1990 Cadillac Allante 2-Door Convertible
2019.0031.0001, Savoy Collection
Engine: 273 cu in (4.5L) Alum. Block, OHV, V-8
Output: 200 HP @ 4,400 RPM
Transmission: 4-Speed Automatic w/Overdrive
Wheelbase: 99 in.
Overall Length: 178 in.
Weight: 3,470 lbs.
Top Speed: 134 MPH
No. Produced: 3,101 (total)
Original Price: $51,550
Manufacturer: Cadillac
To say the Allanté was “no ordinary Cadillac” is an understatement. A modified front-wheel drive Eldorado platform was its foundation, but the body was truly international. Italian design giant Pininfarina built the Allanté two-seater bodies, painted and trimmed them, and installed the convertible tops. Boeing 747s, nicknamed the “Allanté Air Bridge,” carried 56 car bodies at a time, ferrying them from the factory in Turin, Italy, to Detroit, where assembly was completed.
As a halo car, the Allanté was understandably expensive. Unfortunately, Pininfarina’s convertible tops leaked like sieves. Rather than fixing the problem immediately, GM rushed the cars through production to the sales floor. In a contest against the likes of BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Jaguar, the Allanté convertible could not compete. However, during its six-year run, the Allanté was high-tech for the time, featuring options such as digital gauges, four-wheel anti-lock brakes, and a speed-dampening suspension system.