My dad was a coupe man, though I cannot say he owned coupes on purpose. He was a bargain hunter, and a car’s door count was less important than its price. Nonetheless, my sister, mother and I never complained about having to squeeze into the back seat. For the most part, my dad’s Chevrolet Nova 2-door, and multiple Oldsmobile Cutlass and Pontiac Ventura coupes, offered sufficient rear-seat space, provided you didn’t mind negotiating the path past the folded front seat—and for the most part, we didn’t mind.
Coupes of 1981: Classic Car Ads
Overview
Americans are whinier these days, and expect their family vehicles to be equipped not only with roomy second-row accommodations, but easy access to the area via a dedicated set of doors. What I’m saying is, the coupe is all but gone. I challenge you to name a sub-$50,000 coupe that isn’t a sports car that is still available. Go ahead, I’ll wait.
Plenty of coupes were available back in 1981, however, and I have collected a few print ads from the era to prove it. If you remember spending time with any of these vintage 2-door rides, tell us about it. The place to leave comments is down below.
Buick Electra
The Big “V” Engine of Desperate Times: Remembering the Buick 4.1-liter V6
Buick Regal
Cheap Wheels: 1992-1996 Buick Regal GS Sport Coupe
Cadillac Coupe Deville
Cadillac Eldorado Evolution by Pierre Cardin
What Was The Cadillac Eldorado Evolution?
Chevrolet Monte Carlo
Headlamp Hat Dance: 6 Years of the Chevrolet Monte Carlo
Dodge 400
Ford Granada
Downsized Like Crazy: The Fox-Platform Fords of 1981
Mercury Zephyr
Segment in Transition: The American Compact Sedans of 1979
Plymouth Reliant
Engine of a Lesser God: Remembering the Mitsubishi 2.6-liter “Hemi”
Pontiac Grand Prix
Bank Run: My Boss’s Grand Prix and $15,000 in Cash
Listen to the very entertaining Car Stuff Podcast
Coupes of 1981 Pictures
Click below for enlarged images
