My coworker's smile when she drove her Northstar Allante to work the first time is a treasured memory of 1993. She'd wanted one since they went into production in the late-'80s but wisely held-out until the Northstar engine had arrived. Beautiful car.
This car in person is a complete stunner especially with the matron interior & drives very smooth with a coooool torque feel . The exact feel other cars fail to have .
I have to agree. When you see one of these in person they are a great looking car and great dimensions. Also they are very fun and enjoyable to drive and ride in. Even for their time, I think they were one of the best cars to have when they were new. The power, handling and the exhaust note are very intriguing and exhilarating especially when you drive one daily like I do.
Very nice and congrats! Black is a great color on them. I have a 1993 Allante that I've been driving for the past 3 years now and is a blast to drive. I personally love all year Allante's and have driven several of them in the past. The exhaust note is one of my favorite things about the car being factory. I hope you enjoy your car as much as I do.
+Milford Civic That has always been my favorite thing about the Allante's. I grew up with many of the newer Cadillac's and I remember seeing these cars periodically for sale at the dealer. I always had a soft spot for the Allante in my Cadillac heart. I hope to get one soon to add to my collection.
I've owned 2 Allantes the only reason it took 7.8 secs 0-60 is because of wheelspin/ hop... It's hard to launch properly because of so much torque. The best way to describe it is like trying to launch a cavalier with an L98- LS swap! It's a torque monster!
I do agree with that, however any year Allante are still great cars. I have driven many of them over the last few years. I have a 1993 Northstar V8 Allante myself that I drive very often and will say is my favorite of all of them. The new systems on the car like the steering, suspension and braking system do make for a nice ride for different driving types. But the Northstar engine and trans make for one insanely fast car!
I would disagree cause I have a 92 without the Northstar cause I read the Northstar leaks bad but with mines if the brake system goes out it's really expensive and I also got the Recaro seats
Needed to be rear wheel drive. took GM over a decade to realize front wheel drives never going to compete with rear wheel drive. Then they switched Cadillac back to rear wheel drive and the build quality got better. that's kind of hilarious that the door handle broke off when they were testing it I could imagine the the shit hitting the fan at the GM/Cadillac offices when they saw this on TV
I have a red 88. They definitely were an expensive car, but they are a Caddy. No Caddy was ever cheap new. Even the 89 Sedan DeVille I had was 25 grand plus. A lot of the cost was because the body was built in Italy and shipped back to Detroit. They got better each year. 95's would have had an electric top if they hadn't scrapped it and other models to work on others. Now they are an aquired taste. You either like or hate. I'm in the like. Even with the bugs that are always around, but the drivetrain has been solid always in mine. Right now the only thing that doesn't work is the power antenna and pull-down for the roof. I've fixed everything else
+SwitchDoctor I'm in the Like category. I feel the Allante was made with the best intentions and I like the car for what it is. I like both the Allante and the MB SL coupes very much. But I side with the Allante more.
Big difference between 25 grand and 60 grand back in 1989. 25 grand was upper middle class, maybe retirees from a good job, but you weren't necessarily "rich". Buying a car for 60 grand? Especially a 2 seater that was only going to be used for fun? You were filthy rich beyond a doubt. Don't forget, that's the price class the very highest of high end Mercedes and BMWs were at that time.
palebeachbum It was also $9k more than the then-18 year-old 1989 560SL when new. And half a second slower to 60. With poorer handling and build quality.
It was also wrong wheel drive. If the Allante had just been rear wheel drive I bet that alone would have increased sales 20%. People looked at it as just a fancier Eldorado, which in essence it really was, and could never justify it's outrageous price tag. They really should have built it on the Corvette chassis, like they did with the XLR.
@@judethaddaeus9742 3yrs late to comment, but your statement is incorrect. The Allante base MSRP in 1989 was $57k. The MB 560SL base MSRP was $72k. The difference in price is the equivalent of $36k in today's money. The Allante was a bargain. From what I found, 0-60mph for the Allante is recorded at anywhere from 7.7-8.3s. For the 560SL, 6.7-7.7. So yes, the SL was 0.6-1.0 seconds faster. Not much. Considering it's a much smaller car with a much bigger V8, that's nothing to brag about. I'll give you that the SL had better-built quality, but you also felt like you were sitting on a cardboard box. Allante's comfort and interior room were vastly better.
@@palebeachbum Got any sources for that price differential? Because mine was Standard Catalog of Imported Cars for the ‘89 560SL. Then the 1990 SL launched, and even the 3.0L 6cyl SL was faster than the 4.5L V8 Allante. And about the same money. Nobody back in the day… NOBODY… thought the Allanté was a bargain. Watch the video, where their biggest criticism of the Allanté is its absurd price.
E Meyer Nice! I drove a few of these and I was very impressed. I own currently own a Seville, Deville and a 93 Allante all with the Northstar V8 and they are a blast to drive.
shopwithaaron That doesn't surprise me. That is absolute ridiculous!! I work at a Cadillac dealer so I know how expensive everything is. Luckily I know these cars pretty well and I work and maintain my own Cadillac's. I also help out other people that I know that drive Cadillac's to help them out. I wish that the dealers would be more helpful to people that have older cars with no warranties by not charging outrageous prices. But it pays the full time mechanics, and employees including me that work there!! But still I wish things were different because these cars are really great.
1 time a guy who was drunk was calling out loud J.R. J.R. as I was headed to the club he said u got a car like J.R. EWING & I just thought 2 myself he had 2 be a big fan of DALLAS like me to no that cause it was nite time JUST 2 FUNNY
I'm a blue coolar boy so I put on my hard top myself LOL. Also in response to BOREDfromx2z, drive one it feels more like 300 hp. I own 2 and I'll blow most cars including Escalades and Civic SI's off the road in a drag race.
The Allante was a gorgeous car, don't get me wrong- but my Mercedes SLK cost less when it was new in 2001, out-accelerates, out-handles, and gets better gas mileage than an Allante- plus the hard top puts ITSELF back on.
I would put it's performance on par with an early 5.0 gt or LX Fox Body, so not that bad. It'll definitely get you in trouble with the LEOs pretty quick , trust me I speak from experience LOL
The Allante lasted seven model years. I wouldn't call that "failing quickly". In fact it lasted longer than the other Cadillac roadster, the XLR...which only lasted six model years.
You were close enough....295 it was rated from the beginning but it sure does feel like a lot more than that! The last time Cadillac's had high power ratings like that was from between 1956-72. The Allante engines were the best at the time and even better than the other HT engines on the other models. The Northstar V8 Allante are unbelievable fast as I have one myself that I drive very often and just about to hit the 200k mark.
+cc201135 They perform very well believe it or not. I have a 93 Allante but with the 4.6L Northstar V8 and it runs like a bat out of hell! Its very fast and I was able to keep up with my friend in his Corvette. Love it.
+AMCNorthstar 93 wow you have the car. actually i like the car, the handling was superb, but the engine is the only thing that raising the big question. why the 4.5 liter engine only producing 200 hp. that means it only producing 44.4 hp per liter displacement. and also the torque was only 270 lb-ft. about the northstar 4.6 engine yes i agree it was more powerful than 4.5 liter unit. but still why GM don't built engine as efficient as Japanese car? if it is, the 4.6 liter northstar can produce at least 390-400 hp. that's my point is. but since you are the owner of the car and according your opinion it was quite powerful then i agree with that sir. i'm very appreciate your feed back .
cc201135 Well that was at the time during the late 80s and early 90s. I don't know about the japanese cars much myself. I do like the 93 Allante the most with the Northstar V8. it really makes a big difference. A friend and I raced together his corvette and my Allante and we both kept up with each other with ease. But I realize the technology has changed today and is very different now. But this is a great example and it was one of the fastest cars you could buy at the time.
In 1983 Honda was the first to produce a road car with a naturally aspirated 100bhp per 1000cc, CRX, Civic etc..in context that caddy should be making 400bhp.
+Alan B The Cadillac 4.5L V8 is quite an impressive powerful motor. its very fast, muscle car sounding and old school. The Northstar V8 was also another excellent engine and was even faster than the older 4.5L V8.
Joe Moorman I driven both the Mercedes SL and the Allante and I have to say that the Allante was much more powerful and had faster acceleration. Still the Mercedes were nice cars. But I did like the Allante more.
+Joe Moorman Ah yea I guess, it just seemed very low for the cubic capacity involved. The torque produced from a V8's is what gave these engines their character when I think of it.... Personally i always loved US classic cars, especially the muscle cars from the 60's early 70's. They got a bit castrated during the fuel crisis afterwards unfortunately.
***** It was both a 380 and 450 SL. The 560 was suppose to be the fastest but someone also told me that the Allante was still slightly faster than the 560 SL. But still a great performer. The 560 Sl was the best one but also very hard on fuel.
+Demetrius What was garbage about the engine??? They were excellent engines being very reliable, powerful, economical, muscle car sounding and easy to work on. So I don't know where your coming up with them being garbage??
+zzzhuh The 87-88 had the High output 4.1L V8. Starting in 1989, the more powerful 4.5L came out in the Allante with the same power ratings as the 4.9L engine in the Cadillac passenger car line up. And for the final year for Allante, it showcased the all new Northstar performance V8 engine that was also very good and more powerful. Every engine has been very reliable and also very powerful with nice muscle car sounding exhaust tones.
AMCNorthstar 93 The Northstar for me has left nothing but a bitter taste in my mouth. It had the best output, and in a Allante it made the car feel like a rocket. But, I would take a 91/92 Allante over the 93' just because of the engine.
zzzhuh What is the bitter taste you have with them?? I have been around Cadillac's my entire life and owned Northstar Cadillac's for a while. I have always been very happy with them.
