1978 Ford LTD II Brougham, Most Expensive Midsize Sedans
At $5508, the 1978 Ford LTD II Brougham is the 3rd-priciest sedan on our list.

Somewhere between mainstream and luxury lies the murky no-man’s land often referred to as “near luxury.” In the auto world, the near-luxury tag has been applied to such semi-premium brands as Acura and Volvo. More recently, Buick has again ascended into the near-premium domain, offering products that skirt pricewise just under those offered by the likes of Lexus.

Here, we’re looking just a half-step lower than that. Collected here are the five most expensive 1978 versions of mainstream American midsize sedans. In most cases, these select topline rides set shoppers back more than $1000 over the price of a base sedan in the same lineup—that’s a cool 20 percent in most cases.

Consider this a tribute to restrained luxury. The folks buying these cars weren’t shooting for a Cadillac or Lincoln their next time in the dealership. Instead, these drivers just wanted something a little nicer than the average car. Check them out:

See also:

The Most-Expensive American Wagons of 1972

The Most-Expensive American Cars of 1972

 

Chrysler LeBaron Medallion: $5666

Chrysler LeBaron Medallion
Chrysler LeBaron Medallion

Standard engine: 225-inch “Slant Six”

Standard transmission: 4-speed manual (optional 3-speed automatic: $158)

 

Dodge Diplomat Medallion: $5517

Dodge Diplomat Medallion
Dodge Diplomat Medallion

Standard engine: 225-inch “Slant Six”

Standard transmission: 4-speed manual (optional 3-speed automatic: $158)

 

Ford LTD II Brougham: $5505

Ford LTD II Brougham
Ford LTD II Brougham

Standard engine: 302-inch V8

Standard transmission: 3-speed automatic

 

Mercury Cougar: $5126

Mercury Cougar Sedan
Mercury Cougar Sedan

Standard engine: 302-inch V8

Standard transmission: 3-speed automatic

 

Buick Century Limited: $5091

Buick Century Limited
Buick Century Limited

Standard engine: 196-inch V6

Standard transmission: 3-speed manual (optional 3-speed automatic: $307)

See also:

The Most-Expensive American Cars of 1974

The Most-Expensive American Cars of 1977

The Most-Expensive Wagons of 1990

The Cheapest Full-Size Coupes of 1973

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