Specs map: which generation actually gives you a version to choose
The model covers eight generations. Only five of them list at least one modification. 1 generation (1961–1965), body Sedan 2-doors, has 0 versions — there is no engine, gearbox, or weight to compare, so it cannot be a buying recommendation on specs. 4 generation (1974–1976) Coupe and 5 generation (1977–1978) Coupe also have 0 versions.
The model covers eight generations. Only five of them list at least one modification. 1 generation (1961–1965), body Sedan 2-doors, has 0 versions — there is no engine, gearbox, or weight to compare, so it cannot be a buying recommendation on specs. 4 generation (1974–1976) Coupe and 5 generation (1977–1978) Coupe also have 0 versions. A buyer who needs a measured engine must stay in 2 generation, 3 generation, 6 generation, 7 generation, or 8 generation.
Body type is Coupe on every generation that has versions. Drive and gearbox change by era: 2 generation and 3 generation are RWD with Automatic and 3 gears; from 6 generation onward every listed car is FWD with Automatic and 4 gears.
Engine and horsepower: same name, different cars
Almost every later version is labelled 3.8 AT. Those names are not interchangeable. Distinguish them by generation and by hp.
2 generation Coupe 7.5 AT (1966–1970): Gasoline, 8 cylinders, V-shaped, 2 valves per cylinder, boost No, Carburetor, 7 460 cm³, 370 hp (280 kW) at 5 000 rpm, 680 Nm at 3 200 rpm, compression 10.2. Specific output: 370 / 7.460 ≈ 49.6 hp per litre. 0–100 km/h 7.7 s, top speed 193 km/h. Kerb weight not measured, so kg/hp is not measured. Fuel grade not measured. Tank not measured. Ground clearance not measured. Wheels not measured. Rear suspension Dependent, leaf spring. Front brakes Disc, rear Drum.
3 generation Coupe 7.5 AT (1971–1973): still Gasoline, 8, V-shaped, 2 valves, boost No, 7 458 cm³ — 2 cm³ less than the 2 generation 7.5 AT. Power drops 370 − 254 = 116 hp (31%). Torque drops 680 − 508 = 172 Nm. Compression falls from 10.2 to 8.5. Peak power is at 4 000 rpm instead of 5 000. Specific output: 254 / 7.458 ≈ 34.1 hp per litre, 15.5 hp/L below the 2 generation 7.5 AT. Top speed 173 km/h, 20 km/h below 193. 0–100 km/h not measured. Kerb 2 042 kg → 2 042 / 254 ≈ 8.04 kg per hp. Fuel, tank, wheels, engine location, feed system, rear suspension: not measured. Front brakes Disc, rear Drum, RWD, Automatic, 3 gears.
On arithmetic alone, the 2 generation 7.5 AT is the high-output 7.5 AT; the 3 generation 7.5 AT is the same catalogue name with less power, less torque, lower compression, and a listed kerb that the earlier car does not have.
6 generation (1979–1986) is the first listed FWD generation and the first with two different version names.
- 3.8 AT, 185 hp (136 kW), 3 800 cm³, Gasoline, 6, V-shaped, boost Turbo, Automatic, 4, FWD. Specific output 185 / 3.800 ≈ 48.7 hp per litre — within 0.9 hp/L of the 2 generation 7.5 AT despite 3 660 cm³ less displacement. rpm, Nm, 0–100, top speed, fuel, tank, kerb, clearance, wheels, engine location, feed, compression, valves, rear suspension, rear brakes: not measured. Front: Independent, spring, Ventilated disc.
- 5.0 AT, 140 hp (102 kW), 5 033 cm³, Gasoline, 8, V-shaped, fuel 92, tank 71 L, wheels 205/70 R14 and 225/70 R15, Automatic, 4, FWD. Specific output 140 / 5.033 ≈ 27.8 hp per litre, the lowest among versions that list both hp and displacement. Boost not measured. The 3.8 AT at 185 hp makes 45 hp more than this 5.0 AT from 1 233 cm³ less. Bore × stroke 97 x 86. Front/rear Independent, spring. Front Ventilated disc, rear Disc. Kerb, 0–100, top speed, consumption: not measured.
Inside 6 generation, the 3.8 AT (185 hp, Turbo) is the power choice; the 5.0 AT (140 hp) is the larger 8-cylinder, 92 fuel, 71 L tank, and the only 6 generation car with listed wheels.
7 generation (1985–1993) Coupe: four 3.8 AT cars, all Gasoline, 6, V-shaped, 2 valves, boost No, Front, transverse, Central injection (single-point or single- point), 3 791 cm³, compression 8.5, 96.5 × 86.4, fuel 92, Automatic, 4, FWD, tank 71 L, Independent, spring front and rear, Ventilated disc front and Disc ventilated rear. 0–100 km/h and top speed not measured on all four. Gross weight and clearance not measured.
| Version (distinguish by hp) | hp (kW @ rpm) | Nm @ rpm | Mixed L/100 km | City / highway | Kerb kg | kg/hp | hp/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.8 AT 142 hp | 142 (104 @ 4400) | 271 @ 2000 | 10.2 | 12.4 / 7.8 | 1493 | 10.51 | 37.5 |
| 3.8 AT 152 hp | 152 (112 @ 4400) | 271 @ 2000 | 11.2 | 13.1 / 8.7 | 1506 | 9.91 | 40.1 |
| 3.8 AT 167 hp | 167 (123 @ 5200) | 285 @ 2000 | 10.7 | 12.4 / 8.1 | 1526 | 9.14 | 44.1 |
| 3.8 AT 173 hp | 173 (127 @ 4800) | 298 @ 3200 | 11.2 | 13.1 / 8.7 | 1586 | 9.17 | 45.6 |
The 3.8 AT at 167 hp is the 7 generation efficiency-and-output compromise: +25 hp versus the 142 hp car, same city 12.4 L/100 km, highway 8.1 versus 7.8 (+0.3), mixed 10.7 versus 10.2 (+0.5), kerb +33 kg. The 3.8 AT at 152 hp and the 3.8 AT at 173 hp share mixed 11.2, city 13.1, highway 8.7; the 173 hp car adds 21 hp and 27 Nm for +80 kg. Wheels are listed only on the 167 hp 3.8 AT: 205/70 R14 and 205/75 R14.
8 generation (1994–1999) Coupe: three 3.8 AT, all Gasoline, 6, V-shaped, 2 valves, boost Compressor, Front, transverse, Distributed injection (multi-point), 3 791 cm³, 8.5, 96.5 × 86.4, fuel 95, Automatic, 4, FWD, tank 70 L, gross 1 985 kg, clearance 140 mm, front Independent, spring, rear Semi-independent, springorts hélicoïdaux, sem, brakes Disc / Disc. City, highway, mixed, CO₂, eco class, wheels: not measured.
| Version | hp (kW @ rpm) | Nm @ rpm | 0–100 | Top km/h | Kerb | kg/hp | hp/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.8 AT 208 hp | 208 (151 @ 5200) | 380 @ 3600 | 10.1 | 175 | 1675 | 8.05 | 54.9 |
| 3.8 AT 228 hp | 228 (167 @ 5000) | 373 @ 3200 | 8.9 | 220 | 1690 | 7.41 | 60.1 |
| 3.8 AT 245 hp | 245 (180 @ 5200) | 380 @ 3600 | 8.8 | 229 | 1675 | 6.84 | 64.6 |
The 245 hp 3.8 AT versus the 208 hp 3.8 AT: +37 hp, same 380 Nm, same 1 675 kg, 1.3 s quicker to 100 km/h, +54 km/h top speed. The 228 hp 3.8 AT sits in the middle on power but is the heaviest 8 generation car (1 690 kg, +15 kg), with 7 Nm less torque than the other two. Its 0–100 km/h 8.9 s is only 0.1 s behind 245 hp; top speed 220 is 9 km/h behind 229 and 45 km/h above 175.
Performance and mpg: what is measured, what is not
0–100 km/h is measured on four cars only: 2 generation 7.5 AT 7.7 s; 8 generation 3.8 AT 10.1 / 8.9 / 8.8 s. The 7.7 s figure is 1.1 s quicker than the fastest 8 generation 3.8 AT. Every 3 generation, 6 generation, and 7 generation 0–100 is not measured.
Top speed: 2 generation 7.5 AT 193 km/h; 3 generation 7.5 AT 173 km/h; 8 generation 3.8 AT 175 / 220 / 229 km/h. The 208 hp 8 generation 3.8 AT at 175 km/h is 2 km/h above the 3 generation 7.5 AT despite 46 hp less and 3 667 cm³ less. The 245 hp car’s 229 km/h is 36 km/h above the 2 generation 7.5 AT’s 193. 6 generation and 7 generation top speed: not measured.
Mpg / L/100 km exists only in 7 generation. Best mixed is the 3.8 AT 142 hp at 10.2; worst mixed is 11.2 on both the 152 hp and 173 hp cars. Best highway is 7.8 on the 142 hp car. 8 generation consumption is not measured (including any 1995 / 1997 / 1998 query). 2 generation, 3 generation, and 6 generation consumption: not measured.
Dimensions and weight: mass is the hidden version split
Lightest measured kerb: 7 generation 3.8 AT 142 hp at 1 493 kg. Heaviest measured: 3 generation 7.5 AT at 2 042 kg (+549 kg). 8 generation sits at 1 675–1 690 kg: 182–197 kg heavier than the lightest 7 generation car, 352–367 kg lighter than the 3 generation 7.5 AT.
Best measured kg/hp: 8 generation 3.8 AT 245 hp at 6.84. Next: 228 hp at 7.41, then 208 hp at 8.05, essentially tied with 3 generation 7.5 AT at 8.04. 7 generation ranges 9.14–10.51 kg/hp — more mass per horsepower than any measured 8 generation car.
Gross weight is measured only in 8 generation: 1 985 kg on all three 3.8 AT cars. Payload arithmetic: 1 985 − 1 675 = 310 kg on the 208 hp and 245 hp cars; 1 985 − 1 690 = 295 kg on the 228 hp car.
Ground clearance is measured only in 8 generation: 140 mm. Tank: 71 L on 7 generation and on 6 generation 5.0 AT; 70 L on 8 generation (1 L less); not measured on 2 generation, 3 generation, and 6 generation 3.8 AT.
Wheels appear only on 6 generation 5.0 AT (205/70 R14, 225/70 R15) and 7 generation 3.8 AT 167 hp (205/70 R14, 205/75 R14). All other versions: wheels not measured. Length is not measured on every version.
Reliability and problems
This catalogue has no failure rates, recall counts, or problem lists. Reliability cannot be ranked from these fields. What can be ranked is how complete the spec sheet is: 7 generation is the only generation with city / highway / mixed consumption; 8 generation is the only one with 0–100, top speed, kerb, gross, and clearance together; 2 generation is the only one with a 7.7 s 0–100 km/h; 1, 4, and 5 generation have no mechanical versions to inspect.
Which version to choose
Want the strongest measured 8 generation Coupe: 3.8 AT 245 hp. Same kerb as the 208 hp 3.8 AT, +37 hp, 1.3 s quicker, +54 km/h, same 380 Nm, fuel 95, boost Compressor. Highest hp/L in the data (64.6).
Want almost the same 0–100 for 17 hp less: 8 generation 3.8 AT 228 hp. 8.9 s versus 8.8 s, 220 versus 229 km/h, +15 kg, −7 Nm. Not a large performance step down on the clock; it is a large step up from the 208 hp car (−1.2 s, +45 km/h).
Want 8 generation without chasing the peak hp: 3.8 AT 208 hp. Same 1 675 kg and 380 Nm as 245 hp, but 175 km/h and 10.1 s — top speed in the same band as the 3 generation 7.5 AT (173 km/h).
Want listed mpg: stay in 7 generation. Pick 3.8 AT 142 hp for the lowest mixed 10.2, lowest city 12.4, lowest highway 7.8, and lowest kerb 1 493 kg. Pick 3.8 AT 167 hp if you want +25 hp, wheels listed, and mixed still 10.7. The 173 hp 3.8 AT is the peak 7 generation output (298 Nm) at the same 11.2 mixed as the 152 hp car and +93 kg versus the 142 hp car.
Want Turbo and FWD with the smaller displacement in 6 generation: 3.8 AT 185 hp (48.7 hp/L). Want the 8-cylinder 6 generation car with tank 71 L and listed wheels: 5.0 AT 140 hp — knowing it has the weakest specific output (27.8 hp/L) and 45 hp less than the Turbo 3.8 AT.
Want peak catalogue horsepower and torque, RWD, 3-speed Automatic, Carburetor: 2 generation 7.5 AT 370 hp / 680 Nm / 7.7 s / 193 km/h. Kerb not measured.
Want a 7.5 AT with a listed kerb: 3 generation 7.5 AT 254 hp, 2 042 kg, 173 km/h. You give up 116 hp and 172 Nm versus the 2 generation 7.5 AT.
Do not choose by generation number alone: 1 generation, 4 generation, and 5 generation have 0 versions. 7 generation and 8 generation overlap in calendar years only at the boundary (1985–1993 vs 1994–1999); 6 generation stop 1986-01-31 overlaps 7 generation start 1985-01-01 — two Coupe generations with 3.8 AT names exist in that window and must be split by boost (Turbo vs No) and by the 7 generation hp set 142 / 152 / 167 / 173.
Across the whole model, the arithmetic ranking for a measured modern-era driver is 8 generation 3.8 AT 245 hp, then 228 hp, then 208 hp; for listed economy, 7 generation 3.8 AT 142 hp; for maximum listed hp and Nm, 2 generation 7.5 AT.