When Cadillac unveiled the Allante, it was also an announcement that they were once again serious about building high-end luxury cars. With a body by Pininfarina and robust Cadillac mechanicals, this 1992 Cadillac Allante was a beautifully built and stylish machine. And it was priced accordingly, although GM probably lost money on every single one, thanks to a custom-built 747 hauling 56 Allantes at a time to and from Italy for finishing. Today, they represent a great deal of luxury...and performance for not much money. This 1992 Cadillac Allante is an extremely clean specimen wrapped in a highly desirable color scheme of bright red over black leather. Pearl white was almost the Allante's signature color, but the read really brings out the chiseled good looks and even driving them around today, you will find most people don't realize it's 25 years old. As a hand-assembled car, panel gaps and alignment are better than the rest of the Cadillac line up, and the paint is truly worthy of a $60,000 automobile. Details are clean and crisp, from the traditional Cadillac grille up front to the slick clear taillights that pre-dated the current trend by more than a decade. The black canvas convertible top is in excellent condition, and folds into its well behind the seats where it is covered by a hard shell. Most Allantes were dressed with tan leather, but this one sports a gorgeous black leather interior instead, and it's a spectacular contrast to the paint. The leather is in excellent condition and those seats are still as comfortable today as they were in 1992. Cadillac used the Allante to explore new technology, and you'll find a set of digital gauges (they're all fully operational and bright), as well as a computer that will monitor things such as low fluids and even reminds you to turn on your headlights. Automatic climate control was, of course, part of the package, as well as a powerful stereo system that stills sounds great with the top down. The seats have a comfortable, lived-in look, but no signs of damage or neglect, and the trunk compartment looks like new. 1992 was the final year of Cadillac's venerable 4.9 liter OHV V8, which, in Allante trim, made 200 horsepower. Extremely reliable and with enough power to make the Allante a sprightly performer on the road, it's the ideal traveling partner when the sun is shining and the top is down. The engine is backed by a 4-speed automatic that delivers crisp shifts and has quick reflexes for when you want to run fast, something this car is more than capable of doing. Underneath, it's very clean and shows no signs of rust or structural damage, owing to careful ownership for the past 27 years. It fires up with a subtle bark from the exhaust, which suggests power in a sophisticated way, and pulls cleanly to speeds that'll get you jail time in most states. Factory alloys are in excellent shape and carry recent 16-inch Toyo radials. A V8-powered bright red 2-seater with every luxury feature imaginable for $12 grand? Nice! No, they didn't really unseat the Mercedes SL as the convertible to own, but without the Allante, it's doubtful that Cadillac would be enjoying their current renaissance. Isn't it time to treat yourself to a luxury convertible? Call today!
|