A Couple Of Cozy Coupes: 1988 Acura Legend vs 1994 Pontiac Grand Prix

Good morning, and welcome to another edition of Shitbox Showdown! Today we’re looking at two two-door coupes, both with V6 engines and front-wheel-drive. Which one makes a better personal luxury ride on a budget? That’s what we’re here to find out.

We ended last week with a battle of so-called daily drivers, which to most people would be anything but. It was a Minor victory for the British, as the Morris took home the win, largely because of its more familiar control layout. But the good old Model T had plenty of supporters, too.

As for me, I have to take the Minor. Why? Because my wife wants one. She’s had a thing for them ever since I took her to her first All-British Field Meet back in Portland, and she got to know all the various cars. As such, it’s another car on my list of potential restorations someday, though I think I’d seek out a Traveler or a pickup.

Now then: Personal luxury coupes have fallen out of favor in the market these days, but once upon a time, they were huge. And I don’t just mean the aircraft-carrier-like dimensions of a Lincoln Mark IV or boat-tail Buick Riviera. Almost every manufacturer wanted a piece of the action at one time or another, from the Mercedes 500 SEC all the way down to the Plymouth Sapporo. They may be gone from showrooms, but non-sporty two-door coupes still dot the used-car landscape. Let’s check out a couple of them.

1988 Acura Legend L – $4,000

Engine/drivetrain: 2.7-liter overhead cam V6, four-speed automatic, FWD

Location: Sacramento, CA

Odometer reading: 98,000 miles

Operational status: Runs and drives well

When Honda launched its upscale Acura brand back in 1986, it started with two models: a small sporty car called the Integra, and a luxurious sedan called the Legend. A year later, the Legend was offered in two-door coupe form as well. Ironically, Honda got the names backward; the Integra became a legend, and the Legend became the RL, and is barely remembered these days.

The first-generation Legend is powered by a V6 engine, a first for Honda, displacing 2.7 liters. I remember how big of a deal it was in the auto magazines back then that Honda was making a V6. It was available with either a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic; this one is an automatic. It runs great, according to the seller, and it has only 98,000 miles on the odometer. Sadly, it does have a salvage title, for an undisclosed reason. It’s probably worth asking, though.

The Legend was also an early adopter of airbags; the coupe had one in 1987. This means the Legend was spared the indignity of the automated seatbelts foisted upon the Integra a few years later. It’s got nice leather upholstery, and the rest of the interior looks good as well.

It looks nice and clean outside too, making the salvage title even more mysterious. California will ding the title for a theft recovery, so it might not have ever been wrecked. I suppose it doesn’t matter much on a thirty-six-year-old car, but some insurance agents won’t cover salvaged cars. Probably best to find out before you buy.

1994 Pontiac Grand Prix SE – $3,795

Engine/drivetrain: 3.1-liter overhead valve V6, four-speed automatic, FWD

Location: Yaphank, NY

Odometer reading: 79,000 miles

Operational status: Runs and drives well

GM’s W-body Grand Prix was sort of the opposite of the Legend. It came only as a coupe to begin with, then added a four-door sedan a couple years later. It seemed weird at the time since the Grand Prix nameplate had only been used on coupes before that. It’s also the first time the Grand Prix was driven by its front wheels, which I think upset traditionalists more than the additional doors.

Lots of engines were available in the W-bodies, especially early on, but the majority of them came with GM’s 60-degree pushrod V6 and an automatic. For 1994, that meant a displacement of 3.1 liters, and a 4T60 overdrive automatic. It’s not an exciting combination, but it gets the job done. This ad is frustratingly short on information; it just says “everything works.” I suppose with fewer than 80,000 miles on the clock, it ought to.

Inside, it’s classic mid-1990s GM: kinda cheesy, with lots of buttons, hard gray plastic, and fuzzy upholstery. At least you know what you’re getting. It’s not all bad, though; GM seats are mighty comfy, and its air conditioning will freeze you right out of the car. This one is in good condition, but that tree air freshener does worry me a bit. Those things are never covering up anything good.

Outside, the seller calls it “pristine,” which is maybe not quite the word I would use; the rear bumper looks more faded than the rest of it, and it looks like it might need front tires. But for the price, it’s not bad at all.

Coupes fell out of fashion because they’re a hard sell to anyone who wants to use the back seat; if you’ve ever had to crawl in and out of the back of these things, you understand exactly why calling “shotgun” was a big deal. But there’s no denying that they look better than their four-door relatives, and they’ll certainly stand out in today’s crowd of same-old four-door crossovers. Which one would you pick?

(Image credits: sellers)