{"id":544,"date":"2014-12-11T18:01:06","date_gmt":"2014-12-12T00:01:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.darelparker.com\/dp\/?p=544"},"modified":"2014-12-11T18:01:06","modified_gmt":"2014-12-12T00:01:06","slug":"5-luxury-sports-cars-from-the-80s-that-didnt-suck","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.darelparker.com\/dp\/5-luxury-sports-cars-from-the-80s-that-didnt-suck\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Luxury Sports Cars from the ’80s that Didn’t Suck"},"content":{"rendered":"

The 1980s produced a lot of vehicles that can only be described as absolutely awful. \u00a0There were so many poorly designed and shoddily built automotive eyesores, that\u00a0one is\u00a0tempted to pretend the ’80s never happened at all. \u00a0Who could forget the\u00a0Cadillac Cimarron or Alfa Romeo Milano (no matter how much we want to)? \u00a0Fortunately, there are more than a few oddballs that managed to escape\u00a0the curse of bad design and terrible engineering which\u00a0seemed to define the automotive landscape of that era. \u00a0Here are five of my favorites that (sometimes loosely) fall into the luxury sports car category.<\/p>\n

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Chrysler LeBaron Convertible<\/h3>\n

Okay, don’t say it. \u00a0I already know. \u00a0It’s a bit of a stretch to call the LeBaron an actual luxury car\u00a0(or sports car for that matter), and it would only take a\u00a0coin flip to dump this middle-America preppy-mobile into a “worst cars” list, but by the standards of the day, it\u00a0was not a bad set of wheels. \u00a0The LeBaron had a uniquely modern look that carried the model well into the ’90s, and even by today’s standards, I wouldn’t\u00a0be embarrassed to be seen in\u00a0one of these; maybe\u00a0not on the way\u00a0to an opera, but it would be great for a day at the beach.<\/p>\n

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Lincoln Mark VII LSC<\/h3>\n

Based on the same platform as its more affordable contemporaries, the Thunderbird and Cougar, and paired with Ford’s tried and true 5 liter 302 Windsor V8, the Lincoln Mark VII LSC was as much muscle car as it was luxury touring coupe. \u00a0With bulging fenders and beefy sport wheels and tires, the Mark VII offers only subtle hints\u00a0at the performance hiding under the hood. \u00a0One moment you’re lighting\u00a0up the tires in a brutal display\u00a0of white smoke and black tire marks, and the next,\u00a0you’re\u00a0gracefully\u00a0rolling into the valet service\u00a0at the country club. \u00a0It had that sort of split personality, and we loved it for that very reason.<\/p>\n

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Cadillac Allante<\/h3>\n

Unlike the massive sedans and coupes that ruled Cadillac’s lineup for decades, this sleek\u00a0roadster sported front wheel drive, a transverse mounted 4.6 liter V8, and an optional hard top that further added to the clean design and modern feel. \u00a0To be honest, this was a strange little car for Cadillac to build in the 1980s. \u00a0Its development was something of a gamble\u00a0(especially at a $50,000+ price point) and unfortunately that gamble\u00a0didn’t exactly pay off, with Cadillac selling just over 20,000 units in its seven year run.<\/p>\n

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BMW M3 (E30)<\/h3>\n

The mid-1980s saw BMW’s entry level 3 series give\u00a0way to the high performance monstrosity you see before you now. \u00a0The M3 boasted ground effects, wider body panels,\u00a0and a distinctive trunk lid spoiler that basically dared other sports cars to pick a fight; one which they would ultimately lose. \u00a0The E30 version of the M3 is now considered a collectible, so if you can find one, it’s still going to cost you almost as much as a new 3 series.<\/p>\n

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Mercedes Benz 560 SL<\/h3>\n

Although this body style was introduced in the early 1970s, the Mercedes Benz SL class was THE luxury sports car of the 1980s. \u00a0From American Gigolo to Miami Vice this car played a starring role in numerous films and TV shows, as well as\u00a0earning\u00a0a prominent parking space at every luxury hotel and club from New York to Los Angeles. \u00a0This is what money looked like in the 80s.<\/p>\n

So, what do you think?<\/h3>\n

Love ’em? Hate ’em? \u00a0Shoot me some feedback in the comments section and let me know what ’80s cars you’d like to see on this list!<\/p>\n\"Bookmark<\/a>