These Were The Most Expensive Cars American Companies Made In The '90s - HotCars

Prices are often a very underrated aspect of the world. Today, most wouldn't blink at a car being offered for $25,000, especially a nice one. In the 1990s, that was a huge price that was out of the range of many customers. More than a few otherwise great cars have flopped because they couldn't achieve sales numbers as being too expensive. It's notable how today, several cars that were expensive in their own time can be found for a fraction of the price at used lots today.

Most of the expensive offerings in the '90s came from Japan or Europe as the U.S. tried to be more affordable for customers. Yet there were a few vehicles there rather pricey, some deservedly so and others...not. Adjusted for inflation, these are the ten most expensive cars American manufacturers put out in the '90s to marvel at what was once considered a costly ride.

10 1991 Cadillac Eldorado: (Original: $29,435, Today: $59,233.49)

While it didn't become the huge hit Cadillac hoped for, the 1990's Eldorado was still a great coupe. The 1992 version is probably the best, longer than other models, with the Northstar V8 boosting it to nearly 300 hp.

For the early '90s, the climate control, digital readouts, and controls were top-notch and upgraded the tech as the decade went on. Sadly, it couldn't keep up with the changing times and was outdated as soon as the decade ended, but it was a fun ride at a good price in its prime.

9 1991 Lincoln Continental Mark VII LSC: (Original: $29,987, Today: $60,344.31)

While introduced in the '80s, the Mark VII LSC got some nice upgrading for the '90s. It transformed a typical luxury coupe into more of a muscle car and not a bad one either in a decade when muscle machines were rough.

The key was trading the slower engine for a powerful 225-hp 5l V8 borrowed from Ford's Mustang GT. That was linked to some great new trims and firmer suspension. Surprisingly, it didn't last long into the decade, but for the price, it was an underrated muscle car from a surprising source.

8 1995 Lincoln Town Car Cartier: (Original: $32,678, Today: $63,121.43)

This even more luxurious offshoot of the classic Town Car, the Cartier took what made the Signature model work and upped the luxury with a nice trim. There was also an enhanced stereo and security system (back when those were still low-key) and could offer two-tone versions of the car.

The early '90s versions were more upscale with plush leather interiors, and the 4.6L V8 offered a respectable 190 hp. While not too fast due to the high curb weight, the price wasn't bad for a fun luxury machine.

7 1993 Lincoln Continental Signature Series: (Original: $31, 731, Today: $63,853.84)

One of the best turns on the Continental, the Signature Series didn't change too much from the 1980s but did embrace the decade's evolving technology. The early 90s moels were low in power, with the mid-90s ones offering up to 150 hp but still rather underpowered.

One would have expected a better ride for the high price as this felt more like a typical sedan with a few nice touches. It ended in 1994 as this wasn't quite the signature expected.

6 1990 Chrysler TC by Maserati: (Original: $33,550, Today: $67,514.31)

While It May Have Looked Like The Lebaron, The Actual Body Of The Chrysler TC By Maserati Came Built By Innocenti With Wheels From Fondmetal — Via Pinterest

One of the single biggest disasters in Chrysler's history, the TC was an attempt to combine the company's skills with the Italian manufacturer's style. Emphasis on the word "attempt." The car was ridiculously overpriced at nearly $35,000 when it had a weak 2.2l 4-cylinder and bad handling.

The TC, As In The Turbo Convertible, Looked Too Much Like The Existing Chrysler Lebaron, To Make It A Success — Via Road&Track

While it looked great, it failed to click with customers, and only the contracted minimum of 7300 were produced. The price played a big part in this being one of the biggest flops in company history.

5 1990 Buick Reatta Convertible: (Original: $35,545, Today: $71,528.94)

Surprisingly only lasting one year in 1990, the Buick Reatta Convertible was a good spin on the older coupe. It was Buick's first two-seater and so specialized it required its own separate factory to manufacture them.

The 3.8l V6 could get a strong 165-170 hp and the only Buick car with pop-up headlights. However, a combination of production issues and lower-than-expected demand (perhaps due to the high price) meant only ten thousand were produced for a unique experiment.

4 1991 Cadillac Fleetwood Sixty Special: (Original: 37,530, Today: $75,523.45)

One of the last of Cadillac's "Sixty Special" models, the 1990s Fleetwood variation altered some features from past models. Gone was the telescoping steering column, and the 1991 version also did away with the old slide-out storage drawer for a typical storage armrest.

The 4.5l V8 with 180 hp wasn't too bad, and the interiors did offer some nice luxury for a good ride. The last model rolled off in 1993, but for the time, just under $37,000 for a nifty luxury ride was a good price.

3 1992 Cadillac Seville STS: (Original: $36,320, Today: $79,691)

Not to be confused with the more modern STS, the Seville STS was Cadillac attempting to spark up a typical sedan with some European flavor. It worked, named Motor Trend's 1992 Car of the Year and selling over 43,000 models that year alone.

The power could run-up to a 4.9l V8 and zero to 60 in 6.9 seconds was impressive for a sedan of the time. It ran until 1997, and its not too bad price meant the STS was one of the better sedans of the '90s.

2 1992 Cadillac Allante: (Original: $58,470, Today: $109,611.04)

Maybe the Allante was always doomed by having a name chosen at random by a computer. There was also how the frames were constructed in Itlayy then shipped to Detroit, and the merging of the bodies never quite worked out.

It wasn't an awful car by any means, but the various engines felt underpowered, and it didn't shine well even after J.R. Ewing drove it on the Dallas TV show. The high price tag of $54,000 was too much and added to it being a costly flop for the company.

1 1990 Corvette ZR-1: (Original: $59,545, Today: $119,724.70)

red 1991 Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1 in a parking — Via youtube.com

It shouldn't be a surprise this was the hottest car any American company put on in the 1990s. The "Corvette From Hell" was a groundbreaker for supercars and as close to any Italian powerhouse as an American company could produce.

The 380-hp 5.7-liter LT5 DOHC V-8 was a stunner and placed in a gorgeous frame that allowed it to reach zero to 60 in less than five seconds, almost unheard of in 1990. At the time, just under sixty grand was a large price, but today, it would be a bargain for one of the best Corvettes ever.

Sources: thedailydrive.com, hagertys.com, hemmings.com, motor1.com

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Michael Weyer (150 Articles Published)

Long-time writer online on sports, celebs, entertainment, etc. Enjoy cars in movies and various TV shows (reality and fiction) and enjoying learning more about them even as I share that with others.