1987 Tweaks and Changes: Camaro, Supra, Prelude, Daytona, Escort,190E, Grand Am | Retro Review

A quick look at the improvements made to the following vehicles for the 1987 model year.
@ 00:40 Pontiac Grand Am
@ 03:31 Dodge Daytona
@ 05:13 Chevrolet Camaro
@ 08:12 Ford Escort
@ 10:27 Mercedes-Benz 190E
@ 12:52 Mitsubishi Galant
@ 15:07 Toyota Supra
@ 17:47 Honda Prelude
Show 610 | Originally Recorded 1-27-1987
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[@Motorweek]

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[@bluefever02]

Will you be posting the 4x4 1987 Toyota Van or the 1994 Toyota Previa Supercharged review?

[@bmwpete65s55]

I would love to see the Del Sol VTEC road test from 1994. 0-60 in the low 6 second range. Fast then and still fast today!

[@JoesGoldenGarage]

Is this the same dragstrip you guys use today

[@donaldwilson2620]

Everytime I think of a Dodge Daytona, I always think about DeDe McCall(portrayed by Stephanie Kramer) of the 80's cop show "Hunter".

[@The_R-n-I_Guy]

Great show I watched a bunch of episodes lately on one of the streaming sites. Brought back some good memories

[@zerocool5395]

The theme song was so good!

[@Volvo8Fifty4Life]

I love motorweek! Retro is best.

[@theKevronHarris]

"We could've told Chevrolet that people who buy Camaros aren't impressed by European sounding names." -- John Davis, MotorWeek

[@aeelmore69]

Duh

[@jz4853]

Being reliable seems like common sense, but they literally choose 3 items to focus on in a car, and they have shifted to looks, performance, and fuel economy these days.

[@theKevronHarris]

@@jz4853 yeah. The Camaro Berlinetta had gadgetry ahead of its time before touchscreens.

[@javierjosechavezbenitez3707]

And people who buy Camaros weren't impressed by gadgetry, either.

[@christopherconard2831]

Along with being insulted by having the Iron Duke as the standard engine.

[@vollste]

Talking about the Daytona at 4:23, they accidentally show a Conquest LOL

[@expl0rer17]

I was so confused 😂

[@dodgeguyz]

I was hoping it was a comparison.

[@stevonkoch8002]

i had a 89 conquest tsi. man i wish i kept that lol

[@brianbfree2328]

It's the Toyota Supra Turbo and Honda Prelude Si for me!! My first car was an 86 Prelude Si manual in 1996. The clearcoat was peeling and the right side front fender had a little bend in it from the previous owner. It also had that pesky up and down idling issue that fuel injected Hondas were often plagued with in the 80's and 90's. It didn't let me down though! He sold it for $2500. It was like driving a go cart! Fun times! Thank you for the retro reviews! They bring back great automotive memories.

[@anibalbabilonia1867]

Man I love this retro reviews! I remember watching all of those back in the 80s! I never missed an episode! Love motorweek!👌😎👍

[@fernandorocha8459]

I love this retro reviews, specially episodes 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1988 is my favorites

[@joshrichardson30]

Can you imagine buying a new Camaro back then and then getting roasted at every stop light by a Grand Am?

[@drej]

I took my dads '86 Camaro Z28(H.O. 305) as my college car, in 98, nearly got smoked by an Oldsmobile Calais with the quad 4, 5sp, the torque of the v8 barely, i mean barely saved me from a loss. smh...

[@Raptor3388]

@@drej They made only 74 L69 305 HO Z28s and 26 Trans Ams with the L69 in 1986. Most of these went to become Player's racing cars right away. So you most likely had the standard LG4 305 V8, which would give the 9.5s 0-60 result of the Camaro LT in that video.

[@drej]

@@Raptor3388 aahhh so his was a fake, lol no wonder it seem so slow

[@pjcornell9691]

Little error in the 1987 Video here. At 4:30 in the tape that is not a red Didge Daytona ...... shown is a red Chrysler Conquest TSI. I had one back in 1988😁

[@twainjones]

What's a Didge? 😄 lol just kidding. You're right tho

[@anibalbabilonia1867]

@@twainjones 👋🤣👌I didge the same thing!

[@jareknowak8712]

...or Mitsu Starion!

[@nixaeagle141]

The supra & prelude much more attractive then 2022 cars . A ‘90 Lude just sold on BaT for $30,250 .

[@kamrankhan-lj1ng]

A rather looooooong retro clip by Motorweek!!!

[@MarkMeadows90]

4:12 I know John is referring to the Daytona, but my eyes deceive me of that looking like Chrysler's counterpart of the Mitsubishi Starion. The Chrysler Conquest.

[@WSNO]

I wish we could see more special segments on Motorweek about these beautiful vehicles! I wonder what this format would have looked like with the television trends of the 1970s, 1960s, 1950s etc.

[@anman366]

Can we all just take a moment to appreciate all of the coordinated manual movements these camera operators had to do and how good they were at them all too!!!!! Not to mention the cameras probably weighed a couple hundred pounds back then!

[@jz4853]

Racing tv was using much more sophisticated tech at the time. They have a retro segment on it.

[@jz4853]

They may have started using this tech by this 87 video, in fact.

[@Digital_Love_Amsterdam]

Gotta love the ET look a like headrest 😂😂😂

[@joshthemediocre7824]

My 1st car was an all white 87 escort GT like shown here, i can remember my brother had a 86 mustang gt at the same time and it was just barely faster than my escort, a lot more torque, but i don't think he coulda passed me if i didn't want him to. I loved that car it was pretty slick.

[@djkenny1202]

He needed to learn how to Drive Stick 😂 We had an Escort EXP Sport Coupe. Fun car, not one of the fastest hot hatches.

[@nlpnt]

@@djkenny1202 Biggest problem with the EXP was it weighed 200lb more than the Escort 3-door. For that weight penalty they might as well have built an Escort GT wagon!

[@djkenny1202]

@@nlpnt i recall that. It was an odd decision to make them. Lose seats to gain weight and pay extra? I recall road tests, comparing Honda Si, VW GTI, FX16, etc. the GT always lagged behind. But they were cheaper, great deal

[@moparornocar08]

A friend of mine told me about an Escort GT his family had back in the day, and he also said it was a very solid performer. I think he said they bought it with a blown head gasket, and ended up putting a Mustang GT throttle body on it, larger exhaust, and some other small internal modifications I can't recall at the moment. He said it ended up being more than a match for most 5.0 Mustangs at the time, and turned out to be quite a fun tire-fryer. The head gasket gave out again after a couple of years, and they unfortunately decided not to rebuild it again

[@alphamaledriveshard]

Nice. Finally a mk3 Supra turbo review.

[@ash27slick74]

Yup, and it's a good, brief, accurate review. The engine definitely feels like a V8 because you only get 6 lbs. of boost but you get it at very low RPM.

[@qmto]

Back when a base model escort was almost as fast 0-60 as a Camaro... And fit more people lol.

[@JackF99]

This program serves as a great reminder of how far we've come with cars. The 80s was definitely not the good old days

[@fhowland]

Seriously. Pretty sad that that slow slop bucket was considered a sports sedan 😂

[@fhowland]

John is such a legend! That theme song always puts a smile on my face.

[@rickreid81]

Older cars are so much more interesting than the new stuff out now. It's really no comparison. Love M.W.

[@chrisdooley6468]

Love how the 90bhp Escort is actually quicker to 60 than the LT V6 5spd Camaro!! Ahh the 80’s lol

[@kiprandom7208]

It's 2021 and I'm still impressed by turbo 4's power.

[@jamesdesmidt447]

Watching the Retro's make me wish you go back to some of this in the modern shows. Still your the best car show.

[@icyhotmike]

1987 baby

[@bmwpete65s55]

Miss the 80’s - the cars were cooler, 2 doors were available and not everything is some lame look-a-like crossover/SUV thing.

[@jsb9317]

Horsepower was pathetic in the 80’s. They just said a 3.6 liter v6 produced 120 HP.

[@OLDS98]

Thank you for sharing this video. The Grand Am part was great to see along with the Camaro.

[@skylinn]

The way he says “Galant” 😂

[@douglasb.1203]

"Guhläwnt"

[@KardiFan2000]

It's the correct way...French pronunciation

[@kamrankhan-lj1ng]

@@KardiFan2000the french should have been "gulawn^"

[@KardiFan2000]

@@kamrankhan-lj1ng Yeah he needs to work on his French a bit 😂

[@st.john_one]

i really love these retro shows. in that time i was around 8 yrs old, and in Poland, behind "iron curtine", and on our streets, there was litteraly 3 different cars... now 30 yrs later, a'm waching car shows from the end of 80's :D

[@landyachtfan79]

I've been waiting for these Tweaks and Changes episodes!!!! More, please!!! 0:38 & 10:27.........I just LOVE that background music!!!!!! 0:59........um, that's a Calais, not a Grand Am. Note the Oldsmobile-only Auto-Calculator. 4:22...........um, that's a Conquest, not a Daytona!!!!!!!

[@edwardautrey3671]

You noticed that Conquest/ Starion , good eye

[@JoesGoldenGarage]

I was just gonna comment. It is a conquest!

[@JamesSmith-Jtz]

That music at 10:27 caught my attention too. So smooth and mello. Was hoping someone else caught it as well.

[@donaldwilson2620]

A friend from college had a red 1987 Honda Prelude Si. I was jealous because it was a sweet ride and the manual transmission was of course Honda smooth.

[@nagosnell]

1:08 - He says 3.8 liter V6. Imagine if it had been available with a 3.8 liter. The Grand Am would've been in Camaro and T/A territory.

[@joec1774]

@R Robert Yea, was just going to post about this. A rare misstep by MW/John Davis lol. This nor subsequent generations of the N-body ever had a 3.8L.

[@2majortwinz]

You caught that too🤣

[@SleeperCalais]

The 3.8 may have been a preproduction option that never happened. GM also ran ads about a turbo quad4 that never happened. 3.8 with a 5 speed would have been sweet!

[@adamtrombino106]

@@SleeperCalais The Quad 4 HO would have to wait until 1990 in an N car. On that note, I've never seen a 2.0 OHC turbo in an N car, and only once in a Sunbird...That was a terrible engine even in std form. I still have many special tools in my collection to service timing belts, and cooling systems...

[@mrmonty86]

That E.T lookalike headrest on that Grand Am is more like Johnny Five from Short Circuit.

[@DARKELLAKEL]

BRING BACK OLD SUPRAS!

[@joshthemediocre7824]

My first car was a all white 87 escort gt just like the one in this video..my wing was black and i had painted my center console and gauge surround in white with black splatter paint..a very 90's trend. This was around 96' so the car was already 10 years old but i smoked the tires in that car everyday and it never let me down.

[@pmafterdark]

I didn't appreciate the era I was living in while I was living in it.

[@kamrankhan-lj1ng]

It is the same for all of us. Anyway any era is recognised only in retrospect, and never when we are going through it. 70s bell bottoms and 80s atrocious female hairstyles were never recognisable during their respective eras.

[@logicn.reasoning9744]

This was one of the best motortrend downloads, so many classics and future classics, well except for the Mitsubishi.

[@javierjosechavezbenitez3707]

MOTOR WEEK download.

[@bobc.6908]

I bought a white 87 Prelude Si brand new. Best car I ever owned. Stickered at $15,143.

[@mikegonzalez8071]

What an awesome video 🏁 So we’ll done. And bring back such great memories of better times

[@ryan07jeep]

Omg the way John kept pronouncing Galant. I can’t 🤣🤣🤣

[@vossler360]

Galant is a word from the french after all, just like Chevrolet.

[@flashindapan7965]

I know, sounds like he had some drinks in the recording studio. So distracting

[@vossler360]

@@flashindapan7965 It seems that John thought that a French word merited a French pronunciation. Galant translates to gallant.

[@MandusahRamirez]

Thanks Motorweek‼️

[@fhowland]

Some of my greatest teenage memories happened in 80s Grand Ams

[@444mopar]

10,200 for the base Daytona with no a/c and a 100hp throttle body injected 2.5L vs 11,900 for the Camaro with a/c and a 135hp multiport injection 2.8L. I'll always have a soft spot for the Daytona as my first car but anyone buying one new had to be crazy to not kick in a few extra bucks for the Camaro which was a hell of a lot more car for the money.

[@exploreitall8928]

LAMO at the Daytona review! They show a Conquest on the test rack loop, just after explaining the new front end fascia.

[@TheCarCrazyGuy]

15:33 Ahh, one of my favorite cars. I had an ‘88 Supra Turbo Targa. I loved that car!

[@PhillyDee215]

Vintage cars😎

[@joshrichardson30]

I definitely don’t recall seeing those wheels on the Camero LT.

[@manthony225]

They're wheel covers. Most people who bought an LT probably threw them out and got aftermarket rims.

[@johnjones393]

The 87 update on the Daytona looked great but the car was junk. I was always a fan of the Escort GT even if it wasn't in the same league as the GTi. The MK3 Supra was awesome and the Prelude was a great all around "sporty" car.

[@sailordave1000]

Escort respectfully quick 0-60 in 12 seconds. My Elantra acceleration was described as bogged down in its 0-60 in 8.9 seconds for base model engine.

[@averyparticularsetofskills]

4:22 🙉Lol I LOVE the red Chrysler Conquest shot in the red Dodge Daytona's segment lol.

[@vassa1972]

Good stuff

[@VEEZER1]

My grandpa gave me his 1987 rx7 back in 1997. I thought it would be fun to see what cars he was cross shopping back in 1987. He always wanted a vette but was smart enough to always buy imports. I just picked up a '22 WRX following in his foot steps. RIP Gramps

[@ekpauly]

Mistubishi starquest at 4:25. Not a daytona/laser/charger. I remember seeing this in the original retro review.

[@averyparticularsetofskills]

*its a Chrysler Conquest *Mitsubishi Starion

[@pdennis93]

At 4:23 that's a Conquest, not a Daytona. Looks like someone got the wrong footage.

[@gxdjoeybaby07]

really like that daytona and that prelude!

[@cherkas009]

The 1987 Mercedes 190 looks pretty good

[@andersonfirmino8925]

Amigão muito obrigado pela postagem eu amei 👍

[@Cheezwizzz]

I’ll take a Camaro and Prelude

[@edwardautrey3671]

That Supra too

[@fhowland]

Prelude all day

[@blueryxfalls7949]

that supra engine bay looks wonderful

[@middleclassretiree]

Man where did the time go is what these retro videos make me ask. Just wanted to point out the 87 LT Camaro was not the first LT my brother had a 74 type LT in high school it was plusher than the other Camaros but importantly it had the 4 bolt main LT 1 350 under hood, still was weak but made for a good starting point for modifications

[@MrHeem94]

John Davis RE: 1980's American cars. Some might call it bold faced lying, some might call it ultra enthusiastic optimism.

[@blacksitearea]

What reasonable prices there were in those times!

[@harrycallahan9733]

2:31 Automatic/motorized seat belt, along with daytime running lights using high beam, two of the "greatest" automotive inventions of the 80's and 90's, created by humans, for the non-human drivers :)

[@bonesnharmony3422]

boy that supra was lighting

[@jonathankleinow2073]

2:31 Ah yes, the "passive automatic safety belt system" that was awkward to slide under and had a nasty habit of letting drivers fall out of the car and die when the impact broke the door open. I guess it wasn't mechanized, at least.

[@nlpnt]

Did anyone outside the ads and MotorWeek demos ever actually slide under them? I just detached them and used them like a regular B-pillar mounted seat belt.

[@bruschmidt9943]

4:23 NOT a Daytona. That was an '87 Mitsubishi Starion Turbo! 😊

[@theKevronHarris]

I like the 50/50 design of the split-folding rear seat in the 1987 Escort.

[@kt81776]

18:18 that Honda startup sound Kevron, notorious!

[@theKevronHarris]

@@kt81776 I love that well-known Honda startup sound. It's like music to my ears!!!!

[@brandondavis7695]

ah so this must be prior to that moment where Mitsu gave John a call like "at the end of that word, there is no silent T. Pronounce it!"

[@christopherconard2831]

Good luck trying to get a Prelude Si for $14K back then. In the 80's Honda dealers were notorious for upcharging. Especially for higher editions. It wasn't until they were hit with a pile of lawsuits and realized their brand name was taking a hit that they cracked down on the dealerships. Dealers also began sueing Honda for other reasons. In the end I'm sure a lot of lawyers were well paid.

[@oldtwinsna8347]

Dealer installed a/c only was also a big issue and allowed dealers to cash in big time. Something like $800 (non-inflation adjusted figure, so like $2k today), take it or leave it.

[@fhowland]

And it’s probably worth more today

[@PatMcCarthy420]

I loved it back when it was just poor picture quality that made the TV fuzzy and not my eyes 😂

[@SportsMusicCars]

14:50 he says '3 year, 36 month warranty' lmfao

[@Jwdude123]

The Mitsubishi “Ga-Law-N” lol

[@adamtrombino106]

I don't recall ever seeing an 87 Camaro LT for sale....The Shelby Daytonas were wicked quick and the MW time is decidedly slow. Yeah John, we know, the 2.2 is a buzzy engine..The Merc 190 class was a great car. Period. I recall that the Supra Turbo was THE CAR to own back in the late 80s. And I also recall Toyota dealers charging $30K+ for 1..Talk about a markup!

[@RichardoBrit]

4:22 - that's a Chrysler Conquest TSi - not a Dodge Daytona Motorweek...

[@emilianocruz11]

next retro review please of the 2000 lincoln ls road test

[@kennethpowers8995]

The transmission comment about the Grand Prix doesn’t make sense; he said “the new Getrag 5 speed won’t hold up to the power of the V6, so they gave it a turbo 4. The turbo 4 makes 165 HP, 40 MORE than the V6.” That makes no sense lol. And I know it’s really more the torque figure anyway that breaks transmissions, but I can pretty much figure that turbo motor makes a bigger torque number than the V6 also if it’s got 40 HP over it.

[@flashindapan7965]

Hey John, there’s a ‘t’ at the end of Galant buddy.

[@runoflife87]

Well...full list for 87, please.

[@joshthemediocre7824]

People were far too skeptical in 1987 to be ordering a grand am with a 4cyl turbo as opposed to the 6 cylinder..even if they were told it's the more powerful engine. I always remember certain odd models having a turbo option thru the 80's but you surely didn't see many of them then, but the ones that did exist are demanding a premium to anyone who wants one today.

[@javierjosechavezbenitez3707]

There was no 3.8 V-6 in the Grand Am. The Grand Am and other N-cars had instead the 3.0 liter variant of it, under the code LN7. And 1987 was the last year for that engine in a GA. The coming years were a choice of turbo 2.0 SOHC or Quad 4 DOHC, along with the base Tech IV.

[@twainjones]

13:35 Look at that muffler go

[@davidhiggins6251]

Anyone else notice the red starion when they were talking about the Daytona

[@johnleinen9409]

Oh ya, I remember mouse belts! Now that turbo supra brings serious cash on BAT.

[@cutroc350]

"Galaunt"??? Never heard of one. Was it a trim package on a Galant?

[@vossler360]

Galant=french. Gallant=english

[@nickwilczynski3684]

Why did the Fiero never get the 2.4 turbo???

[@woohunter1]

First time I seen the name “Shelby” on a 4 cyl!!!

[@jimmbobb]

Ahh yes, Cam-ray's biggest competition, the Ga-LAAAWWW

[@bruschmidt9943]

1:13 1987 Grand Am comment: Did he say 3.8 litre V6? I thought the only V6 available was a 3.0 litre?

[@dohc1067]

Did anyone notice there was a Chrysler Conquest mixed into one of the shots of the Daytona?

[@GeeEm1313]

Once the Galant the V6, it became a true sleeper.

[@wavelength1970]

8 psi on the Supra boost gauge lol

[@melchristian8876]

👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@johnmiller9024]

The cheapest Benz today (the A220) is only $2,000 more expensive in real terms then the 190E 2.6 thirty five years ago

[@dueljet]

How many times did John say Galant?

[@RallyLancer95]

I want to know when he learned to say it right

[@interstate366]

Glaun

[@sailordave1000]

Grand Am 2.0L turbo, faster in the lighter Sunbird and Buick Skyhawk.

[@MidnightinSavannah]

The 2.0 Turbo in the Sunbird with a 5 speed were pretty quick back in the day.

[@bravo7373]

There’s just something about 80s Japanese cars .. 😍

[@smartkid1201]

The Mitsubishi Ga-lawn.😂

[@kamrankhan-lj1ng]

Thats frenchiness

[@jimmbobb]

Uhhhh that gen Grand AM didn't have a 3.8

[@rebelusa6585]

To my eye that toyota supra look more prettier than most of today sport cars.

[@bryanbaker274]

Why was saying Galant like that?