The Cadillac Allante, much like the Chrysler TC by Maserati, hangs out there as an affordable classic with a fair amount of style mixed in. Unlike the TC, which forces you to hunt for the incredibly rare spec with the DOHC Maserati head and a 5-speed, the Allante came equipped with Northstar V8 power later in life to make it entirely more appealing as a collector car. While the later specs don’t necessarily move the needle on values, buying an Allante with the updated and far more powerful engine is the only way to fly when Allante shopping. Find this clean 1993 model listed here on Facebook Marketplace for $8,900.
Thanks to Barn Finds reader Lothar… of the Hill People for the tip. The Allante, like the TC, was doomed to fail after its high initial MSRP and lack of firepower under the hood scared away buyers. And in proper GM form, right when they figured out what the car needed to be commercially viable, they killed it – too many years of lackluster sales practically demanded it, no matter how much improved it was with the Northstar under the hood. The updates also extended to the suspension which is considered vastly improved over earlier models. Of course, you still got the attractive Pininfarina styling as standard equipment.
And while the Northstar engine certainly had its maintenance shortcomings, it was a boatload more powerful than the outgoing motor. In fact, 0-60 times were safely under 7 seconds courtesy of almost 300 horsepower. The 4T80E 4-speed automatic transmission was a stout unit and helped click off confident gear changes, while standard ABS helped bring everything to a standstill when called upon. The trouble was the superior engine arrived long past a point of reasonable return, as the reputational harm caused by the lackluster chassis dynamics, cheap quality control, and staggering MSRP sealed the Allante’s fate.
One critical detail about the Allante I often forget is that it was front-wheel drive. This alone is a strike against the car that is hard to overlook. While rear-wheel drive isn’t everything, the general school of thought is that high-end performance cars should be driven via the rear wheels. This may have also contributed to the sensation that the Allante was not a great driver’s car. Today, however, it’s a terrific value in the top-down enthusiast marketplace, and a car like this final year model will deliver a lot of smiles per the dollar. Do you think the ’93 Allante represents a good deal for a fun-in-the-sun car?
Who designs these God awful instrument panels? (dashboard)
This is one of the ugliest Cadillac ever produced.
I want this car, though. Right color, right price.
Bucket list
Typical GM interior design of the era. I tried to count all the control buttons but gave up.
I’ve never seen a strut tower brace with only a single bolt on each end. Looks like it was made from a piece of conduit with the ends flattened.
Pretty sure Pininfarina also designed the interior, and they did the same thing with the Alfa Romeo 164 dashboard, just rows of identical square buttons only distinguishable by their labels/symbols.
I had a white 93 like this. When everything works, it’s an amazing car. But there is severe steering torque/pull under heavy acceleration. Had mine up to 142 w/the top down. Optional StarWars dash was a gr8 Gee-Whiz feature.
The MANUAL 3 motor top is a PITA. Once a $64,000 car that is now cheap wheels.
i like to have “a 2nd look” at these things thru the ages. Not in the mrkt for this (or the like, not retired yet) but hada have it to get to the CT5-V Blackwing.
Like the MB “sports cars” I didnt pay notice to (300SL gulwing aside) are these. Now I can, and like abit. Yes, navistar tough to wrk on, gm a lill weak on trim/extra’s durability, but I love to accelerate in corners (fwd). Roomie vert, power (bent8), affordable, AOD, domestic… definatly something to consider~
Nice toy without a lot invested.
I test drove one of these used, right after a magazine claimed it as one of the best future collectibles out there. Some time in the late 1990s. Digital dash was an on again off again affair. It felt like a Corvette with a lot more weight to haul around once I put my foot in it. I passed on the deal after running out of gas and having the salesman track me down on the side of the interstate. This was before I owned a cell phone.
Interested but at a discounted price I’ve had one and know the issues cars have. Expensive to fix but I can do most of the work myself. Let me know. Ed
Seems like a great price for a decent version of the Allante. Well written ad sounds like it has had careful ownership.
Good that it isn’t nearby, and maroon, which is my favorite.
Always thought these were really nice looking cars but wasn’t a big fan of the interior. GM took a bath on these.