The No. 1 Best-Selling Car Of 1986 Is All But Forgotten Today
If you look at the best-selling vehicles in the United States over the past few years, you'll see plenty of pickup trucks and SUVs. The Toyota Camry sneaks into the Top 10 thanks to its reliability, affordability, and comfortable driving experience. Families looking for those same features often chose the Chevrolet Celebrity in the 1980s — it was even the best-selling car in 1986. Decades later, you may have never heard of it.
The Celebrity arrived in 1981 as a replacement for the Citation, as a front-wheel drive, mid-size sedan with an A-body style similar to the Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera and Pontiac 6000. Over the years, it continued to evolve. Changing to all-wheel drive added more interior room, making it more practical. There was a Celebrity station wagon for families, as well as the Eurosport trim with sport suspension, 14" rally wheels, and red accents meant to appeal to younger drivers. By 1986, it was a top-seller with 408,946 units sold that year.
Why was the Chevrolet Celebrity discontinued?
Despite taking over the car industry in the mid-1980s, Chevrolet discontinued the Celebrity in 1988 — and the wagon followed in 1990. This seemed a bit shocking at the time, considering how successful the sedan seemed. Why would Chevrolet discontinue a vehicle that was the best-selling car in the United States two years prior?
Chevrolet has never confirmed the reason, but it appeared that the automaker wanted to replace it with newer, more modern options, namely the Lumina and Malibu. At this point, the Celebrity was six years old and was starting to look a bit dated compared to new vehicles getting released around that time, like the Ford Taurus and Honda Accord — cars with a more "jellybean" look were coming in hot. The Taurus ended up dominating in the early 1990s.
You'll find a few Celebrity enthusiasts here and there, largely due to the Eurosport trim. However, you just don't see as many people buying or discussing the Celebrity compared to other 1980s vehicles. It's also tough to come by listings, but it appears to be worth around $6,000 to $7,000 if you want one from the most popular year.