UPDATE – This 1989 Oldsmobile Toronado Trofeo is listed for sale again, just four months after the listing disappeared. It’s located in Island Park, New York, and there is no reserve on the eBay auction listed here. The seller has an unmet opening bid suggestion of $7,900, just $600 less than they were asking for it this past summer. Thanks to Curvette for the tip!
FROM 7/28/2025 – Coming in 16.5 inches shorter than the previous generation Toronado, the fourth-generation front-drive personal luxury car from our friends in Lansing still had the luxury, with better MPG, with predicted higher gas prices in the mid-1980s. This 1989 Oldsmobile Toronado Trofeo can be found listed here on Facebook Marketplace in Long Beach, New York, and they’re asking $8,500. Here is the original listing, and thanks to PRA4SNW for the tip!
You could do worse than showing up at a Cars & Coffee event with an Olds Toronado Trofeo. Not to mention, showing up at any gas station or grocery store. I’m sure you would be answering questions almost any time you parked this beauty in a public parking lot. Higher gas prices didn’t materialize in the mid-1980s as expected, and Oldsmobile was caught in a bind as far as customers going back to bigger, gas-guzzling cars. It happens every single time gas prices go up, and it’ll never stop happening. People just like huge vehicles; it’s that simple. They’ll drop down a size or two if they’re forced to, but once things ease up again, they go back to giant vehicles getting horrible MPG.
The fourth-generation Toronado was made from 1985 for the 1986 model year until the end of 1992, and the Trofeo came along in 1987 as an attempt to keep former Toronado customers in the family. Before the 1980s, a “sporty” car generally meant going fast in a straight line (looking at you, muscle cars), but European cars kicked things up a notch or two as far as sharp handling. The Trofeo had a stiffer suspension and could be fun to drive in a sporty way, unlike a softer-sprung version. This car appears to be a gem; I don’t see any glaring flaws anywhere.
Well, there are some heavy wrinkles on the deep red leather front bucket seats, especially the driver’s side, but just keep ’em fed, and they should last another couple of decades before things start to go haywire, as no Oldsmobile Toronado owner said, ever. The back seat looks like new, as does the good-sized trunk. The Toronado Trofeo only came in a two-door body style, of course. But what if Oldsmobile had offered a four-door sedan model?
This is a Buick 3.8-liter OHV V6 with 165 horsepower and 210 lb-ft of torque. It passes through a four-speed automatic, sending power to the front wheels. The seller says this car has 92,133 miles, has cold AC, and is elderly owned and driven. It sure looks great to me. Have any of you owned a Toronado Trofeo?
Nice looking Toronado. These were very luxuriously appointed. And this one is no exception. I used to think that these were related to the Calais, Grand Am platform. But I was wrong. The Toronado Riviera and Eldorado were built on totally different platforms. But these at least to me just resembled the Cutlass Calais. Maybe a bit too much. That aside, I’m sure these are very nice driving cars. Definitely a nice place to be on a long road trip.
My thoughts are similar to Driveinstile. I also once thought they were directly related to the Calais et al. Overall I liked this model. But they are very different from the earlier, larger models.
This one looks to be in good shape. Not expensive.
That four-door version doesn’t look bad.
Thanks Scotty.
The 4-door sedan mockup looks eerily like the ’91-’96 Regency. Add the Touring Sedan package and you essentially have a 4-door Trofeo.
When I looked at Scotty’s 4-door version it looked eerily like the ’91-’96 Regencies. Add the Touring Sedan package to a Regency and you essentially have a 4-door Trofeo. Not surprising Olds never made a 4-door Toronado given the “personal luxury car” nature of the car since its inception.
(Sorry for the double post. My first post appeared to never show up – until I posted this one!)
Toronados seemed to always include pretty much all the luxury goodies from Dr Olds top shelf.
I’ve never driven one of these, but I found 80’s GM FWD vehicles to have kind of spooky steering. Sure it held the road just fine, but the Ford steering felt smoother to me. This is a nice car though. Maybe this being a more expensive car the steering is better.
This looks like a nice car, but how big is the market, especially at this price? Is there enough that’s special about it compared to all of the other cars from that era in the $5,000 range.
This was run through eBay twice within the last month, each time with an opening bid of $8,400, it received no bids either time.
Steve R
I really like the look of these early Trofeos. This is one though, with its faded paint, worn leather and 95k miles is nothing more than a cool looking $2500 hooptie.
Nice find and nicely done with the 4 door Scotty! The chef’s kiss on the 4 door would be hidden rear door handles (like the front drive Cutlass, Regal and Grand Prix coupes had). The F85 suspension does enhance the “sportiness” factor. $6,000 ish would be a fair price….3 season driver, take care of it, 3800 reliability.
These Olds always looked sharp to me. I drove one back in the late 80s. Very nice and the power was good enough. But 92 plus mileage for $8900 seems a tad high. With oh, that electronic equipment on the – and steering. You have to wonder, when does it go out on you?🤔 I would start at $5,500.00 . Since it’s not to far from me. Have to worry about the axles. Hopefully everything is working and I would only use this once in a while. And if my lovely wife would go along with me on it. 😄 Good luck to the next owner. 🐻🇺🇸
How about a shooting brake version for us Scotty?
Nice car seems there was a limited market when new and even smaller now. My first NEW car was an 89 calais international series quad 4 with 5 speed and FE3 similar looking for thousands less
That sedan looks a hell of a lot better than the Aurora. Better than the coupe, too. No matter how hard they tried, the Olds always seemed well…old. You mentioned the featured car as elderly owned. Yeah, you would put on 5 years driving it off the floor. Back in the day Pontiac did build excitement, Buick was the gentleman’s hot rod, and Olds was for geezers who were too cheap to buy Cadillacs.
great running cars they rode decent, but the electronics were very problematic. can’t say how may clusters i had to pull and send out for warranty repairs
Scotty, this 4- door version is the best of yours I’ve seen.
It doesn’t look like this one has the CRT screen, since there appears to be a radio and regular climate control in its place. Because of reflection, I can’t make out what is ahead of the shift lever.
Listing has been removed for some reason.
These cars were chock full of GM’s tech gadgetry. It’s hard to see in the photos here, but to the right of the instrument panel is the VIC – Visual Information Center.
Jon, you might be right, this one may not have the VIC, although I thought all Trofeo models came with it.
My understanding is the screen was on these from ’86-’88, then they went to the separate radio & climate control. Most of the radios I’ve seen have the 5 band eq. There’s a blue ’88 Trofeo for sale on Facebook with 43k miles which has the screen & digital dash, so that may be the last year.
Although it’s kind of hard to tell from the dash pic, this one appears to have the separate controls. Anyone know what the screen is in front of the shift lever?
The screen in front of the gear shift is a cassette tape deck
Ok to all of you commenters who NEVER owned an 88 or 89 Trofeo, here are the facts. My dad bought an all blue 88 model new. Maintained it. In 1996, he sold it to me for $1,509, family discount I guess. Yes there were some issues, but never the digital dash. A crankshaft sensor went bad, a few mufflers and one steering rack in 200,000 miles. Those leather seats were super comfy. The great 3.8 engine and 440 GM Hydramatic never gave me trouble as I over maintained the car. If a deer as a big as a horse had not run in front of it, I would still own it. I have been watching this burgundy Trofeo closely. In 1991 and 1992 GM made these cars fat.
That’s too much money for a used car of this vintage. The miles on this car are high. The next owner can expect to repair a whole lot of mechanical issues due to the mileage.
Design feature you dont see. Ask yourself how many cars have you seen where the lower trunk edge is wider than the top? none that i can find. I worked in the body shop when these where new.
Scotty, that sedan does look good, better than the Aurora. Hell, better than the Trofeo which always had a whiff of malaise about it, like its sisters. This coupe and especially the sedan would be perfect replacements for the ponderous 98.
Ha! Every Oldsmobile is elderly owned, regardless of the actual age of the owner.
Just kidding-great looking car and I’ve always liked the styling of these.