The Confusing Story of the Cadillac Allante

[Bruce Nunnally]

Here’s a bit of auto trivia for you: what does the term “Allante” mean in Italian? Answer: nothing. The word was created randomly by a GM computer as a way of concealing any details about the Cadillac by the same name. However to many of those who worked feverishly to bring the luxury car to these shores, the word might as well have meant, “pain in the a**.” That’s a good metaphor to sum up the trouble and expense the project entailed.

Read more: http://news.boldride.com/2014/05/the-confusing-story-of-the-cadillac-allante/49473/

I am not familiar with the story as told in this article, but interesting reading.

[rockfangd]

Reading that gives mixed opinions for sure. Regardless I am glad I stayed away from them. I had the oppoeunity to buy 2 of them over time. A red one and a black one. 87 and 90 IIRC. Both had electrical issues and convertible top issues. Both were nice but both were hacked up electronically, Abs problems were present on both. I ran the other way on both because they were far from any traditional GM I am used to.

Same reason why I stayed away from the Catera. I only see one or 2 left in my area. There used to be tons in the local yards but now are just non existent.

[KHE]

The car bodies were flown from Italy to the Hamtramck assembly plant where they were installed on the chassis, not the other way around like the article states....

[Texas Jim]

Kevin is right about the bodies...

[KHE]

I am highly suspicious of the remaining "points" in the artical as well since the author couldn't even get the assembly sequence correct. He sounds like just another GM hater to me.

I thought the Allante was a neat car but If I were in the market for that king of car, a Corvette would have been the better value.

[Bruce Nunnally]

Interesting article from the time from the NYTimes:

Cadillac's Allante Is Struggling to Find Its Niche

By JOHN HOLUSHA, Special to the New York Times
Published: November 16, 1987

The two-seater, $55,000 Allante model was billed as the ''new spirit of Cadillac'' when it was introduced last March. But judging from sales thus far, the spirit may still be willing, but consumer interest is weak.

Cadillac officials concede that they are disappointed by the sales figures, but insist that the Allante is accomplishing its primary goal: re-establishing the Cadillac brand as the equal of European models like Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Jaguar.

Read More: http://www.nytimes.com/1987/11/16/business/cadillac-s-allante-is-struggling-to-find-its-niche.html

This Allante club piece may have been the unnamed source for the 'Confusing ...' article? http://www.allante.4t.com/history.html

The Allante was the original LTS? (Luxury Two Seater)

[Bruce Nunnally]

Hemmings has a nice article here on topic: http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2013/09/30/lost-cars-of-the-1980s-cadillac-allante/

[cdgrinci]

The car bodies were flown from Italy to the Hamtramck assembly plant where they were installed on the chassis, not the other way around like the article states....

I was under the same impression but the last article Bruce linked (from Hemmings) verified the original article. The frames were sent to Italy where they were shortened and the body was assembled in the frame (along with accessories) then sent back to Detroit for powertrain and suspension.

In any case, I learned something today.

Edited May 26, 2014 by C&C

[KHE]

The car bodies were flown from Italy to the Hamtramck assembly plant where they were installed on the chassis, not the other way around like the article states....

I was under the same impression but the last article Bruce linked (from Hemmings) verified the original article. The frames were sent to Italy where they were shortened and the body was assembled in the frame (along with accessories) then sent back to Detroit for powertrain and suspension.

In any case, I learned something today.

That is the case - I thought the first article said the powertrains were sent to Italy. My mistake.

I do not recall hearing about Allantes with leaking roofs. The author's claims that GM wanted to handle the antilock brake issue themselves and the leaking roofs does not make sense - I worked for a major supplier to GM, Ford, Chrysler and Toyota for many years and there is no way the OEM would handle a supplier issue if they could make the supplier responsible.

The only reason Cadillac dropped the Allante is that the Eldorado and Seville changed platforms for 1992 so there was not a supply of subframes other than the bank they used for 1992 and 1993.

1993 was the best year for the Allante since it had the Northstar engine although the 4.5 engines were no slouch.

[Bruce Nunnally]

Yes, the 92 had better seats than the 93 I understand, so I always though a 92 with 4.5L might be preferable to the 93. This was also easier math when the 93s kept asking for $15K more than the 92 though. Now that they all have often come closer in price it would be a matter of which was in better condition.

[KHE]

Yes, the 92 had better seats than the 93 I understand, so I always though a 92 with 4.5L might be preferable to the 93. This was also easier math when the 93s kept asking for $15K more than the 92 though. Now that they all have often come closer in price it would be a matter of which was in better condition.

Strange that the seats would be changed from '92 to '93 - seems like the '92 seats would have been carried over until the end of production.

[Bruce Nunnally]

I agree, but the 87-92 had Recaros and the 93 got GM made seats as part of the 'upgrade', along with removal of the 'Cadillac' crest on the third brake light.

source

I was chatting with a car broker one evening (via twitter) and his perspective was "Every collector HAS to have an Allante", which has helped their values.

[KHE]

I agree, but the 87-92 had Recaros and the 93 got GM made seats as part of the 'upgrade', along with removal of the 'Cadillac' crest on the third brake light.

source

I'm not disputing the change in the seats - it almost seems like they planned on continuing the Allante but the plug got pulled. Usually in the last year of a production model year, there are only very minimal changes.