Speedy Appliance: 1992 Chevrolet Lumina Z34

Ah the Chevy Lumina, a paradigm of sportiness and velocity covered in a plain white wrapper that will fool all potential takers to the drag strip of life…wait, what?  The Lumina was Chevy’s version of the W-Body Pontiac Grand Prix or Buick Regal, but without the sportiness of the Pontiac brand or cushiness of the Buick brand…what am I missing?  Find this 1992 Chevrolet Lumina Z34 offered for $2,500 in Mountain View, CA via craigslist. Tip from Kaibeezy.

Oh…I see it now.  This is the Z34 edition, which didn’t smother the car with 34 Zees of snooziness (I’m picturing Dagwood snoozing on the couch where the ZZZZZZ wrap all the way through an entire sunday funny page), but instead injected the car with bits from GM’s performance group.  Yeah baby, the FE3 sport suspension, the “Euro” 3.4 liter LQ1 V6, a 5-speed Getrag gearbox, dual exhaust (that’s two pipes!) and anti-lock brakes…not to mention the awesome exterior body cladding bits to class up the exterior. 

This may seem strange to hear, but this was indeed a quick car in 1992.  The 210 horsepower V6 up front could zip the Lumina to 60mph in about 7 seconds and through the 1/4 mile in 15 seconds, or about on par with the Ford Taurus SHO, Dodge Daytona Shelby, Chevy Impala SS, and many pony cars of the day.

See a better car for going fast under the radar? tips@dailyturismo.com