The Oldsmobile Silhouette is a
minivan
Minivan (sometimes called simply as van) is a North American car classification for vehicles designed to transport passengers in the rear seating row(s), with reconfigurable seats in two or three rows. The equivalent classification in Europe i ...
manufactured by
General Motors
The General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is the largest automaker in the United States and ...
for model years 1990–2004 over two generations.
Production ended when General Motors discontinued its
Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile or formally the Oldsmobile Division of General Motors was a brand of American automobiles, produced for most of its existence by General Motors. Originally established as "Olds Motor Vehicle Company" by Ransom E. Olds in 1897, it produ ...
brand in 2004. GM continued to market badge engineered variants, the
Saturn Relay
The Saturn Relay is a minivan that was made by General Motors. It was introduced for the 2005 model year, and was built alongside badge engineered variants, the Buick Terraza, the Chevrolet Uplander, and the Pontiac Montana SV6 in Doraville, Ge ...
and the
Buick Terraza
The Buick Terraza is a luxury minivan that was marketed by Buick from 2005 through 2007 model years. The Terraza was a badge engineered variant of the Chevrolet, Pontiac, and Saturn minivans sharing the U platform; ( Uplander, Montana SV6, and R ...
for the MY2005.
Background
General Motors
The General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is the largest automaker in the United States and ...
' first attempt at producing a
minivan
Minivan (sometimes called simply as van) is a North American car classification for vehicles designed to transport passengers in the rear seating row(s), with reconfigurable seats in two or three rows. The equivalent classification in Europe i ...
to compete with the
Chrysler minivans
The Chrysler minivans are a series of minivans that have been produced and marketed by the American automaker Chrysler since the 1984 model year. Currently in its sixth generation, the model line is marketed worldwide, primarily in North Americ ...
, the
rear wheel drive
Rear-wheel drive (RWD) is a form of engine and transmission layout used in motor vehicles, in which the engine drives the rear wheels only. Until the late 20th century, rear-wheel drive was the most common configuration for cars.
Most rear-wheel ...
, truck-based
Chevrolet Astro
The Chevrolet Astro is a van that was manufactured and marketed by the Chevrolet division of American auto manufacturer General Motors from 1985 to 2005. Sold alongside the GMC Safari, the Astro was marketed in multiple configurations, incl ...
and its twin, the
GMC Safari
The Chevrolet Astro is a van that was manufactured and marketed by the Chevrolet division of American auto manufacturer General Motors from 1985 to 2005. Sold alongside the GMC Safari, the Astro was marketed in multiple configurations, in ...
failed to compete strongly against Chrysler's dominance in the minivan market in the 1980s. The 1990 Oldsmobile Silhouette and its sibling models, sold more successfully than the Astro/Safari predecessors.
First shown to the public in 1986, the
Pontiac Trans Sport
The Pontiac Trans Sport is a minivan marketed by the Pontiac division of General Motors over two generations for model years 1990-1999 along with GM badge engineered variants, the Chevrolet Lumina APV and Oldsmobile Silhouette.
Introduced a y ...
concept car
A concept car (also known as a concept vehicle, show vehicle or prototype) is a car made to showcase new styling and/or new technology. They are often exhibited at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or ...
featured futuristic styling, individually removable bucket seats with built-in stereo speakers, a
gull-wing rear passenger door and extensive use of glass including a glass-paneled roof.
The Trans Sport was approved for production without the gullwing door and the glass roof. Chevrolet and Oldsmobile received production vehicles based on the Trans Sport with the
Lumina APV and Silhouette respectively. While the Pontiac Trans Sport was targeted at sport- and style-oriented buyers, the Lumina and Silhouette targeted the value and premium markets respectively.
First generation (1990–1996)
![1991 Oldsmobile Silhouette 3](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/27/1991_Oldsmobile_Silhouette_3.1_%2814670148722%29.jpg)
The first 1990 Oldsmobile Silhouette was manufactured on August 1, 1989.
Assembled in
General Motors
The General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is the largest automaker in the United States and ...
'
North Tarrytown Assembly
The North Tarrytown Assembly was an automobile factory in North Tarrytown, New York now known as Sleepy Hollow, situated on the Hudson River. The plant was in operation from 1896 to 1996. Originally opened by the Stanley Steam Car Company, the ...
assembly facility, these
U platform vans consisted of a
galvanized steel
Galvanization or galvanizing ( also spelled galvanisation or galvanising) is the process of applying a protective zinc coating to steel or iron, to prevent rusting. The most common method is hot-dip galvanizing, in which the parts are submerged ...
space frame
In architecture and structural engineering, a space frame or space structure ( 3D truss) is a rigid, lightweight, truss-like structure constructed from interlocking struts in a geometric pattern. Space frames can be used to span large areas with ...
wrapped in composite plastic body panels that were impervious to rust and minor dents and dings, a manufacturing technique developed on the
Pontiac Fiero
The Pontiac Fiero is a mid-engine sports car manufactured and marketed by Pontiac (automobile), Pontiac for model years 1984-1988. Designed by George Milidrag and Hulki Aldikacti as a sports car, it was the first two-seater Pontiac (automobile) ...
and also used extensively on General Motors'
Saturn
Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second-largest in the Solar System, after Jupiter. It is a gas giant with an average radius of about nine and a half times that of Earth. It has only one-eighth the average density of Earth; h ...
line of vehicles.
The Silhouette was available with seating for seven, with the five lightweight () rear seats being individually reconfigurable and removable. In 1994 built-in child seats were added to the option list, which provided the ability to switch two of the rear seats between adult and child seating with the pull of a seat-mounted tab.
Included with the level ride package, which utilized a compressor and air-pressurized rear shock absorbers to maintain vehicle height regardless of load, was a control panel and air hose kit that allowed the vehicle to be used to inflate tires, air mattresses, sporting equipment and such.
In 1994, a remote-controlled power sliding door feature was added, a General Motors innovation.
For the 1994 and 1995 model years,
traction control
A traction control system (TCS), also known as ASR (from german: Antriebsschlupfregelung, lit=drive slippage regulation), is typically (but not necessarily) a secondary function of the electronic stability control (ESC) on production motor vehicle ...
was available with the
3800
3000 (three thousand) is the natural number following 2999 and preceding 3001. It is the smallest number requiring thirteen letters in English (when "and" is required from 101 forward).
Selected numbers in the range 3001–3999
3001 to 3099 ...
engine option.
The first generation Silhouette was not available in
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
.
European Market
Europeans grew accustomed to sleek minivans thanks to the
Renault Espace
The Renault Espace is a five-door car manufactured by the French carmaker Renault since 1984 for five generations. It is classified as a large MPV/minivan within the M-segment. The first three generations of the Espace were amongst the first co ...
and did not object to the futuristic styling. For the European market, however, the Oldsmobile Silhouette was sold as the Pontiac Trans Sport by replacing the Oldsmobile badging with Pontiac badging, along with Pontiac wheels. Sales in Europe were good for an American import, but did not represent enough volume to make a fourth, distinct model economically feasible.
Like the Oldsmobile Silhouette, the European Trans Sport did not receive any facelift, as the vans' initial styling had not been negatively received there. In 1995, a 1.9-liter turbodiesel by PSA became an option in the European market.
The
Pontiac Trans Sport
The Pontiac Trans Sport is a minivan marketed by the Pontiac division of General Motors over two generations for model years 1990-1999 along with GM badge engineered variants, the Chevrolet Lumina APV and Oldsmobile Silhouette.
Introduced a y ...
of
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
was discontinued in 1997. Its successors were both the
Chevrolet Trans Sport (Second gen
Pontiac Trans Sport
The Pontiac Trans Sport is a minivan marketed by the Pontiac division of General Motors over two generations for model years 1990-1999 along with GM badge engineered variants, the Chevrolet Lumina APV and Oldsmobile Silhouette.
Introduced a y ...
rebadged as a Chevrolet) (LWB), and the
Opel Sintra
The Opel/Vauxhall Sintra is an automobile produced under the German marque Opel for the market in Europe between 1996 and 1999. It was sold in the United Kingdom as the Vauxhall Sintra. The Sintra was one of the second generation U-body (known ...
(SWB). In the United Kingdom, it was sold as the
Vauxhall
Vauxhall ( ) is a district in South West London, part of the London Borough of Lambeth, England. Vauxhall was part of Surrey until 1889 when the County of London was created. Named after a medieval manor, "Fox Hall", it became well known for ...
Sintra.
File:Black Pontiac Trans Sport fr.jpg, European Pontiac Trans Sport (Front).
File:Black Pontiac Trans Sport (Eur) rr.jpg, European Pontiac Trans Sport (Rear).
Engines
*1989–1995
LG6 3.1 ()
V6
*1992–1995
3800
3000 (three thousand) is the natural number following 2999 and preceding 3001. It is the smallest number requiring thirteen letters in English (when "and" is required from 101 forward).
Selected numbers in the range 3001–3999
3001 to 3099 ...
()
V6 (optional)
*1996
LA1 3400 ()
V6
Modest sales success
The design of these minivans was controversial. At the time that the Oldsmobile Silhouette and its siblings were conceived, no one had tried to market a stylish or sporty minivan, and GM felt that this represented a potentially large market segment. They styled these minivans to be lower and sleeker than the competing brands. The extremely large, long and sloped windshield and the resultant long distance to the base of the windshield when sitting in the driver's seat made for a disconcerting driving experience until a person could adjust to the "different" proportions. Automotive magazines christened the new minivans "
dustbuster
The Black & Decker DustBuster (now stylized as DUSTBUSTER) is a cordless vacuum cleaner that was introduced in January 1979.
Mark Proett and Carroll Gantz are listed as the inventors on the utility and design patents, respectively, assigned to B ...
" after a household appliance with a similar profile.
The first engine in these vans was a meager 3.1 L V6, that produced only , which was not up to the task of hauling these fairly heavy vehicles.
In 1992, the Silhouette and its siblings received the 3.8 L
3800
3000 (three thousand) is the natural number following 2999 and preceding 3001. It is the smallest number requiring thirteen letters in English (when "and" is required from 101 forward).
Selected numbers in the range 3001–3999
3001 to 3099 ...
V6 as an option, which provided better torque and acceleration, making them the most powerful as well as best handling minivans then in production.
Production of first generation Silhouettes and stablemates ended in 1996, at which time the
Tarrytown, NY
Tarrytown is a administrative divisions of New York#Village, village in the administrative divisions of New York#Town, town of Greenburgh, New York, Greenburgh in Westchester County, New York. It is located on the eastern bank of the Hudson Rive ...
plant which produced them and which had been in operation since 1900, was shuttered and scheduled for demolition. The final 1st generation U-body Oldsmobile was assembled on June 26, 1996.
Year to year changes
![1990 Oldsmobile Silhouette 3](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b7/1990_Oldsmobile_Silhouette_3.1_%2814944889467%29.jpg)
* 1990 - All new model- The Silhouette in keeping with its positioning as GM's luxury minivan offering is available with optional leather seating, a feature not available on its platform mates and available only on the
Chrysler Town and Country
The Chrysler Town & Country is a minivan that was manufactured and marketed by Chrysler from 1990 to the 2016 model years. The third of the Chrysler minivans introduced, the 1990 Town & Country shared its nameplate with the flagship Chrysler st ...
among competing manufacturer's models.
* 1991 - Customer complaints, regarding glare reflected on the interior of the windshield from the massive expanse of dashboard, led to the addition of black carpeting in lieu of the more-reflective plastic used in the previous year.
* 1992
**Newly available for 1992 was GM's
3800
3000 (three thousand) is the natural number following 2999 and preceding 3001. It is the smallest number requiring thirteen letters in English (when "and" is required from 101 forward).
Selected numbers in the range 3001–3999
3001 to 3099 ...
V6 engine coupled with a
Hydra-Matic
Hydramatic (also known as Hydra-Matic) is an automatic transmission developed by both General Motors' Cadillac and Oldsmobile divisions. Introduced in 1939 for the 1940 model year vehicles, the ''Hydramatic'' was the first mass-produced fully-a ...
4T60-E
The 4T60-E (and similar 4T65-E) is a series of automatic transmissions from General Motors. Designed for transverse engine configurations, the series includes 4 forward gears. The 4Txx family is an evolution of the original Turbo-Hydramatic 125 tr ...
4-speed electronically controlled
automatic transmission
An automatic transmission (sometimes abbreviated to auto or AT) is a multi-speed transmission used in internal combustion engine-based motor vehicles that does not require any input from the driver to change forward gears under normal driving c ...
.
**The cowl-mounted fixed radio antenna was eliminated, and an integrated roof antenna was installed, sandwiched between the roof and the
headliner.
**Side view mirrors were changed to the folding type, and were enlarged to provide better rear visibility.
**Brakes were enlarged and anti-lock brakes (
ABS) were added as standard equipment.
**A pop-up sunroof was added to the options list.
**Steering wheel-mounted controls for the stereo system were added as an option.
![93-96 Oldsmobile Silhouette](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3f/93-96_Oldsmobile_Silhouette.jpg)
* 1993
**The Silhouette's exterior is facelifted, sporting wrap-around turn signal/parking lamps in front, along with standard foglamps.
**Tail lights' design is changed from a grid to a solid red color with black "dissolves" around the edges, a style that had been used exclusively on the
Pontiac Trans Sport
The Pontiac Trans Sport is a minivan marketed by the Pontiac division of General Motors over two generations for model years 1990-1999 along with GM badge engineered variants, the Chevrolet Lumina APV and Oldsmobile Silhouette.
Introduced a y ...
previously.
**A remote controlled power sliding side door was announced for 1993, but failed to actually make it into production.
**A redesigned center console was added this year with revamped, larger climate controls, a large storage cubby and a large storage bin at its base.
*1994
**In an effort to lessen the perceived distance to the base of the windshield, a ridge was added to the interior dash finishing panel.
**A remote-controlled power sliding door became available as an option.
**Built-in child seats for the second row became available as an option.
**A traction control system became available as an option.
**Rear deep-tinted windows now featured a darker tint than previously used.
**A driver's side
airbag
An airbag is a vehicle occupant-restraint system using a bag designed to inflate extremely quickly, then quickly deflate during a collision. It consists of the airbag cushion, a flexible fabric bag, an inflation module, and an impact sensor. Th ...
became standard equipment.
**A roof rack became standard on all Silhouettes and their subsequent model years, but remained optional on the Chevrolet and Pontiac.
*1995
**Automatic power door locks that engaged/disengaged with the transmission shifting into or out of "park" added as a standard feature of the power door lock option package.
*1996
**Final year of production. Replaced in 1997 by an all-new design carrying the same name.
**Both 3.1 and 3.8 L V6
engines
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert one or more forms of energy into mechanical energy.
Available energy sources include potential energy (e.g. energy of the Earth's gravitational field as exploited in hydroelectric power ...
were dropped, the 3.4 L
3400 V6 engine
A V6 engine is a six-cylinder piston engine where the cylinders share a common crankshaft and are arranged in a V configuration.
The first V6 engines were designed and produced independently by Marmon Motor Car Company, Deutz Gasmotoren Fabrik ...
became the only engine available.
**Traction control dropped as an option.
Second generation (1997–2004)
The redesigned 1997 Silhouette was built at
Doraville Assembly
Doraville Assembly was a General Motors automobile factory in Doraville, Georgia, just northeast of Atlanta. The plant opened in 1947 and was under the management of GM's newly created Buick-Oldsmobile-Pontiac Assembly Division created in 1945. I ...
. The first 1997 Silhouettes were assembled in August, 1996. Canadian sales began as a 1998 model. Unlike the Venture and Trans Sport/Montana, the roof rack was standard on all Silhouettes. GM continued to offer the Silhouette as their premium luxurious minivan, the Trans Sport/Montana as the sporty one, and the Venture as the basic version. The base model (only offered for 1997) was the only model to offer short-wheelbase and a driver side sliding door being only optional, when all the other trim levels of the Silhouette were in long-wheelbase extended version and offered a standard driver side sliding door.
Having achieved second place in sales to Chrysler, General Motors brought out an entirely new
U platform series of minivans, theoretically based
on the lessons learned from its previous missteps. GM, still stinging from the criticism of the previous "
dustbuster
The Black & Decker DustBuster (now stylized as DUSTBUSTER) is a cordless vacuum cleaner that was introduced in January 1979.
Mark Proett and Carroll Gantz are listed as the inventors on the utility and design patents, respectively, assigned to B ...
" minivans, the new Silhouette would be completely conventional in all respects. The vehicle would be of steel
unibody
A vehicle frame, also historically known as its '' chassis'', is the main supporting structure of a motor vehicle to which all other components are attached, comparable to the skeleton of an organism.
Until the 1930s, virtually every car ha ...
construction, and styling would be as conservative as possible. The previous generation was a little too large for comfortably navigating
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
an streets, so this new range of models would be narrower and slightly smaller than was the norm for the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
in order to produce a single range of
minivan
Minivan (sometimes called simply as van) is a North American car classification for vehicles designed to transport passengers in the rear seating row(s), with reconfigurable seats in two or three rows. The equivalent classification in Europe i ...
s that GM hoped would fill the needs of both the
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
n and
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
an markets.
New for this generation were
cabin air filters, and the filters can be accessed from behind an access panel easily accessed from inside the glove compartment.
During the development of this generation of the
U-body minivan, General Motors extensively
benchmark
Benchmark may refer to:
Business and economics
* Benchmarking, evaluating performance within organizations
* Benchmark price
* Benchmark (crude oil), oil-specific practices
Science and technology
* Benchmark (surveying), a point of known elevati ...
ed the then current
Chrysler minivans
The Chrysler minivans are a series of minivans that have been produced and marketed by the American automaker Chrysler since the 1984 model year. Currently in its sixth generation, the model line is marketed worldwide, primarily in North Americ ...
. The resultant vehicles more closely resembled the immensely successful trio of
Chrysler minivans
The Chrysler minivans are a series of minivans that have been produced and marketed by the American automaker Chrysler since the 1984 model year. Currently in its sixth generation, the model line is marketed worldwide, primarily in North Americ ...
; However, Chrysler would launch a
completely redesigned minivan line a year before GM.
![Oldsmobile Silhouette rear](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9e/Oldsmobile_Silhouette_rear.jpg)
Two different wheelbase lengths were offered as well as dual sliding doors. Silhouettes, in keeping with their luxury positioning, offered many features as standard that were optional on competing makes and on its platform mates. In 1998, it became one of the first vehicles on the market to offer a
VCR
A videocassette recorder (VCR) or video recorder is an electromechanical device that records analog audio and analog video from broadcast television or other source on a removable, magnetic tape videocassette, and can play back the recording. ...
with overhead retractable
LCD
A liquid-crystal display (LCD) is a flat-panel display or other electronically modulated optical device that uses the light-modulating properties of liquid crystals combined with polarizers. Liquid crystals do not emit light directly but in ...
screen for back seat viewing, which has since become a "must-have" option for families with children. For 2001, the Silhouette received a minor facelift that included a new grille and front bumper.
Trim levels
*base - 1997
*''GL'' - 1997–2004 Included: Cloth upholstery, 15" steel rims with hubcaps, air conditioning, map pockets in driver and passenger seats, power driver's seat, storage drawer under passenger front seat, an AM/FM stereo with single-CD player and seek-scan tuning, coaxial speakers, and clock, overhead console, fog lamps, and power front windows with automatic driver's side window. Later standard features were an AM/FM stereo with single-CD and cassette players and speed-compensated volume control, TheftLock, and clock, a garage door opener, rear seat audio controls, keyless entry, heated power mirrors, and automatic headlamps.
*''GLS'' - 1997–2004 Added: leather upholstery, rear parking aid, tri-zone climate control system, rear seat audio/climate controls, compass, garage door opener, an AM/FM stereo with single-CD and cassette players, seek-scan tuning, coaxial speakers and clock, leather wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, power front seats with driver's side memory, 16" alloy rims, and power sliding passenger door.
*''GS'' - 1998–1999
*''Premiere'' - 1998–2004 Added: Entertainment system with DVD player with fold-down overhead color monitor for rear passengers, input jacks for video games or camcorders, 4 pairs of wireless headphones and rear seat visual/audio controls, heated front seats, and power sliding driver's side door.
Engine
3.4 L
LA1 3400 ()
V6
Safety criticism
![1997 Pontiac Trans Sport SE IIHS](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/1997_Pontiac_Trans_Sport_SE_IIHS.jpg)
A
crash test
A crash test is a form of destructive testing usually performed in order to ensure safe design standards in crashworthiness and crash compatibility for various modes of transportation (see automobile safety) or related systems and componen ...
video of the 1997 Trans Sport conducted by the
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is a U.S. nonprofit organization funded by auto insurance companies, established in 1959 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. It works to reduce the number of motor vehicle traffic collision ...
(IIHS) resulted in some criticism due to extreme damage to the vehicle in the moderate overlap crash test. The minivan received a "Poor" rating and was ranked the "Worst Performing Vehicle" by the institute as a result. This applied to the Silhouette and other second generation U-body minivans as well.
Some comments made by the IIHS after the first test in 1996 were:
* Major collapse of the occupant compartment left little survival space for the driver.
* Extreme steering wheel movement snapped the dummy's head backward.
* The unnatural position of the dummy's left foot indicates that an occupant's left leg would have been seriously injured in a real-world crash of this severity.
* The forces on the left lower leg were so high that the dummy's metal foot broke off at the ankle.
* The readings in the dummy showed the crash might have been fatal.
The safety issues of the Silhouette and other second generation U-body minivans were later addressed with the third generation redesign, which earned the highest rating of "Good" given by the institute in the moderate overlap crash test.
The
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA ) is an agency of the U.S. federal government, part of the Department of Transportation. It describes its mission as "Save lives, prevent injuries, reduce vehicle-related crashes" rela ...
gave the van 4 stars for driver protection and 3 stars for passenger protection in the frontal impact test. In the side impact test, it received 5 stars for front passenger protection, and 5 stars for rear passenger protection.
More information on the Oldsmobile Silhouette/Pontiac Trans Sport:
Mixed sales success
The Silhouette and its platform mates achieved slightly better sales than their avant-garde predecessors, but also failed to capture a significant share of the market. The Silhouette was a close competitor in many of the categories deemed of importance, but was a winner in luxury, first in the world to offer factory video screen, the minivan market had become significantly more crowded with competing products that proved to be more desirable and throughout its production it was widely considered a second-tier competitor, certainly competent but not a stand-out in any category.
The Silhouette remained in production until the 2004 model year with minimal changes. As Oldsmobile itself was gradually phased out due to poor sales, a limited run of 500 units, dubbed Final 500, of each of the brands 5 remaining models were built and sold. The Silhouette received the Final 500 edition as well, applied exclusively to the Premiere trim. It featured a Dark Cherry Metallic paint, like the Alero, Bravada, Aurora, and Intrigue, custom vintage Oldsmobile badging on the front fenders and rear liftgate, Final 500 embroidered seat backs for the front and middle row (unique to the Final 500 Silhouettes) and front floor mats, and Aurora-styled chrome wheels. However, as a result of the assembly plant running out of production capacity due to fleet order obligations of its siblings, only 360 out of the 500 Silhouettes were built. Production of the Silhouette ended on March 31, 2004.
Successors and decline
The spiritual successor to the Oldsmobile Silhouette within the General Motors lineup is the
Buick Terraza
The Buick Terraza is a luxury minivan that was marketed by Buick from 2005 through 2007 model years. The Terraza was a badge engineered variant of the Chevrolet, Pontiac, and Saturn minivans sharing the U platform; ( Uplander, Montana SV6, and R ...
(2005-2007), which was built on an updated version of the U platform and occupied the luxury minivan slot previously occupied by the Silhouette.
However, due to poor sales of all the third-generation GM minivans in the United States, GM decided to exit the minivan market altogether in that region.
Production of the
Pontiac Montana SV6 Pontiac may refer to:
*Pontiac (automobile), a car brand
*Pontiac (Ottawa leader) ( – 1769), a Native American war chief
Places and jurisdictions Canada
*Pontiac, Quebec, a municipality
**Apostolic Vicariate of Pontiac, now the Roman Catholic Di ...
ended after the 2006 model year in the United States, the Buick Terraza and
Saturn Relay
The Saturn Relay is a minivan that was made by General Motors. It was introduced for the 2005 model year, and was built alongside badge engineered variants, the Buick Terraza, the Chevrolet Uplander, and the Pontiac Montana SV6 in Doraville, Ge ...
ended after the 2007 model year, and for the
Chevrolet Uplander
The Chevrolet Uplander is a minivan manufactured and marketed by the Chevrolet division of General Motors for model years of 2005-2009, replacing the Venture and the Astro. Marketed over a single generation, the Uplander was offered in short and l ...
, production ceased in the United States after the 2008 model year and focused on the new
crossover vehicle
A crossover, crossover SUV, or crossover utility vehicle (CUV) is a type of automobile with an increased ride height that is built on unibody chassis construction shared with passenger cars, as opposed to traditional sport utility vehicles (S ...
market. However, production of the Uplander (and Montana SV6) continued in Mexico and Canada until 2009 due to better sales in those countries.
One-Off Variants
*Silhouette OSV (1999) - A modified version of the Silhouette that was created as part of "Oldsmobile Specialty Vehicles", an experiment in an aftermarket tuning brand for Oldsmobile. It debuted at the 1999 SEMA show alongside the OSV Alero and OSV Intrigue. It features: 3.4L SFI V6 engine with tuned intake and headers that does 210 hp @ 4400rpm, 270 lb-ft torque @ 2800 rpm, 4-speed Hydramatic 4T60-E automatic transmission, RH Evolution C6 Wheels, 13-inch Brembo cross-drilled 4-wheel disc brakes, Koni struts and springs, front and rear spoilers, ground effects package, K&N filtration, Borla exhaust. On the exterior, the OSV Silhouette features a ground effects package similar to its OSV siblings, Candy Apple Red paint with ghosted Oldsmobile Tilted Rocket logos on the rear quarter panels, an OSV badge between the wheel wells and front doors, and silver inserts that block out the minivan's twin grille. Inside, the OSV is largely the same as its OSV siblings, sporting climate-controlled, 8-position Recaro Style seats, trimmed in neutral and red leather, and Titanium pedals. Unique to the OSV Silhouette is the fact that all of its seats are Recaro Style seats. All the headrests of the seats have the OSV logo embroidered into the headrests, like the OSV Alero and OSV Intrigue. It was sold in 2009 at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction, and again in 2012. In December 2020, an article by Hagerty reported that the OSV Silhouette was found listed for sale at Empire Motors in Canada. According the article, 3 OSV Silhouettes were built. The OSV Silhouette featured in the article has since been sold.
*Silhouette OSV II (2000) - Another Silhouette modified for OSV, this time painted dark green. Little information exists on the Silhouette OSV II, but it appears largely the same as the Silhouette OSV I. It is part of a second batch of OSVs alongside the Alero OSV II and Intrigue OSV II. Like the other OSV II models, the whereabouts of the Silhouette OSV II are unknown.
References
External links
Official Oldsmobile Silhouette website(last updated in 2004)
{{Oldsmobile Timeline
Silhouette
A silhouette ( , ) is the image of a person, animal, object or scene represented as a solid shape of a single colour, usually black, with its edges matching the outline of the subject. The interior of a silhouette is featureless, and the silhou ...
Minivans
Front-wheel-drive vehicles
1980s cars
1990s cars
2000s cars
Cars introduced in 1989