rating to be very conservative) and a 2,940-pound curb weight. Fuel economy for the GT was rated at 21 city/27 highway by the day’s standards (19/25 by today’s measures). With a 15.1-gallon gas tank, a Probe GT‘s owner could expect a range of 300 to 325 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

Rear cover of the 1989 Ford Probe brochure
Rear cover of the 1989 Ford Probe brochure

The GL‘s base price was $10,459—about $28,300 in today’s dollars. Standard exterior and mechanical equipment included concealed/retractable halogen headlamps, power rack-and-pinion steering, power front disc/rear drum brakes, and P185/70SR14 steel-belted black sidewall radial tires (a size still readily available) on 14-inch wheels with standard Deluxe wheel covers. Inside, front bucket seats, 50/50 split fold-down rear seats, Deluxe cloth seat trim, full analog instrumentation with a tachometer, and an electronic AM/FM stereo radio were included.

The LX ($11,443) added complete tinted glass, Luxury wheel covers, all-cloth multi-adjustable front bucket seats, Luxury floor carpeting, a full console with a folding armrest and a storage bin, a rear window defroster, a remote liftgate release, a remote inside fuel filler release, and the Light Group.

Exterior and mechanical changes or additions with the GT ($13,593) included a unique front fascia with fog lamps, a unique rear end treatment with a two-tone spoiler, variable-assist power rack-and-pinion steering, power 4-wheel disc brakes, and P195/60VR15 Goodyear Eagle speed-rated performance steel-belted radial tires on 15-inch aluminum wheels. Inside, the GT included Sport cloth seat trim.

Packages, Individual Options, & Production Numbers

By 1989, Ford was delivering much of its optional equipment in Preferred Equipment Packages.

  • GL Preferred Equipment Package 250A was the base GL package.
  • GL Preferred Equipment Package 251A ($334) added complete tinted glass, dual electric remote mirrors, a tilt steering column/instrument cluster, interval windshield wipers and mist function, a rear window defroster, and the Light Group.
  • LX Preferred Equipment Package 252A was the base LX package.
  • LX Preferred Equipment Package 253A ($2,214) added a 6-way power driver seat adjustment, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, an illuminated entry system, an electronic instrument cluster, speed control, an electronic air conditioner with push button controls, power windows, power door locks, a rear wiper/washer, a trip computer, and an electronic AM/FM stereo radio with a cassette tape player, premium sound system, and a power antenna.
  • GT Preferred Equipment Package 260A was the base GT package.
  • GT Preferred Equipment Package 261A ($2,621) added an anti-lock brake system, a 6-way power driver seat adjustment, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, an illuminated entry system, speed control, and an electronic air conditioner with push button controls, power windows, power door locks, a trip computer, and an electronic AM/FM stereo radio with a cassette tape player, premium sound system, and a power antenna.

Individual options included a flip-up open air roof ($355), an air conditioner with manual controls ($927), power door locks ($155), and three optional stereos.

The 1989 Probe was a smash hit for Ford, with 162,889 made. Combining those numbers with the Mustang’s 206,789 produced definitely validated Ford’s decision to proceed with two separate models.

The View From 2025

I haven’t seen a Probe on the road in years. They’re gone from the Hemmings Motor News classifieds and eBay Motors, but Bring a Trailer has sold three of this generation of Probe in the last six years.

Make mine Deep Titanium Clearcoat Metallic, please.

Other late eighties Ford coupes I have written about include the 1987 Mustang LX and the 1987 Thunderbird.

1981 Chrysler LeBaron coupe

“A personal car with classic style.”

1981 was the final model year for the coupe version of Chrysler’s M body, which had been around since 1977. For Chrysler, that last coupe would be the LeBaron.

The LeBaron’s standard engine was the 85 bhp Slant Six 3.7 liter/225 ci inline six with a one-barrel carburetor. Optional power was provided by the LA 130 bhp 5.2 liter/318 ci V8 with a two-barrel carburetor—an upcharge of $62. No matter what engine the buyer selected, the transmission was a three-speed TorqueFlite automatic.

For no apparent reason, both engines had higher horsepower ratings in California. The reason is more evident for the V8—California got a four-barrel carburetor (along with 35 more horsepower), while the other 49 states only rated a two-barrel. However, the Slant Six got a one-barrel carburetor in all fifty states, but five more horsepower in California. All of this meant that the California V8 version of the LeBaron was a relative screamer—almost two seconds faster in the 0-60 sprint than the 49 states version.

For 1981, the coupe was available in Special, Salon, and Medallion versions. Standard mechanical equipment on the $6,672 Special (about $25,600 in today’s dollars) included power steering, power front disc/rear drum brakes, and P195/75R15 glass-belted radial-ply white sidewall tires (a size still available in whitewall thanks to Coker Tire) on 15-inch Safety-Rim wheels with Deluxe wheel covers. Inside, a cloth and vinyl front bench seat and a glove box lock were included. Individual totals for the Special coupe and sedan are unknown, but the combined total was 11,980.

Coupe page from the 1981 Chrysler LeBaron brochure
Salon coupe page from the 1981 Chrysler LeBaron brochure

The $7,263 Salon added body-side accent stripes, dual horns, a left outside remote mirror, a day/night inside mirror, and a cloth and vinyl front seat with a center armrest. Chrysler built 17,485 LeBaron Salon coupes and sedans in the 1981 model year.

The $7,768 Medallion added a padded vinyl Landau roof, sill molding extensions, a rear deck accent stripe, Premier wheel covers, a trunk dress-up, a 60/40 cloth front seat, and a Luxury steering wheel. Only 7,635 1981 LeBaron Medallion coupes and sedans were produced.

Groups, Packages, & Individual Options

Many groups and packages were available with the LeBaron, and their pricing varied depending on whether you were starting with a Special, a Salon, or a Medallion.

  • The Deluxe Wiper/Washer Package included Deluxe windshield wipers with intermittent wipe and a windshield washer fluid level indicator.
  • The Light Package ($85-$99) included map/dome reading lights, a glove box light, an ash receiver light, fuel, temperature, and alternator warning lights, and a trunk light.
  • The Basic Group ($937-$1125) included tinted glass on all windows, a padded vinyl Landau roof, dual horns, manual air conditioning, and an AM radio. It also included both the Deluxe Wiper/Washer Package and the Light Package.
  • The Sport Appearance Package ($154-$258) included color-keyed styled steel road wheels, dual sport-styled remote control mirrors (painted or chromed), and a Luxury two-spoke steering wheel.
  • The Two-Tone Paint Package ($158) included a choice of two two-tone exterior paint combinations and color-break body accent stripes.
  • The Handling Package ($163) included special Firm-Feel power steering, heavy-duty shock absorbers, heavy-duty rear springs, a rear sway bar, and P205/75R15 steel-belted radial wider whitewall tires on extra-wide wheel rims.
  • The Protection Group ($58-$67) included door edge protectors and front and rear color-keyed floormats.
  • The Deluxe Insulation Package ($10-$109) included undercoating, special sound insulation, and a trunk dress-up.

Individual exterior and mechanical options included Starmist paint ($55), halogen headlamps ($40), a T-bar roof ($695), a power glass sunroof ($865), wire wheel covers ($106-$249), and forged aluminum wheels ($183-$326). Inside, cloth/vinyl bucket seats ($101 for the Salon coupe), a console ($106 for the Salon coupe), a leather-covered steering wheel ($21-$60), air conditioning ($606), automatic temperature control air conditioning ($656), power windows ($145-$202), and power door locks ($96-$136) were available. A series of seven radios ranged up to an AM/FM stereo radio with a CB ($355-$447).

The View From 2025

These LeBarons are rare on the ground, but they have not completely vanished. They’re gone from the Hemmings Motor News classifieds and eBay Motors, but Bring a Trailer has sold eight of this generation of LeBaron in the last six years, two of them coupes.

Make mine Burnished Silver Metallic, please. Just like in the brochure.

Other rear-wheel-drive coupes from Chrysler Corporation that I have written about include the 1980 Chrysler Cordoba, the 1983 Chrysler Cordoba, and the 1983 Imperial. I have written posts about two other M-bodies—the 1987 Chrysler Fifth Avenue sedan and the 1989 Dodge Diplomat sedan. Other 1981 personal luxury coupes include the Chevrolet Monte Carlo Sport Coupe and the Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme.

1988 Pontiac Fiero Formula coupe

“Rejoice! Fiero Formula is here.”

In the Fiero’s final year, Pontiac introduced the Formula. Following the Firebird’s lead, the Formula had most of the mechanical components of the top-of-the-line GT, but the look of the original Fiero coupe. The front and rear suspensions for all Fieros was also completely revised, and Bright Yellow was introduced as a mid-year color.

It is a canard of General Motors’ behavior that they discontinue a car as soon as they finally get it right. No more central example exists than the Pontiac Fiero. The Fiero came to market in 1984 with ridiculous expectations, partially driven by Pontiac and in part 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.

The painful fact that the Fiero’s mechanical parts were from the low end of the General Motors parts bin soon became stunningly obvious. Citation and Chevette suspension parts were abundant, 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. Then, of course, the recalls came—four in all for the 1984 Fiero.

By 1988, Pontiac had gone a long way toward fixing some of the underlying issues. The 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. In 1987, the Iron Duke‘s horsepower increased by 6 bhp. Finally, in 1988, the suspension was completely revised (with some Lotus influence).

The Formula‘s standard powertrain was the L44 135 bhp 2.8 liter/173 ci V6 with multi-port fuel injection paired with a five-speed manual—a three-speed automatic ($490) was available. Road & Track recorded a 0-60 time of 8.0 seconds with the five-speed Formula. Mileage in a car with a 2,775-pound curb weight was 17 city/27 highway by the day’s standards (15/25 by today’s measures). With the Fiero’s small 11.9-gallon gas tank, range was between 215 and 235 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

Fiero pages from the 1988 Pontiac brochure
Fiero pages from the 1988 Pontiac brochure

The Fiero Formula‘s base price was $10,999—approximately $31,000 in today’s dollars, which is about what a 2025 Mazda MX-5 Miata Sport goes for. Standard exterior and mechanical equipment included retracting halogen headlamps, a rear deck spoiler, a tuned dual-port performance exhaust, the WS6 performance suspension, rack-and-pinion steering, power 4-wheel disc brakes, and P205/60R15 front and P215/60R15 rear Goodyear Eagle GT+4 tires (both sizes still readily available) on 15-inch Diamond-Spoke aluminum wheels. Inside, reclining bucket seats, a Rally four-spoke steering wheel, a full-length console, side window defoggers, and a Delco ETR AM/FM stereo radio were included.

Options Groups, Individual Options, & Production Numbers

Pontiac offered three option groups with the Fiero Formula:

  • Option Group I included tinted glass, a tilt steering wheel, and controlled cycle windshield wipers.
  • Option Group II included everything in Option Group I, along with air conditioning, lamp group, a passenger visor vanity mirror, and cruise control.
  • Option Group III ($1,516) included everything in Option Group II, along with power door locks and power windows.

Individual options included a removable sunroof, tinted glass ($120), air conditioning ($775), power windows ($234), controlled cycle windshield wipers ($55), a tilt steering wheel ($125), and an electric rear window defogger ($145). Two optional stereos were available, with the range-topper being the $272 UX1 Delco ETR AM stereo/FM stereo radio with a cassette player, a graphic equalizer, and a clock.

Pontiac sold 5,684 copies of the Fiero Formula in 1988. Both the coupe (13,910) and the GT ($6,849) sold more units, but the Formula did sell better than 1987’s SE.

The View From 2025

Fieros have a good club following and a reasonably strong presence in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and on Bring a Trailer. According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, a 1988 Fiero Formula in #1/Concours condition is $22,800, while a more common #3/Good condition car is $7,700.

Make mine Medium Red Metallic, please.

Other Fieros I have written about include the 1984 coupe and the 1986 GT coupe. Other late eighties Pontiacs include the 1987 Firebird Formula hatchback coupe, the 1987 Grand Prix coupe, the 1988 Grand Prix coupe, and the 1989 Pontiac 20th Anniversary Turbo Firebird Trans Am hatchback coupe.

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1989 Dodge Diplomat sedan

“Negotiate the road in a classic.”

For 1989, Dodge’s M-body Diplomat sedan was little changed. The base model was dropped, leaving only the mid-range Salon and the higher-end SE.

The powertrain remained the same—an LA 140 bhp 5.2 liter/318 ci V8 with a Carter two-barrel carburetor paired with a TorqueFlite three-speed automatic. With a 3,582-pound shipping weight, 0-60 came in about 12 seconds. Compared to other large rear-wheel-drive sedans, fuel economy was a somewhat uncompetitive 16 city/22 highway by the day’s standards (15/20 by today’s measures). With an 18-gallon gas tank, a Diplomat driver could expect a range of 285 to 305 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

Standard exterior and mechanical equipment on the $11,995 Diplomat Salon sedan included quad halogen headlights, tinted glass, power-assisted steering, power-assisted front vented disk/rear drum brakes, and P205/75R15 steel-belted radial all-season white sidewall tires (a size still readily available, even as a whitewall) on 15-inch wheels with Deluxe wheel covers. Inside, a cloth/vinyl split-back bench seat with a folding center armrest and adjustable head restraints, tilt steering, a driver’s airbag, intermittent wipers, and an electronically tuned AM stereo/FM stereo with an integral digital clock and four speakers were included.

Diplomat SE photo from the 1989 Dodge brochure
Diplomat SE photo from the 1989 Dodge brochure

The $14,795 SE added a full non-padded vinyl roof, Premium wheel covers, all-cloth individually adjustable front seats with dual seatback recliners, a lighted passenger mirror, chrome exterior dual power mirrors, automatic temperature control air conditioning, cruise control, an electrically heated rear window defroster, and the Protection Package. All of this extra equipment made for a 3,782-pound shipping weight—200 pounds more than the Salon.

Packages, Individual Options, & Production Numbers

By 1989, buying a Dodge Diplomat was all about the packages:

  • The Popular Equipment Discount Package ($1,141) included Premium wheel covers, automatic temperature control air conditioning, an electrically heated rear window defroster, chrome exterior dual power mirrors, and automatic speed control.
  • The SE Luxury Equipment Discount Package ($1,202) included wire wheel covers with locks, a driver’s side power seat, a Luxury leather-wrapped steering wheel, illuminated left and right vanity mirrors, power door locks, power windows, and a power deck lid release. It also included most but not all of the Light Package, including a headlight switch with time delay, a glove box light, a trunk light, and alternator, door ajar, engine oil temperature, and low fuel warning lights.
  • The Light Package ($122) included a headlight switch with time delay, a glove box light, and a trunk light. It also included alternator, door ajar, engine oil temperature, and low fuel warning lights.
  • The Protection Package ($185) included color-keyed vinyl bodyside moldings, black rear bumper guards, undercoating, and front and rear carpeted floor mats.

Individual options for both Diplomat versions included pearl clear coat paint ($41), power door locks ($201), and power windows ($294). Dodge also proudly offered a Premium electronically tuned AM stereo/FM stereo with up-and-down seek-and-scan and a cassette tape player ($262). The electronic cassette tape player included Dolby B noise reduction, automatic reverse, true fast forward and rewind, an automatic metal tape sensor, and tape program music search.

A full non-padded vinyl roof ($206), chrome exterior dual power mirrors ($164), and automatic temperature control air conditioning ($855) were available for the Salon. A power glass sunroof ($1,108) and a power antenna ($72) were SE-only options. A loaded SE could run to about $17,500—real money in 1989 and about $47,300 in today’s dollars.

Dodge sold a mere 5,709 Diplomats in the 1989 model year, sharply fewer than the 19,173 in 1988, when the base Diplomat was also available.

The View From 2025

The Diplomat was one of the last of Chrysler Corporation’s traditional rear-wheel-drive cars—the final year in a line that extended directly back to the original Diplomat in 1977, and had roots in the mid-1960s with the third-generation Dart. Earlier this year, I blogged about Chrysler Corporation’s Transition To Front-Wheel-Drive.

I’m going to declare these Diplomats as vanished, though I would not have said that a decade ago. They’re gone from the Hemmings Motor News classifieds and eBay Motors. Bring a Trailer has sold three Diplomats in the last five years, two of them sedans.

Make mine the extra-cost Twilight Blue Pearl Coat, please.

Four years ago, I wrote a post about the 1987 Chrysler Fifth Avenue sedan—an M-body sister to the Diplomat. Other rear-wheel-drive Chrysler products I have written about include the 1980 Chrysler Cordoba coupe, the 1980 Plymouth Volaré station wagon, the 1981 Chrysler New Yorker sedan, the 1983 Chrysler Cordoba coupe, and the 1983 Imperial coupe.

1983 Oldsmobile 15th Anniversary Hurst/Olds coupe

“A specialty car should be extra special.”

For 1983, Oldsmobile decided to add some glamor to the Cutlass Supreme line by bringing back the Hurst/Olds for the eighth time. Cars & Concepts took black Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Calais coupes and modified them to create a Hurst/Olds, adding silver lower paint accented by red and silver pinstripes. By far the most distinctive interior feature of the 15th Anniversary Hurst/Olds was the Hurst Lightning Rods automatic shifter with three separate gear levers—a transmission that required a page of instructions in the owner’s welcome brochure.

The powertrain was the LV2 180 bhp 5.0 liter/307 ci V8 with a Rochester 4MV four-barrel carburetor, mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. Special features for the Hurst/Olds engine included a long-duration camshaft, high-rate valve springs, and a specific ignition distributor—all of which made for a 29% horsepower gain over the “normal” 307. Car and Driver recorded a 0-60 time of 8.8 seconds in a car with a curb weight of 3,525 pounds. Fuel economy ratings were 17 city/27 highway by the day’s standards. With an 18.1-gallon gas tank, a 15th Anniversary‘s proud new owner could expect a range of 295 to 320 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

1983 Oldsmobile Hurst/Olds print advertisement
1983 Oldsmobile Hurst/Olds print advertisement

The 1983 15th Anniversary Hurst/Olds coupe retailed for $11,844.60—about $39,200 in today’s dollars. Standard exterior and mechanical equipment included a front air dam, tungsten halogen headlamps, a hood power bulge, dual Sport mirrors, a rear decklid wing, a quick ratio steering box for the power assisted recirculating ball steering, power front vented disc/rear drum brakes, and P215/65R15 Goodyear Eagle GT raised white letter steel belted radial tires on chrome plated 15 x 7 Super Stock wheels. Inside, reclining front bucket seats, a Sport steering wheel, a full length center console, Rallye cluster gages with a tachometer, a quartz clock, and a 15th Anniversary dash plaque were included.

1983 Hurst/Olds buyers could choose between a Maple Red or a Sand Gray interior, but the gray is fairly rare. Mandatory options included the Four-Season air conditioner ($725).

Options & Production Numbers

Individual exterior and mechanical options included Soft-Ray tinted windows ($105), removable roof panels ($825), and a limited slip differential. Inside, a driver side 6-way power seat adjuster ($210), power door locks ($120), power side windows ($180), a tilt-away steering wheel ($105), and cruise control ($170) could be ordered. A range of stereos was available, along with a power front fender antenna ($60). All of these options meant things could get pricey—many 15th Anniversary coupes stickered for over $15,000 (about $49,600 in 2025 dollars).

Oldsmobile planned to produce 2,500 of the 15th Anniversary Hurst/Olds coupes, but eventually sold 3,001 units during the 1983 model year due to strong demand.

The View From 2025

There is definite collector interest in the 1983 Hurst/Olds, with forum support. According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, a 1983 15th Anniversary Hurst/Olds in #1/Concours condition is $48,100, with a far more normal #3/Good condition version going for $22,800. Eighties Hurst/Olds coupes are often 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. As I write this blog entry in October 2025, there’s a 1983 15th Anniversary Hurst/Olds coupe with 40,000 miles for sale on Hemmings, asking $40,000.

Other rear-wheel-drive Cutlass-based Oldsmobiles I have written about include the 1980 Cutlass coupe, the 1981 Cutlass Supreme coupe, and the 1985 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme coupe. Another 1983 performance-oriented coupe from GM was the Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS.

80s Car Stereos: Alpine

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

1981 Alpine print advertisement
1981 Alpine print advertisement

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.

1983 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 hatchback coupe

“… just about everything a road car should be.”

In its second year, changes to the third-generation Chevrolet Camaro Z28  centered on the powertrain. The Z28 gained a new standard Borg-Warner five-speed manual transmission and a new optional four-speed automatic. Both carryover V8 engines gained horsepower, and a new top-of-the-line H.O. engine became available mid-year. Detail changes included new patterns for the optional L/S Conteur bucket seats that repeated the Camaro name in the design. Chevrolet refined the instrument panel graphics, and electronically tuned stereo radios were newly available.

All Z28 engines for 1982 were variations of the Chevrolet’s 5.0 liter/305 ci V8. The Z28‘s standard engine was the LG4 with a four-barrel carburetor, uprated five bhp to 150 bhp. An optional $450 LU5 Cross-Fire with throttle-body fuel injection gained 10 bhp to 175 bhp and required the $295 automatic. In April 1983, the L69 H.O. with 190 bhp became available for $505 and required the five-speed.

Motor Trend recorded a 0-60 time of 7.4 seconds with the top-of-the-line H.O. motor and the five-speed—about 1.5 seconds faster than the best from 1982. Fuel economy ratings for the H.O. were 16 city/26 highway by the day’s standards—the highway rating two mpg better than 1982’s base engine. With a 16.1-gallon gas tank, a Z28 owner with the H.O. could expect a range of 250 to 270 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

Z28 cutaway pages from the 1983 Chevrolet Camaro brochure
Z28 cutaway pages from the 1983 Chevrolet Camaro brochure

The 1983 Z28‘s base price was $10,336—about $34,200 in 2025 dollars. Standard exterior and mechanical equipment on all 1983 Z28s included a front air dam, “ground effects” rocker molding design, body-color dual Sport mirrors, a rear deck spoiler, power steering, a power front disc/rear drum brake system, and P215/65R-15 steel-belted radial ply white letter tires (a size still readily available) on 15 x 7 inch 5-spoke aluminum wheels. Inside, every 1982 Z28 came with vinyl reclining front bucket seats, a fold-down rear seat, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, special instrumentation, and a quartz analog electric clock.

Options & Production Numbers

Exterior and mechanical options available for the Camaro Z28 include tinted glass ($105), electric twin remote Sport mirrors ($89), removable glass roof panels ($825!), a rear window wiper/washer ($120), a power antenna ($60), a limited slip differential ($95), and four-wheel power disk brakes ($179). Interior options included power windows ($180), a power door lock system ($120), an electric rear window defogger ($135), automatic speed control with resume speed ($170), air conditioning ($725), a Comfortilt steering wheel ($105), and Deluxe luggage compartment trim ($164).

Z28 Custom interior pages in the 1983 Chevrolet Camaro brochure
Z28 Custom interior pages in the 1983 Chevrolet Camaro brochure

The Custom interior included the Berlinetta-style seats, seat trim, and door trim, and then added some Z28-specific touches. Pricing for a Custom interior depended on which seats were paired with it, and topped out with the cloth L/S Conteur bucket seats ($650). Five different radios were available, with the fanciest being an electronically tuned AM/FM stereo radio with seek/scan and clock ($520). A loaded Z28 could easily hit $15,000—real money in 1983 and almost $50,000 in today’s dollars.

Chevrolet sold 62,100 Z28s in the 1983 model year. However, the most popular Camaro remained the base Sport Coupe, which moved 63,806 units. The somewhat more luxurious Berlinetta sold another 27,925 copies.

The View From 2025

Third-generation Camaros attract plenty of collector interest, and there is substantial club support. According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, a 1983 Camaro Z28 hatchback coupe with the H.O. motor and t-tops in #1/Concours condition is $46,400, while a far more typical #3/Good condition version goes for $14,600. 1983 Camaro Z28s are often available in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and at online (Bring a Trailer) and in-person auctions. As I write this blog entry in October 2025, a Silver Metallic Z28 with the Cross-Fire, an automatic, and 4,200 miles is for sale on Hemmings, asking $28,000.

Make mine Red, please.

Other Camaros I have written about include the 1980 Rally Sport coupe, the 1980 Z28 coupe, the 1982 Z28 Indy 500 Commemorative Edition hatchback coupe, the 1984 Sport Coupe hatchback coupe, the 1985 IROC-Z hatchback coupe, and the 1986 Berlinetta hatchback coupe.

1984 Ford Tempo sedan

“Computer-refined design for five-passenger comfort”

The Ford Tempo and Mercury Topaz debuted for the 1984 model year in May 1983. Based on the Escort, they were putative replacements for the Ford Fairmont and Mercury Zephyr.

The Tempo’s base engine and transmission combination was the 2300 HSC 90 bhp 2.3 liter/140 ci inline four with a one-barrel carburetor paired with a four-speed manual. A Mazda-built 52 bhp 2.0 liter/122 ci diesel four was available for $588, but it isn’t clear how many bought it. Road & Track recorded a 0-60 time of 13.6 seconds with the optional five-speed manual ($76) and the gas engine. A three-speed automatic was $439 and was available only with the gas engine and the fancier GL and GLX trims.

1984 Ford Tempo print advertisement
1984 Ford Tempo print advertisement

The 1984 Tempo L sedan’s base price was $6,936—about $22,700 in today’s dollars. Standard exterior and mechanical equipment included single rectangular halogen headlamps, rack and pinion steering, power front disc/rear drum brakes, and P175/80R13 steel-belted radial ply black sidewall tires on 13-inch wheels with Deluxe wheel covers. Inside, individually adjustable front seats with cloth seating surfaces and reclining seat backs, Deluxe carpeting, a mini-console, an A-frame Luxury steering wheel, an inside hood release, and an AM radio with dual front speakers were included.

The $7,159 GL sedan added Luxury wheel covers, Luxury sound insulation, interval windshield wipers, and an electronic digital clock.

The $7,621 GLX sedan added bumper end cap extensions, dual door-mounted remote-control mirrors, a dual note horn, Luxury carpeting, and Luxury luggage compartment trim.

Groups, Packages, Individual Options, & Production Numbers

Ford offered four option groups and packages with the Tempo:

  • The Light/Convenience Group ($50-$85) included ashtray, glovebox, and engine compartment lights, rear door dome light switches, a swivel map light, a headlamps on buzzer, and a trip odometer
  • The Power Lock Group ($202-$254) included power door locks, a power decklid release, and a remote control fuel filler door
  • The Sports Appearance Group ($299) was only available with the GL and included styled steel wheels with trim rings, Sport front seats with a 4-way manual driver’s seat, rear seats with integral headrests, unique sew-style and fabric, a Sport steering wheel, and a Sport instrument cluster
  • The TR Performance Suspension Package ($366-$424) included Michelin TRX tires, TR-Type cast aluminum wheels, and special steering and suspension components

Individual exterior and mechanical options included tinted glass ($510), metallic glow paint ($63), a flip-up open air roof ($315), and power steering ($223). Inside, power side windows ($272), a driver’s side power seat ($224), Fingertip Speed Control ($176), and an electric rear window defroster ($140) were offered. A series of five optional radios were offered, ranging up to an electronic AM/FM stereo search radio with a cassette player ($396).

Options not available with the L included air conditioning ($743) and all-vinyl seats (no charge). A loaded GLX could easily reach $9,400—about $30,800 in today’s dollars, or about what a 2026 Ford Escape Active crossover goes for.

The Tempo sedan sold well in its extended debut year—Ford moved a total of 295,149, which was more than four times as many as the final-year 1983 Fairmont sedan.

The View From 2025

These cars have vanished. They’re gone from the Hemmings Motor News classifieds and eBay Motors. Bring a Trailer has sold four Tempos in the last four years, two of them sedans.

Make mine Dark Academy Blue Metallic, please.

Other eighties Ford sedans I have written about include the 1985 LTD LX and the 1986 Taurus.

1980 Mercury Cougar XR-7 coupe

In October 2025, a Mercury Cougar XR-7 coupe with 16,000 miles came up for auction on Bring a Trailer. It was the first fifth-generation Cougar to appear on BaT—enough to get me to write a blog entry about this era of Mercury’s personal luxury car.

“From a pedigree of personal luxury.”

Mercury made big changes to the Cougar for the 1980 model year, moving from six separate models to just one. The Cougar sedan was gone entirely, and both the base and the Brougham coupes were no more. Only the XR-7 coupe remained, and it was all new.

The third Mercury based on the “Fox” platform (the Zephyr and the Capri had come first), the fifth-generation Cougar was one of the more radically downsized automobiles in the North American auto industry. In comparison to its 1979 predecessor, the 1980 Cougar XR-7 was 17 inches shorter and 700 pounds lighter.

Standard power for 1980 was a Windsor 118 bhp 4.2 liter/255 ci V8 with a Motorcraft two-barrel carburetor paired with a SelectShift three-speed automatic transmission. Powertrain upgrades were available; buyers could specify a $150 Windsor 131 bhp 4.9 liter/302 ci V8 with a two-barrel carburetor and then add a $138 automatic overdrive transmission (available only with that engine). Buyers who purchased both powertrain upgrades got a sprightlier car with a slightly longer range.

Windsor
(4.2 liter V8)		Windsor
(4.9 liter V8)		Windsor
(4.9 liter V8)
Transmission3-speed Select Shift3-speed Select Shift4-speed Automatic Overdrive
0-60 mph
(approximate)		14.9 seconds12.7 seconds11.1 seconds
Fuel mileage
(1982 standards)		18 city/26 highway17 city/26 highway17 city/29 highway
Range
(10% fuel reserve)		285 to 310 miles275 to 300 miles295 to 325 miles

The XR-7‘s base price was $6,569—about $28,300 in today’s dollars. Standard exterior and mechanical equipment included a half vinyl roof, variable ratio power rack-and-pinion steering, power front disc/rear drum brakes, and P185/75R14 black sidewall steel-belted radial tires on 14-inch wheels with full wheel covers. Inside, a cloth front Flight Bench seat, a four-spoke color-keyed steering wheel, a two-tier instrument panel, a trip odometer, and an analog clock were standard. The XR-7 had no standard radio of any type—interestingly, all Thunderbirds included at least an AM radio.

Groups, Individual Options, & Production Numbers

Mercury offered three groups to upgrade the base XR-7:

  • The Decor Group ($516) added Luxury wheel covers, dual bright remote control mirrors, Twin Comfort Lounge front seats, a Luxury steering wheel, and Deluxe seat belts
  • The Luxury Group ($1,987) added a Luxury half vinyl roof, dual remote control sail-mounted mirrors, and metric TR Type radial white sidewall tires on cast aluminum wheels. Inside, it included Twin Comfort Lounge front seats with Luxury trim, the Electronic Instrument Panel, a Luxury steering wheel, power windows, and Light Group
  • The Sports Group ($1,687) added a Tu-tone paint treatment, metric TR Type radial white sidewall tires on cast aluminum wheels, dual bright remote control mirrors, Recaro front bucket seats with a console, and power side windows

Individual options included tinted glass ($71), a flip-up moonroof ($219), air conditioning ($571), and automatic speed control ($108). Leather interior trim ($303) was only available with the Luxury Group. A choice of nine radios, ranging up to an AM/FM stereo with auto-search ($333), was available. A well-equipped Cougar XR-7 could easily reach $10,500—about $45,200 in 2025 dollars.

To say the market was not ready for the 1980 Cougar XR-7 is a distinct understatement. Despite a significantly higher level of standard equipment, the XR-7 was less than five inches longer than the Zephyr Z-7 coupe, whose base price was almost 20% less. Sales of Mercury’s halo coupe collapsed, dropping from 163,716 in 1979 to 58,082 in 1980, and losing substantial sales share during a year when none of the leading General Motors competitors in the personal luxury coupe market had more than a facelift.

The View From 2025

For unclear reasons, Hagerty’s valuation tools do not track any Cougar after 1973, although they do value Ford Thunderbirds through their entire production history. Fifth-generation Cougars occasionally appear in the Hemming’s Motor News classifieds and on eBay Motors. As I write this blog entry in October 2025, there’s a Medium Blue Metallic 1980 Cougar XR-7 coupe with a dark blue vinyl top and a blue interior for sale on Hemmings, showing 31,000 miles and asking $12,000.

Make mine the same Silver Metallic/Back Tu-tone that is in those brochure pages, please.

The only other Cougar I have written about so far is the 1988 XR-7 coupe. I’ve also written about the 1980 and 1982 versions of the Thunderbird. Other Mercury models include the 1983 Grand Marquis sedan, the 1984 Grand Marquis Colony Park LS station wagon, the 1986 Capri hatchback coupe, the 1987 Lynx XR3 hatchback coupe, and the 1988 Grand Marquis Colony Park station wagon.

1980 Lincoln Versailles sedan

“Plush, inviting elegance”

1980 was the final year for Lincoln’s Versailles sedan, and little was changed. There was a new starter under the hood and an improved jack in the trunk. Twin Comfort Lounge seats replaced 1979’s Flight Bench seats. Two options were no more—the full vinyl roof and the floor-mounted shift lever. Otherwise, only color and trim changes were visible.

The 1980 Versailles’ only available powertrain was a Windsor 132 bhp 4.9 liter/302 ci V8 with a Variable Venturi carburetor mated to a three-speed automatic transmission. Car and Driver recorded a 0-60 time of 12.7 seconds, making the 3,880-pound Versailles somewhat less than a hot rod Lincoln. Fuel economy ratings were 15 city/20 highway by the day’s standards. With a 19.3-gallon gas tank, a Versailles owner could expect a range of 250 to 270 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

Page from the 1980 Lincoln Versailles brochure
Page from the 1980 Lincoln Versailles brochure

The Versailles’ base price was $14,674 for 1980—approximately $63,000 in today’s dollars. Standard exterior and mechanical equipment included tinted glass, power steering, four-wheel power disc brakes, and FR78-14 tires (the modern semi-equivelant P205/75R14 is somewhat available). Inside, every Versailles for that year included Twin Comfort Lounge seats with fold-down center armrests, a leather-wrapped Luxury steering wheel, the Automatic Temperature Control air conditioning/heater, power windows, and an electronic AM/FM stereo search radio with a power antenna.

By 1980, base exterior and mechanical equipment included quad halogen headlamps, an illuminated/keyless entry system, an Electronic Air Suspension with automatic level control, and P215/75R15 white sidewall tires (a size still readily available) on 15-inch forged aluminum wheels. Inside, every Continental for that year included fingertip speed control, interval windshield wipers, and power door locks.

Options & Production Numbers

The Versailles had two no-cost options. Buyers got to choose either forged aluminum wheels or wire wheel covers. They also got to choose either a coach roof with a frenched backlite in Valino vinyl or convertible theme styling in Calvary Twill vinyl—no Versailles roof went unadorned.

A defroster group was $132, while a power lock group was $169. The reclining bucket seat group was $416.

Extra-cost exterior and mechanical options included dual-shade paint ($80) and a power glass panel moonroof ($1,128). Inside, leather/vinyl interior trim ($416), a tilt steering wheel ($81), and an electric rear defroster ($109) were available.

A mere 4,784 copies of the Versailles were sold in its final model year. This meant that it had failed utterly in its stated goal of competing with Cadillac’s Seville, which sold about ten times as many units in the 1979, 1980, and 1981 model years.

The View From 2025

Versailles do attract some collector interest—though not as much as the Mark VIIs and Town Cars—and there is club support. According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, a 1980 Versailles in #1/Concours condition is $17,200, while a far more normal #3/Good condition version goes for $6,900. They are sometimes available in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds and on eBay Motors, and they occasionally show up at in-person auctions. Bring a Trailer has sold a grand total of one Versailles—a 1978.

Make mine Cabernet Clearcoat Metallic, please.

Other Lincolns I have covered include the 1980 Continental Mark VI coupe, the 1984 Continental Mark VII LSC coupe, the 1986 Mark VII coupe, the 1987 Continental sedan, and the 1989 Town Car sedan.