Petersen Museum’s New Exhibit Has All The Rare ’80s And ’90s Cars And Concepts Your Childhood Self Would’ve Killed To See

I’m a big fan of The Petersen Automotive Museum; the wonderful Ken Block exhibit that’s still on display helped me grieve the passing of a childhood hero, and the new “Totally Awesome! Cars and Culture of the ’80s and ’90s” exhibit is another example of why this place is so special. In case you need to convince a less car-obsessed friend or significant other that paying a visit to a car museum is going to be an enjoyable part of a day in Los Angeles, this latest exhibit is car-centric, but it also showcases totally awesome and period-correct fashion trends, technologies, playable vintage arcade games, and other fun nostalgia-inducing things from the rad era. And if you’re a car person hoping to see some vehicles you’ve never seen in person before, then you’re in for a treat.

From iconic concept cars that remind you of the zany way we assumed the future would look back in the ’80s and ’90s, to iconic movie cars and the earliest and most rare examples of luxury off-roaders, this exhibit is full of cars you won’t find anywhere else. The exhibit is housed in the Mullin Grand Salon on the first floor of the museum directly across the hall from the Meyers Manx Cafe, and it’s on display now through April 2026.

As you enter the exhibit, you’re greeted by my favorite vehicle on display, a 1984 Cadillac Seville By Gucci. To the surprise of no one, the gaudy masterpiece that is the Gucci Seville was pioneered through a collaboration between a Miami Cadillac dealership and Aldo Gucci. It’s unknown exactly how many were ever made but this particular car, which was won by a limousine driver on an episode of “Wheel Of Fortune” in 1984 that can be seen playing on a tiny period-correct television set displayed behind the Seville, is believed to be one of 10 remaining Gucci Sevilles in existence today.

It is utterly flawless. From its Gucci-monogrammed vinyl roof to its gold Gucci hood ornament to its white leather seats tufted with Gucci buttons, it’s a prime example of America’s feeble attempts to spruce up its wretched Malaise-Era turds and compete with the high-quality imported vehicles. Next to the little television set playing “Wheel Of Fortune,” curators have staged two mannequins sporting the finest in mid-’80s fashion by Gucci and Bernard Perris to complete the trip back in time.

Once I peeled myself away from the glorious Gucci Seville, I noticed the ’80s and ’90s music playing over the speakers, and was met by a handful of ’80s and ’90s concept cars that I had only seen in books before visiting the museum, like the 1989 Pontiac Stinger and 1997 Chrysler Copperhead. Continue walking around the exhibit and there’s another extremely rare car, a beastly 1996 Nissan GT-R Nismo 400R that’s a reminder of how advanced other countries’ cars were. There’s a wall of notable motorcycles from the era, next to the earliest examples of luxury-oriented off-roaders, including the visual nightmare that is the first ever Mercedes G-Wagen to be modified by AMG and a supremely rare GMC Syclone pace car with arguably the most early-’90s paint job I’ve ever seen.

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There is also, of course, the prerequisite display of supercars from the era, but not the ones you’re likely to see at even the nicest cars and coffee. Yes, there’s a McLaren F1, but this is one of the rare moments where it isn’t the most exciting supercar on display. There is a 1988 Cizeta V16T with its four pop-up headlights popped up, parked next to a beautiful purple Vector M12 and the first street-legal car to produce 1,000 horsepower, the striking one-off 1995 Lotec C1000.

I have been told that not everyone in the world gets excited about going to a museum to see cars. While I have a hard time believing it, I should mention that there are some other cool ’80s and ’90s things to see in the “Totally Awesome” exhibit. Beyond the questionable early-’80s fashion on display next to the Gucci Seville, there are several other, much cooler examples of what was trending in the high-fashion world at the time sprinkled throughout the gallery.

Video games and movies were a big part of the zeitgeist in the ’80s and ’90s, and “Totally Awesome” doesn’t ignore their influence. There’s a section of the exhibit that’s meant to mimic a retro arcade, with lots of contemporary arcade games placed atop a period-correct carpet covered in neon colored scribbles and squiggles, and they’re all functional and free to play. There’s even a sculpture comprised of several vintage television sets all playing the then-popular concept of “Music Television,” or MTV, not to mention the ’80s and ’90s jams that are playing over the speakers in the gallery.

Logan K. Carter/ Jalopnik

All in all, “Totally Awesome: Cars And Culture Of The ’80s And ’90s” is a fun museum exhibit that showcases several extremely rare, extremely cool pieces of automotive history, as well as a smattering of other notable pop-culture phenomena from those wacky, zany, and yes, totally awesome decades. If you live near Los Angeles and you’re looking for a fun way to spend a day, check out The Petersen Automotive Museum website for tickets.

Logan K. Carter/ Jalopnik