While there is no question that something from more recent times is faster, safer, better handling, better braking and more abstemious in its use of fuel than anything from the eighties, that isn't really the point.
There is absolutely a cool factor in daily driving something older that still looks good and that with a little attention can function reliably. I can see the appeal in driving something that was once common that you no longer see many of on the road.
As someone noted above, nobody is cross-shopping an '88 Monte with any more modern sedan.