Do You Love The Luxury Of Leather? Indulge In These Hide-Bound Classics Costing $20,000 Or Less

“Vegan interiors” are a hot trend among premium automakers today, especially those marketing battery-electric vehicles. The goal of avoiding animal-derived products in constructing car cabins has helped recast good old PVC vinyl-coated fabric, a.k.a. leatherette -that man-made, long-lasting, easily cleaned seating material that used to freeze us in winter and burn us in summer- in an eco-friendly light. It’s also inspired new artificial leathers made from things like recycled plastic bottles and fishing nets and natural materials including bamboo, cork, and even cactus fibers. Following this path, we’re seeing the return of genuine wool fabric upholstery, which fell out of widespread use after World War II.

For generations, leather upholstery has signified luxury to many consumers, especially since it tended to be a pricey factory option. If real leather is what you prefer to sit on (and grip, when the steering wheel and shift knob are so swathed), you’ll find thousands of vintage, classic, and modern-classic vehicles in the Hemmings Marketplace that can make you feel like royalty. Perusing the Classified Ads and Make Offer listings, we’ve picked one vehicle from each of the last seven decades that features this upholstery trim. If leather is your thing, which one would you most enjoy driving?

1956 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight

Oldsmobile’s flagship Ninety-Eight De Luxe Holiday sedan was one of the most stylish General Motors products in 1956, as this two-tone hardtop demonstrates. Powered by a four-barrel-carbureted 240-hp Rocket T-350 V-8 paired with a Jetaway Hydra-Matic, the four-door had pep to match its style. This car’s interior features a power-operated front bench seat, and both benches are neatly trimmed with original white leather. Interestingly, the 1956 Ninety-Eight was highlighted in a contemporary advertisement for The Upholstery Leather Group that celebrated the hide’s durability, appearance, and prestige.

1964 Chrysler 300

Chrysler’s 1964 300 convertible was a head-turning car with stylish trim details, including this model’s special, star-shaped red and blue emblems. This refurbished circa-72,600-mile example, powered by a 383-cu.in. V-8, was resprayed in its original green hue back in the 1980s. It still contains its factory-installed optional pearl-white leather interior, which shows pleasingly minor evidence of 60 years of use. The individual front seats are separated by a folding armrest -the passenger side reclining in five positions- and the rear bench is shaped for two (featured pup not included).

1979 Peugeot 504 TI

For generations, French automakers have been famed for the plush interiors and compliant ride of their premium models. Riding in a top-spec Citroën, Renault, or Peugeot is something every car enthusiast should experience at some point. This Pininfarina-styled 1979 504 TI is a European-market, fuel-injected 2.0-liter sedan that is richly appointed with a sliding steel sunroof, three-speed automatic transmission, power front windows, and rich genuine leather upholstery. The front bucket seats sport adjustable headrests while the rear bench contains a folding armrest. This Peugeot promises sublime, big-car highway comfort in an easy-to-maneuver midsize package.

1984 Lincoln Town Car Signature Series

One of the most respected and longest-running holdouts in the traditional American luxury sedan market was Lincoln’s Town Car, and through the 1980s, this model gave buyers all the room and convenience features they wanted. This 55,500-mile, 5.0-liter V-8-powered 1984 Signature Series in Dark Charcoal Metallic with red pinstripes matches an example in the brochure. Its front-cabin occupants sit on coordinating (optionally) red-leather-trimmed Twin Comfort Lounge seats with six-way power adjustments, while three have ample room to spread out across the supple-looking rear bench.

1993 Mazda MX-5 Miata Limited Edition

The Brilliant Black paint, red leather interior, and 14-inch BBS alloy wheels are some of the hallmarks of the 1993 Miata Limited Edition, a fully loaded model built in just 1,500 copies for that model year. This 86,427-mile example comes with the optional removable hard top as well as the one-hand-operation soft top. The upholstery’s rich red color extends to the dashboard, carpet, floor mats, and even the seatbelts. A light application of recoloring balm could erase the evidence of decades, making the leather facings on on these headrest-speaker-equipped bucket seats look invitingly new again.

2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer SS

Today’s drivers of trucks, SUVs, and crossovers demand just as many upmarket appointments as do luxury-car buyers, and the automakers are happy to oblige. Chevrolet gave its flagship, 395-hp LS2 V-8-powered 2007 Trailblazer SS a unique fascia, a buttoned-down ZQ8 sport suspension controlling 20-inch alloys, and a sporty blend of Ebony leather and suede inside. This AWD ute has heated, power-adjusted front thrones with extra bolstering and SS insignias, and its folding rear bench can seat three passengers eager to experience a sub-6.0-second 0-60 run.

2011 Jaguar XK

Jaguar is one of the British marques that cemented the equation of leather and wood with luxury, so we had to highlight a Jag in this roundup. One of its most beautiful recent models is this Liquid Silver 2011 XK coupe, whose taut yet flowing lines recall those of the classic E-type. Under its aluminum skin are a naturally aspirated 385-hp 5.0-liter V-8 and Ivory Softgrain leather upholstery covering power-operated front seats and a pair of “+2” rear seats. Leather also trims the door panels and dash, and Jaguar “Suedecloth” covers the headliner. This is the type of luxurious grand tourer that can make anyone feel like a million bucks while costing a tiny fraction of that.

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