VIII. (Missed Hit) Call in the Reinforcements—the Italians? Allanté
In 1987, Cadillac tried a different approach with the Allanté, a two-seat luxury roadster meant to challenge the Mercedes-Benz SL and Jaguar XJS. It arrived with undeniable pedigree: styling and bodywork were crafted by Pininfarina in Italy, then flown 3,300 miles to Detroit in specially modified Boeing 747s—a process dubbed the “Allanté Air Bridge.” But the platform underneath was a shortened version of Cadillac’s front-drive E-body architecture, shared with the Eldorado, and the car launched with the same underpowered 4.1-liter HT4100 V8. That engine made around 170 horsepower, saddled with moving a 3,700-pound roadster.
Acceleration was lethargic—0–60 mph in about 9.3 seconds—and nowhere near the performance of a contemporary Mercedes 560 SL, which offered a 227-horsepower V8 and impeccable build quality. Cadillac refined the Allanté over time: a 4.5-liter V8 with 200 horsepower arrived in 1989.
In 1993, Cadillac installed its all-new flagship V8, the 4.6-liter “Northstar System” in 1993, delivering 295 horsepower and real performance. That final model could sprint to 60 in 6.4 seconds and hit 140 mph, finally competitive with its rivals. But it was too late. The Allanté debuted at $54,700 in 1987 (in 2025: $150,000) and crept past $60,000 by the early 1990s. Despite the exotic airlifted bodywork, it still rode on a front-drive platform, lacked a fully retractable soft top, and was hampered by digital GM switchgear better suited to a Buick. Fewer than 22,000 were sold. Cadillac’s dream of a world-beating roadster died with a whimper: stylish, expensive, and not quite competitive.
As the decade turned, Cadillac redirected its performance ambitions to the Seville. The Seville had already been downsized and converted to front-wheel drive in 1986, sharing its underpinnings with the Oldsmobile Toronado and Buick Riviera. The change improved packaging and efficiency but sacrificed the rear-drive balance favored by European sedans. In 1988, Cadillac introduced the Seville Touring Sedan (STS), a special performance version developed with input from Cars & Concepts. The STS package cost $5,000–$6,000 and added stiffer springs, larger anti-roll bars, quicker steering, anti-lock brakes, and Goodyear Eagle performance tires. The goal was clear: give Cadillac buyers a car that could compete, at least in spirit, with BMW and Mercedes.
Aesthetically, the STS ditched chrome trim and wire wheels in favor of flush Euro-style lenses and monochromatic paint. Mechanically, Cadillac bored out the old 4.1-liter HT4100 to 4.5 liters in 1988, raising power by 25 horsepower to a modest 150. By 1990, the tuned-port version of that engine produced 180 horsepower and 245 lb-ft of torque—finally matching the output of rivals like the BMW 528i and Mercedes 300E. But the STS still had limitations. It came only with a four-speed automatic. Despite its tighter suspension, the car carried too much weight, suffered from front-drive understeer, and retained plush, bench-style seating. Most telling: it lacked an analog tachometer. Instead, drivers were left to squint at a digital RPM readout buried in the center console—a glaring oversight in a supposed sport sedan. Critics noticed. A Curbside Classic review called it a “consequential oversight,” especially at a price approaching $35,000 (in 2025: $75,000). Still, the STS showed Cadillac was learning. Ride and braking improved, and buyers appreciated the attempt. Cadillac hadn’t caught the Germans, but it had entered the conversation.