Blunders from the 1980's
After listing some of the best vehicles from the 1980's and
early 90's, is now time to look at the top 5 blunders. These
cars were not bad (okay, some were) they just didn't catch on
with the public. Whether it was the price, product, or the way
it was promoted, these vehicles found few customers.
Chrysler TC by Maserati (1987-1991) This may have been
one of the most hyped up cars of the 1980's. Lee Iacocca
introduced the car as a 1987 but after some serious quality
problems it didn't reach dealerships for almost 2 years. Much of
the marketing materials were already floating around the country
but no vehicles were to be seen until late 1988. It was a
collaborate effort by Chrysler and Maserati. Conservatively
styled, the TC looked like a Lebaron but cost twice as much. It
took the worst parts of each organization and put them together.
The engine was from Chrysler (later a Mitsubishi) and the body
was from Maserati. Engines and transmissions were sent to Italy
to be mated with the bodies. Once this was done, the completed
vehicle was sent back to select dealerships in North America.
The public was not interested. Buyers could have a Lebaron with
the same engine and similar styling for 1/2 the price. Only 7300
were ever produced.
Buick Reatta (1988-1991) Introduced in 1988, the Buick
Reatta was a two seater based on a shortened Buick Riviera
platform. It was designed to give Buick some sex appeal and
introduce younger customers to the brand. Unfortunately, the
last place people were looking for sex appeal was Buick. The
Reatta was powered by GM's 3.8L V6 producing 165 horsepower.
Offered only with an automatic transmission, the Reatta was not
a stand out in terms of handling or performance. Although the
styling was attractive, dismal sales for 3 straight years caused
Buick to lay the Reatta out to pasture.
Pontiac Fiero (1984-1988) The Fiero wasn't an awful car.
It's on the list because it could have been an icon. Introduced
in 1984, the Fiero had great styling, sporty handling and a
responsive (somewhat) 4 cylinder engine. But in their quest to
reduce R & D costs, the Fiero borrowed parts from GM's parts bin
(the suspension was from the Citation and Chevette) and some
short cuts were taken. Due to this kind of cost cutting, the
Fiero experienced more than a few quality glitches. The 1984 4
cylinder models had a tendency to catch fire, literally. By
1987, about 20 1984 Fieros a month were catching fire because of
leaking coolant, failing connecting rods, and a reduced capacity
for oil in the engine. By 1988 Pontiac recalled all 244,000 4
cylinder Fieros but the damage was done and the car that was
once a bright spot for GM was discontinued.
Cadillac Eldorado (1986-1991) Introduced on November 14,
1985, the new for 1986 Eldorado was made in General Motors'
Hamtramck production facility in Michigan. The car was much
smaller than its predecessor and resembled the Buick Skylark and
Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais. This didn't bode well for the Caddy.
It was offered with a 4.1L V8 mated to a 4-speed automatic
transmission running the front wheels. Due to quality issues at
Hamtramck (a facility that was too heavily focused on
electronics and technological innovation), production output
dropped and sales never came close to that of its predecessor.
The Eldorado continued to lose sales until its successor was
introduced in 1991 as a 1992.
Cadillac Allante (1987-1993) Like the Fiero, the Cadillac
Allante is included in this list because it was a great idea
that could have been better. The Cadillac Allante was designed
to give Cadillac customers a great sport-touring vehicle that
was stylish and powerful. It was designed to compete with the
Mercedes-Benz SL. Unfortunately it was priced that way as well,
costing nearly $55,000 in 1987. The body was designed and built
in Italy by Pininfarina giving the Allante a sense of
exclusivity. The body was flown over on a specially outfitted
Boeing 747 to a Cadillac production facility in The United
States. Unfortunately, the car had some flaws. It lacked a power
top (something a buyer spending $55,000 expects)and the front
wheel drive layout seemed at odds with its sporty ambitions. By
1993 the Allante was fazed out. Only recently have we seen
Cadillac come back to this segment. Remembering the lessons of
the Allante, the new Cadillac XLR has a sophisticated power top
and rear wheel drive.