The AM/FM stereo.... "is large with clearly marked controls, which leaves us wondering why it's connected to this cassette deck. The controls are cheap and basic and the center dash installation leaves it looking like it was installed in the designer's home garage on a weekend." -- John Davis, 1988 Chevrolet C/1500 Review
They'll be alright. They were too hyper-focused on their RWD sedans (CT4, CT5, CT6) and one last gen of FWD luxo-boat (XTS) in an era where sedan sales are on the decline. For awhile the only SUVs they had were the entry-level SRX and top-end Escalade. Now with the XT4, XT5, XT6 crossovers, Escalade, and upcoming all-electric SUV and sedan they'll have a good lineup. But yeah the '80s were a disaster for Cadillac.
It's been fun watching John Davis' hairline run from his breath over the years. Nah I'm kidding, I love John Davis. His smooth voice and enthusiasm can make even the crappiest car seem cool
Yes! I also think of the "Married...with Children" actors & actresses like Ed O'Neill (Al Bundy), Katey Sagal (Peggy Bundy), Christina Applegate (Kelly Bundy), Amanda Bearse (Marcy D'Arcy), & David Faustino (Bud Bundy) when I see this car!
First thought. :-) They might have sold more had they actually used Christina Applegate as spokesperson instead of stuffy old codger JR Euwing on a show that was close to obsolete.
dodgeguyz I always think Kelly Bundy but she was selling the Alvantee? not the Allante lol. Your comment is such an great call back. I always think of that episode whenever I see this particular Cadilac LOL and I always think of that particular car whenever I see that episode of married with children LOL
man did I love this car as a kid. had a distant relative show up in one back then. he told us it was a rental... after spending some money on gifts for us kids, found out he was a drug dealer. LOL
Alright, I have one more paper due tomorrow so it's important that I stay focused and concentr- *Retro Review: 1987 Cadillac Allante notification appears* Accidenti!
I am of Italian heritage, and teach Italiano. I love the Pininfarina styled Allanté! I have a 1993 Pearl Red Allanté that I just took delivery on last Monday 10/5/21. Excellent performance and roadability: acceleration, torque, speed, handling, comfort, etc! Best car I've ever owned including my 1986 Corvette that I bought brand new and still have, and my 1993 Cadillac STS. Btw: "Accidenti!" is an interjection meaning "Damn!"/"Damn it!", and/or more politely: "Man!", "Wow!/Gee!/Gosh!" in "elevated society" :)
I'm a big fan of the Allante autos. My parents friends had one years ago. Comfortable ride with good aero dynamic and good turning response. Very underrated auto in the Cadillac car line.
MOAR BUTTONS=MOAR LUXURY!!!!! That was the thinking in Detroit around that time, go look at the dashboard of something like an early 90's Oldsmobile or Pontiac Grand Prix, lots of buttons to impress your friends with.
@@kenbob1071 I know, buttons/knobs are for the plebeians. So out of fashion, we are in the smartphone/tablet age in terms of car design. Gotta make the interiors look like a giant I-pad with all touch screens, ergonomics be damned.
@@kenbob1071 You missed the sarcasm in my first post. GM cars of that time might have had a lot of features/buttons, but the quality, engineering, and driving dynamics were subpar. Compare a 1987 Allante, an all new design, vs an 87 Benz SL, which came out in 1971, and tell me with a straight face the Allante is the better car. It might have more features and a whiz bang techie dashboard(which looks silly now days), but in every other way its an inferior car
@@kenbob1071 Maybe I'm just full of sarcasm, I'm ridiculing both ends of the spectrum. The Tesla displays look pretty trick, not going to lie, they even work pretty decent compared to some other makers touch screens. I'm just more of the idea that luxury is well made, good design, good engineering, good durability, low operating cost and not mickey mouse tricks like 1000 buttons or huge ass display screens. Getting back to the SL vs Allante, the SL just feels solid, the door shut, the interior fit/finish, body gaps, it just feels well built and has proven durable.
In the 1989 MW test, they were far harsher in their assessment of the '87 than they were in this road test. In fact, they were harsher on the improved '89 than they were on the rougher '87. I wonder if the excitement of a new type of car from Cadillac made their outlook rosier the first time. It's also disconcerting that Cadillac has been talking about designing "a whole new line of world-class cars" for the past 30 years. They've only just started to get close.
This car looks like a mix between a 1992 Maserati Ghibli (AM336) and a 1989 Aston Martin Virage, which is good company to have. I'm from the UK and a big fan of Cadillacs, Cadillacs are special cars. This Allante was ahead of its time and going from the promotional video a really well thought out and designed package for the Cadillac driver to enjoy.
Always loved the Allante and the Allante truly is one of the best, most advanced and sophisticated Cadillac's since the 57-60 Eldorado Brougham, which was also designed by Pininfarina. I have a 1993 Allante myself which I drive everyday next to my 2005 Deville DTS. Build quality materials used is great and has held up very well after almost 25 years now. The NorthStar 32 valve V8 for 1993 only really makes this car a little rocket and is such fun driving and yet still delivering great fuel economy.
Yes, that's true. It has an Italian built body and style, but, the Chrysler Tc also had an Italian style body and interior, but it had an Italian built Maserati v-6 engine. The Cadillac should have had an Italian built engine also! It would have been a much better car!
Some guy who lives down the street from me has one exactly like the test car shown here, silver and everything. I think it’s his primary car and it’s in great shape. I didn’t know it was $50k new! That explains why he still has it and in such good condition
I had a friend of my store a vehicle for me for a few months in 2014. When I picked up my car from his warehouse were he stores cars he's flipping I saw a very clean Allante. I got exited since you don't see them anymore! He seemed upset I saw it there and never told me how he got it or when he got rid of it. He probably lost his ass on when he thought he was going to make some money lol.
Always loved the Allanté, the fact they shipped the bodies in a modified 747 is completely over the top! The interior and dash is amazing. The overall shape and dimensions are very understated and timeless, A very handsome car 😘
This is a damned nice caddy even to this day. The neeeeeew Álaaante! Like Kelly Bundy said back then. And hoooooly heck! 50K in 87' money is worth 112K in 2019!
The critics were not kind when this car came a long, but it was the best and the most innovative , the o4-07 xlr was popular with critics but not with customers.
One of my favorite classic cadillacs sencond only to the 76-79 seville, if GM had decided to make a front wheel drive corvette, that car would have made great spin off, just make a body and the engine and you,re good to go.
>Troy Sanchez: I read an article on this car years ago. Cadillac in-house designers did develop a simpler Detroit version but it got rejected by upper management. The rejected Cadillac car strongly resembled the Buick Reatta.
@@TeeroyHammermill I have to agree with the GM management. However the Allanté was not such a success, a rebadged Reatta wouldn't have been much better.
My 97 Eldorado still running strong till this day with no issues and its a Northstar engine. However, I've heard some of the early 2000's STS autos had their issues.
NYKgjl10 also, the XLR had the northstar and some of them actually have their BLOCKS CRACK AND PISTONS WARP - that is british leyland levels of bad engineering
The last 2 years of this car had the northstar but I've always heard that engine was plagued with head gasket issues. They sold very few in the years in was in production
Only 93 model year had the northstar. The early 4.1 engines had HG issues. The main northstar problem was by 60k miles they leaked oil all over the place
I just bought a triple black 92 Allante. I always drove Cadillac Broughams and never gave these a look. But The Allante is a fun car to drive. You can buy these cars real cheap right now. Lots of options and best of all. Its a Cadillac Convertible.
inflation calculator severely underestimates how much $50,000 was worth in 1987. I've been around long enough to know, $50000 in 1987 probably felt more like $175k in today's money.
incyphe / the other factor people forget was blue collar salary was higher back then too. My Dad made 65,ooo a year in 1987, about 150,000 in today's money. No one makes that today in the blue collar field.
Your dad must have been in a highly specialized blue collar trade to make that kind of money back then. Blue Collar salary was $20k-$25k for skilled workers. Middle Management was $40k-$42k.
@@wp8022 I was born in 1990 so I'm not an expert, but my impression is that the HT4100/4.5/4.9 followed the trend of most '80s era GM engineering in that it got better with time. So a 1982 HT4100 is hot garbage but a 1995 Sedan de Ville w/ the 4.9 is probably not so bad. Also they had aluminum blocks and I don't think GM really mastered aluminum until the LS1 V8 in 1997.
In what way are they worse? Most fours get the same power output at this car's shitcan HT4100, which barely made more power than Buick's 3800 V6 at the time. Most minivans today are faster than this Allante. Problems per vehicle are way less today than back then. Cars handle better, are exponentially safer, emit less, and are far more economical given their power outputs.
I had a 1990 that I sold, purchased back then sold again. This car was quality BUT GM did not support it with electronic parts availability so I had to let it go. I don't think people realize how advanced its electronic were or what you could do in engineering mode.
This was not the only Cadillac that was built by Pininfarina. GM and Pininfarina had a partnership that lasted many decades and have built some great cars together. This car should tell you that it was the best by Cadillac.
Mercedes wasn't worried. They said, "Phffft...a fwd car with no power? Absolutely no need to worry." And they were right. Guessing that is what they said, I still really like this car 30 years later.
The same engine was in the Allante until 1991. The average sticker price in 1991 was $60k. The Allante did 0-60mph in 9.3 seconds with a V8.. My friend owned a 1996 Toyota Tercel, it did 0-60 in 9.2 seconds and had a 1.5L 4 cyl and got like 50mpg on the highway, it cost him $13k LMAO
@@filthyanimal874 it isn't the unions fault. Companies would have people working all day if they could. GM and the other two just don't want to put in the effort and profit to make something good. If they treat their cars like that it's a good thing we have unions.
This show could have been a little more honest about the abysmal predicted and actual reliability of these cars. The poor quality of some of the cars they tested was well known, but it was never discussed.
Lets vote. Which car more defines classic 80's GM under the watchful eye of Roger Smith. Cadillac Allante or Chevrolet Citation? Or maybe the Barretta? And the band played on......
The allante was the poor man's Corvette, based on the eldorado, the Mercedes Benz sl500 didn't have nothing to worry about, because the allante was born in Italy, and flown to the hamtramck, Michigan, but in all fairness though, the allante mostly lacked drivetrain refinement, even a high pricey Cadillac wouldn't be a real sports car without some rough edges.
The Allante was a beautiful car for its' time. To be honest, it is still fairly handsome. Cadillac has never been a car company that catered to blue collar clientele. With that stated, those who purchased them probably were not worried about the price. The real issue is why would they spend so much money, time, and effort to build such a vehicle and then give it the HT4100 for a power plant. In 1987, GM had two power plants that would have made better sense for such a car. For fans of natural aspiration, there was the tuned port 5.7 liter (350ci) from the Corvette. For those who like turbos, there was the Buick 3.8 liter (231ci) from the Grand National. The Buick 3.8 liter turbo was also used in the GMC Cyclone and GMC Typhoon. In my opinion, these two engines would have been far superior to the HT4100 (an engine that suffered from insufficient horsepower, overheating issues, and warped cylinder heads throughout its' decade long production run).
They weren't going to use a corporate engine in a top line Caddy. For 89 the engine increased to 4.5 liters and was way better than the 4.1 even though they were the same engine. Caddy had finally worked the bugs out of the 4.1. 93 was the last year and only year that the northstar was available in the Allante. That was a huge boost in power. FYI the GMC Typhoon and Syclone used a turbocharged version of the 4.3 Chevy engine that was co-developed with Buick.
To be honest, I like the Allantè's exterior design. Smooth, clean and effortless. Only glitches are these two guards on the rear bumper. And its interior looks more at home in a Japanese car. Just like the exterior, it doesn't remind me much of a Cadillac. Good thing that back then, I suppose.
It really was an excellent car in many aspects, just a shame it suffered the same fate as cars like the Cadillac STS, Subaru SVX and Renault Avantime for being overpriced
i knew somehow they were going to mention something about JR and Dallas on this one LOL, i do remember him driving one and Miss Ellie driving a Volkswagen Convertible
I have a 1990 Allante & a 2009 Maserati both made by pininfarina & are quality cars ! Have lasted me long time ! Low maintenance especially the allante
The Alliante is the most under rated car in history. It truly does not deserve the hate it gets. I understand that people were upset at how overpriced it was back in the days, but now that it has depreciated there's absolutely no reason to hate on it anymore. It's a great car, get over it.
Well at least this was a better idea than the Vette with the Nortstar engine. Actually, maybe if in 87, they built a version of a Vette with this body on it.
people 4get the Cadillac Allante was 1st b4 the Mercedes Benz S.L. CHANGE tha look close 2 the Cadillac... BETWEEN 92 or 93 wit Northstar Engine was the BEST. but i heard others was ok...
I remember seen one of these after couldn't believe it was a Cadillac hated the look of this car now some reason like this car guessing kind of old school though they were made until 1990 I was born in '89 hated this car now since I'm getting older loving these old school cars.
“Amazingly good effort.” What’s amazing is that the corporate dolts at GM thought that shipping Italian bodies by air to the US would let them sell $50K front drive convertibles. And the company paid these people big bucks to think it. 9.5 seconds to 60? You think you can compete with that? Spare me …
"losing cemeteries full of customers" ouch that's rough lol
incyphe i couldnt believe he said that lmfao
incyphe Says it like it is.
The AM/FM stereo.... "is large with clearly marked controls, which leaves us wondering why it's connected to this cassette deck. The controls are cheap and basic and the center dash installation leaves it looking like it was installed in the designer's home garage on a weekend."
-- John Davis, 1988 Chevrolet C/1500 Review
thatallredheadude John Davis is a national treasure. I'm going to start a Gofundme to protect him from 2017
Yeah, and here I thought that Cadillac's problem with an aging demographic was a relatively new thing in the last couple of decades.
man cadillac been trying to turn around for 30 years now
Yes, some of those cars have a very wide turn radius.
Cadillac did turn it around with the CTS - then they slowly more than doubled the price and halved their customers.
The Caddy from the Matrix movie and its subsequent variations had a good run for awhile
The Northstar engine was their last chance to make a comeback and they screwed it up
They'll be alright. They were too hyper-focused on their RWD sedans (CT4, CT5, CT6) and one last gen of FWD luxo-boat (XTS) in an era where sedan sales are on the decline. For awhile the only SUVs they had were the entry-level SRX and top-end Escalade. Now with the XT4, XT5, XT6 crossovers, Escalade, and upcoming all-electric SUV and sedan they'll have a good lineup. But yeah the '80s were a disaster for Cadillac.
It's been fun watching John Davis' hairline run from his breath over the years. Nah I'm kidding, I love John Davis. His smooth voice and enthusiasm can make even the crappiest car seem cool
Cody Clark I
z yeah I'd love me some John Davis...... too thicc 😍😍
@@codyclark1782 John Davis the baddie
smooth voice? if i ever fall asleep watching motorweek playlist i wake up feeling bad because of the audio
"The newwww Allante!" Anyone else think of Kelly Bundy when you see this car?
Yes! I also think of the "Married...with Children" actors & actresses like Ed O'Neill (Al Bundy), Katey Sagal (Peggy Bundy), Christina Applegate (Kelly Bundy), Amanda Bearse (Marcy D'Arcy), & David Faustino (Bud Bundy) when I see this car!
Oh yeah, Kelley (Cristina Applegate)was MAD HOT,especially whenever she bounced!!!
First thought. :-) They might have sold more had they actually used Christina Applegate as spokesperson instead of stuffy old codger JR Euwing on a show that was close to obsolete.
dodgeguyz I always think Kelly Bundy but she was selling the Alvantee? not the Allante lol. Your comment is such an great call back. I always think of that episode whenever I see this particular Cadilac LOL and I always think of that particular car whenever I see that episode of married with children LOL
Kelly Bundy drive one Allante in Married with Children in 1987 and 1988?
man did I love this car as a kid. had a distant relative show up in one back then. he told us it was a rental... after spending some money on gifts for us kids, found out he was a drug dealer. LOL
My mom’s uncle had one. That’s how I knew he was rich. It looked so elegant I loved that car
Hey they’ve got a place too. As long as he wasn’t getting high on his own stash
How many times have we heard the phrase "it's the 1st of many world class Caddies."
Alright, I have one more paper due tomorrow so it's important that I stay focused and concentr-
*Retro Review: 1987 Cadillac Allante notification appears*
Accidenti!
ClutchCruiser Are you Italian too?
Felt.
I am of Italian heritage, and teach Italiano.
I love the Pininfarina styled Allanté!
I have a 1993 Pearl Red Allanté that I just took delivery on last Monday 10/5/21.
Excellent performance and roadability: acceleration, torque, speed, handling, comfort, etc!
Best car I've ever owned including my 1986 Corvette that I bought brand new and still have, and my 1993 Cadillac STS.
Btw: "Accidenti!" is an interjection meaning "Damn!"/"Damn it!",
and/or more politely: "Man!", "Wow!/Gee!/Gosh!" in "elevated society" :)
I'm a big fan of the Allante autos. My parents friends had one years ago. Comfortable ride with good aero dynamic and good turning response. Very underrated auto in the Cadillac car line.
In black its gorgeous. I used to see them once in a while when I worked at Cadillac. But the XLR was the best.
torres3800 I have a black 93 and just bought a black 09 XLR-V
There are more buttons in the Allante than the space shuttle.
LOL
MOAR BUTTONS=MOAR LUXURY!!!!! That was the thinking in Detroit around that time, go look at the dashboard of something like an early 90's Oldsmobile or Pontiac Grand Prix, lots of buttons to impress your friends with.
@@kenbob1071 I know, buttons/knobs are for the plebeians. So out of fashion, we are in the smartphone/tablet age in terms of car design. Gotta make the interiors look like a giant I-pad with all touch screens, ergonomics be damned.
@@kenbob1071 You missed the sarcasm in my first post. GM cars of that time might have had a lot of features/buttons, but the quality, engineering, and driving dynamics were subpar. Compare a 1987 Allante, an all new design, vs an 87 Benz SL, which came out in 1971, and tell me with a straight face the Allante is the better car. It might have more features and a whiz bang techie dashboard(which looks silly now days), but in every other way its an inferior car
@@kenbob1071 Maybe I'm just full of sarcasm, I'm ridiculing both ends of the spectrum. The Tesla displays look pretty trick, not going to lie, they even work pretty decent compared to some other makers touch screens.
I'm just more of the idea that luxury is well made, good design, good engineering, good durability, low operating cost and not mickey mouse tricks like 1000 buttons or huge ass display screens. Getting back to the SL vs Allante, the SL just feels solid, the door shut, the interior fit/finish, body gaps, it just feels well built and has proven durable.
In the 1989 MW test, they were far harsher in their assessment of the '87 than they were in this road test. In fact, they were harsher on the improved '89 than they were on the rougher '87. I wonder if the excitement of a new type of car from Cadillac made their outlook rosier the first time. It's also disconcerting that Cadillac has been talking about designing "a whole new line of world-class cars" for the past 30 years. They've only just started to get close.
This car looks like a mix between a 1992 Maserati Ghibli (AM336) and a 1989 Aston Martin Virage, which is good company to have. I'm from the UK and a big fan of Cadillacs, Cadillacs are special cars. This Allante was ahead of its time and going from the promotional video a really well thought out and designed package for the Cadillac driver to enjoy.
Always loved the Allante and the Allante truly is one of the best, most advanced and sophisticated Cadillac's since the 57-60 Eldorado Brougham, which was also designed by Pininfarina. I have a 1993 Allante myself which I drive everyday next to my 2005 Deville DTS. Build quality materials used is great and has held up very well after almost 25 years now. The NorthStar 32 valve V8 for 1993 only really makes this car a little rocket and is such fun driving and yet still delivering great fuel economy.
Just watched hoovie and now i get this in my recommended
ayoub s me too. I saw that Hoovie's garage video about the Allante.
AI watching you!
I watched Robin Williams Cadillac Man and got this recommended
I love my 1990 Allante. It is so fun to drive.
How's the maintenance on it?
I think it's a nice looking car for its time. Also, it's miles ahead of the Chrysler TC by Maserati, another American car with an Italian body.
Ahh yes, the TC... that time that Maserati made a body that looked nearly identical to the LeBaron and was somehow even worse...
Yes, that's true. It has an Italian built body and style, but, the Chrysler Tc also had an Italian style body and interior, but it had an Italian built Maserati v-6 engine. The Cadillac should have had an Italian built engine also! It would have been a much better car!
Beautiful, love these Allantes. Thanks for uploading.
Some guy who lives down the street from me has one exactly like the test car shown here, silver and everything. I think it’s his primary car and it’s in great shape. I didn’t know it was $50k new! That explains why he still has it and in such good condition
Owned a 90 Allante. I really enjoyed driving mine. Pricey, but a definite head turner. Drove a lot like my Mercedes 380SL. Great Video.
I'll take the Mercedes any time. Ciao
@@lorenzomagazzeni5425Mercedes are boring and conventional, ciao Lory
I had a friend of my store a vehicle for me for a few months in 2014. When I picked up my car from his warehouse were he stores cars he's flipping I saw a very clean Allante. I got exited since you don't see them anymore! He seemed upset I saw it there and never told me how he got it or when he got rid of it. He probably lost his ass on when he thought he was going to make some money lol.
I really like those gauges! I really like this car. I wouldn’t miss the red stripe.
Thank you for posting this video! It is appreciated to see another GM video. Thank you once again. I look forward to more.
Good news: we can all afford to get behind the wheel of a 1987 Allante, now.
Always loved the Allanté, the fact they shipped the bodies in a modified 747 is completely over the top!
The interior and dash is amazing. The overall shape and dimensions are very understated and timeless,
A very handsome car 😘
This is a damned nice caddy even to this day. The neeeeeew Álaaante! Like Kelly Bundy said back then. And hoooooly heck! 50K in 87' money is worth 112K in 2019!
I want one. My great uncle had one and I thought it was so cool
The critics were not kind when this car came a long, but it was the best and the most innovative , the o4-07 xlr was popular with critics but not with customers.
why do i like watching these old car video's so much.
Because they kick ass
One of my favorite classic cadillacs sencond only to the 76-79 seville, if GM had decided to make a front wheel drive corvette, that car would have made great spin off, just make a body and the engine and you,re good to go.
The Allante would have been a hit at $27500 with simplified manufacturing processes.
>Troy Sanchez: I read an article on this car years ago. Cadillac in-house designers did develop a simpler Detroit version but it got rejected by upper management. The rejected Cadillac car strongly resembled the Buick Reatta.
@@TeeroyHammermill I have to agree with the GM management. However the Allanté was not such a success, a rebadged Reatta wouldn't have been much better.
I never saw it as a front wheel drive benz, but it did have the potential of being a front wheel drive Vette.
The best version of this car is the last production year...1993 with the Northstar engine.
2dfx idk if you can say the best engine was the northstar - it wasnt exactly engineered well and had a LOT of issues
Diego Delgado Oh yeah! One word starter location. I think this would have done better with RWD.
My 97 Eldorado still running strong till this day with no issues and its a Northstar engine. However, I've heard some of the early 2000's STS autos had their issues.
Alot better than the HT engines before the northstar.
NYKgjl10 also, the XLR had the northstar and some of them actually have their BLOCKS CRACK AND PISTONS WARP - that is british leyland levels of bad engineering
Great review motor week, gorgeous Cadillac, thank you!!
Even in 2022, the car is absolutely beautiful,
Ravi Peiris M.D.
Lmao what? 😂
It's a freakin' spaceship! They were ahead of their time! Damn!
I still want one of these cars!!
Beautiful car, looks terrific even today.
The last 2 years of this car had the northstar but I've always heard that engine was plagued with head gasket issues. They sold very few in the years in was in production
Only 93 model year had the northstar. The early 4.1 engines had HG issues. The main northstar problem was by 60k miles they leaked oil all over the place
I think these cars are beautiful and 93 with the Northstar is the best, than they stopped them..THANKS so much for posting this..
One of the most beautiful cars. XLR was also very nice.
Agreed!
"Losing cemetaries full of customers"
LMAO
I've always liked these cars, I liked them back in 1987 aswell, I was 9yrs old.
The Bundy Bounce
YES!!!
derbigpr500 The New ALLANTE!
Kz5ive Yep. Same here.
Yep, my first thought. I'm old too.
THE NE-EW...ALLANTE!
Glorious 80's dashboard!
I would love an Allante today, and I'd use it as a daily. Absolutely LOVE this car. Rarely see them in UK though 😞
I have 3 1992 ones. Black, Red and White if you'd like to buy one. Only 20,000 miles on each
He looks like a sober clean cut version of Sam Kinison.
If such a thing existed, Sam might still be around today!
I still want to buy one of these... I love the buttons, so many buttons...
I just bought a triple black 92 Allante. I always drove Cadillac Broughams and never gave these a look. But The Allante is a fun car to drive. You can buy these cars real cheap right now. Lots of options and best of all. Its a Cadillac Convertible.
inflation calculator severely underestimates how much $50,000 was worth in 1987.
I've been around long enough to know, $50000 in 1987 probably felt more like $175k in today's money.
incyphe / the other factor people forget was blue collar salary was higher back then too. My Dad made 65,ooo a year in 1987, about 150,000 in today's money. No one makes that today in the blue collar field.
Your dad must have been in a highly specialized blue collar trade to make that kind of money back then. Blue Collar salary was $20k-$25k for skilled workers. Middle Management was $40k-$42k.
He must be talking the type of GM union jobs that brought down the auto industry.
Maybe you were just broke
Robin Atkins exactly!!
I'm actually surprised such a heavy car was able to break 0-60 in less than 10 seconds with only 170 hp.
Gobs of torque.
That 4.1 was a pretty bad engine both performance and reliability-wise. It would have been a much better car it had the turbo 3800 in it.
@@autodidacticprofessor869 Talking about reliability, what was the problem with the 4.1l - engine?
@@wp8022 They were reliable and ran great. The problem was they weren't durable and required extra care to keep from ripping themselves apart.
@@wp8022 I was born in 1990 so I'm not an expert, but my impression is that the HT4100/4.5/4.9 followed the trend of most '80s era GM engineering in that it got better with time. So a 1982 HT4100 is hot garbage but a 1995 Sedan de Ville w/ the 4.9 is probably not so bad. Also they had aluminum blocks and I don't think GM really mastered aluminum until the LS1 V8 in 1997.
These videos are always fun for the 17 year olds who come to talk about how much better their 2017 economic 4 cylinder is.
Well, they are faster, more fuel efficient, and can be much, MUCH more reliable.
Haha, no. They're definitely not more reliable or much faster. Maybe a little more fuel efficient. Today's cars are very shitty.
I mean they are better, but its 30 years later, of course they are.
In what way are they worse? Most fours get the same power output at this car's shitcan HT4100, which barely made more power than Buick's 3800 V6 at the time. Most minivans today are faster than this Allante. Problems per vehicle are way less today than back then. Cars handle better, are exponentially safer, emit less, and are far more economical given their power outputs.
Brad Nimbus this shitbox is the reason European and Japanese gained market share in the u.s
This is one of the best Caddy's ever built and by far the best Caddy of the 1980's!
Pretty expensive but very advanced when it came to electronics for that time.
True, but even some low priced cars in the 50s had automatic retractable roofs for convertibles. For 50 grand at the time I'm surprised it was manual.
I absolutely love these cars. My grandfather was a corvette specialist but this was his favorite car. My only question is why fwd?
I had a 1990 that I sold, purchased back then sold again. This car was quality BUT GM did not support it with electronic parts availability so I had to let it go. I don't think people realize how advanced its electronic were or what you could do in engineering mode.
What is "engineering mode"?
Beautiful car, daughter design of the Lancia Gamma coupè in Pininfarina
How does Cadillac go from a rebadged Cavalier (Cimmaron) in their lineup to having Pininfarina supply their auto bodies? Baby steps, guys?
This was not the only Cadillac that was built by Pininfarina. GM and Pininfarina had a partnership that lasted many decades and have built some great cars together. This car should tell you that it was the best by Cadillac.
It's quite a good looking car. It still looks modern
I love my 1993 Pearl Red Allante. I've only had to pay for maintenance.
Mercedes wasn't worried. They said, "Phffft...a fwd car with no power? Absolutely no need to worry." And they were right.
Guessing that is what they said, I still really like this car 30 years later.
Wow, 50k when new. I saw one the other day in a used car lot $1500.
Sikorik 99 I wouldn’t even pay that.
Now in days they're getting a cult status I guess you could say, people are pricing ones even at 80k for 9000 now that Hagerty listed it it
The” Bundy Bounce” episode of married with children LOL the new Allanteeeeeee
Sly Stallone drove one of these in Tango & Cash
"Married...with Children" and Christina Applegate (Kelly Bundy) had brought me here!!
The same engine was in the Allante until 1991. The average sticker price in 1991 was $60k. The Allante did 0-60mph in 9.3 seconds with a V8.. My friend owned a 1996 Toyota Tercel, it did 0-60 in 9.2 seconds and had a 1.5L 4 cyl and got like 50mpg on the highway, it cost him $13k LMAO
No, this engine was only used for 87-88. 89-92 used the 4.5 V8 which would dogwalk any POS Tercel.
@@TeeroyHammermill "Dogwalking" whatever that means, a Tercel, is nothing to brag about. It had 93HP
I love that body! Oh, and the Allante's lines are good too.
Love these retro vids. There must be 100 buttons on that dash real "high tech."
What a fine classic !
My dad had one of these new. Beautiful car. Great cruiser. But mechanical and reliability wise-it was a disaster.
Ronald McFondle it’s because of the damn UAW.
@@filthyanimal874 it isn't the unions fault. Companies would have people working all day if they could. GM and the other two just don't want to put in the effort and profit to make something good. If they treat their cars like that it's a good thing we have unions.
In my 4 years in LA, 1990 to 1994, I only saw one of these
If you ever wanted a car where every piece of interior trim just randomly falls off this is the beauty for you lol
AaronVincentPresents lol
AaronVincentPresents good one!
its gm
This show could have been a little more honest about the abysmal predicted and actual reliability of these cars. The poor quality of some of the cars they tested was well known, but it was never discussed.
ganymedeIV4 lmao!!
Lets vote. Which car more defines classic 80's GM under the watchful eye of Roger Smith. Cadillac Allante or Chevrolet Citation? Or maybe the Barretta? And the band played on......
The allante was the poor man's Corvette, based on the eldorado, the Mercedes Benz sl500 didn't have nothing to worry about, because the allante was born in Italy, and flown to the hamtramck, Michigan, but in all fairness though, the allante mostly lacked drivetrain refinement, even a high pricey Cadillac wouldn't be a real sports car without some rough edges.
Donald Trump had an allante
Tom petty had one too
@@mattirealm all political people are morons. We need to make that clear, its not one or some its ALL!!
As well as his own brand of Caddy Limos!
@Uz 33 LOL, a quick look at his approval numbers reveals that M.T. is part of the 62% of the country that feels that way.
@@mattirealm Oh quite you o'l fart.
If it was rear wheel drive and didn't have the 4100 it would be a classic.
TOUGH MAN RANDY SAVAGE GM finds a way to screw everything up.
This is what I like, a European Cadillac
With 170 horsepower 😂 oh yea that'll compete on the autobahn ahahaha
The Allante was a beautiful car for its' time. To be honest, it is still fairly handsome. Cadillac has never been a car company that catered to blue collar clientele. With that stated, those who purchased them probably were not worried about the price. The real issue is why would they spend so much money, time, and effort to build such a vehicle and then give it the HT4100 for a power plant. In 1987, GM had two power plants that would have made better sense for such a car. For fans of natural aspiration, there was the tuned port 5.7 liter (350ci) from the Corvette. For those who like turbos, there was the Buick 3.8 liter (231ci) from the Grand National. The Buick 3.8 liter turbo was also used in the GMC Cyclone and GMC Typhoon. In my opinion, these two engines would have been far superior to the HT4100 (an engine that suffered from insufficient horsepower, overheating issues, and warped cylinder heads throughout its' decade long production run).
They weren't going to use a corporate engine in a top line Caddy. For 89 the engine increased to 4.5 liters and was way better than the 4.1 even though they were the same engine. Caddy had finally worked the bugs out of the 4.1. 93 was the last year and only year that the northstar was available in the Allante. That was a huge boost in power. FYI the GMC Typhoon and Syclone used a turbocharged version of the 4.3 Chevy engine that was co-developed with Buick.
That engine keeps me from buying an 85 Eldorado Biarritz which I love the style of. Check out the 93 on my channel
The only Cadillac Allante I would consider getting would be the one with the Northstar V8.
That's the one that I drive daily and couldn't be any happier.
To be honest, I like the Allantè's exterior design. Smooth, clean and effortless. Only glitches are these two guards on the rear bumper. And its interior looks more at home in a Japanese car. Just like the exterior, it doesn't remind me much of a Cadillac. Good thing that back then, I suppose.
“Losing cemeteries full of customers” oh my John Davis. That had me rolling 😂
It really was an excellent car in many aspects, just a shame it suffered the same fate as cars like the Cadillac STS, Subaru SVX and Renault Avantime for being overpriced
They need to bring this car back.
The wheels really do the car no justice, but its sleek, its clean, and I want one.
The front wheel drive Corvette.❤😂😅😊
They actually flew the bodies of these cars from Italy to USA in a 747
i knew somehow they were going to mention something about JR and Dallas on this one LOL, i do remember him driving one and Miss Ellie driving a Volkswagen Convertible
Cadillac sold the Allante from 1987 til 1993, now they are worth soo much as a collector's car.
The cars were built in Italy then shipped by Jumbo cargo planes to the US!
I have a 1990 Allante & a 2009 Maserati both made by pininfarina & are quality cars ! Have lasted me long time ! Low maintenance especially the allante
Would be interesting to see a video review of the later Cadillac XLR roadster, if one was ever made by Motorweek.
The Alliante is the most under rated car in history. It truly does not deserve the hate it gets. I understand that people were upset at how overpriced it was back in the days, but now that it has depreciated there's absolutely no reason to hate on it anymore. It's a great car, get over it.
If John only knew how many of those cemeteries full of customers were transported in the back of a caddy lol
Right.
Well at least this was a better idea than the Vette with the Nortstar engine. Actually, maybe if in 87, they built a version of a Vette with this body on it.
That's sounds like a very interesting idea, I always thought that the Allanté should've been RWD in the first place.😃
3:47-3:50: I've never seen a cassette player set up that way on a car stereo.
Matthew Ford me neither. Looks like it'd possibly get broken off as the car aged
Would love to see the Mercedes 560SL video that John Davis mentions in this video.
Theo T. search the channel, it's in there
people 4get the Cadillac Allante was 1st b4 the Mercedes Benz S.L. CHANGE tha look close 2 the Cadillac... BETWEEN 92 or 93 wit Northstar Engine was the BEST. but i heard others was ok...
I remember seen one of these after couldn't believe it was a Cadillac hated the look of this car now some reason like this car guessing kind of old school though they were made until 1990 I was born in '89 hated this car now since I'm getting older loving these old school cars.
“Amazingly good effort.” What’s amazing is that the corporate dolts at GM thought that shipping Italian bodies by air to the US would let them sell $50K front drive convertibles. And the company paid these people big bucks to think it. 9.5 seconds to 60? You think you can compete with that? Spare me …
Hard to believe this vehicle is 33 years old. I thought it was a beautiful design and appears to have influenced the STS several years later.
Loved watching as a teen in the 80’s
Beautiful
Just to think how they lost money on each one they sold, even though its price tag was ridiculously high.