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Curbside Classics Archives
GM Brands 1980s Archive
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![For 1986, Oldsmobile redesigned its FWD Toronado personal luxury coupe, hoping to expand its market with a trimmer, more efficient new model bristling with high-tech features. In August 1985, Car […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Car-and-Driver-1985-08-cover-snippet-with-Toronados.webp?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage C/D Review: 1986 Oldsmobile Toronado – A Downsized E-Body Begins Oldsmobile’s Downward Spiral")
Vintage C/D Review: 1986 Oldsmobile Toronado – A Downsized E-Body Begins Oldsmobile’s Downward Spiral
Posted on January 16, 2025 | 37 CommentsFor 1986, Oldsmobile redesigned its FWD Toronado personal luxury coupe, hoping to expand its market with a trimmer, more efficient new model bristling with high-tech features. In August 1985, Car […] -
![(Update: the text has been revised since publishing to amend one factual error regarding the project’s origin, plus some other minor revisions) Let’s revisit this Deadly Sin chapter through this […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Untitled-1.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage R&T Review: 1983 Cadillac Cimarron – An Improved Upscale J-Car")
Vintage R&T Review: 1983 Cadillac Cimarron – An Improved Upscale J-Car
Posted on August 4, 2024 | 36 Comments(Update: the text has been revised since publishing to amend one factual error regarding the project’s origin, plus some other minor revisions) Let’s revisit this Deadly Sin chapter through this […] -
![Car magazines from back in the day tend to get stereotyped, with Road & Track commonly being called out for being very anti-Detroit. Well, it wasn’t quite as simple as […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Seville-diesel-1-top.jpeg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage Review: 1980 Cadillac Seville Diesel – “Seems To Serve Little Purpose Other Than To Force The Rich Go Slumming In Truck Stops”")
Vintage Review: 1980 Cadillac Seville Diesel – “Seems To Serve Little Purpose Other Than To Force The Rich Go Slumming In Truck Stops”
Posted on June 24, 2024 | 47 CommentsCar magazines from back in the day tend to get stereotyped, with Road & Track commonly being called out for being very anti-Detroit. Well, it wasn’t quite as simple as […] -
![(first posted 4/23/2018) If I were to pinpoint a specific year when the flagship Cadillac Division of General Motors lost its mojo (yet to be recovered), it would […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/CD0481-V864-Main-Image.jpeg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage Reviews and Commentary: 1981 Cadillac – The Year Caddy Stopped Firing On All Cylinders – GM’s Deadly Sin #29")
Vintage Reviews and Commentary: 1981 Cadillac – The Year Caddy Stopped Firing On All Cylinders – GM’s Deadly Sin #29
Posted on April 23, 2024 | 172 Comments(first posted 4/23/2018) If I were to pinpoint a specific year when the flagship Cadillac Division of General Motors lost its mojo (yet to be recovered), it would […] -
![Every once in a while, disasters are worth revisiting. Not only in an attempt to analyze what happened but also, because they are fascinating to our collective psyche. Success and […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Untitled-1-2.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage Car And Driver Review: 1986 Buick Riviera T-Type – What Is This Car Supposed To Be?")
Vintage Car And Driver Review: 1986 Buick Riviera T-Type – What Is This Car Supposed To Be?
Posted on November 30, 2023 | 26 CommentsEvery once in a while, disasters are worth revisiting. Not only in an attempt to analyze what happened but also, because they are fascinating to our collective psyche. Success and […] -
![Time to revisit a GM model that gets little love. An offering that seemed to click a few right buttons while missing on its ultimate mission; to bring new buyers […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Scan-220812-0007-copia.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage Car And Driver Review: 1986 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale – Personality Crisis")
Vintage Car And Driver Review: 1986 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale – Personality Crisis
Posted on May 26, 2023 | 48 CommentsTime to revisit a GM model that gets little love. An offering that seemed to click a few right buttons while missing on its ultimate mission; to bring new buyers […] -
![(first posted 4/26/2017) During the 1980s, Consumer Guide’s Auto Test Series offered consistent, clear and comprehensive evaluations of new cars, testing a broad array of models and providing “real world” […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/TTypeMainImage.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage Review: 1987 Buick LeSabre T-Type and Buick Riviera T-Type – Missing The Target")
Vintage Review: 1987 Buick LeSabre T-Type and Buick Riviera T-Type – Missing The Target
Posted on April 26, 2023 | 79 Comments(first posted 4/26/2017) During the 1980s, Consumer Guide’s Auto Test Series offered consistent, clear and comprehensive evaluations of new cars, testing a broad array of models and providing “real world” […] -
Vintage R&T Road Test: 1985 Chevrolet Corvette – Smoother, Faster And Better Than Ever
Posted on January 29, 2022 | 28 Comments(first posted 1/29/2016) More of an update than a full-on road test, this one is of the much-improved 1985 C4. -
Vintage R&T Comparison: 1984 Camaro IROC-Z vs Mustang GT – Showdown
Posted on January 27, 2022 | 86 Comments(first posted 1/27/2016) This comparison road test confronts two of America’s most known Pony cars- in their highest performance models. -
Vintage R&T Comparison: 1983 Chevrolet S-10 Blazer, Bronco II and Montero – The New Compact SUVs
Posted on January 23, 2022 | 36 Comments(first posted 1/23/2016) It’s time for new SUVs, fit for the Eighties. R&T compares them in the 1983 July issue. -
![(first posted 1/21/2016) Two Road Tests from R&T’s 1983 July Issue; These cars might be similar in size, but could not be anymore different from each other in every other […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/444.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage R&T Road Tests: 1983 Chevrolet Cavalier CS & BMW 318i")
Vintage R&T Road Tests: 1983 Chevrolet Cavalier CS & BMW 318i
Posted on January 21, 2022 | 44 Comments(first posted 1/21/2016) Two Road Tests from R&T’s 1983 July Issue; These cars might be similar in size, but could not be anymore different from each other in every other […] -
Vintage Road Test: Pontiac Phoenix X-Car
Posted on November 29, 2021 | 93 CommentsThis road test will interest many of you, given the comments to the X-cars’ post. -
![(first posted 11/20/2015) In their comparison test of the 1979 Ford LTD sedan versus the 1979 Chevrolet Caprice sedan, Motor Trend gave the victory to the Blue Oval. To say […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/hhhg.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage Review: 1980 Caprice versus 1980 LTD – Rematch!")
Vintage Review: 1980 Caprice versus 1980 LTD – Rematch!
Posted on November 20, 2021 | 94 Comments(first posted 11/20/2015) In their comparison test of the 1979 Ford LTD sedan versus the 1979 Chevrolet Caprice sedan, Motor Trend gave the victory to the Blue Oval. To say […] -
Vintage R&T Review: Chevrolet Citation X-11 and GM X-Bodies Technical Analysis – “This May Be The Best Car To Ever Come Out Of Detroit”
Posted on October 21, 2021 | 83 Comments(first posted 10/21/2015) This post is a combination of two articles from R&T’s May 1979 issue, featuring “the best ever car out of Detroit”. -
![(first posted 10/16/2015) Though the downsized Caprice/Impala had been an enormous success since being introduced in 1977, market conditions were changing quickly as the 1970s came to a close. In […]](https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/c643be335b9a5db461e74f37591e6ce5.jpg?resize=115%2C115&ssl=1 "Vintage Review: 1980 Chevrolet Caprice – The Times They Are A-Changin’")
Vintage Review: 1980 Chevrolet Caprice – The Times They Are A-Changin’
Posted on October 16, 2021 | 76 Comments(first posted 10/16/2015) Though the downsized Caprice/Impala had been an enormous success since being introduced in 1977, market conditions were changing quickly as the 1970s came to a close. In […]
