1986 Mercedes-Benz 560SL convertible

“How is a classic transformed into a legend?”

The 1986 Mercedes-Benz 560SL marked the last significant revision to the R107 generation that had begun way back in 1972 with the 450SL. In addition to a larger and more powerful V8, Mercedes added a new rear suspension, anti-lock brakes (ABS), a limited-slip differential, a driver’s side airbag, and standard leather upholstery. The 560SL also got the federally-required high-mounted third brake light, mounted awkwardly on the trunk.

Motive power was provided by a Bosch fuel-injected 227 bhp 5.5 liter/338 ci V8 connected to a four-speed automatic transmission. Motor Trend recorded a 0-60 time of 6.8 seconds, while Road & Track recorded 7.5 seconds—no matter what, the 560SL was over three seconds faster than the 380SL. Mileage wasn’t exactly a priority in a car with 3,781-pound curb weight—the ratings of the day were 14 city mpg/17 highway (adding a $1,300 gas guzzler tax to every vehicle), by today’s standards that would be 12 city/16 highway. With the 22.5-gallon gas tank, 560SL owners could expect a range of between 280 and 315 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

The 560SL’s base price at the beginning of the 1986 model year was $48,200—about $143,700 in today’s dollars, which is slightly under what a 2026 AMG SL 55 convertible goes for. By the end of the 1986 model year, the 560SL’s base price had risen to $53,730.

560SL pages from the 1986 Mercedes-Benz brochure

For their money, SL buyers got a plethora of standard equipment. Standard exterior and mechanical features included halogen head and fog lamps, tinted glass, power assisted steering, power assisted four wheel disc brakes, and 205/65R15 steel belted radial-ply tires (a size still readily available) on 15-inch light alloy wheels. Inside, adjustable front bucket seats and head restraints, a leather covered steering wheel and gear selector, cruise control, a central locking system, electric window lifts, fully automatic climate control, an electronic AM and FM stereo radio with a cassette player, and a first aid kit were included.

Options & Production Numbers

The 560SL offered only three factory options: heated seats, electronically adjustable headrests, and California emissions ($30).

About 13,788 well-healed buyers took home the first-year 560SL, up about 69% from the final year 380SL.

The View From 2025

There is solid club and forum support for the 560SL, as there is for almost all Mercedes-Benzes. According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, all the money for a 1986 560SL in #1/Concours condition is an astounding $150,000, while a more normal #3/Good condition car goes for $22,300. 560SLs maintain a substantial presence in the Hemming’s Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and on Bring a Trailer. As I wrote this blog post in September 2025, there were 74 available on Hemmings, including 15 of the 1986 models.

Make mine Nautical Blue Metallic, please.

Other Mercedes-Benz models I have written about included the 1980 450SL convertible, the 1981 380 SEL sedan, the 1985 380SL convertible, the 1985 300SD coupe, the 1986 560SEC coupe, and the 1989 560SL convertible.

1986 Yugo GV coupe

I have a personal connection with the Yugo. My father’s younger brother worked for Malcolm Bricklin for many years, including with Yugo America. Years later, my uncle made it to the front page of the Wall Street Journal in an article entitled A Drag Racer Turns Handicap Of His Yugo to His Advantage.

“Introducing the same old idea.”

Famously advertised with a base price of $3,990, the 1986 Yugo GV was a response to escalating prices—the average transaction price of a car in the United States had just passed $10,000. Built by Zastava in Yugoslavia, the Yugo was a shortened variant of the Fiat 128—a design dating from 1969. Serial entrepreneur Malcolm Bricklin saw potential in the Yugo and created Yugo America to import the car into the United States. The GV stood for Great Value.

The Yugo was a tiny car by mid-1980s standards, with a 139-inch length and an 84-inch wheelbase. The slightly more expensive 1986 Chevrolet Chevette hatchback coupe was 18% longer and had a 13% greater wheelbase, while the same year’s class-leading Honda Civic hatchback was 8% longer and had a 12% greater wheelbase. The also newly available Hyundai Excel hatchback coupe was notably larger.

Power, if you could call it that, was provided by a 55 bhp 1.1 liter/68 ci inline four with a two-barrel carburetor. A four-speed manual was standard, and Car and Driver recorded a 0-60 time of 14.0 seconds. Fuel mileage was rated at 25 city/31 highway by the day’s standards (22/29 by modern measures). With a small 8.4-gallon gas tank, a Yugo owner could expect a short range of 195 to 210 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

1986 Yugo GV print advertisement
1986 Yugo GV print advertisement

Standard exterior and mechanical equipment on the Yugo GV included opening front vent windows, a rear-window wiper, front-wheel-drive, rack and pinion steering, front disc/rear drum brakes, and 145R13 74H tires (now barely available) on 13-inch wheels. Inside, cloth/vinyl reclining front bucket seats, a fold-down rear seat, a rear-window defroster, and a small tool kit were included. A full-sized spare tire was stored under the hood.

The Yugo offered few options—neither air conditioning nor an automatic transmission were available for the 1986 model year. Yugo buyers could choose a variety of dealer-installed radios.

Many Jokes & One Survey

Yugo jokes were many. Just a few of them:

  • What do you call a Yugo with twin tailpipes? A wheelbarrow.
  • What do you call a Yugo with a flat tire? Totaled.
  • How do you make a Yugo go from 0 to 60 in five seconds? Push it off a cliff.
  • Why do Yugos have rear-window defrosters? To keep your hands warm.
  • How do you double the value of a Yugo? Fill the gas tank.
  • What’s on the first page of the Yugo owner’s manual? The bus schedule.

Popular Mechanics‘ owners survey for the Yugo GV found that Yugo buyers wanted a new car instead of a comparably-priced used one, and that, as one said, “you have to keep the car in perspective.”

The View From 2025

Oh, these are vanished. Bring a Trailer has sold a grand total of eight over nine years, and they’re long gone from Hemmings and eBay Motors.

Make mine Adriatic Blue, please.

1986 Chevrolet Nova sedan

“Merging the best of both worlds.”

After a soft rollout in the Midwest in early 1985, 1986 was the first full model year for the fifth-generation Chevrolet Nova sedan, which was built in the New United Motor Manufacturing Incorporated (NUMMI) plant in Fremont, California—a collaboration between General Motors and Toyota. Of course, these front-wheel-drive Novas had nothing to do with the previous four rear-wheel-drive generations, the last of which had been seen in the 1979 model year.

The new Nova was a rebadged and mildly restyled version of the Japanese market Toyota Sprinter, itself a model sold in Japan as a badge-engineered version of the Toyota Corolla. The pre-existing design was chosen over a clean-sheet approach because it could be brought to market more quickly.

The Nova’s standard powertrain was the 4-AC 70 bhp 1.6 liter/97 ci inline four with a two-barrel carburetor paired with a five-speed manual. A three-speed automatic was optional. Car and Driver recorded a 0-60 time of 12.4 seconds with the manual in a car with a 2,260-pound curb weight—edging toward slow by 1986. Mileage ratings with the manual were 30 city/37 highway by the day’s standards (26/33 by today’s measures). As was normal in the eighties, the automatic gave up some mileage—off two mpg in the city and five mpg on the highway. With a 13.2-gallon gas tank, the owner of a manual Nova could expect a range of 355 to 395 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

1986 Chevrolet Nova print advertisement
1986 Chevrolet Nova print advertisement

The Nova sedan’s price was $7,435—about $22,700 in 2025 dollars or slightly over what a 2025 Chevrolet Trax LS compact crossover SUV goes for. Standard exterior and mechanical equipment included tinted glass, narrow black body side moldings, front wheel drive, rack-and-pinion steering, power front disk/rear drum brakes, and P155/80R13 all-season steel-belted radial tires (a size still available courtesy of Kumho) on 13-inch wheels with a wheel center cap. Inside, reclining front seats with adjustable head restraints, cloth and vinyl seat trim, cut-pile carpeting, a full length console, side window defoggers, and an AM radio were included.

The Nova CL sedan added a wide body side molding and half-cap wheel covers. Inside, all CLs had a Custom Cloth interior, a driver’s seat with lumbar support and vertical adjustment, a console with a storage box and an armrest, a right-side visor vanity mirror, and an adjustable steering wheel.

Option Packages, Period Reviews, & Production Numbers

The 1986 Nova’s configurability was described mainly by eight separate packages, half of them manual and half automatic:

  • Base Package 1 was the base sedan
  • Base Package 2 ($610) added the three-speed automatic, left-hand remote and right-hand manual outside mirrors, and power steering
  • Base Package 3 ($1,180) added halogen high and low beam headlamps, left-hand remote and right-hand manual outside mirrors, power steering, air conditioning, an electric rear window defogger, and an electronically-tuned AM/FM stereo radio with seek/scan and a digital clock to the base sedan
  • Base Package 4 ($1,575) added halogen high and low beam headlamps, air conditioning, an electric rear window defogger, and an electronically-tuned AM/FM stereo radio with seek/scan and a digital clock to Base Package 2
  • CL Package 5 ($1,730) added halogen high and low beam headlamps, left-hand remote and right-hand manual outside mirrors, power steering, air conditioning, an electric rear window defogger, and an electronically-tuned AM/FM stereo radio with seek/scan and a digital clock to the CL sedan
  • CL Package 6 ($2,125) added the three-speed automatic, halogen high and low beam headlamps, left-hand remote and right-hand manual outside mirrors, power steering, air conditioning, an electric rear window defogger, and an electronically-tuned AM/FM stereo radio with seek/scan and a digital clock to the CL sedan
  • CL Package 7 ($2,515) was the sportiest of the Novas and added P175/70R-13 all-season steel belted radial ply blackwall tires, aluminum wheels, electronic speed control with resume speed, an intermittent windshield washer system, and an electronically-tuned AM/FM stereo radio with seek/scan, stereo cassette tape, and a digital clock to CL Package 5
  • CL Package 8 ($2,620) was the most luxurious Nova and added a power door lock system, electronic speed control with resume speed, an intermittent windshield washer system, and an electronically-tuned AM/FM stereo radio with seek/scan, stereo cassette tape, and a digital clock to CL Package 6

The Nova’s only individual option was Two-Tone paint ($176), which was only available with the CL. The absolute fanciest CL sedan retailed for $10,231—about $30,500 in today’s dollars, which is about what a well-equipped 2025 Chevrolet Trailblazer LT compact crossover SUV goes for.

Period reviews freely acknowledged that the Nova was basically a rebadged Corolla. Road & Track‘s tagline was “we have met the enemy, and they is us”—another repackaging of Walt Kelly. Motor Trend stated that the Nova was the “latest installment in the ongoing serial of “If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.”” Popular Mechanics got more personal and asked, “Can a Japanese car built in California find happiness in America?”

Chevrolet sold 124,961 Nova sedans in the 1986 model year, in addition to the 27,943 that had been sold in the 1985 soft rollout. Predictably, the quality of the Nova was considerably higher than that of any other Chevrolet compact car.

The View From 2025

Some call them “Toyolets,” but I’m going to declare this version of the Nova as vanished. I haven’t seen a fifth-generation Nova in the wild for decades, and they have little presence in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds or on eBay Motors. Bring a Trailer has sold a grand total of one—a 1987 sedan.

Make mine Dark Red Metallic, please.

Other 1986 Chevrolets I have written about include the Camaro Berlinetta hatchback coupe, the Cavalier Z24 coupe, and the Corvette convertible.

1989 Lincoln Town Car sedan

“Luxury that needs no introduction.”

For the 1989 model year, the final big Lincoln of the 1980s remained essentially unchanged. The base version gained a fancier “Frenched” back window on its standard vinyl roof. Otherwise, only color and trim changes were visible.

The 1989 Town Car’s only available powertrain was a Windsor 150 bhp 4.9 liter/302 ci V8 with sequential multi-port fuel injection mated with a four-speed automatic with overdrive. An optional dual exhaust added 10 bhp. 0-60 came in a little over 11 seconds in a car with about a 4,100-pound curb weight. Fuel economy was 17 city/24 highway by the day’s standards (15/22 by 2025 measures). With a smallish 18.0-gallon gas tank (compared to the competition), a Town Car owner could expect a middling range of 300 to 330 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

Front cover of the 1989 Lincoln Town Car brochure
Front cover of the 1989 Lincoln Town Car brochure

The Town Car’s base price was $25,205 for 1989—approximately $67,700 in today’s dollars, or almost exactly what the 2025 Lincoln Aviator Reserve SUV goes for. Standard exterior and mechanical equipment included quad-rectangular halogen headlamps, tinted glass, power recirculating ball steering, power front disc/rear drum brakes, and P215/70R15 white sidewall steel-belted radial tires (a size still readily available) on 15-inch steel wheels with full wheel covers. Inside, 50/50 Twin Comfort Lounge cloth front seats, a six-way power driver’s seat, interval wipers, fingertip speed control, Automatic Climate Control, power windows, power vents, power door locks, and an AM/FM stereo cassette radio with a six-speaker Premium Sound System were included.

Series’, Options, & Production Numbers

For $3,301 over the base Continental, the Signature Series added the Comfort/Convenience Group, which included a six-way power front passenger’s seat, rear floor mats, dual illuminated visor vanity mirrors, a headlamp convenience system, and a power decklid pulldown. A Luxury half-vinyl coach roof with a frenched rear window, turbine-spoke aluminum wheels, and an illuminated/keyless entry system also came with the Signature Series.

For an additional $1,326, the Cartier Designer Series included everything in the Signature Series and added Dual-Shade paint in Silver Frost Clearcoat Metallic over Pewter Clearcoat Metallic, a Silver Frost coach roof, and maroon accent stripes. Inside, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and front floor mats with the Cartier logo were included. Cartier purchasers got a no-cost choice of either leather and cloth seat trim or all leather seat trim.

Exterior and mechanical options included a power glass moonroof ($1,420), a Traction-Lok differential ($101), and wire-spoke aluminum wheels ($873 for the base car, $395 otherwise). Interior options included an automatic-dim day/night mirror ($89), an Anti-Theft Alarm System ($200), a twelve-speaker Ford JBL Audio System with a 140-watt amplifier ($525), and a compact disc player ($617). The Cartier Designer Series was the only way to get Dual-Shade paint in the 1988 model year.

1989 was a good year for Lincoln’s traditional full-size sedan. 123,669 were sold, making the Town Car almost 60% of total Lincoln production, and marking the peak for the first-generation Town Car.

The View From 2025

Town Cars of this era attract collector interest—and there is club support. According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, a 1989 Town Car in #1/Concours condition is $26,900, with a far more normal #3/Good condition version going for $4,800. These Town Cars are often available in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and on Bring a Trailer. As I write this blog entry in September 2025, there’s a Cinnabar Clearcoat Metallic 1989 Town Car with 8,700 miles for sale on Hemmings, asking $34,500.

Make mine that same Cinnabar 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, and the 1987 Continental sedan.

1980 Buick Skylark sedan

“… a car to delight the driver in you.”

Along with the other X-cars, the Buick Skylark was all new for 1980. Only the model name was carried over as the Skylark moved from rear-wheel-drive to front-wheel-drive and downsized yet again, losing about a foot and a half in overall length.

The Skylark name was a long-running and important one to Buick. 1953’s gorgeous limited production Roadmaster Skylark convertible was followed by the smaller Century-based Skylark convertible in 1954. In the middle of the 1961 model year, the Skylark name was reintroduced as a luxury trim of the Special compact. For 1962, the Skylark became its own model. By 1964, the Skylark had become its own model line and had moved to an intermediate size. The intermediate rear wheel drive Skylark would continue for three generations (with one slight interruption in 1973-74).

Like with every other 1980 X-car, the Skylark’s standard engine was GM’s Iron Duke 90 bhp 2.5 liter/151 ci inline four with a Rochester Varajet II two-barrel carburetor, paired with a four-speed manual transmission. Fuel economy was 24 city/38 highway by the day’s standards (21/34 by today’s measures). With a 14-gallon gas tank, a Skylark’s driver could expect a range of 350 to 390 miles with a 10% fuel reserve. 0-60 times for the Iron Duke are hard to find, but were likely around 16 seconds for the four-speed manual transmission and probably about 19 seconds (oog) with the optional ($337) three-speed automatic transmission.

Spending $225 to upgrade to the LE2 2.8 liter/173 ci V6 with a Rochester Varajet II two-barrel carburetor got you 115 bhp and a 0-60 time of a little over 13 seconds. Fuel economy dropped substantially to 20 city/28 highway with the four-speed manual transmission. Moving to the three-speed automatic transmission dropped highway mileage to 27 mpg.

Sedan pages from the 1980 Buick Skylark brochure
Sedan pages from the 1980 Buick Skylark brochure

Standard exterior and mechanical equipment on the $5,306 Buick Skylark sedan included front-wheel-drive, rack-and-pinion steering, front disc/rear drum brakes, and P185/80R13 fiberglass-belted radial-ply tires (a size now only marginally available) on 13-inch wheels. Inside, buyers got a no-cost choice of either a houndstooth cloth or a vinyl notchback front bench seat. A Delco AM radio with two front speakers and a windshield antenna was also included.

The $5,726 Skylark Limited included a distinctive hood ornament, wide rocker and wheel opening moldings, Deluxe wheel covers, and a gas strut under the hood. Inside, a choice of a Limited level brushed woven cloth or a vinyl notch back seat with a fold-down center armrest, door entry courtesy lights, a simulated wood grain instrument panel, a special acoustic insulation package, and a plush carpeted back window panel were present. Limited identification was, of course, included.

The $5,920 Skylark Sport Sedan included a specially styled grille, amber front park and turn lamps, front and rear bumper strips, black moldings, wheel opening moldings, Sport mirrors, smoked tail lamp lenses, a Rallye ride-and-handling package system, a larger rear stabilizer bar, and P205/70R-13 steel-belted radial-ply blackwall tires on Designers’ Sport wheels. Inside, the Sport Sedan included a Sport steering wheel and a black instrument panel with a voltmeter, a temperature gage, and a trip odometer.

Options & Production Numbers

The Skylark’s options list gives you a sense that Buick was trying to serve two masters. The base prices were affordable, but you could load the Skylark sedan up with thousands of dollars’ worth of options, bringing it close to a Century or a LeSabre.

Individual exterior and mechanical options for the Skylark included the Designers’ Accent paint treatment ($174), a Landau top, a long vinyl top, a Vista-Vent flip-open glass sunroof ($240), power steering ($164), power brakes ($76), and chrome-plated road wheels ($141). Inside, front bucket seats ($48), a 6-way power seat ($165), a full-length operating console, Cruise-Master speed control ($105), a tilt steering column ($75), air conditioning ($564), power windows ($189), and electric door locks ($123) were available.

Four Delco radios ranging up to an AM/FM stereo with a cassette tape player and a CB ($491) were available. Lower body sport stripes with a Hawk decal were available only for the Skylark Sports versions.

Buick sold 80,940 base Skylark sedans in the 1980 model year. Combined Limited and Sports Sedan sales totalled 86,948, with the vast majority being the Limited. The Skylark was 26% of Buick’s total production in 1980.

Despite an astounding nine recalls for the 1980 version, the Skylark’s yearly sales percentage declines were notably less than those of other X cars—by 1983, Buick was actually selling more Skylarks than Chevrolet was selling Citations. The fifth-generation Skylark sedan, which Buick called its “little limousine,” would continue through the 1985 model year and end up selling 729,523 copies over six model years.

The View From 2025

A few—but only a few—of the X-cars were saved, and Skylarks of this generation occasionally appear in the Hemming’s Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and on Bring a Trailer.

Make mine Dark Red Metallic, please.

Other X-bodies I’ve written about in this blog included the 1980 Chevrolet Citation hatchback sedan, the 1981 Chevrolet Citation X-11 hatchback coupe, the 1982 Pontiac Phoenix SJ coupe, the 1983 Buick Skylark T TYPE coupe, the 1984 Oldsmobile Omega sedan, and the 1985 Chevrolet Citation II hatchback sedan.

1982 Ford Thunderbird coupe

For some reason, I’m always interested in the last year of a “failed” model. Usually, not much gets changed, as the manufacturer’s hopes have already been dashed. For Labor Day 2025, we’ll cover the fruits of Ford’s labors for the 1982 model year.

“Three distinctive series, each built to be driven with pride.”

For 1982, Ford’s Thunderbird personal luxury coupe added a 3.8 liter V6 option, and removed the 4.9 liter V8 option. A Tripminder trip computer was a new option, and the gas tank size increased to 21 gallons. Otherwise, Ford changed little besides colors and trims.

Ford engine availability and power ratings were still in decline in 1982—except if you were purchasing a Mustang. The Thunderbird’s standard powertrain was the Thriftpower Six 87 bhp 3.3 liter/200 ci inline six with a one-barrel carburetor paired with a SelectShift three-speed automatic transmission. Powertrain upgrades were available: buyers could specify the aforementioned Essex 112 bhp 3.8 liter/232 ci V6 with a two-barrel carburetor or the Windsor 120 bhp 4.2 liter/255 ci V8 with a Motorcraft two-barrel carburetor. Both of the optional engines cost $241.

The Thunderbird was a notably different car depending on the engine choice. Looking at the table, it’s hard not to believe that the new Essex engine was the winner—almost as quick as the Windsor V8, and with notably better fuel mileage than either the inline six or the V8.

Thriftpower Six
(3.3 liter inline six)		Essex
(3.8 liter V6)		Windsor
(4.2 liter V8)
0-60 mph
(approximate)		17.3 seconds13.2 seconds12.6 seconds
Fuel mileage
(1982 standards)		17 city/24 highway19 city/30 highway17 city/26 highway
Range
(10% fuel reserve)		315 to 345 miles375 to 415 miles330 to 365 miles

Standard exterior and mechanical equipment on the $8,492 base Thunderbird (about $29,400 in today’s dollars) included concealed rectangular halogen headlamps, variable ratio power rack and pinion steering, power front disc/rear drum brakes, full wheel covers, and P-metric white sidewall steel-belted radial ply tires. Inside, a Flight bench seat in fine-ribbed cloth and vinyl trim, a day/night inside mirror, a trip odometer, a quartz electric clock, and an AM radio were included.

Packages, Options, & Production Numbers

Ford continued to decontent the $9,703 Town Landau (approximately $33,600 now), so its price was closer to the base Thunderbird compared to 1980. Moving up still added Luxury wheel covers, dual remote control mirrors, diagnostic warning lights, interval windshield wipers, a tilt steering wheel, and an AM/FM stereo radio. The Luxury vinyl roof—a padded rear half vinyl roof with a color-coordinated wrapover band and coach lamps—was also standard on the Town Landau. Finally, the included Interior Decor Group added cloth covered head restraints (vinyl if vinyl trim was purchased), Decor door trim panels with assist straps, and a choice of either split bench seats with dual recliners in higher level knit cloth fabric or bucket seats with console.

For the second year, the Heritage edition was the top-of-the-line Thunderbird ($12,472 then, $43,100 now). Exterior and mechanical features the Heritage edition added over the Town Landau included front cornering lamps, complete tinted glass, rocker panel moldings, the 3.8 liter V6 engine, an Automatic Overdrive transmission, and wire wheel covers. Inside, the Heritage edition included a 6-way power driver’s seat, an electronic instrument cluster, air conditioning with manual controls, the power lock group, and an AM/FM stereo search radio.

Every Heritage edition buyer also got a padded rear half vinyl roof with a brushed aluminum wrapover band, coach lamps, and a frenched backlight. They also received the Interior Luxury Group, which included split bench seats with dual recliners in crushed velour cloth, cloth covered head restraints, a Luxury steering wheel, an automated parking brake release, a right hand visor illuminated vanity mirror, 18-oz floor carpeting, burled rosewood woodtone instrument and door panel appliques, the Light Group (dual beam map light, instrument panel courtesy lights, and engine compartment light), power side windows, interval windshield wipers, diagnostic warning lights, an electronic digital clock, and Luxury luggage compartment trim.

Individual options included a flip-up open-air roof ($276), metallic glow paint ($80), a Tu-Tone paint/tape treatment ($128-206), the Keyless Entry System ($319), Recaro bucket seats with a console ($523/$405/$222 depending on series), the SelectAire conditioner with automatic temperature control ($754 for all but the Heritage, which charged $78), and the Tripminder trip computer ($215-261). Nine different audio selections were available, ranging up to an electronic AM/FM stereo search radio with a cassette tape player and the Dolby noise reduction system ($318/$233/$87), which could be paired with the Premium Sound System ($133-187).

Ford sold 45,142 Thunderbirds in the 1982 model year, which was the lowest number since 1975. It was handily outsold by all four of the mid-size GM coupes: Buick Regal, Chevrolet Monte Carlo, Oldsmobile Cutlass, and Pontiac Grand Prix. It would take the next Thunderbird design in 1983 to redress this balance.

The View From 2025

According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, a 1982 Thunderbird with the V8 in #1/Concours condition is $17,400, with a far more typical #3/Good “normal” Thunderbird with the six going for $6,500. This generation of Thunderbirds maintains a presence in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and on Bring a Trailer, but you see very few 1982 examples. As I update this blog entry in October 2025, there’s a Silver Metallic 1980 with gray cloth seats and the 255 ci V8 on Hemmings, showing 73,000 miles and asking $11,500.

Make mine the extra-cost Medium Blue Glow, please.

Other eighties Thunderbirds I have written about include the 1980 coupe, the 1983 Turbo Coupe, and the 1987 standard coupe.

Last updated October 2025.

1983 Dodge Shelby Charger hatchback coupe

“It ain’t just paint.”

Dodge released the Shelby Charger hatchback coupe in February 1983. Based on the Dodge Charger 2.2, the Shelby Charger marked the reunion of Lee Iacocca and Carroll Shelby, years after their legendary success with the 1965 to 1970 Ford Mustang. It was the first vehicle to emerge from the Chrysler-Shelby technical center in Santa Fe Springs, CA.

Motive power was provided by a 107 bhp 2.2 liter/135 ci inline four with a two-barrel carburetor, which was mated to a five-speed manual transmission. With the aid of a 2,400-pound curb weight, Car and Driver recorded a 0-60 mph time of 9.0 seconds—sprightly for a reasonably priced sports coupe in 1983 and faster than the class-leading Volkswagen GTI. As usual, most other testers were notably slower—Road & Track listed a 10.0 second 0-60 time.

Fuel economy ratings were an impressive 25 city/40 highway by the day’s standards. With a 13-gallon gas tank, the owner of a Shelby Charger could expect a range of 310 to 340 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

1983 Dodge Shelby Charger print advertisement
1983 Dodge Shelby Charger print advertisement

The Dodge Shelby Charger’s base price was $8,290—about $27,400 in today’s dollars, or about 9% less than a 2025 Dodge Hornet GT crossover goes for. Standard exterior and mechanical equipment included a front air dam, halogen headlamps, tinted glass on all windows, a rear spoiler, a special handling sport suspension, quick ratio power rack and pinion steering, heavy duty power front disc/rear drum brakes, and 195/50VR15 Goodyear Eagle GT tires (a size still readily available) on 15-inch cast aluminum wheels. Inside, front cloth bucket seats featured a CS logo, a Sport steering wheel, a console, a Rallye instrument panel cluster with a tachometer, clock, and trip odometer, and a power liftgate release were included.

Options, Period Reviews, & Production Numbers

Options included air conditioning ($632), automatic speed control ($176), and a series of four radios ranging up to an electronically tuned AM/FM stereo with a cassette player ($485).

Period reviews were generally positive, with many magazines pleased to see Carroll Shelby back in the automotive modification business. Car and Driver stated that the Shelby Charger was “built to slay giants.” Road & Track‘s tag line was “Carroll helps Chrysler bring back the Sixties,” which seems like just a bit of overreach. R&T also compared the Shelby Charger with the Nissan 200SX and the Toyota Celica GT-S. All was not perfect, and just about everyone complained about the seats and the steering wheel.

Dodge produced 8,251 Shelby Chargers for the 1983 model year, making the shortened first year of production the highest of the five years the model was available. 63% of 1983 Shelby Chargers were Santa Fe Blue Crystal Coat, with the rest being Silver Metallic. After 1987, the front-wheel-drive Charger would be gone, replaced by the Shadow, which would have its own Shelby version.

The View From 2025

Though Hagerty doesn’t track their values, Shelby Chargers do have their own following as part of Dodge’s storied high-performance history. They are often available in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and on Bring a Trailer. As I update this blog post in October 2025, there’s a Ruby Red Pearl Coat 1985 Shelby Charger with a grey and tan interior and 134,000 miles for sale on Hemmings, asking $19,000.

Make mine Santa Fe Blue Crystal Coat, please. That also gets me the silver stripe.

Other sporty Dodges I have written about include the 1984 Daytona Turbo Z hatchback coupe, the 1985 Shelby Charger hatchback coupe, and the 1985 Omni GLH hatchback sedan. I should write about the Shadow, and maybe the Mirada.

Last updated October 2025.

1987 Porsche 928 S4 hatchback coupe

“The most technologically advanced Porsche you can get.”

1987 was the first model year for the Porsche 928 S4 (the 4 stood for fourth-generation). The 928’s new standard engine was the 320 bhp M28 5.0 liter/302 ci V8 with Bosch L-Jetronic port fuel injection, which was mated to either a five-speed manual transmission or a Mercedes-sourced four-speed automatic. The 928 S4 also featured a new front bumper, bigger taillights, a new (and large) rear spoiler, and many detail changes. The drag coefficient dropped to 0.34, compared to 0.39 in 1986’s 928 S.

We’ll go with 928 S4 as the model designation, because that’s what Porsche calls it now. Period window stickers show 928S-4, period advertisements used 928S 4, and period reviews often used 928S4—another example of why I have a page about nomenclature.

In a car that weighed 3,507 pounds with the manual transmission, Car and Driver recorded a 0-60 time of 5.3 seconds, with a top speed of 159 mph. The EPA rated fuel mileage at a class-competitive 15 city/23 highway (14/21 by today’s measures). With a 22.7-gallon gas tank, the proud new owner of a 928 S4 could expect a range of about 360 to 385 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

1987 Porsche 928 S4 print advertisement
1987 Porsche 928 S4 print advertisement

The 928’s base price changed significantly over the 1987 model year. Period window stickers vary from $58,900 (about $173,100 in 2025 dollars) to $66,710 (about $188,000 in today’s dollars or almost exactly what a 2025 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 GTS coupe costs). Standard exterior and mechanical equipment included headlight washers, an electric rear window defogger, a rear window wiper, power rack and pinion steering, and vented power disc brakes. 225/50VR16 tires on 16 x 7J wheels out front were balanced by 245/45VR16 tires on 16 x 8J wheels (both tire sizes are still available). Inside, power front leather seats, a 4-spoke leather steering wheel, air conditioning with automatic climate control, power windows, a central locking system, and an AM/FM stereo radio with a cassette player and eight speakers were included.

Options, Production Numbers, & Period Reviews

Exterior and mechanical options included a limited slip differential ($722) and sport shock absorbers ($247). Inside, options included lumbar support ($422-$456 per seat), heated seats ($160 per seat), an alarm system ($445), and increased air conditioning ($967-$992).

Porsche sold 15,682 928 S4s worldwide over five years. Period reviews were generally positive—Car and Driver‘s tagline was “vindicated at last.” The “buff books” also noted the notable difference in personalities and performance between the manual and the automatic versions of the 928 S4, relevant because the automatic was about 80% of sales.

The View From 2025

There is excellent club support for the Porsche 928, as there is for all Porsches. According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, all the money for a 1987 Porsche 928 S4 with the manual in #1/Concours condition is $99,000, with a more normal #3/Good condition car with an automatic going for $29,300. Porsche 928s frequently 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 December 2025, a Cassis Red Metallic 1987 with an automatic and 145,000 miles is available on Hemmings, asking $15,750.

Make mine Ocean Blue, please.

I have also written about the the 1982 928 hatchback coupe. Other eighties Porsches I have covered include the 1980 911 SC coupe, the 1980 924 hatchback coupe, the 1982 924 Turbo hatchback coupe, the 1984 911 Carrera Targa, the 1985 911 Carrera Cabriolet, the 1986 911 Turbo coupe, the 1986 944 Turbo hatchback coupe, the 1987 911 3.2 Carrera coupe, and the 1988 944 hatchback coupe.

Last updated December 2025.

1983 BMW 320i coupe

“Performance: The Unabridged Version”

By the 1983 model, BMW’s E21 320i coupe was showing some of the vicissitudes of age. What had been almost mind-blowing for 1977 no longer seemed quite as differentiating.

The 320i’s engine continued to be BMW’s M10B18 1.8 liter/108 ci inline four with Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection, making 101 bhp and 100 lb-ft of torque. Car and Driver recorded a 0-60 mph time of 9.8 seconds and a top speed of 105 mph. Mileage by the day’s standards was pretty good: 25 city/36 highway with the five-speed manual transmission. With a 15.3-gallon gas tank, the proud new owner of a 320i could expect between 345 and 375 miles of range with a 10% fuel reserve.

1983 BMW 320i print advertisement
1983 BMW 320i print advertisement

The 320i’s base price was $13,290—about $43,700 in 2025 dollars, which is almost exactly what a 2026 BMW 230i xDrive coupe goes for. Standard exterior and mechanical equipment included tinted glass all around, a four wheel independent suspension, rack and pinion steering, power front disc/rear drum brakes, and 185/70X13 steel belted radial tires (a size still available) on 13-inch wheels. Inside, fully reclining front seats, a flow thru ventilation system, a rear window defroster, an electronic tachometer, and an LED digital quartz clock were included.

Packages, Options, & Model History

BMW offered two packages for the 1983 320i:

  • The $2,620 S Package included a front air dam, a limited-slip differential, a sport suspension, BBS wheels, Recaro sport seats, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel
  • The $1,685 Luxus Touring Group Package included fog lamps, air conditioning, and an AM/FM stereo cassette player

Individual options included a manual sunroof ($555) and metallic paint ($440).

The 320i was in production from the 1977 to the 1983 model years. Initially, the engine was the same 2.0 liter inline four that had been in the sainted 2002. In 1980, BMW moved to the 1.8 liter inline four that the 320i would have until its production ended. The E30 318i would replace the 320i from 1984 forward.

The View From 2025

The 320i is rarely seen on eBay Motors, but examples do show up in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds and on Bring a Trailer. According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, a 1983 320i in #1/Concours condition is $35,400, with a more normal #3/Good condition car going for $11,700.

Make mine the extra-cost Baltic Blue Metallic, please.

Other BMWs I have written about include the 1982 733i sedan, the 1983 633CSi coupe, the 1984 325e coupe, the 1985 535i sedan, the 1987 L6 coupe, the 1987 M6 coupe, the 1988 750iL sedan, and the 1988 M3 coupe.

Refreshing Some Golden Oldies

Typewriter icon

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 print advertisement

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 brochure cover

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.

Pages from the 1983 Pontiac 6000 STE brochure

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 …