Latest news with #Oldsmobile
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
These Cars From the '70s are Now Worth More Than Ever
The 1970s began with some of the most exciting muscle cars and supercars ever built. By the end of the decade, new emissions rules and rising fuel prices created what many call the Malaise Era. Yet despite that, several 1970s models have seen their values climb dramatically. To assemble this list, we verified each car's original sticker price and adjusted for inflation using the official U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics calculator. We then compared those numbers to average private sale prices from and recent auction results reported by Hagerty and Bring a Trailer. The cars in this curated article have been selected because, well, they're worth more than ever! I first checked around for 1970s cars with a hefty price tag, but we wanted it to be more specific than that. To make sure they were truly worth "more than ever," I checked each car's original selling price for that year and checked how much that would be in today's money due to inflation. After crying a bit, I compiled a list of cars that have skyrocketed in price due to their rarity, good looks, or just how desirable they are to collectors. The average prices in this article were provided by and the cars were selected based on their distinct style, rarity, and interesting backstories. Original Selling Price: $3,999 ($31,946 in today's money). A blend of style and power that embodied the muscle car madness of the 1960s and 1970s, the Oldsmobile 442 attempted to compete with the Pontiac GTO. In the early 1970s, new emissions standards slowed things down, and GM stated that all engines should have reduced compression and power ratings. Enter the 1972 Oldsmobile 442, which introduced a W30 package with 310 horsepower and a Ram Air induction system. According to Muscle Cars Illustrated, Hi-Performance Cars Magazine recorded a 14.37-second quarter-mile at 98 mph behind the wheel of the '72. This made it the second-fastest muscle car of the year. Today, the 1972 Oldsmobile 442 is a highly desired collectible car, which is reflected in its price tag. Original price: $10,000 ($80,171 in today's money). This 1970s supercar could easily be confused with a Ferrari from the same era, with racecar-inspired curves, a boxy body, and pop-up headlights. However, a similar-looking Ferrari of that decade — the 365 GT — was selling for over $20,000 back then — more than double. The De Tomaso has an impressive performance that measures up today. According to the Audrain Automobile Museum, it had a Ford 351 Cleveland V8 engine, but Jalopnik's Kristen Lee claims it's quite difficult to drive. Original Price: $72,200 ($442,182 in today's money). Marcello Gandini was tasked with designing a supercar even more fantastic than the Miura of the late 1960s — and he definitely succeeded with the Countach. Car and Driver notes its outrageous features like scissor doors and groove cuts in the roof. Its dramatically slanted and narrowed front is a standout feature to me, giving it that "this is what the future of cars will look like" vibe from the '70s and '80s. (Unfortunately, they were wrong.) This prestigious and collectible supercar is unsurprisingly seen at auction going for millions these days, but if you're brave enough to drive such an expensive car, you're in for quite the experience, said Road & Track. Original Price: $4,180 ($19,528 in today's money). Some of the best cars of the 1970s were not American muscle cars, as proven by the Datsun 260Z, one of Nissan's many Z-cars. With a slightly increased engine size over the 240Z, the 260Z had a short-lived run in America from 1974 to the end of 1978. According to Hagerty, Nissan sold 450,000 Z cars in the United States from 1969 to 1978, but most are long gone, so it's a pretty rare car to come across today. When looking for a 260Z, avoid the 2+2. This was a unique seat configuration offered with the 260Z that was unpopular back then and is still undesirable now. The market value of the 2+2 is very low, with parts being difficult to come by and nobody really fitting in the backseats except children. But who's using a Datsun 260Z to drive children around? Let's be real. Original Price: $4,000 ($29,960 in today's money). The original Aston Martin Vantage is often referred to as "Britain's first supercar." According to Autoevolution, that's all thanks to a 300+ hp 5.3-liter V8 engine that got the sporty coupe up to 60 mph in less than 6 seconds and boasted a top speed of 170 mph. The 1973 Aston Martin Vantage wasn't just fast but also extremely stylish, with a prominent hood scoop, leather bucket seats, and a complex dashboard. It gives collectors a more refined option but with the same power as a muscle car of the same decade. In other words, it's a snobby British car, but it deserves to be. Original Price: $10,000 ($77,635 in today's money). Dyler tells us that the Maserati Bora is a rare supercar from the '70s. This was Maserati's first mid-engine road car, with the U.S. imports featuring a 4.9-liter V8 with 310 hp, shooting it to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds and reaching a top speed above 170 mph. It may not be the fastest car of the decade, but the attention to detail of its design has made it unreachable. The Bora had a wedge-shaped body with a stainless steel roof panel for artistic contrast. According to Hagerty, it also had a mid-mounted engine, adding to the car's focus on sportiness and luxury. From 1971 to 1979, only 500 Maserati Bora cars made it to the United States. Original Price: $28,780 ($156,977 in today's money). A 1977 issue of Car and Driver found the Ferrari 308 GTB to be an overall rewarding driving experience, with a surprisingly comfortable cockpit that doesn't hinder the car's performance. Only 12,000 308s were ever made, and just 712 of them have fiberglass bodies. It has a 3.0-liter V8 mid-engine that produces 240 hp and an iconic modern appearance that puts the 308 GTB ahead of its time. Pop-up headlights and an angular wedge shape set the Ferrari 308 GTB apart. But let's be real, the value lies in it being a Ferrari. That will always cost you, no matter what year. Original Price: $3,720 ($31,401 in today's money). This is the epitome of a classic muscle car with an iconic fastback body and the performance to match. Back in the '70s, MotorTrend journalist Steve Kelly reported that the Boss had a 302 V8 engine with 290 hp that pushed a quarter mile in 14.64 seconds. But it thrives on the streets and the track after all these years. Despite being a pretty affordable car back in the day, the Mustang is part of classic Americana now. The 1970s were the decade of the muscle car, so it's no surprise that the Boss has become a pretty pricey '70s car for collectors and muscle car enthusiasts. Original Price: $17,000 ($104,115 in today's money). This is the sickest car on the list; I don't care what anybody says. FCA Heritage, a site dedicated to sharing Lancia's rich history, teaches us that the Lancia Stratos HF took over rally racing in the 1970s, known as the first car specifically built for the infamous Group B class. Its focus on rally racing gave the Lancia Stratos HF a unique look, including a short wheelbase, a fiberglass body, and an extreme wedge-shaped body. What started as a win at the 1974 World Rally Championship resulted in plenty more victories, making this a high-performance car with the records to back it up. Original Price: $4,446 ($33,301 in today's money). called the Trans Am Super Duty 455 the "end of the muscle car era." Despite the stricter emissions regulations after 1970, the Trans Am Super Duty 455 attempted to power through it with a 290-hp 7.5-liter V8 engine. To go along with its defiant performance, the Trans Am featured a shaker hood and the iconic "screaming chicken" hood decal. Its iconic status means it's now a highly sought-after classic, which is reflected in the prices. Original Price: $13,000 ($97,372 in today's money). What car list is complete without a 911? Porsche says the 911 was released in 1963, and it's remained a staple in car culture ever since. In the 1970s, they had the Porsche 911 Carrera RS, with 1973 being the last year of the first generation. With a design and performance focused on racing, this is now one of the most respected and sought-after 911s ever. The Porsche 911 Carrera RS featured a 2.7-liter flat-six engine with 210 hp. Its exterior had a ducktail spoiler and wide rear wheels, and a race-focused suspension kept it agile during track sessions or spirited canyon drives. Original Price: $3,500 ($28,937.69 in today's money) Few cars capture the drama of 1970 better than the Hemi 'Cuda drop-top. Plymouth built just 14 left-hand-drive convertibles equipped with the 426-cubic-inch Hemi V8, making them rarer than many European exotics of the era. Back in 1970, the sticker price was about $3,500, and today one sold at auction for nearly $2 million. What makes the Hemi 'Cuda so special isn't just the engine's legendary roar; it's the combination of blistering straight-line speed, genuine factory documentation, and the thrill of owning one of the rarest American convertibles ever offered. Original Price: $3,800 ($31,418.07 in today's money) When buyers wanted brute force in 1970, few cars answered like the Chevelle SS 454. Under the long hood sat a big-block V8 displacing 454 cubic inches and packing up to 450 horsepower in the LS6 configuration. Originally priced around $3,800, a well-preserved LS6 Chevelle now commands over $150,000 at auction. Enthusiasts prize the Chevelle's combination of glamorous Chevrolet styling, muscle-car credentials, and that deep burble you can feel through the steering wheel. Original Price: $3,535 ($29,227.07 in today's money) Dodge's Challenger R/T paired iconic '70s flair with a triple-carburetor 440 cubic-inch V8 that pumped out solid mid-400-horsepower numbers. The 'Six Pack' setup gave drivers instant throttle response and a unique engine note that still turns heads. Priced around $3,500 when new, matching-numbers Six Pack Challengers now sell for more than $120,000 in excellent condition. Collectors love the way the Challenger balances everyday drivability with genuine drag-strip credentials. Original Price: $26,700 ($150,531.22 in today's money) Porsche shook the sports-car world in late 1975 by adding a turbocharger to its proven 911 platform. The result was the 930 Turbo with roughly 260 horsepower, a distinctive 'whale-tail' spoiler to keep the rear planted, and that unforgettable spooling whistle under hard acceleration. At launch, it cost about $26,000 — close to double the price of a naturally aspirated 911 — and today, early 930s regularly fetch six-figure sums, often north of $300,000. Drivers praise the combination of raw punch, razor-sharp steering, and air-cooled charm that only a true 1970s Porsche can deliver. Original Price: $13,500 ($80,496.89 in today's money) BMW built the 3.0 CSL to win in European touring-car racing, fitting it with aerodynamic bodywork, aluminum panels, and lightened components. Its aggressive fender flares, giant rear wing, and roof-mounted spoiler earned it the 'Batmobile' nickname long before superhero movies made that term famous. Original buyers paid around $13,500, and today these cars go for nearly $300,000 at auction. Collectors covet the Batmobile for its blend of race-ready hardware, sculptural design, and the knowledge that it helped establish BMW's motorsport legacy. Original Price: $27,000 ($154,950 in today's money). With inflation, the Silhouette was technically worth more back in the day than it is now. But there's no denying that this car is worthy of the "expensive '70s car" title. It's gonna be hard to get your hands on the Lamborghini Silhouette. which currently has no 1975 Lamborghini Silhouettes for sale, reports that only 54 of this special car were ever produced — and two were prototypes. Lambo Cars claims this makes it one of Lamborghini's rarest cars, but it started out as an "affordable" model created out of desperation during a time when the company was struggling. This was Lamborghini's first car with a removable targa roof that could be stored behind the rear seats. It has a rear-mid-mounted 3.0-liter V8 producing 265 hp, giving it a top speed of 160 mph. Original Price: $6,118 ($51,644 in today's money). Here's another example of a classic car from the '70s that will set you back to purchase but is technically a steal if you calculate inflation. The Cadillac De Ville series rolled onto the car market in 1965 and found its own by 1970. This is the most desirable year for car collectors, according to Hagerty. It featured a nice styling upgrade that added to its luxurious design appeal, and the prominent and angular hood was home to a 500-cid V8 engine, the largest displacement V8 on the market. The 1970 Cadillac De Ville is notorious for being a bit of a gas guzzler, but that's the price you pay for power. By 1971, GM introduced "a new era of smog-controlled engines," reducing the hp and torque of the De Ville. But this model lives on. Still crying about inflation? Me too. Still crying about how expensive these stunning cars are now? Me too. While there's virtually zero chance that most of us will ever own any of them, it's still fun to take a look at some of the most desired cars from the 1970s and see what collectors are willing to pay for these beloved classics today. Read More: Overlooked, Underpriced, and Built to Thrill—These Cars Are Hiding in Plain Sight Fast, Fun, and (Maybe) Profitable: Sports Cars That Might Pay You Back
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Yahoo
El Cajon man convicted of luring victims, including teen, into prostitution
El Cajon man convicted of luring victims, including teen, into prostitution (Above: Nexstar Media Wire video on how to spot signs of human trafficking) SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — A federal jury has convicted an El Cajon man of attempting to coerce people into prostitution, including a 14-year-old girl, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of California. Authorities said Steven Terrell Lewis, 39, used his vehicle to trap a 14-year-old girl on the sidewalk as she was walking to a friend's house on the afternoon of April 22, 2024. Then, he snatched her cellphone to get her phone number. Lewis then began sending the girl sexually explicit text messages before she could block his number. Three CBP officers accused of allowing undocumented migrants to enter US The following day, on April 23, Lewis continued to text the teen using a phone number that was different from the first. Authorities said he messaged her using TextFree, a mobile application and web service. After he sent the teen a sexually explicit photo and invited her to 'go get some money,' the girl immediately notified a coach at her high school, the attorney's office stated. Officials from the El Cajon Police Department and San Diego County Sheriff's Office responded after hearing of the situation. About a week later, on April 28, Lewis recruited a 22-year-old woman for prostitution through a site called MegaPersonals. According to the authorities, Lewis sent a ride-share vehicle to take the woman to Roosevelt Avenue in National City, which is colloquially referred to as 'the blade,' for paid sex work. An undercover National City police officer who was pretending to be a commercial sex buyer picked up the woman on April 29 and offered her resources to leave prostitution. Despite this, Lewis continued contacting the adult victim with threatening messages from both of the phone numbers he had used to text the 14-year-old girl. Officers from the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force began to watch Lewis and searched his vehicles, home and belongings. He was subsequently arrested on May 16, 2024. Lewis was driving two vehicles registered under his name during the time of the encounters, authorities said. They were a white, four-door 1996 Oldsmobile with California license plate number '3TIF671' and a brown or beige-colored, four-door 1986 Chevrolet with California license plate number '1REC517.' Photos of both vehicles can be found below. One of the vehicles driven by Steven Terrell Lewis. One of the vehicles driven by Steven Terrell Lewis. According to authorities, the victims did not know each other. They believe Lewis may have had other potential victims after a photo of a handwritten note by a possible concerned parent was found on Lewis' phone. The note read, in part, 'If I find out one more time that this car is following my daughter down Graves Ave we will have a problem.' Lewis was charged with 10 years-to-life in prison for attempted coercion/enticement of a minor and 15 years-to-life for attempted sex trafficking by force/coercion. His sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 1. Investigators are asking anyone who has had an encounter with Lewis, or knows who may have written the note, to contact the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
Bloomberg
11-04-2025
- Automotive
- Bloomberg
The Key to Teenagers' Lost Confidence Is a BMW Racetrack
I made a vow 22 years ago, while slaloming a BMW Z4 convertible between traffic cones — my jaws clenched, my shirt drenched with sweat, my knee bruised from shoving it against the car door. Invoking whatever Car Gods preside over the BMW Performance Center in Spartanburg, South Carolina, I swore: If I survive and have offspring, I'm making them take this class before they get their license. My three days at BMW's driving school — on a racetrack rather than regular roads — forever changed the way I drove. I was 33 at the time, and no one had taught me the basic physics of operating a motor vehicle. That might be why I'd gotten into three accidents and received two speeding tickets within my first year of having a license. Perhaps I wouldn't have slammed into that concrete divider on the Long Island Expressway at 70 miles per hours if someone had explained the difference between video games and a 1984 Oldsmobile station wagon. At BMW, I learned how to approach a curve, correct oversteering, avoid target fixation and adjust my side mirrors so there's no blind spot.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Yahoo
One dead after rollover crash on I-93 in New Hampshire
A 26-year-old New Hampshire man is dead after a rollover crash on I-93 Tuesday night. Around 6:16 p.m. New Hampshire State Troopers responded to a crash on I-93 just south of Exit 40. Responding troopers found a 1999 Oldsmobile Intrigue with extensive damage. An initial investigation determined the Oldsmobile driver was traveling south on I-93 when the vehicle left the road and crossed into the median where it rolled over several times, according to New Hampshire State Police. The Oldsmobile driver, Thomas Oakes, 26, of Bethlehem, was thrown from the car during the crash and was pronounced deceased at the scene. The crash is still under investigation and anyone with information that may assist the investigation is asked to contact Trooper Jacob Thomas at (603) 846-3333 or to email Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Oldsmobile Cutlass Faces Off Against Pontiac GTO in Classic Muscle Car Drag Duel
⚡️ Read the full article on Motorious A pair of rare GM muscle cars roared back to life at the Pure Stock Muscle Car Drag Race series, where a 1968 Oldsmobile Cutlass W31 and a 1972 Pontiac GTO 455 H.O. lined up for a nostalgic showdown that was as much about history as horsepower. On paper, it was a close matchup: the Oldsmobile, a lightweight contender with its high-revving 350-cubic-inch W31 small block, faced off against the brute force of the GTO's big-block 455 H.O., known for its torque-heavy delivery. Despite the W31's higher-compression 325 hp rating, its figures were based on the pre-1971 gross measurement. The GTO's 300 hp was net-rated, but its torque advantage—415 lb-ft versus 390—made up for any perceived deficit. With both cars equipped with four-speed manuals and extremely limited production numbers—742 W31s in 1968 and just 310 GTOs in this spec in 1972—the matchup was a rare sight on the strip. The opening race saw both cars cross the line at nearly identical speeds—97 mph—with the Olds eking out a win after the GTO jumped the start. But in the second heat, traction issues for the W31 gave the Pontiac a clear edge, allowing it to clock a 14.25-second pass to the Oldsmobile's slower response. With the rubber cooling and the score tied, the final run crowned the GTO the victor, pulling ahead by over half a second. It was a fitting win for the heavyweight, even if the Olds had put up a surprisingly strong fight. Both cars may have been slightly upgraded within Pure Stock rules, but the spirit of Detroit's golden muscle car era was unmistakable—brutal launches, close quarters, and the unforgettable wail of uncorked V8s battling for dominance.
