At $11,000, Is This 1993 Cadillac Allante A Classic Contender?

Once positioned as a halo car for Cadillac, today's Nice Price or No Dice Allante is these days little more than an asterisk in the marque's history. Could this seemingly well-kept classic convertible's price tag have us wanting to show it a little more attention?

Oldsmobile once attempted to re-brand as an automaker for younger car buyers with the hip and happening tag line "not your father's Oldsmobile." Contrary to the advertisers' intentions, the campaign turned off multiple generations of car buyers. There was no such dilemma of age-appropriateness or generational stigma facing the 1958 Morgan +4 we looked at yesterday. Not only could it be someone's father's Morgan, it could also easily be their grandfather's. Or even great-grandfathers, as the model saw few significant changes over its decades-long production run. That seemingly timeless nature, combined with a nice presentation and fairly timely asking price of $19,950, proved a likable deal and earned Morgan a solid 65 percent Nice Price win.

Have you ever had someone confide in you that their relationship is going so well that they want to end it before things all go to pot? General Motors has long played the role of the "bad boyfriend," again and again killing off cars and trucks at the very point when these models realized the high point of their purpose and intent. That was the case with the Pontiac Fiero and pretty much all of Oldsmobile (not withstanding the embarrassment of the "not your father's..." ad campaign.) It's like GM is a serial killer, and brand managers are terrified to pick up the phone lest it's the authorities warning them, "the call is coming from inside the house!"

Today's 1993 Cadillac Allante is another example of a car that GM finally got almost entirely right only to kill off before most car buyers had a chance to find out. Prior to '93, the Allante had been an interesting and, admittedly, radical departure for the brand. It was also hugely resource-intensive to build as body construction was farmed out Pininfarina in Turin, Italy, which had also been tasked with the car's design. Final assembly was then done in Hamtramck, Michigan after the monocoque bodies were airlifted there via specially-fitted Boeing 747 cargo planes in what was touted as the Air Bridge, also known as "the world's longest production line.

Up until this model year, the Allante had been powered by Cadillac's mundane OHV V8, initially in 4.1 liter displacement, and then bumped to 4.5 liters two years into the production run. In its last year, however, that old-school engine was given the Old Yeller treatment. What replaced it in the Allante was the all-new and very high-tech NorthStar DOHC 32-valve V8 displacing an even greater 4.6 liters. The radical new engine bumped horsepower from 200 to 295 and, with the standard four-speed automatic, dropped zero to sixty times from a lackadaisical nine and a half seconds to well under seven.

Other changes for the 1993 model year included the removal of the fixed vent wings on the doors, new Lear Siegler seats replacing the Recaro-designed thrones of previous model years, and a revised suspension system featuring active damping all around.

New colors were also made available for the final model run, including this car's Pearl Flax which, to be fair, isn't the most exciting, with the more plebeian amongst us possibly mistaking it for beige. The car has a couple of desirable options as well, including the hard top, which, in a cost-controlling effort by GM, was not standard fitment this year, and the digital dashboard, which added $495 to the bill when ordered.

According to the ad, this Allante has a modest 105,190 miles under its beltline. The ad claims it has been well cared for and the pictures support that assertion. The bodywork is mostly straight and exterior, interior, and engine bay all look as clean as you would want. The only major aesthetic boogers apparent are some sizable dings in the brushed metal trim on the front bumper and some seriously atrocious aftermarket chromed wheels.

Then there's the question of the condition of the NorthStar engine. These early builds have a reputation for going tits up and being very expensive to repair when they do. The ad doesn't tell us anything specific about the car's maintenance history or its current status, so potential buyers should exercise some trepidation, lest they get stuck with a big repair bill, or worse, a piece of stationary yard art.

Then there's everything else on the car. The NorthStar was used in a number of Caddy models and hence should have reasonable parts availability. That's not the case at all for all the Allante-specific parts like taillamp lenses (which tend to crack in the sun) or that fancy digital dash which would require specialized repair should any of its magic smoke escape.

Those are headaches faced by almost all collectors and maintainers of classic cars, so take the challenge with a grain of salt as it's not unique to the Allante.

But is Cadillac's once and future king even worth such effort? After all, GM didn't think so, committing regicide when that king had finally settled comfortably into the throne. In this car's favor are that it is in an overall decent condition and has a clean title. Another plus might be its $11,000 price tag, but we'll just have to see about that.

These cars have been outside the orbit of many collectors for years, despite their interesting history and, admittedly still beautiful Pininfarina styling. And this is the model year that got the car mostly right. Or, at least as right as it ever was going to get. And with fewer than 21,000 ever built, it's appreciably rare as well.

What does that all mean to you? Is this last-year Allante a deal at that $11,000 asking? Or, despite being as right as possible, does that price still hit you as so wrong?

You decide!

Nice Price or No Dice:

Denver, Colorado, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.

H/T to Don R. for the hookup!

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