There are some cars you can forgive for potentially under-delivering on high expectations. We see plenty of muscle cars that make try exceedingly hard via stickers and wings to make you think it’s something it’s not. The Chevrolet Laguna S-3 had a formidable task when it came to market, which was at a time when concerns over poor fuel economy and skyrocketing insurance costs had effectively kneecapped the muscle car industry, or what was left of it. While it wasn’t trying to be the second coming of the Corvette, it did introduce some clever innovations to make it more sporting. Find this preserved 1975 Chevrolet Laguna S-3 here on craigslist for $18,500.
While we all know by now my preferences tend to skew towards weird European cars and trucks, I’ve always liked the Laguna. It has that underdog vibe about it, and it’s also somewhat rare with less than 35,000 made. One of the underlying aspects of the demise of the muscle car in the 1970s that I often forget to acknowledge is how insurance costs and road safety also factored into manufacturers shifting their focus to more fuel efficient cars and trucks. That being said, there was still some racing culture left in the U.S.A., and even when dealing with a crumbling muscle car culture, Chevy still wanted to build a car that could compete on a NASCAR circuit.
The nose panel of the Laguna is the most notable feature (well, that and the swivel bucket seats, as seen here) because it helped with aerodynamics. The Laguna was effectively built for racing, and the sleek nose helped Chevy notch a few Winston Cup wins before racing regulators caught on to the model’s aerodynamic advantage. However, the manufacturer wasn’t actually funding a factory-backed racing team, so it seemed like the Laguna was more allowing Chevy to keep a toe in the water of the racing pool. Of course, any car used for racing in this era was merely a shell of its factory self, so the car shown here is far tamer given it was the civilian version.
The S-3 badging was subtle – not in your face – and that’s another detail I love about it. While it still could be fitted with window louvers and other junk, it left the factory with some level of discretion. Chevy wanted buyers to know it was a special model, even with a seriously underwhelming 350 V8 under the hood (a 400 was optional, but the seller doesn’t confirm which engine his Laguna is equipped with.) The seller confirms he never drives it in the rain, and even avoids nighttime cruising! This Chevy looks quite tidy and all the details seem right, but it’d be helpful to know what mix of preservation versus restoration it represents before assessing whether the asking price is fair. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Curvette for the tip.
A little too stealthy in looks for me, I’d prefer to add the factory stripe package (as on the supplied picture); the vinyl top looks good as well, but I don’t really care for them! Really good looking car, GLWTS!! :-)
Had a white w/burgundy striped 75 Laguna. It was very slow…
The seller answered a question nobody asked. Maybe it isn’t driven in the rain, but after dark, ever? Why include that information, which is trivial, compared to what would be gained by writing a more detailed description as well as including more and better pictures.
Steve R
Perhaps they never drove it on, say, Thursdays either. The low quantity and quality of pictures make you wonder, “do they really want to sell the car?”
But did anybody ever cough or sneeze in it?
These were handsome cars,a run of the mill Malibu converted into something worth looking at. Its sleek body is pretty much wasted though, being powered by a woefully weak 350 or almost-as-bad 400 parasitized in ’75 with mandatory unleaded fuel and catalytic converters. Bad timing by Chevy because the Laguna arrived with the malaise era.
This is the nose piece Chevy used in NASCAR, I would bet they wouldn’t have used it if it weren’t for that reason. Oldsmobile also used an aerodynamic nose in that era.
Steve R