Petersen Museum’s New Exhibit Has All The Uncommon ’80s And ’90s Vehicles And Ideas Your Childhood Self Would’ve Killed To See

I am a giant fan of The Petersen Automotive Museum; the great Ken Block exhibit that is nonetheless on show helped me grieve the passing of a childhood heroand the brand new “Completely Superior! Vehicles and Tradition of the ’80s and ’90s” exhibit is one other instance of why this place is so particular. In case that you must persuade a much less car-obsessed buddy or vital different that paying a go to to a automobile museum goes to be an pleasing a part of a day in Los Angeles, this newest exhibit is car-centric, but it surely additionally showcases completely superior and period-correct style developments, applied sciences, playable classic arcade video games, and different enjoyable nostalgia-inducing issues from the rad period. And for those who’re a automobile particular person hoping to see some automobiles you’ve got by no means seen in particular person earlier than, then you definitely’re in for a deal with.

From iconic idea automobiles that remind you of the zany method we assumed the longer term would look again within the ’80s and ’90s, to iconic film automobiles and the earliest and most uncommon examples of luxurious off-roaders, this exhibit is filled with automobiles you will not discover wherever else. The exhibit is housed within the Mullin Grand Salon on the primary ground of the museum straight throughout the corridor from the Meyers Manx Cafe, and it is on show now via April 2026.

As you enter the exhibit, you are greeted by my favourite car on show, a 1984 Cadillac Seville By Gucci. To the shock of nobody, the gaudy masterpiece that’s the Gucci Seville was pioneered via a collaboration between a Miami Cadillac dealership and Aldo Gucci. It is unknown precisely what number of have been ever made however this explicit automobile, which was received by a limousine driver on an episode of “Wheel Of Fortune” in 1984 that may be seen enjoying on a tiny period-correct tv set displayed behind the Seville, is believed to be one in every of 10 remaining Gucci Sevilles in existence at this time.

It’s totally flawless. From its Gucci-monogrammed vinyl roof to its gold Gucci hood decoration to its white leather-based seats tufted with Gucci buttons, it is a prime instance of America’s feeble makes an attempt to spruce up its wretched Malaise-Period turds and compete with the high-quality imported automobiles. Subsequent to the little tv set enjoying “Wheel Of Fortune,” curators have staged two mannequins sporting the best in mid-’80s style by Gucci and Bernard Perris to finish the journey again in time.

As soon as I peeled myself away from the wonderful Gucci Seville, I observed the ’80s and ’90s music enjoying over the audio system, and was met by a handful of ’80s and ’90s idea automobiles that I had solely seen in books earlier than visiting the museum, just like the 1989 Pontiac Stinger and 1997 Chrysler Copperhead. Proceed strolling across the exhibit and there is one other extraordinarily uncommon automobile, a beastly 1996 Nissan GT-R Nismo 400R that is a reminder of how superior different international locations’ automobiles have been. There is a wall of notable bikes from the period, subsequent to the earliest examples of luxury-oriented off-roaders, together with the visible nightmare that’s the first ever Mercedes G-Wagen to be modified by AMG and a supremely uncommon GMC Syclone tempo automobile with arguably essentially the most early-’90s paint job I’ve ever seen.

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There may be additionally, after all, the prerequisite show of supercars from the period, however not those you are prone to see at even the nicest automobiles and occasional. Sure, there is a McLaren F1, however this is likely one of the uncommon moments the place it is not essentially the most thrilling supercar on show. There’s a 1988 V16T Cycle with its 4 pop-up headlights popped up, parked subsequent to a lovely purple Vector M12 and the primary street-legal automobile to supply 1,000 horsepower, the putting one-off 1995 Lotec C1000.

I’ve been advised that not everybody on the planet will get enthusiastic about going to a museum to see automobiles. Whereas I’ve a tough time believing it, I ought to point out that there are another cool ’80s and ’90s issues to see within the “Completely Superior” exhibit. Past the questionable early-’80s style on show subsequent to the Gucci Seville, there are a number of different, a lot cooler examples of what was trending within the high-fashion world on the time sprinkled all through the gallery.

Video video games and flicks have been a giant a part of the zeitgeist within the ’80s and ’90s, and “Completely Superior” does not ignore their affect. There is a part of the exhibit that is meant to imitate a retro arcade, with numerous modern arcade video games positioned atop a period-correct carpet coated in neon coloured scribbles and squiggles, they usually’re all useful and free to play. There’s even a sculpture comprised of a number of classic tv units all enjoying the then-popular idea of “Music Tv,” or MTV, to not point out the ’80s and ’90s jams which can be enjoying over the audio system within the gallery.

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All in all, “Completely Superior: Vehicles And Tradition Of The ’80s And ’90s” is a enjoyable museum exhibit that showcases a number of extraordinarily uncommon, extraordinarily cool items of automotive historical past, in addition to a smattering of different notable pop-culture phenomena from these wacky, zany, and sure, completely superior a long time. Should you reside close to Los Angeles and also you’re searching for a enjoyable solution to spend a day, take a look at The Petersen Automotive Museum web site for tickets.

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