I see we have a Jalopnik reader here.
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A 454 can literally pull a yacht quite handily. It’s Chevy’s premier trailer-pulling, non-semi gas engine, in fact.
I own a 3-ton (yes, really, fully customized and reinforced 2-ton chassis) Chevy van with a 454, and it pulls all 8800 lbs (curb weight) of my ginormous monster, while maintaining 13 MPG in the city. That’s astonishingly good for a monster 4-barrel from 1994, pulling a huge lump of steel; I honestly expected 9 MPG or less o.o’ .
Mind you, that’s if I “featherfoot” it; if I open up all four barrels, I’m not gettin’ 13 MPG xD.
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I’d totally drive that. I’d never own it due to safety, reliability, build quality and propensity for that age and make of car to rust apart if not maintained meticulously. But I’d happily borrow it for a weekend. Looks like a fun experience. Convertibles are just fun, even old slow boats like this.
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The Riviera convertible is not the one to drive.
The early model hardtops had a totally bonkers shape. All Icebreaker ship in the front, Fighter jet cockpit in the back.
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Holy Tornado Riviera, Batman!
THAT’S A SEXY THANG!
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My friend had one like that, but not a convertible.
We use to drive around in it, with the widows clouded with pot smoke looking
for more pot. Those times were good times.
Now she is in hospice care,
yeah, not so good, right now, the times.
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I would’ve said the '51 Le Sabre was the Buick to drive, but strictly speaking, was it a Buick?
But yeah, I can (barely) remember when that boat-tail model was new.
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What I wouldn’t give. What’s the sweet ride from the new Watchmen series?
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Also checking in.
But yea, I also would vote CP.
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It certainly has.
The modern 4 and 6 cylinder turbo engines are impressive.
Hell, the Golf R puts down close to 300hp (I’ve heard it’s almost that at the wheels) out of a 2 liter.
Fun times we’re living in.
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Holy Fudge! That thing is epic.
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I thought the Sebring was the “or similar” in “Ford Mustang or similar” in rental brochures.
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The short answer is Reagonomics.
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Dude 200hp was a lot in 1985. I still remember the Mustang GT ads bragging about 225hp… from a 5.0L v8!
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I’d drive it too. I actually don’t think it’s ugly, there is something classic about it to me. It reminds me of my parents buick station wagon (maybe a chevy). similar front styled headlights.
it’s retro!!!
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My parents had a 2-door V8 Buick Century (though i don’t know the year. It was at least an 84 but doubtful, i’d have to ask), my parents and I still miss that car. It handled like a boat but it was comfortable as hell, rode smooth on the highway and the engine had plenty of power. Not the kind of car i would buy for myself but it was a hell of a car though, my parents took excellent care of it when they had it. Sadly they sold the car to a relative that was rough on it and the car was a wreck within a few years.
My parents had a couple of Rivieras in the early 80s. I think one was an '81 and the other an '83. Same visual design as this, but they were hardtops with the V8.
My dad once rolled one three times after skidding off an icy road. Wore a neck brace for a few months after that, but promptly replaced it with the second one. I still remember the feel of the velour seats of those cars. And how sad my parents were when the second one died and they learned that GM had discontinued the V8.
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It was a Grand National. Basically one trim level down from the GNX showed above.
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For £15k in 1985/6 you could buy a Ford Sierra Cosworth - 1,998cc in-line-4, pushing 204hp in road trim.
This RS500 was a year later with 224hp.
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