It saddens us to say it, but the luxury coupe is all but dead. While BMW and Mercedes-Benz still sell a few midsize and large 2-door cars, Cadillac and Lincoln do not. Lexus does sell the impressive LC, but that car is expensive, and it’s really more of a sports car than a luxury coupe in the sense we’re discussing here.
But back in 1988—the year the Buick Reatta came online—luxury-brand shoppers looking for a ritzy, comfortable coupe had a number of options. Enough options, in fact, that Consumer Guide chose to compare six such cars, and even pick a Best Buy in the class.
Before you ask, we have no idea why the Cadillac Allanté appeared in this comparison and not the Eldorado. Not only is the Allanté not a coupe—it’s a convertible—it is very expensive relative to the other cars in this comparison, save for the Mercedes.
We suggest you take some time and pore over the prices—we find they provide all sorts of insights into what cars were like in 1988. Remember California emissions? And about that Mercedes-Benz E-Class coupe… $53,000? It’s easy to forget that there was a time when Mercedes could seemingly charge whatever it wanted for a car.
The reviews below were published in the Consumer Guide: 1988 Car Comparisons magazine, which went on sale in the summer of ’88 and sold for $3.50. Remember spending time with any of these high-ticket 2-doors? If so, tell us about it. The place to leave comments is down below.
Compared below are the:
- Acura Legend
- Buick Reatta
- Cadillac Allanté
- Lincoln Mark VII LSC
- Mercedes-Benz 300CE
- Volvo 780 Bertone
Oh, and we apologize for the patina. Newsprint was never meant to stand the test of time.
The Premium Coupes of 1988
Review Flashback! 1980 Chevrolet Citation
Review Flashback! 1987 Dodge Daytona Shelby Z
Review Flashback! 2005 Buick Park Avenue
Review Flashback! 1980 AMC Eagle
Review Flashback! 2005 Acura NSX
Review Flashback! 2002 Chrysler Prowler
The 12 Most-Expensive American Cars of 1990
Review Flashback! 1985 Lincoln Mark VII Turbodiesel
Review Flashback! 1980 Mercedes-Benz 300TD
Listen to the Consumer Guide Car Stuff Podcast
The Premium Coupes of 1988 Gallery
(Click below for enlarged images)
