Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Options
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
I've never seen one before either. Interesting. Did the interior exhibit a similar level of "patina"?
Oh, yes.
About the closest competition, I guess, would have been the 2-door Dodge Suburban. It sold 1300 units, and came with a 295 hp 350-4bbl. It had a base price of $2970.
I had my hometown dealer look for one in Dark Jade with V8 and no air, and this was the closest, in Clearfield, PA. They did a dealer swap.
It was built in August '80 and I took delivery Jan. 17, 1981.
267 V8, two-tone Light Jade hood and roof over Dark Jade, the standard metal full wheelcovers, whitewalls, Positraction, intermittent wipers, tilt wheel, AM/FM radio, rear seat speaker, door edge guards, body side moldings, remote-control outside mirror (LH only), tinted glass, factory floor mats. Bottom of window sticker $8,192.00.
Stolen in October 1982 and never recovered.
Meanwhile, the '58 Ford Ranch Wagon did a bit better job of keeping true to the styling of the other models that year:
I wonder how hard it would have been to fit a modified Edsel taillight. Maybe they ran out of budget.
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
I hate to ask this question because of the tone, but I have to: was the 267 the same sort of dog engine that the Olds 260 was? I wonder if it made enough power to ever spin the rear wheels?
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
That said, my parents had an '80 Monte Carlo V6 and to me the sounds that engine made did not belong in a Monte Carlo!
The 267 was at least smooth and quiet, like a V8. They were actually somewhat hard to find in an '81, at least early in the model run and in one that wasn't very loaded, like mine wasn't.
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/vintage-reviews/vintage-review-1981-malibu-versus-omega-speak-of-the-devil/
They got a 0-60 time of 14.0 seconds for the Malibu, and 11.3 for the Omega. For comparison, Motortrend tested an '81 Grand Prix with the Pontiac 265, and got 0-60 in 14.9.
https://testdrivejunkie.com/1981-pontiac-grand-prix-manufacturer-promo-yes-this-is-the-one/
Consumer Guide tested an '81 Cutlass Supreme coupe with the 260, and got a yawn-inducing 18.0 seconds!
https://blog.consumerguide.com/the-10-slowest-cars-of-1981/
I don't think I've ever seen a road test of anything Ford made with its tiny 255 V8, but I'd imagine it was similarly bad. And Mopar never got into that under-sized V8 squabble of that era, although I can't imagine a 120 hp 318 was good for much. Consumer Guide tested an '80 Volare with one, and 0-60 was around 14.1 seconds.
https://blog.consumerguide.com/review-flashback-1980-plymouth-volare/
The engine that really surprises me though, is the Olds 260. While all of these are bad, I don't think 14-15 seconds sounds too out-of-line, given the low hp, the weight of the cars, and tall gearing. But the 260, for whatever reason, just seems like it takes that early 80's suckiness to a whole new level.
And, while the Edsel as a whole saw sales drop for '59, wagon sales actually rose a bit. For '58 they sold about 5500 4-door wagons across the Ranger Villager and Pacer Bermuda lines, plus 963 for the Ranger Roundup 2-door model. For '59, the station wagons were simply "Villager" and only offered as a 4-door. They sold about 7800 of them.
2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech, 2006 Acura TL w/nav
2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech, 2006 Acura TL w/nav
2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech, 2006 Acura TL w/nav
I would like an El Camino of that 1980s vintage. Drop in a nice crate 350 with FI and a 5 speed stick, upgrade the usual pieces (steering/brakes/suspension), put in nicer seats, and good to go!
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive
I am pretty sure that's the same steering wheel as my friend's 83 Monte CL. I seem to recall it having a big strip of plood on the dash, too.
Something that always bugged me on those Malibus, the "soft pillar" in the rear door isn't exactly parallel with the C-pillar/door frame.
Has a nice little easter egg in the video about his upcoming road trip.
About 20 minutes long.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SifDRiVR1og
Funny, that exact thing used to bug me too, along with the tapered B-pillar in '77-79 Fleetwoods. I like the latter now, and on the Malibu (and other GM midsize RWD sedans of that period), I'm not bothered by the non-parallel thing. Sort of a formal top.
He also mentioned the "wagon only 350". Not in '81. It's soooo easy to verify with the brochure online, sigh.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive
I recall a friend of the family bought one of those formal roof Malibus around 1990. Not sure what engine was in it, but it was an ex-police car, probably mildly desirable now, but it was neglected then and had drivability issues.
Speaking of Caddys, spent a little time browsing my childhood town on Google earth. One of my best friend's grandparents were Cadillac fans, I recall they had a few of them, including a 1920s model I found fascinating. I found their house, pic from about 10 years ago, and it appears they were still into it:
And then to my friend's house, and what's in the driveway follows suit:
Vancouver has a few eccentrics living here so a collection like that is unusual but also not strange.
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
That rear strip that separates the vent window from the stationary window always bugged me a bit, too. From some angles it's not even noticeable, but if you look at it the wrong way, it just seems off. I wonder if it's that way because the C-pillar on the wagon slants forward a bit more than the sedan? That strip may have originally been designed with the wagon in mind, and used on the formaled-up sedans so that both could use the same window glass? So they probably made the change in the flip-out vent window.
I guess if someone's ever scavenging for parts in the junkyard, that might be something to look out for...don't grab a wagon rear door to put on a sedan, because it might not fit!
As for that tapered B-pillar on the '77-79 Fleetwoods, personally I'm not a huge fan of it. But at least it was intentional.
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
The trim piece that the vent window hinges on looks like it's slightly more angled than the leading edge of the C-pillar. I don't think it's that noticeable at a quick glance, but it's one of those things that once you see it, you can't un-see it. Actually from the side here, it looks to me like the rear door opening is a bit more taller, squared off, and upright than the actual door. Maybe it's just an optical illusion, but the top edge of the door looks like it tapers down towards the rear a bit more than the actual opening, and roofline.
Edmunds Price Checker
Edmunds Lease Calculator
Did you get a good deal? Be sure to come back and share!
Edmunds Moderator
I checked the leading edge of the vent wing and the roof trim piece with rules and they appear to be parallel.
The rear edge of the vent wing window also is parallel to the front edge. There's something that's deceptive to the eye and I believe it is, as someone pointed out, the shape of the corner of the roof accent trim.
some other GM cars of that era (1982) had more formal rooflines on the coupes that make the roof look taller and solid. I wonder if the shape of the roof trim was done to emulate those formal roofs.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech, 2006 Acura TL w/nav
https://barnfinds.com/rare-aeroback-1978-oldsmobile-442/
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
And with the back end jacked up a bit like that, it makes it look a bit more muscular...less droopy in the rump area.
As for those big GM cars where they made them more formal for '80, I think they're handsome enough, but the coupes seemed to lose their individuality compared to '77-79. The small quarter windows, thick C-pillars, and vertical rear windows made them look like big personal-luxury coupes. Hmm, maybe the '77-78 Riviera would have looked better, and been better-received, if it had a more squared off roofline like that?
Is that Delta 88 coupe light jadestone in color? It's a bit hard to tell in the bright sun like that, but it looks like it could be. As much as I love that color in person, one thing I've noticed about it is that it doesn't seem to photograph all that well. Depending on the lighting, it often looks like it's a washed-out gray or silver. And I've noticed the dark jade, in pictures, often looks dark blue or even black.
Back to that '82-83 Malibu sedan I posted, above. I know this was exactly the wrong way to build cars back then, but I was thinking that if they added about 4" to the wheelbase, ahead of the cowl, that would be a beautifully proportioned car. The roofline already looks similar to the '75-79 Seville, but I think stretching out the front clip like that would give it even more Seville-like proportions.
And, it wouldn't have to all be totally wasted space. They could also pull the engine and transmission four inches forward as well, which would reduce the size of the transmission hump. That would improve the center front seating position a bit. I guess if they wanted, they could also extend the floor forward a bit, under the dash, but I don't think that would really be necessary, as these cars were already decent when it came to legroom.
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech, 2006 Acura TL w/nav
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfdoSqWodLU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FK4FT5HC6DI
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYZ2y0H88cI