Almost forty years ago this was the ultimate object of my automotive lust. It was the best car in the world and one of the most beautiful ones, so naturally I wanted one. I’d been obsessed with Mercedes since my very youngest days; with the arrival of the SEC, I was utterly consumed by desire. I could have killed for one.
A few years later in 1989, the year this 560SEC was made, I could have easily written a 80k ($170k adjusted) check for one. But by then my lust had turned to apathy, bordering on repulsion. Funny how feelings can change, if you allow them to.
1981, the year that the sleek new Mercedes W126 SEC coupe arrived, was also the year I became General Manager of KSCI-TV in Los Angeles. I was only 28 and my salary was still quite modest, so a Mercedes, never mind an SEC, was utterly out of reach. So I settled for a cheap American facsimile.
Admittedly, my early lust for these was blunted a bit by the lack of a mission-appropriate power plant, as the initial US-market coupe only came in 380SEC form, with a 3.8L V8 making all of 155hp, or essentially the same as my lighter Thunderbird Turbo Coupe. That was just ok for 1982, but expectations were changing as the energy crisis receded from memory.
That led to a booming gray-market business for federalized 500SECs, along with other Mercedes models, all of which were in great demand in Southern California and elsewhere at the time.
When one of our biggest clients at KSCI showed up to take me to lunch in his new blue 500SEC, the surge of desire that came over me was very palpable, as if a blast of a hormone had been released in my body and was now coursing through my arteries and impacting every fiber of my being. It was almost too much to bear. I want this!
I remember every detail and sensation of that ride to a new yakitori restaurant in Beverly Hills—most of all my profound envy. How could this guy, a Japanese who bought a block of air time at KSCI to run Japanese-language programming, afford this? I found out all-too soon: he was a slick operator who specialized in entertaining corporate executives visiting from Japan in all manner of ways, including sleazy and illicit ones, resulting in fat advertising contracts. I didn’t tumble to this fully until after he had manipulated naive me too, in order to give him a block of better airtime that had been contracted to a competitor of his that he could then use to secure a daily news program from NHK in Japan.
His method was the same, in reverse: He took me to Japan and entertained me there. And I didn’t fully tumble to actual impact until I signed that contract and had to let the other guy know that he had been screwed. It was one of those painful loss of innocence moments after which you’re never quite the same. So this is how the business world actually works? And here I thought it was all done by objectively weighing the pros and cons.
In 1985 I left KSCI to start a new Spanish-language station (KVEA). My senior partner—who drove an S-Class sedan, naturally—negotiated five year employment contracts with our New York based financial backers that included a company-paid car, lease payments not to exceed $500 per month. Thanks to dropping interest rates, I was able to get a new W124 300E for a five year lease for $499/month. As it turned out, that seriously ruffled some feathers in New York even though it was within the $500 limit. Apparently they thought I had leased an S-Class, clearly an affront to their sense of where I fit into the corporate ladder at the age of thirty-two. S-Classes is what they drove, and they were the big shots, who all smoked big Cuban cigars in the meetings I attended in New York. I had to take my reeking suit off and hang it outside to air before Stephanie would let me in the house.
I finally had my Mercedes, and I loved it dearly. And thanks to its ultra-slippery shape, it was actually a few miles faster (140 mph vs. 137) than the 500SEC/SEL that Mercedes officially brought over starting in 1984, undoubtedly in response to the growing number of gray market 500’s. Given that it cost less than half as much as an SEC, my 300E was a very good compromise. My Mercedes itch was being well-scratched.
As much as I loved my superbly-sprung ride, my corporate ride was not nearly as smooth. Our real backer was the notorious financier Saul Steinberg, who made a fortune before the age of 40 through very aggressive takeovers and greenmail. Steinberg became famous for paying himself outrageously large sums from the public companies he controlled. As such, he was an influential factor in the dramatic increase in CEO and executive pay starting in the 1980s, which dramatically accelerated the growing inequality in the US. As other CEO’s saw what Steinberg was paying himself, they said why not me? Why not indeed. Who was going to stop them, when there was a very strong trickle-down effect in the board room, with board members and other officers and executives all happy to accept bigger salaries and look the other way.
Since 1979, CEO pay has increased by over 1000%, while pay for “average workers” increased by 11.9% since then. Back in 1965, CEOs average pay was 20 times that of average workers; now it’s closer to 300 times. It was a trend (along with some others that started in the 1980s) that I read about all-too often in the WSJ, and it made me increasingly uncomfortable. Undoubtedly my European background and my embrace of some pretty radical politics in my youth were the cause. That and seeing the lifestyle of the rich and famous play out in real time.
1989 was the was the final year of my five-year employment contract that had been negotiated by my senior partner, which included an annual bonus based on a certain percentage each year of the gross sales and net income of KVEA, back in LA, even though I was now running the start up station for Telemundo in San Jose. In the first couple of years, that didn’t amount to much. But KVEA turned out to be every bit as successful (and more) as I had projected in my original business plan. In 1988, that bonus was some $200k. And in 1989, it was close to $600k ($1.3 million adjusted). Yowza. How did I feel about that?
Probably not the way most guys at the age of 36 would feel about being handed a check for that amount. I remember the details perfectly: Ken, the station controller, popped his head in my office to tell me that New York had just approved the payment, and that he was going to have Maria, the accounts payable clerk, make up the check for me.
Maria was an angelically-sweet young Latina who had a grueling almost two-hour long commute (each way) from the little town of Hollister. Her salary then was about $18,000 a year or so. She was married and they were expecting their first baby. Like most of our Latina employees, her mom was going to take care of the baby while she was gone some twelve hours each day. Maria was always cheerful, polite, trustworthy and worked very diligently. I could not think of a better employee.
About twenty minutes later, Maria knocked at my open door, saying she had a check for me. A mix of embarrassment and shame came over me, and I struggled to make eye contact with her, as she handed me a check for some $490k (net of tax withholding). I felt like I owed her an explanation. Did she think this was connected to KSTS here in San Jose, which was still struggling to break even in its second year? And where we were always reining in costs? We were both trapped in a typical big boss – little employee situation, and there was no easy way out of it. We could only guess what the other was thinking, although I doubt she would guess mine. This is how the world worked, right?
The only words that stumbled out of my mouth were “thank you”, but they felt utterly awkward—never mind inappropriate—for the occasion. Thank you? That check represented some 33 times what she made in a year. And what exactly did I do to deserve it? Be white, tall, with hair and relatively good looking? And be at the right place at the right time with those attributes? Luck, in other words: Genetic, geographic and temporal.
Reality check: there’s no such thing as a “self-made man”.
Since the five -year company lease on my 300E ended now too, I could have just driven over to Stevens Creek Mercedes-Benz after work and written a check for the $80k ($170k) that this SEC cost by then. “The Best or Nothing”. Yup; these were mighty expensive at the time, just before Lexus came along and knocked Mercedes’ pricing strategy off its lofty perch. But it was going to be “nothing” for me.
More like an old cheap Volvo, actually. I knew that our next door neighbors and friends were going to be selling their 1984 Volvo 240 GL sedan. It was a low-mileage cream puff, and they were only asking $5,000 for it. Sure, I’ll take it. I’m over the whole Mercedes thing, and I’d rather bank the $450/month car allowance my new contract included.
By 1989 I had become increasingly uncomfortable with the corporate politics and most of all the embarrassing doings of Saul Steinberg, who celebrated his 50th birthday in 1989 with the world’s first million-dollar birthday party, which raised quite a few eyebrows in the process. Another key milestone in his colorful life. Then in 2000 his empire started to totally unravel, leaving him broke and having to borrow money from his mother, who eventually had to sue him for $5 million to try to get it back. A movie ending, except it would be hard to believe.
Meanwhile, I undoubtedly raised a few eyebrows when I showed up with the used Volvo at work a week or so later. Maria must have wondered…
I rather liked the Volvo; it was boxy, tall and rather narrow, so that was all good. The GL trim had very nice leather seats which were actually more comfortable then the 300E’s. The four cylinder and automatic made it poky in comparison, but it did the job for commuting just fine. I felt right at home in it.
The Mercedes was parked, waiting to be turned in to the leasing company. In an impulsive twinge of Mercedes-loss-to-be, I called the leasing company and made a really low ball offer; $12,500, IIRC. The lease was based on a significantly higher residual, so I figured they’d pass. But Lexus’ impact on the market forced Mercedes to lower the price on new W124s, and used prices were down some too. So they called back and said yes. And in a bit of back-sliding, I said yes.
Which meant that after only a week or so of rolling in a Volvo, I asked my neighbors if they wanted it back or whether I should sell it. As it turned out, they had a friend who was interested in it, so it all worked out ok. But I did own a Volvo 240 GL for a week, and part of me regrets not keeping it. It would have been perfect for Eugene—which the Mercedes was not—so it got sold before we moved up there in 1993.
So what did I do with all that money? Poured it into my new passion, our 1866 money-pit of a house in Los Gatos. It was pretty badly damaged after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, and I decided to go bonkers and expand it by 50% and restore it, after practically gutting it. The cost-plus estimate started out at $350k; I ended up spending almost twice that amount. It was going to be our forever house, but the corporate life is almost never forever. Mine ended abruptly in 1992, and that whole story is here. I had to sell it at a loss, but the rest of it ended up in all of the rentals we know own in Eugene: one money pit turned into a dozen money-makers. A much better way to invest in real estate.
So that’s my story about the W126 SEC. Turns out that what I so desperately wanted when I couldn’t afford it wasn’t wasn’t compelling anymore once I did have the money a few years later. I was coming to see that money could buy something a lot more compelling now: the freedom to live like I really wanted to, doing the things I really wanted to be doing. Buying expensive cars is too much like taking drugs: a poor facsimile of the real deal.
Which of course explains why I’m doing this instead of buying a Land Cruiser.
Enough about me; since this is ostensibly a CC too, let’s pay our respects to my former lust object, and a well-used one at that. The funny thing is how utterly modest and understated it looks now, given that this was about the most effective way to convey wealth and status next to a Roller or Ferrari back in its day. Cars have gotten so loud and cartoonish. It’s much harder to get noticed than it was in 1982.
For 1986, the S-Class got a bit of updating, with aero 15″ alloy wheels (this one has aftermarket wheels), integrated aero headlights with those nifty wipers, and some other external details.
But the most significant one was under the hood, where the 5.5 L SOHC V8 now resided, making 238 hp @5200 rpm and 287 lb.ft of torque @3500 rpm. This put it in the sweet spot for American drivers, who much prefer the instant urge a big torque-rich engine provides than the maximum top speed that Europeans used to obsess on.
The interior was updated too, with a new pattern on the leather upholstery, door trim and a lighter shade of wood trim, if I’m not mistaken. There were a number of different functional differences too, including ABS, air bags, and all the other goodies that were hot stuff in 1986 and long ago became standard on the cheapest Hyundai.
I couldn’t see the odometer, but from the wear on that arm rest, I’m guessing this SEC has seen a few miles roll under its svelte body. That or someone likes to chew on leather arm rests. Maybe they were trapped in one of LA’s traffic jams and got really hungry.
True confessions: this is another reason I wouldn’t have bought one of these, given that I was a family man. The rear seat was tight, thanks to a 5.5″ reduction in wheelbase, all of it at the expense of rear leg room. No wonder the upholstery still looks like new back there.
So how did it feel, encountering my former lust object in the street that day? It provoked a lot of mixed feelings and memories, ones that I haven’t thought about in a while. It’s so low-key and understated, I could see myself in one; it’s just another old beater Mercedes. There’s something to be said for fulfilling an old desire.
But there’s also something to be said of being free of old desires and having new ones, and fulfilling them.
Related reading (curiously we’ve never had a comprehensive W126 CC):
CC Capsule: 1987 Mercedes 560 SEL B. Saur
AB: Mercedes 300E and the Birth of KVEA and Telemundo
AB: Moving On, To Moving Houses
Great article. I like the way you mix your personal life and business feelings with a former lust object. Fully agree on the dubious growing gap between a “normal” employee’s salary and a CEO’s salary (plus a large package number of shares).
I remember these SECs when they appeared new. I was studying at an automotive university and as expected most students were in awe of the new Mercedes. Not me. I always, still do, find them too big and bulky, no finesse. Yes I could see there was a good line in it but somehow it is lacking a lot in elegancy. So unlike the (even then already old) Jaguar XJS. When you see an old XJS it still oozes elegancy and style.
Now when you see a SEC one it is just an old Mercedes, usually fitted with blackened windows, too big wheels and chrome wheel arches.
Just my opinion of course.
There is so much goodness in this.
Thank you.
The CEO pay differential is only a preview of what’s in store for us. As Klaus Schwab of the World Economic Forum has said about the year 2030, “you will own nothing and like it”.
Get back to us in 2030.
I’m ready.
Really enjoyed this post, Paul. I’m with you on both the pay gaps evident today, and the real value of having a luxury car. I’ve never owned or leased a premium vehicle, but I’ve driven multiple Benzes and Bimmers on business trips. Although they are objectively nice, the exerience of driving them is to me not worth 20K-40K more than the experience of driving a well-equipped Toyota, Ford, or Skoda. That being said I’m glad the premium brands are around and that there are people who can appreciate them, if anything just to add some variety to the roads.
As for this particular SEC, I really like it in its worn but still quite driveable state. I could picture myself taking a coast to coast trip in it…long as it doesn’t break down somewhere like Last Chance, CO. Just goes to show that even the most premium rides depreciate into beaters. The depreciation rate of the SEC versus a contemporary 240 must be something. But as said, I’m glad this one is still rolling.
These are the type of stories I keep returning to CC for. Beautifully written Paul.
Sort of a “the one that got away” scenario we look back on, and in this case the regret is not there, even though the car had held up relatively well. The world had moved on (and before it did, you and your outlook had).
An inspirational start to the morning 👍
When this Benz coupe debuted; I owned a 1972 250-C coupe. I was less than happy with the jerky 4 speed automatic transmission and the barely adequate for New Orleans air conditioner that had all the sophistication of a Sears & Roebuck unit…but loved the svelte coupe’s interior, exterior lines, quick stopping and crisp handling and the pull of the in-line six cylinder engine.
I briefly lusted after this new 560 Benz coupe. But the more I stared at it I started seeing the roofline and overall shape of my brother’s 1966 Ford Fairlaine 500 2 door hardtop.
My automotive lust for this new MB quickly faded.
I enjoy these stories of past Paul. Quite a different guy in a different time. I guess I could see you in the 560 now, but the little xB bumping down a trail is perfectly you at this point.
An enjoyable article Paul. Thanks for sharing a part of your biography once more. I agree with you in todays pay gaps. I heard during business studies that since the 80s some things, like pay gaps and a ceo’s focus only on shareholder value, went wrong.
As for the car, I’m with you that cars have gotten loud and cartoonish. Thats why I prefer older ones, even if the 126 coupe and sedan, too, in my opinion are a bit bulky and less elegant than its predecessors (and Jags of course)
I’ve had my own “Maria moments” on both sides of the desk and it’s shaped my worldview as well, more so the older I get. Those moments though seem to for the most part only be recognized when either by choice or circumstance one has been on the other side.
It’s not wrong to lust for something, and the actual object is immaterial, depending on one’s situation it can either be a new 560SEC if in a 5year old W124 or it can be a ten year old Camry if you ride the bus. It just depends on the individual’s circumstance and relativity to it.
It’s still a gorgeous car, but now attainable to anyone with a little bit of manual skill and access to the internet for parts and YouTube.
These autobiographical posts are always a great read, and always thought provoking. It goes without saying that they chronicle a life continuing to be well lived.
Anyone whose priorities don’t change over time isn’t growing, IMO. If I found myself flush with cash tomorrow I can’t possibly imagine that an expensive car or a luxury home or anything customarily aspirational would be on my short list. I like to see that as progress, because as one who finished college in 1990 my young adult years made me a prime candidate to be a first class conspicuous consumer. Indeed, through my 30’s I probably aspired to be just that in many ways.
Every day I feel just a little more grateful for the tidbits of wisdom that age brings.
I love it when you tell stories like this.
Once again, another logical, well researched and photographed entry from Paul that tells us more than the title would suggest.
I am always gratified to read Paul’s entry here.
Sort of like that old girlfriend you run into again, after all those years. You appreciate her for who she is, but are also glad that you went your separate ways.
What fascinating stories. This is the sort of thing that makes me wish curbside classic were a book. You certainly have an amazing breadth of life experiences and write about them movingly.
This mercedes was back when mercedes really meant something; they hadn’t moved downmarket and there wasn’t any real competition. No Lexus, and cadillac and lincoln were stamping out caprices and crown vics in fancy dress. This car cost a king’s ransom back then.
It’s interesting how our tastes in cars and how much we are willing to spend on what changes over time. As I get older it seems as though my tasted become simpler as I realise that $1 spent more on a car yields nothing in 5 years whereas $1 invested wisely yields $2 or $3 in five years. As a callow youth, I would have been bowled over by a fancy car, now i don’t care. Is that maturity?
The ’80s lust for an SEC was justified and I also had it. I’d have taken a 380SEC.
This car made an strong impact. It was just so much a better design than any other executive class coupe that could have been bought in 1982 (admittedly for much less). Compare/contrast: Lincoln Mark VI; Cadillac Eldorado; Buick Riviera; Jaguar XJS. Only a BMW 635 could be nearly as satisfying.
This was the high point of Mercedes design and was the work of Bruno Sacco. The theme of taut lines, aerodynamics and discrete (even spartan) luxury is the mark to me and that was found throughout his 126, 201, 124 and 129 models. SEC is the pinnacle of Sacco.
I don’t want one any longer either but the car does still look fresh and the simple, logical interior inviting after 39 years.
Paul, I’m always quite amazed at your revelations in life and the courage of your convictions. I have never had anywhere near the financial success you’ve had, but as a similarly naive person in the business world, I’ve been shocked and amazed when I discover how things actually work.
I’ve also become uninterested in expensive cars over time. When I was young, my father spent vast sums on German cars (Mercedes mostly and BMWs as well), and I did lust after them. But as I grew older I started to be a little sick when I thought about the waste of all that depreciating investment in objects that will pass away from our lives.
I’ve never had the means to consider a truly expensive car, but I’m sure there have been times I could have afforded an Audi rather than a VW or a Lincoln rather than a Ford. But it never even occurred to me to want to spend more for that type of vehicle. More inexpensive vehicles are still hugely expensive!
Yes.
Over the years, friends have expected me to pay more for cars than I do, because cars interest me – or expect me to be impressed by some new car.
As a kid I took it for granted that my parents drove new cars and that some relatives drove Mercedes or Jaguars, and now it blows my mind. When I see someone driving a newish S Class or something, I wonder just how rich they must be.
I’d have to be a multi millionaire before I’d even consider it, and even then I’d feel I should spend it on something more sensible – which includes almost everything.
You left out the part, where you managed to cough up a nice bonus for Marla. The used Volvo eased your guilt, at least a little huh?
Paul made it clear that the bonus was related to his previous work in LA, and the station in Northern California did not have the resources to support bonuses. In fact, he mentioned the no Cal station was in the process of budgetary belt-tightening.
The fact that the two organizations were seeing significantly different financial returns only increased his discomfort.
I will join the chorus of praise for this well-told story of cars and growth. I remember having a bad case of Benz-Fever in 1984-85 and was amazed at the prices these things commanded. And, having grown up with a father who had a series of very expensive Lincolns in the early 70s (when Lincolns were still very expensive but being passed by Mercedes as a prestige car) I get coming to terms with it still being just a car at the end of the day. I have yet to have an adult interest in cars at the upper end of the scale.
On the CEO pay ratios, I would add one footnote that makes apples-to-apples comparisons difficult. In the 60s marginal tax rates were very high and execs were paid indirectly by a lot of fringe benefits instead of a lot of cash. That situation turned around by the late 80s to where many of those old benefits were no longer deductible to the companies and cash-pay became the go-to. But the main point is well taken that the gap is larger now than it once was, even if not by the magnitude the statistics purport to show.
The freedom to do what one feels like doing is more luxurious than any car, or any tangible possession for that matter. Once again a nice philosophical article Paul.
It’s always better to be rich and look poor than the other way around …
Money just has too much power.
As long as I can remember I have tried to limit how much power it has in my personal life.
I need it as does everyone, but I never loved it and don’t value it for it’s own sake.
I resent that it has so much never-ending power over all people and the planet itself.
Money and family doesn’t mix.
I give or don’t give. I never take or give loans to family. Loaning money has no place for me with regards to family. If I have some and someone needs it, I’ll just give it. Not that there’s that much to give. I have dropped friends because of their overvaluing (to me) of money.
I’ve been married for 30 years and may not have as much material as I’d like, but if we split tomorrow I wouldn’t care about any of the stuff.
Not worth 5 minutes of peace of mind to me.
And I always overtip. Its just a few bucks and really cheers someone up. Those few bucks can make someone’s day. If everyone shared just a little more, it would eventually come back to you and everyone would be happier and the net amount would even out. And if not who cares anyway? Not me. Screwed up system for that to be the means to and the end itself, and all in-between.
My whole life people have been cheap with me.
Petty. Greedy. Shortsighted. Family, friends, employers, most everyone. So instead of being bitter about it I just have a different value system. I could give a rat’s ass about someone’s credit rating. What a crap way to judge someone. I don’t mean for financing purposes or business, but I’ve had friends who value that exact thing for judging the character of a person as a friend or even a spouse.
For the record I am actually very efficient with money. I dont think I’ve ever bounced a check. I have absolutely no debt but I also don’t have any credit. I dont want it. That’s the world’s value system, not mine. F-that.
Ive known many people who are cutthroat in their lives and to others with money. Small amounts of money. Obsessing over it constantly. Losing marriages over it. It’s stupid to me.
I’m feeling a bit hippie-y today I guess.
Lecture over. 😀
Bravo! Oyez! Preach it!
How many pillarless coupes were around in the 80’s–and now?
Never a fan of those headlights and wipers.
I know the RR Wraith still does a pillarless design, and the departing S-Class Coupe did. Any others?
There are many places on the web that one can find facts and articles about autos. Here though is another story about life interweaved with the car, which makes CC head and shoulders above the rest. Thank you Paul for going beyond the facts and sharing a piece of yourself.
Until about 10 years ago I lived in Greektown in Toronto (Danforth). As there a lot of tradesmen in the area, Astro vans were the most common vehicles parked on our street. However, in the last couple of years before we moved two cars almost identical to the subject of this column appeared. There must have been a couple of guys who loved this model and finally the price had come down far enough and their financial position had improved enough for the two to meet. I hope they were able to manage the maintenance on aging Mercedes and they were able to enjoy them.
…or not really quite very federalised at all. The American grey market was a crapmess of shoddily hacked cars and sleazy vultures and unsafe, polluting cars. See here and here and here for three pretty beard-raising articles on the subject.
Funny you should mention grey-market cars below that second pic, though, of the blue car: someone has installed rest-of-world taillight lenses on American-spec housings. The rest-of-world lens doesn’t have the red sidemarker lens and reflex reflector we see on the other cars at the leading edge of the outboard wraparound. The rest-of-world housing doesn’t have a sidemarker bulb socket.
So with this mixmatch, the rear sidemarker is a light only, not a reflector, and it shines amber. That’s not legal or safe in North America. It would be nearly legal in Europe and elsewhere; sidemarkers and side reflectors aren’t required on passenger cars, and if they’re present the rear one may be amber or red. But there’s no homologation (type-approval) for a sidemarker, so a sharp-eyed vehicle inspector in one of the more stringent countries could nix it on that basis.
(whoever done it on this blue car has also fiddled with the innermost red compartment—a rear fog lamp on European models, not used on US models. Looks like they’ve cobbled it into the taillight circuit.)
I’m shocked… SHOCKED to discover an illegal vehicle modification on US streets.
Your take on cars, finances and life in general seeps through this site and its contributors and commenters. And that really is what makes this site special to a car guy. On your average car site hyper expensive classic and new cars are talked about as if it’s normal or somehow rational to lust after those. Here cars are valued by other parameters than their pissing match credentials. Most importantly they’re contextualized, they are one of many parts of people’s lives and passions. That’s really special.
And like the rest of the good folks above, I am very much aligned with your development. Money is fantastic, but not in and of themselves. Money can be traded for freedom – like being able to quit your job or travel or help out those who need it more or something else. But you only have that freedom if you don’t tie up money in loan payments and the like. Chasing money in itself quickly becomes a bit hollow because in and of itself money actually doesn’t have any value.
It was the go-go 80’s, Gorden Gekko’s Wall Street and all that. You were in the right place at the right time. Good for you! While I have always had a pretty good job, I never approached ( by many multiples!) that kind of financial success. I have learned that no matter how hard your job is, it has nothing to do with what you are paid. While I imagine that many high paid executives work hard for their salary, so do a greater number of low paid manual laborers. So is the Way of the World. But let’s get back to cars.
The SEC was just a coupe version of the S class sedan but somehow the final result was more than a sum of it’s parts. I have always thought that it was just the right size, small enough to be a personal sporty car, but still big enough to be impressive. It was never a caricature like a post ’71 Eldorado or Mark IV or V. It presented itself as a serious automobile and I also lusted for it. I had it on my list of cars to own once depreciation brought it within my reach. I looked at a few on used car lots and finally drove one that 10-12 years old. It wasn’t the best example as the suspension had seen better days and it seemed pretty weak compared to my Northstar Cadillac STS. Like so many fading icons, the rest of the automotive world had caught up to it’s standards, and passed it by. That’s not to diminish the impact that it had in it’s time. Even today, I’ll still hunt for listings on CL, but I don’t think that I’m ever going to buy one. Why couldn’t the Riviera have been this size?