• The Allante's removable hardtop covers a sleek leather interior.Photos.com/Photos.com/Getty Images
  
  The 1989 Cadillac Allante is a luxury two-seat convertible built by General Motors and at its time was the most expensive new Cadillac model in the marque's history. The car was designed to compete with such cars as the Mercedes-Benz SL line, though it fell short of that car in performance. Cadillac did not produce or sell as many Allante models as it had projected. The car's steep $57,183 base price impacted sales, only 3,296 units for 1989.
  
  

Engine

• The Allante uses a 4.5-liter pushrod V8 with an aluminum block and cast iron head. The engine has a 3.62-by-3.31-inch bore and stroke and a 9.0-to-1 compression ratio. The 1989 model year marked the debut for this engine, which replaced the 1988 car's 4.1-liter unit. Power output is 200 horsepower at 4,300 rpm and 270 pound-feet of torque at 3,200 revolutions per minute (rpm).
  
  

Drivetrain and Chassis

• Cadillac was criticized by the automotive press for choosing a front-engine, front-wheel drive layout, whereas nearly all its luxury convertible competitors were rear-wheel drive. A four-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is found on all models. The suspension system uses MacPherson struts up front and struts out back with self-leveling technology. The car's suspension is adaptable to different driving styles, providing a compliant ride at low speeds while stiffening things up at highway cruising for increased stability. Braking is handled by front and rear discs with a Bosch III anti-lock braking system. The Allante came standard with 16-inch wheels wrapped in Goodyear 225/55VR16 tires.
  
  

Exterior and Interior

• The Allante was styled and partially built by Italian design firm Pininfarina, famous for its design work for Ferrari among other top-tier car manufacturers. The car is 178.6 inches long, 73.5 inches wide and 52.2 inches tall. Wheelbase is 99.4 inches with curb weight coming in at 3,492 pounds. The convertible's top is a removable metal hardtop painted in the body color, an uncommon design in the industry at the time. Inside are two leather-wrapped Recaro seats and soft-touch or leather trim on all surfaces. A cellular carphone was available with a retractable antenna providing better reception. The dash unit features an LCD display but kept with traditional analogue dials as well.
  
  

Performance

• Due to its larger and more powerful engine, the 1989 Allante is considerably quicker than the 1988 car. It will go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 8.3 seconds with top speed pegged at 135 mph. Fuel economy is rated at 15 miles per gallon in the city and 23 mpg on the highway.