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
A pretty common car at the time. But, this movie was made in England!
It looks silver with a white roof in this IMCDB screen capture, but on my tv the car looked like it was a really pale lavender/lilac, with a white roof.
I think Ford and Chrysler kept their high-comp engines for a year or two longer before emission killed them all off.
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
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
Thinking of malaise performance, attainable cars like a Z28 or Mustang GT were regaining some horsepower by 83-84, right? Corvette would eventually get there too. And there were fun things like the GLH and Escort GT coming out around then too. Seems to be a big difference between the cars of 1983 and the cars of 1985 anyway.
Went to the store this morning, and saw this disco throwback in the lot. A 20 footer, it looked decent from a distance, but the paint was tired (in looking at it, I would wager original paint). Probably a mildly optioned car, and on aggressive looking studded tires - someone is using this as a winter driver in 2023:
Must be somewhat loved… the headlight covers stay down. Most people don’t fix that.
… edit: I assume they are vacuum operated like the Lincoln’s of the era.
2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Ram 1500 Bighorn, Built to Serve
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Edmunds Price Checker
Edmunds Lease Calculator
Did you get a good deal? Be sure to come back and let us know! Post a pic of your new purchase or lease!
MODERATOR
2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2014 MINI Countryman S ALL4
Here's the R&T test that gave the numbers:
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/vintage-reviews/vintage-rt-road-test-1968-fiat-850-idromatic-bet-you-never-saw-one-of-these/
One thing I find interesting, is that while I tend to think of 1979-82 as a worse era than, say, '74-76, that plot doesn't bear that out. Of course, this plot is also affected by the cars that were tested in any given year. Actually, considering there aren't very many plots above the 15 second mark, that's probably an indication that they tended to test more higher performance cars, and not necessarily what that masses bought.
I have an old Motortrend, or something like that, from 1955, that tested a DeSoto Fireflite, a Mercury, but can't remember the model, and I believe an Olds Ninety Eight. The DeSoto was the dog of the bunch, with its relatively small 291 Hemi with 200 gross hp managing 0-60 in about 12.9 seconds. I seem to recall the Olds was in the 11 range ,and I think the Mercury squeezed by in like 9.8.
Fast forward to 1980, and I have a feeling that the majority of Mercurys, Mopars, and Oldsmobiles that were sold would have had trouble matching the 0-60 times of their 1955 counterparts. With Mercury, I imagine it would only be the few Zephyrs and Capris that got the turbo. At Mopar, it would probably be limited to the handful of Mirada/Cordobas that got the 185 hp 360, a police car, or some of those Mitsubishi-badged cars with the 2.6. At Olds, I guess the 442 which had a 350 that year, would have been the top performer. A regular Cutlass with a 305 might have been pretty decent. And maybe a Delta 88 with a 350?
A few things jumped out at me.
First, I never realized how much heavier the Charger and the Elite were, compared to the GM Colonades! Now, a Monte Carlo or Grand Prix might have leveled the playing field a bit there, but we're talking 500+ lb for the Charger S/E over the LeMans/Cutlass Supreme, and then another ~200 lb for the Elite!
Second, I'd always heard those Elites, Cougars, Torinos, and Montegos were horrible handlers. But, it does the lane change test as well as the LeMans and Charger, and is tied with the Charger for second best. Actually, it seems odd to me that the Cutlass does best in the lane change test, but worst in the slalom. I figured whatever car did best in one would also do best in the other? It says "Not listed" for the Cutlass's rear stabilizer bar though, so I wonder if that means it doesn't have one, and that could be the difference?
Third, the Elite doesn't seem that bad in relation to the others when it comes to acceleration, either, coming in second fastest, just a hair behind the Cutlass. Of course, it had a bigger engine with a lot more torque, but it also had an extra 717 lb to lug around. That weight is about what GM's big and midsized cars shed when they downsized! Overall though, these acceleration times are horrible, especially considering the Pontiac, Olds, and Ford look like they have optional ratios. I'm pretty sure my '76 Grand LeMans only has a 2.41:1. I just looked up the Charger, and that 2.71:1 axle is standard, but a 2.45:1 was optional. I can't imagine an Elite having that aggressive of an axle ratio as standard, either.
I guess one possibility for these horrible acceleration times is that it was Popular Science that tested them, whereas MT, C&D, R&T etc would have probably coaxed some faster times.
Still, before reading this article, if you were to tell me that my Mom's old 1980 Malibu 229 was probably about as fast, if not faster, than her '75 LeMans 350-2bbl, I never would have believed it. Heck, I have a feeling a 1986 T-bird with just the 232 or Monte Carlo with the 4.3 were probably in range of the best of these '76 cars. And Consumer Guide tested an '85 Regal with just the 110 hp 231, and got 0-60, in their words, "In about 13 seconds."
IIRC, the Elite models and the Mercury Montego had strengthening in the front chassis that kept the suspension parts from flexing during handling. That kept the alignment correct and reduced the wallowing or lack of response feeling when steering. I assume that extra strength in the front came from additional metal and additional weight. Still my Torino was a heavy pig. Glad to get rid of it.
Went into a 1977 Cutlass Supreme Brougham, which was like a sports car with its 350 4-barrel and apparently lighter weight. But it didn't really ride like a lighter car; very smooth and balanced.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech, 2006 Acura TL w/nav
And they added extra trim with a trowel it seems....those big wheel opening moldings, the wide side moldings about the whole length of the car, all the taillight trim....plus those opera windows.
My biggest beef with the Elite is that front end. I'll admit I still fall for that old "4 headlights = more upscale car" trope, so in that respect, going from a quad headlight Torino to a single-headlight Elite just seems at odds. While GM's Colonades were single-headlight as well, at least for them, in '73-75, they all were, from the cheapest models on up to the top personal luxury coupes.
For some reason though, cars like the '70-72 Monte Carlo vs the '70 Chevelle, or the '71-72 Grand Prix vs the LeMans, don't bother me. However, in those cases, the cars seem better differentiated. At a quick glance, I don't think a Grand Prix or Monte Carlo from that generation even looks like a LeMans or Chevelle. Even with the single headlights, the cars still look more upscale.
In contrast, with Ford, it just looks like they just threw everything they could at a Torino and went with whatever stuck. Plus, I find the Torino of that era to be attractive...even with those big bumpers, so the Elite just seems like a step down to me, style-wise.
Another thing about the Elite, is that inside, it just doesn't seem like a step up from a Gran Torino Brougham to me. Perhaps if you got it with leather it might, but the way most of them were probably equipped, I just don't see the step up. In contrast, I do see a step up from a Malibu Classic to a Monte Carlo, even a basic one. Now going from a Grand LeMans to a Grand Prix, maybe not so much, but by that time Pontiac was getting desperate to do anything they could to improve LeMans sales in general, so they were trying to plush up the Grand LeMans. Still, even here, the Grand Prix had those unique door panels with the long armrest, that swooped upward toward the front. GM also went through a lot more effort to make the Grand Prix/Monte Carlo look different from the Chevelle/LeMans. Perhaps not quite as much in the Colonade era vs the previous generation, but still, certainly more effort than what Ford put into the Elite.
Edmunds Price Checker
Edmunds Lease Calculator
Did you get a good deal? Be sure to come back and share!
Edmunds Moderator
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
In the back seat, the Elite has these tiny little bolt-on armrests as well... I have a feeling they're taking that measurement behind the armrest.
With the Mopar, they actually recess the armrest, so there's no intrusion...
On the Colonades, they had a pretty substantial, full-length armrest in back. The down side is that the seat cushions were not full-width, and those big armrests did cut into hip room. It's subtle in this picture, but the Colonades also had a bit of contouring in the back seat, where the edges of the backrest curved forward toward the base.
From a few road tests I've read in the past, I seem to recall reviewers usually said the Colonades had the most comfortable seats for four passengers, but if you really needed 3-across seating, the Mopars were best.
Off the top of my head, I think GM's Colonades had 59.6" of shoulder room, up front at least. I don't remember what the Ford/Mopar cars were, but I think it was a bit less, but probably no more than an inch. In back, I think the GM and Fords were a bit narrower, but the Mopar might have been wider, again because of that recessed area.
On that Cordoba, the ashtray is nice and out of the way, which is good if you never use them. But, if you actually smoked back there, it just seems like it would be really awkward to reach them, tucked down like that.
On the Elite, I don't see them, but I have a feeling they put them in the seat back, and probably right about where your knee would go!
Another thoughtful touch on the GM Colonades, is that the door cut back far enough that it overlapped the seat cushion. The Cordoba looks like it might have a bit of overlap, but not as generous as GM. And I don't think the Torino/Elite had any overlap at all. I'd think that having more of the seat exposed when you open the door would aid in entry/exit. Of course, GM negated that a bit, by making the rear pillar swoop forward. Also, I don't know if the doors on a Colonade were actually longer than the doors on the other two cars, but a longer door will make entry/exit more difficult in tight spaces.
I see the De Soto sold for $35K. Not bad.
Purely a guess, but I bet the Colonnade coupe doors are longer and heavier than the others. Those doors are known to sag with age. My friend’s mom, a petite lady, had trouble closing the driver’s door of their ‘74 Monte Carlo.
I never liked the name "Laguna". I think it's the 'goon' sound in the middle of it. This '73 should've been called a Malibu Classic.
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
The point of all this is that in the video where he is showing where the low rider currently stands in terms of building it, he showed some pics of the 4-door he used to have. It was a RHD car so it was probably built by GM Canada for export to the UK. I was fascinated to see that it had a ‘63/‘64 Pontiac RHD dashboard with Chevy emblems and steering wheel. Why they did that, I don’t know. Something else I didn’t know but which sort of makes sense is that the gear lever was on the left side of the steering column for the RHD version.
His YT channel is called The Late Brake Show if you want to check it out.
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
I liked them at the time, and this is a clean specimen, but bid to $20,050 now...for a six-cylinder?! And reserve not met?!
Odd that the build sheet doesn't show the vinyl top option. Also shows whitewalls and full wheel covers, which I would have expected. The Rally Wheels on the car now are correct options but were not on the car when built.
I'm apparently falling out-of-touch with some old-car pricing for sure.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/256015809961?hash=item3b9bbb3da9:g:EuAAAOSw0QZkF4hn&amdata=enc:AQAHAAAAwLL5wrs27trHXpYehfA3BH+B7td7RN7Q40dVMQ98d6WJACGZKO5maTcxMBAAU0q5QKjifrHMHNYnf7cfzw0wBtZBR8WyknPMd2L2lVOiIGs8TkYZ/JGd+CZUkSozyh+guYxKT6ALsHFQguOQQDCrMLT0f6wVL+BryAupDtOGb0a1jbke313/kCPowTZOjAiSKyu9Bc3QdaUZdWfQSXGLlQBE1l8OQCHpAC4lKZ7Qz/lG3Vp7LRoKynqUBcJu06ZOVA==|tkp:Bk9SR7Kk47fhYQ
On one hand, I do admire it, for being mostly left alone, and not turned into some big-block clone. But, for $20K+, I'd expect that sucker to be pristine. This one looks good at a quick glance, but in the closeup I see a bit of rust in the quarter panels, around the trunk opening, ahead of the rear bumper, and in the trunk floor itself.
But, I'm out of touch, myself with prices.
On this particular car for sale, I'm reminded that most of these cars I remember seeing new were 350's so had a somewhat-large, slanted "350" block emblem directly next to the front-fender "Malibu" nameplate. Without that, the nameplate looks too-far-forward on the fender to me, although that is completely accurate for this car.
We've talked about this before, but I like the four headlights of the '70, and the interior had color-keyed steering wheel and column, unlike the '71 and '72, and the Malibu seating in '70 also had a longish chrome button on the seat back in the four seating positions, which looked nicer IMHO. But I like the '71-72 full wheel covers, round taillights, and wheel opening moldings (lacking on the '70) better.
I remember the first '72 Chevelle I saw out back of the dealer's. I couldn't believe the grille and corner parking lights were the only, very minor difference from the '71. The '72 grille was not as good as the '71 to my eyes.
GM went full-blown earth tones for '71 and '72, unfortunately. Chevy had no maroons or red interiors then. The beautiful "Black Cherry" exterior color in '70, and a metallic light turquoise whose name escapes me, in '70, were gone, sigh.
On a different subject, boy, the stupidity on Facebook car pages. Someone posted that after Studebaker shut their South Bend plant in Dec. '63, all Canadian production had GM engines. Not true for the '64 model year--the South Bend engine plant remained operational to provide Canada production with Studebaker-built engines. It's long-known, been written by Studebaker historians since day one, and a guy there is still saying "Nuh-uh. I don't care if it's been written about a million times--that's a fallacy of numbers". What a dolt. My former Canadian-built '64 was built in June '64 and the Studebaker engine number decodes to March '64.
Nothing wrong with not knowing, but is it that hard to write or say, "I'm not sure about this, or 'I think'"? Man, nothing worse than someone who is demonstrably wrong/false and just....can't...admit it.
On a Pontiac page, someone posted their '66 Bonneville wagon with bucket seats and console. Pontiac sales brochures, year in, year out, never, and I mean never, showed buckets being available in a Bonneville on anything but a coupe or convertible. That said, this guy did provide the dealer invoice for his car that showed bucket seats as an option that cost more than Turbo-Hydramatic did. That makes me think this was a one-off, COPO-kind of thing. Just for fun I searched the town the dealer was in and there was a GM plant there at the time. The owner says the bucket backs fold as if from a two-door--another thing that tells me that's not a regular-production thing but I believe was probably done as a favor to someone who knew someone. But, I give him credit for presenting the paperwork instead of just bloviating.
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 can't believe the 15 or 20 (just a guess?) pounds or whatever you'd save with a bench versus buckets is going to make a difference to most drivers, although with actual race/drag strip type cars, where every fraction of a second makes a difference, they would shed every pound they could.
But, the Grand Am was a car that was supposed to combine luxury, sportiness, handling, and performance. I doubt too many people were taking them to the drag strip with aspirations of dominating the competition.
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
IMHO only, GM is GM....a huge corporation with lines that are moving constantly. Are they going to have one bench seat made special for one customer? Some will say "the brochure doesn't show everything", but I reply with, "Why wouldn't it?".
Someone posted under my comment on that pic, "It wasn't unusual to see Grand Ams in '75 with opera windows". My reply was "I've been looking at these cars for 48 years and I've never seen one".
LeMans Sport Coupes, yes.
I looked at the '75 brochure and it does indeed show a bench seat available, and opera windows.
Guess I wasn't looking at Grand Am brochures by then! I know I read a lot about them in '73.
I'd want a Grand Am with the triangular windows! Those are not shown in the brochure.
I know I've never seen a Grand Am with bench seats OR an opera window.
I did post on the Pontiac site on FB that I was wrong.
For instance, the Grand Am would have the Grand Prix dashboard. So would the Grand LeMans, but the Sport Coupe and base LeMans still used the regular LeMans dash. The Grand Am had different door panels compared to the LeMans/Sport Coupe and Grand LeMans, but that's stuff that can be swapped. In '76, with the Grand Am gone, the Grand LeMans got the Grand Am door panels. At least, the upper, padded portion.
From what little I can see of the back seat, it looks like the Grand Am pattern to me. But again, a back seat isn't that hard to swap. I'd love to see the front seat of this sucker, to see what pattern it is.