Oldsmobile or formally the Oldsmobile Division of General Motors was a
brand
A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's good or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create an ...
of American
automobile
A car or automobile is a motor vehicle with Wheel, wheels. Most definitions of ''cars'' say that they run primarily on roads, Car seat, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport private transport#Personal transport, pe ...
s, produced for most of its existence 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 ...
. Originally established as "Olds Motor Vehicle Company" by
Ransom E. Olds
Ransom Eli Olds (June 3, 1864 – August 26, 1950) was a pioneer of the American automotive industry, after whom the Oldsmobile and REO brands were named. He claimed to have built his first steam car as early as 1887 and his first gasoline-power ...
in 1897, it produced over 35 million vehicles, including at least 14 million built at its
Lansing, Michigan
Lansing () is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is mostly in Ingham County, although portions of the city extend west into Eaton County and north into Clinton County. The 2020 census placed the city's population at 112,644, making ...
factory alone. During its time as a division of General Motors, Oldsmobile slotted into the middle of GM's five (passenger car) divisions (above
Chevrolet
Chevrolet ( ), colloquially referred to as Chevy and formally the Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors Company, is an American automobile division of the American manufacturer General Motors (GM). Louis Chevrolet (1878–1941) and ous ...
and
Pontiac 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 D ...
, but below
Buick
Buick () is a division of the American automobile manufacturer General Motors (GM). Started by automotive pioneer David Dunbar Buick in 1899, it was among the first American marques of automobiles, and was the company that established General ...
and
Cadillac
The Cadillac Motor Car Division () is a division of the American automobile manufacturer General Motors (GM) that designs and builds luxury vehicles. Its major markets are the United States, Canada, and China. Cadillac models are distributed i ...
), and was noted for several groundbreaking technologies and designs.
Oldsmobile's sales peaked at over one million annually from 1983 to 1986, but by the 1990s the division faced growing competition from premium import brands, and sales steadily declined. When it shut down in 2004, Oldsmobile was the oldest surviving American automobile
marque
A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's good or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create an ...
, and one of the oldest in the world, after
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz (), commonly referred to as Mercedes and sometimes as Benz, is a German luxury and commercial vehicle automotive brand established in 1926. Mercedes-Benz AG (a Mercedes-Benz Group subsidiary established in 2019) is headquartere ...
,
Peugeot
Peugeot (, , ) is a French brand of automobiles owned by Stellantis.
The family business that preceded the current Peugeot companies was founded in 1810, with a steel foundry that soon started making hand tools and kitchen equipment, and the ...
,
Renault
Groupe Renault ( , , , also known as the Renault Group in English; legally Renault S.A.) is a French multinational automobile manufacturer established in 1899. The company produces a range of cars and vans, and in the past has manufactured ...
,
Fiat
Fiat Automobiles S.p.A. (, , ; originally FIAT, it, Fabbrica Italiana Automobili di Torino, lit=Italian Automobiles Factory of Turin) is an Italian automobile manufacturer, formerly part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, and since 2021 a subsidiary ...
,
Opel
Opel Automobile GmbH (), usually shortened to Opel, is a German automobile manufacturer which has been a subsidiary of Stellantis since 16 January 2021. It was owned by the American automaker General Motors from 1929 until 2017 and the PSA Grou ...
,
Autocar and
Tatra (initially Nesselsdorfer Wagenbau co.).
History
Early history
![Olds2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/91/Olds2.jpg)
Oldsmobiles were first manufactured by the Olds Motor Vehicle Co. in
Lansing, Michigan
Lansing () is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is mostly in Ingham County, although portions of the city extend west into Eaton County and north into Clinton County. The 2020 census placed the city's population at 112,644, making ...
, a company founded by
Ransom E. Olds
Ransom Eli Olds (June 3, 1864 – August 26, 1950) was a pioneer of the American automotive industry, after whom the Oldsmobile and REO brands were named. He claimed to have built his first steam car as early as 1887 and his first gasoline-power ...
in 1897. In 1901 (the same year that
Horace
Quintus Horatius Flaccus (; 8 December 65 – 27 November 8 BC), known in the English-speaking world as Horace (), was the leading Roman lyric poet during the time of Augustus (also known as Octavian). The rhetorician Quintilian regarded his ' ...
and
John Dodge won a contract to produce transmissions for the Oldsmobile company), the company produced 635 cars, making it the first high-volume gasoline-powered automobile manufacturer. (Electric car manufacturers such as
Columbia Electric
Columbia was an American brand of automobiles produced by a group of companies in the United States. They included the Pope Manufacturing Company of Hartford, Connecticut, the Electric Vehicle Company, and an entity of brief existence in 189 ...
and steam-powered car manufacturers such as
Locomobile had higher volumes a few years earlier.) Oldsmobile became the top-selling car company in the United States for a few years around 1903–1904. Ransom Olds left the company in 1904 because of a dispute with sales manager Frederick Smith, who was questioning production techniques and wanted Mr. Olds to certify that each car that left the plant was free from defects. Mr. Smith then set up an experimental engineering shop without Mr. Olds' knowledge or consent, causing Mr. Olds to leave in 1904 and formed the
REO Motor Car Company
The REO Motor Car Company was a company based in Lansing, Michigan, which produced automobiles and trucks from 1905 to 1975. At one point, the company also manufactured buses on its truck platforms.
Ransom E. Olds was an entrepreneur who founde ...
. This was a similar situation
Henry Ford
Henry Ford (July 30, 1863 – April 7, 1947) was an American industrialist, business magnate, founder of the Ford Motor Company, and chief developer of the assembly line technique of mass production. By creating the first automobile that mi ...
encountered when he was forced out of the company he founded, the
Henry Ford Company
The Henry Ford Company was an automobile manufacturer active from 1901 to 1902. Named for Henry Ford, it was his second company after the Detroit Automobile Company, which had been founded in 1899. The Henry Ford Company was founded November 190 ...
and started the
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (commonly known as Ford) is an American multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. The company sells automobi ...
in 1903. After merging with
Diamond T
The Diamond T Company was an American automobile and truck manufacturer. They produced commercial and military trucks.
History
The Diamond T Motor Car Company was founded in Chicago in 1905 by C. A. Tilt. Reportedly, the company name was creat ...
in 1967,
Diamond Reo Trucks
Diamond Reo Trucks was an American truck manufacturer. In 1967, Diamond T and Reo Trucks were combined to form the Diamond Reo Trucks Division of the White Motor Corporation. Reo dated back to 1904 when Ransom E. Olds, founder of Oldsmobil ...
also lasted into the 21st century, folding in 2013.
![1904-oldsmobile-archives](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/1904-oldsmobile-archives.jpg)
The 1902 to 1907
Oldsmobile Model R "Curved Dash" was
the first mass-produced car, made from the first automotive
assembly line
An assembly line is a manufacturing process (often called a ''progressive assembly'') in which parts (usually interchangeable parts) are added as the semi-finished assembly moves from workstation to workstation where the parts are added in seq ...
, an invention which is often incorrectly credited to Henry Ford and the Ford Motor Company. Ford was the first to manufacture cars on a ''moving'' assembly line, while Olds used a stationary assembly line, meaning that the assembled vehicle remained in one place and workers would move from one car to the next and perform one assigned task. This differed from hand-made vehicles in the past where various workers would work on one car until it was completed and was labor- and time-intensive. After Olds merged Olds Motor Vehicle Co. with the Olds Gas Engine Works in 1899, it was renamed "Olds Motor Works" and moved to a new plant in Detroit, located at the corner of East Jefferson Avenue and
MacArthur Bridge. By March 1901, the company had a whole line of models ready for mass production. However, a mistake by a worker caused the factory to catch fire, and it burned to the ground, with all of the prototypes destroyed. The only car that survived the fire was a Curved Dash prototype, which was wheeled out of the factory by two workers while escaping the fire. While the factory was being rebuilt from insurance, many subcontractors were used to keep production going, to include
Henry M. Leland
Henry Martyn Leland (February 16, 1843 – March 26, 1932) was an American machinist, inventor, engineer and automotive entrepreneur. He founded the two premier American luxury automotive marques, Cadillac and Lincoln.
Early years
Henry M. Lela ...
for engines and the
Dodge Brothers
Dodge is an American brand of automobiles and a division of Stellantis, based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Dodge vehicles have historically included performance cars, and for much of its existence Dodge was Chrysler's mid-priced brand above Ply ...
. Olds was a strong competitor to other independent companies
Buick
Buick () is a division of the American automobile manufacturer General Motors (GM). Started by automotive pioneer David Dunbar Buick in 1899, it was among the first American marques of automobiles, and was the company that established General ...
and
Cadillac
The Cadillac Motor Car Division () is a division of the American automobile manufacturer General Motors (GM) that designs and builds luxury vehicles. Its major markets are the United States, Canada, and China. Cadillac models are distributed i ...
before they became divisions of
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 ...
between 1908 and 1909. Later after Mr. Olds left the company, Oldsmobile production was moved to
Lansing
Lansing () is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is mostly in Ingham County, although portions of the city extend west into Eaton County and north into Clinton County. The 2020 census placed the city's population at 112,644, makin ...
.
Officially, the cars were called "Olds automobiles," but were colloquially referred to as "Oldsmobiles." It was this moniker, as applied especially to the Curved Dash Olds, that was popularized in the lyrics and title of the 1905 hit song "
In My Merry Oldsmobile". The last Oldsmobile Curved Dash was made in 1907.
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 ...
purchased the company on November 12, 1908. When GM assumed operations, platform sharing began with Buick products and Oldsmobile shared platforms were identified with the prefix "Series" followed by a number, while models developed by pre-GM engineers were identified with the prefix "Model" followed by a letter. Early on, Oldsmobile was a competitor to
Hudson
Hudson may refer to:
People
* Hudson (given name)
* Hudson (surname)
* Henry Hudson, English explorer
* Hudson (footballer, born 1986), Hudson Fernando Tobias de Carvalho, Brazilian football right-back
* Hudson (footballer, born 1988), Hudso ...
as some former engineers of Oldsmobile took positions with Hudson.
1910s
![1910 Oldsmobile Limited Tourer (21243289970)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d7/1910_Oldsmobile_Limited_Tourer_%2821243289970%29.jpg)
The 1910
Limited Touring Series 23 was an early, ambitious, high point for the company. Riding atop 42-inch (1067 mm) wheels, and equipped with factory "white" tires, the Limited was the prestige model in Oldsmobile's two model lineup, with the smaller
Oldsmobile Autocrat Series 32 having 36-inch wheels.
The Limited retailed for US$4,600, ($ in dollars ) an amount greater than the price of a new basic three-bedroom house. Buyers received goatskin upholstery, a 60 hp (45 kW) 707
CID
CID may refer to:
Film
* ''C.I.D.'' (1955 film), an Indian Malayalam film
* ''C.I.D.'' (1956 film), an Indian Hindi film
* ''C. I. D.'' (1965 film), an Indian Telugu film
* ''C.I.D.'' (1990 film), an Indian Hindi film
Television
* ''CID'' ( ...
(11.6 L)
T-head straight-six engine, Bosch Magneto starter, running boards and room for five. Options included a speedometer, clock, and a full glass windshield. A limousine version was priced at $5,800 ($ in dollars ). While Oldsmobile only sold 725 Limiteds in its three years of production, the car is best remembered for winning a race against the famed
20th Century Limited train, an event immortalized in the painting ''Setting the Pace'' by William Hardner Foster.
The Limited was at the time considered technologically advanced and cutting edge, if on the expensive side, but it established the division's reputation for innovation. The
Oldsmobile Series 40 was offered in 1912 and was considerably more affordable and smaller, and later the
Oldsmobile Light Eight
The Oldsmobile Light Eight was an automobile produced by the Oldsmobile Division of General Motors in roadster, two-door coupe, four-door sedan from between 1916 and 1923. It was powered by a
sidevalve V8 engine, the maker's first, and shar ...
in 1916, Oldsmobile offered a Cadillac-sourced
flathead V8 engine until 1923, while Buick remained with their division exclusive
overhead valve
An overhead valve (OHV) engine, sometimes called a ''pushrod engine'', is a piston engine whose valves are located in the cylinder head above the combustion chamber. This contrasts with earlier flathead engines, where the valves were located be ...
straight-six engine
The straight-six engine (also referred to as an inline-six engine; abbreviated I6 or L6) is a piston engine with six cylinders arranged in a straight line along the crankshaft. A straight-six engine has perfect primary and secondary engine bala ...
until 1930.
Beginning in 1910, bodywork was supplied by
Fisher Body
Fisher Body was an automobile coachbuilder founded by the Fisher brothers in 1908 in Detroit, Michigan. A division of General Motors for many years, in 1984 it was dissolved to form other General Motors divisions. Fisher & Company (originally Allo ...
, a longstanding tradition that led to the company being eventually merged into GM in later years.
1920s
![Oldsmobile Model F-28 4-Door Sedan 1928](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/72/Oldsmobile_Model_F-28_4-Door_Sedan_1928.jpg)
In 1926, the
Oldsmobile Six
The Oldsmobile Six, also known as the Model 53, 54 and 55 (1913-1915) then a brief cancellation until it reappeared as the Model 37, 37A and 37B (1917-1921) was a top level sedan along with the Oldsmobile Series 40 junior vehicle produced by GM's ...
came in five body styles, and ushered in a new GM bodystyle platform called the "
GM B platform
The B platform (also known as the B body) is a full-size rear-wheel drive car platform that was produced by General Motors (GM) from 1926 to 1996. Originally made for Oldsmobile and Buick, all of General Motors's five main makes would use it at ...
", shared with
Buick
Buick () is a division of the American automobile manufacturer General Motors (GM). Started by automotive pioneer David Dunbar Buick in 1899, it was among the first American marques of automobiles, and was the company that established General ...
products.
In 1929, as part of
General Motors' companion make program, Oldsmobile introduced the higher standard
Viking
Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden),
who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and se ...
brand, marketed through the Oldsmobile dealer network. Viking was already discontinued at the end of the 1930 model year although an additional 353 cars were marketed as 1931 models.
1930s
![1934-oldsmobile-archives](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/20/1934-oldsmobile-archives.jpg)
In the 1930s, Oldsmobile produced two body styles of automobile, the
Series F (straight-6 cylinder) and the longer
Series L (straight-8 cylinder). In 1933 The ''
Oldsmobile Program
The Oldsmobile Show is a half-hour weekly old-time radio variety program in the United States. It was broadcast on CBS in 1933Sies, Luther F. (2014). ''Encyclopedia of American Radio, 1920-1960, 2nd Edition''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . P. 494. a ...
'' appeared on CBS radio for two years which was a new advertising approach to sell products and services.
In 1937, Oldsmobile was a pioneer in introducing a four-speed semi-automatic transmission called the "Automatic Safety Transmission", although this accessory was actually built by Buick, which would offer it in its own cars in 1938. This transmission features a conventional
clutch
A clutch is a mechanical device that engages and disengages power transmission, especially from a drive shaft to a driven shaft. In the simplest application, clutches connect and disconnect two rotating shafts (drive shafts or line shafts). ...
pedal, which the driver presses before selecting either "low" or "high" range. In "low," the car shifts between first and second gears. In "high," the car shifts among first, third and fourth gears.
1940s
![1940 Oldsmobile Dynamic Series 70 Sedan (12492572503)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a5/1940_Oldsmobile_Dynamic_Series_70_Sedan_%2812492572503%29.jpg)
For the 1940 model, Oldsmobile was the first auto manufacturer to offer a fully
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 ...
, called the "
Hydramatic
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 ...
", which features four forward speeds. It has a gas pedal and a brake—no clutch pedal. The gear selector is on the steering column.
Starting in 1941 and continuing through 1999, Oldsmobile used a two-digit model designation. As originally implemented, the first digit signifies the body size while the second represents the number of cylinders. Body sizes were 6, 7, 8, and 9, and straight six- and straight eight-cylinder engines were offered. Thus, Oldsmobiles were named "
66" through "
98".
Until January 1, 1942, the Division was still known by the still official name of Olds Motor Works, when it was changed to the collective name the cars were known as, "Oldsmobiles". Thus, the division was officially christened the Oldsmobile Division of General Motors.
The last pre-war Oldsmobile rolled off the assembly line on February 5, 1942. During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, Oldsmobile produced numerous kinds of material for the war effort, including large-caliber guns and shells. Production resumed on October 15, 1945, with a warmed-over 1942 model serving as the offering for 1946.
Oldsmobile once again was a pioneer when, for the 1949 model, the
Rocket
A rocket (from it, rocchetto, , bobbin/spool) is a vehicle that uses jet propulsion to accelerate without using the surrounding air. A rocket engine produces thrust by reaction to exhaust expelled at high speed. Rocket engines work entirely fr ...
engine was introduced, which used an
overhead valve
An overhead valve (OHV) engine, sometimes called a ''pushrod engine'', is a piston engine whose valves are located in the cylinder head above the combustion chamber. This contrasts with earlier flathead engines, where the valves were located be ...
V8 design rather than the
flathead "
straight-eight
The straight-eight engine (also referred to as an inline-eight engine; abbreviated I8 or L8) is a piston engine with eight cylinders arranged in a straight line along the crankshaft. The number of cylinders and perfect primary and secondary en ...
" design which prevailed at the time. The overhead valve was originally exclusive to Buick as they invented the technology and offered it on all of their products. This engine produced far more power than the other engines that were popular during that era, and found favor with hot-rodders and stock car racers. The basic design, with a few minor changes, endured until Oldsmobile redesigned its V8 engines in the mid-1960s.
1950s
![Oldsmobile NinetyEight 1957 2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/69/Oldsmobile_NinetyEight_1957_2.JPG)
Oldsmobile entered the 1950s following a divisional image campaign centered on its 'Rocket' engines and the
Space Race
The Space Race was a 20th-century competition between two Cold War rivals, the United States and the Soviet Union, to achieve superior spaceflight capability. It had its origins in the ballistic missile-based nuclear arms race between the tw ...
, and its cars' appearance followed suit. Oldsmobile's Rocket V8 engine was the leader in performance; its cars were generally considered the fastest on the market; and by the mid-1950s their styling was among the first to offer a wide, "open maw" grille, suggestive of fighter jet propulsion. From 1948 to 1957, Oldsmobile adopted a ringed-globe emblem depicting North America to stress what marketers felt was its universal appeal. Starting in 1958, the grille logo changed again to reflect the rocket image, that was used throughout the late 1950s, the make used twin jet pod-styled taillights as a nod to its "Rocket" theme. Oldsmobile was among the first of General Motors' divisions to receive a true
hardtop
A hardtop is a rigid form of automobile roof, which for modern cars is typically constructed from metal. A hardtop roof can be either fixed (i.e. not removable), Convertible#Detachable hardtop, detachable for separate storing or retractable ha ...
in 1950 called the "Holiday coupe" (Buick's version was called the "Riviera", and Cadillac's was called the "Coupe De Ville"), and it was also among the first divisions (along with Buick and Cadillac) to receive a wraparound windshield, a trend that eventually all American makes would share at sometime between 1953 and 1964. New for 1954 on 98 coupes and convertibles (Starfire) would be front and rear "sweep cut" fender styling, which would not show up on a Chevrolet until 1956 and not until 1957 on a Pontiac. 1953 models changed to a 12 volt electrical system that made starting easier.
![Oldsmobile 98 Coupe 1957](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Oldsmobile_98_Coupe_1957.jpg)
In the 1950s the nomenclature changed again, and trim levels also received names that were then mated with the model numbers. This resulted in the
Oldsmobile 88 emerging as base
Dynamic 88 and the highline
Super 88. Other full-size model names included the "Holiday" used on hardtops, and "Fiesta" used on its station wagons. When the 88 was retired in 1999 (with a Fiftieth Anniversary Edition), its length of service was the longest model name used on American cars after the
Chrysler New Yorker
The Chrysler New Yorker is an automobile model that was produced by Chrysler from 1940 until 1996, serving for several decades as the brand's flagship model, or as a junior sedan to the Chrysler Imperial luxury brand. A trim level named the "Ne ...
. Mid-1955 also saw the introduction of the four-door Holiday pillarless hardtop, the industry's first (along with Buick).
General Motors' styling as a whole lost its frontrunner status in 1957 when Chrysler introduced
Virgil Exner
Virgil Max "Ex" Exner Sr. (September 24, 1909 – December 22, 1973) was an automobile designer for several American automobile companies, most notably Chrysler and Studebaker.
Exner is widely known for the "Forward Look" he created for the ...
's "
forward look
Virgil Max "Ex" Exner Sr. (September 24, 1909 – December 22, 1973) was an automobile designer for several American automobile companies, most notably Chrysler and Studebaker.
Exner is widely known for the "Forward Look" he created for the ...
" designs. When compared side to side, Oldsmobile looked dated next to its price-point competitors
DeSoto and
Mercury
Mercury commonly refers to:
* Mercury (planet), the nearest planet to the Sun
* Mercury (element), a metallic chemical element with the symbol Hg
* Mercury (mythology), a Roman god
Mercury or The Mercury may also refer to:
Companies
* Merc ...
. Compounding the problem for Oldsmobile and Buick was a styling mistake which GM called the "StratoRoof", which was reminiscent of the "greenhouse" canopy used on the
Convair B-36 Peacemaker
The Convair B-36 "Peacemaker" is a strategic bomber that was built by Convair and operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) from 1949 to 1959. The B-36 is the largest mass-produced Reciprocating engine, piston-engined aircraft ever built. It ...
high altitude bomber. Both makes had models which contained the heavily framed rear window, but Detroit had been working with large curved backlights for almost a decade. Consumers disliked the roof and its blind spots, forcing GM to rush a redesign into production on some of its models. Oldsmobile's only off year in the 1950s was 1958. The nation was beginning to feel the results of its first significant post-war recession, and US automobile sales were down for the model year. Oldsmobile, Buick and Cadillac received a heavy-handed makeover of the 1957 GM designs. The Oldsmobile that emerged in 1958 bore little resemblance to the design of its forerunners; instead the car emerged as a large, over-decorated "chromemobile" which many felt had overly ostentatious styling.
Up front, all 1958 Oldsmobile's received one of General Motors' heavily styled front facias and quad-headlights. Streaking back from the edge of the headlights was a broad belt consisting of two strips of chrome on regular 88s, three strips on Super 88s, and three strips (top and bottom thin, inside thick) on 98s that ended in a point at mid-body. The bottom of the rear fender featured a thick stamping of a half tube that pointed forward, atop which was a chrome assembly of four horizontal chrome speed-lines that terminated into a vertical bar. The tail of the car featured massive vertical chrome taillight housings. Two chrome stars were fitted to the trunklid.
Ford styling consultant
Alex Tremulis
Alexander Sarantos Tremulis (January 23, 1914 – December 29, 1991) was a Greek-American industrial designer in the North American automotive industry. Tremulis held automotive design positions at Cord Automobile, Duesenberg, General Motors, Tu ...
(designer of the
1948 Tucker sedan) mocked the 1958 Oldsmobile by drawing cartoons of the car, and placing musical notes in the rear trim assembly. Another Detroit stylist employed by Ford bought a used 1958 Oldsmobile in the early 1960s, driving it daily to work. He detached and rearranged the ''Oldsmobile'' lettering above the grille to spell out ''slobmodel'' as a reminder to himself and co-workers of what "bad" auto design meant to their business.
In 1959, Oldsmobile models were completely redesigned with a rocket motif from front to rear, as the top of the front fenders had a chrome rocket, while the body-length fins were shaped as rocket exhausts which culminated in a fin-top taillight (concave on the 98 models while convex on the 88 models). The 1959 models also offered several roof treatments, such as the pillared sedan with a fastback rear window and the Holiday SportSedan, which was a flat-roofed pillarless hardtop with wraparound front and rear glass. The 1959 models were marketed as "the linear look", and also featured a bar-graph speedometer which showed a green indicator through , then changed to orange until , then was red above that until the highest speed read by the speedometer, . Power windows were available on the 98 models, as were two-speed electric windshield wipers with electrically powered windshield washers. The 88 still relied on vacuum-operated windshield wipers without a washer feature. 1959 Oldsmobiles were offered with "Autronic Eye" (a dashboard-mounted automatic headlight dimmer) as well as factory-installed air conditioning and power-operated front bench seat as available options. The 1959 body style was continued through the 1960 model year, but the fins were toned down for 1960 and the taillights were moved to the bottom of the fenders.
1960s
![1971 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser, Shoreview, MN (28259232507)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/1971_Oldsmobile_Vista_Cruiser%2C_Shoreview%2C_MN_%2828259232507%29.jpg)
Notable achievements for Oldsmobile in the 1960s included the introduction of the first
turbocharged
In an internal combustion engine, a turbocharger (often called a turbo) is a forced induction device that is powered by the flow of exhaust gases. It uses this energy to compress the intake gas, forcing more air into the engine in order to pro ...
engine and a factory
water injection system in 1962 (the
Turbo Jetfire), the first modern
front-wheel drive
Front-wheel drive (FWD) is a form of engine and transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only. Most modern front-wheel drive vehicles feature a transverse engine, rather than the conventional longit ...
car produced in the United States (the 1966
Toronado), the
Vista Cruiser
The Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser is a station wagon manufactured and marketed by Oldsmobile over three generations from 1964 to 1977.
The first and second generation Vista Cruisers are noted for their fixed-glass, roof-mounted skylights over the secon ...
station wagon (noted for its roof glass), and the upscale
442 muscle car
Muscle car is a description according to '' Merriam-Webster Dictionary'' that came to use in 1966 for "a group of American-made two-door sports coupes with powerful engines designed for high-performance driving." The '' Britannica Dictionary'' ...
. Olds briefly used the names "Jetstar 88" (1964–1966) and
Delmont 88 (1967–1968) on its least expensive full-size models in the 1960s. In 1968 the split grille appearance was introduced and remained a traditional feature until production ended in 2004.
Notable models for the 1960s:
*
Oldsmobile 442
The Oldsmobile 4-4-2 (also known as the 442) is a muscle car produced by Oldsmobile between the 1964 and 1987 model years. Introduced as an option package for US-sold F-85 and Cutlass models, it became a model in its own right from 1968 to 197 ...
– began as a 1964 muscle car option package (''4''-barrel carburetor, ''4''-speed manual transmission, and ''2'' exhausts) on the F-85/Cutlass. In 1965, to better compete with the Pontiac GTO, the original 330 CID V8 rated at was replaced by a new 400 CID V8 rated at . The 442 definition was changed to "4" hundred CID V8 engine, "4"-barrel carburetor, and "2" exhaust pipes, and was named by "Car Craft Nationals" as the "top car of 1965". In 1968 the 442 became its own model and got a larger, 455 CID (7.5 L), V8 engine in 1970.
*
Oldsmobile Cutlass
The Oldsmobile Cutlass was a series of automobiles produced by General Motors' Oldsmobile division between 1961 and 1999. At its introduction, the Cutlass was Oldsmobile's entry-level model; it began as a unibody compact car, but saw its greates ...
(1961–1999) – mid-size car. Oldsmobile's best seller in the 1970s and 1980s, and in some of those years America's best-selling car. In 1966 a top-line
Cutlass Supreme was introduced as a four-door hardtop sedan with a more powerful 330 CID Jetfire Rocket V8 than the regular F-85/Cutlass models, a more luxurious interior and other trimmings. In 1967 the Cutlass Supreme was expanded to a full series also including two-door hardtop and pillared coupes, a convertible and a four-door pillared sedan. It also came with a 6.6L 400 CID engine as an option in 1967.
*
Oldsmobile F-85
The Oldsmobile Cutlass was a series of automobiles produced by General Motors' Oldsmobile division between 1961 and 1999. At its introduction, the Cutlass was Oldsmobile's entry-level model; it began as a unibody compact car, but saw its greatest ...
(1961–1972) – compact sedan, coupe and station wagon powered by a 215 CID aluminum block V8 engine from 1961 to 1963. In 1964 the F-85 was upgraded to an intermediate-sized car and the aluminum V8 was replaced by conventional cast-iron six-cylinder and V8 engines. The Cutlass was initially the top model of the F-85 line but became a separate model by 1965 with the F-85 nameplate continued only on the lowest-priced models through the 1972 model year, after which all Oldsmobile intermediates were Cutlasses.
*
Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser
The Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser is a station wagon manufactured and marketed by Oldsmobile over three generations from 1964 to 1977.
The first and second generation Vista Cruisers are noted for their fixed-glass, roof-mounted skylights over the sec ...
(1964–1977) – a stretched wheelbase Cutlass station wagon, which was stretched to 120" from 115" in the 1964-67 models and to 121" from 116" in the 1968-72 models, the stretched area being in the second-row seating area. This car featured an elevated roof over the rear seat and cargo area and glass skylights over the rear seating area, which consisted of a transverse skylight over the second seat (two-piece from 1964 to 1967, one-piece from 1968 to 1972) and small longitudinal skylights directly over the rear cargo-area windows, and also featured standard second-row sunvisors. The three-seat models featured forward-facing seating, at a time when most three-seat station wagons had the third row of seats facing the rear. From 1965 to 1970, it would be Oldsmobile's flagship station wagon, as no full-sized wagons were produced. The third-generation 1973-77 models no longer had skylights other than an optional front-row pop-up sunroof. This car was merely an up-line trim package on the Cutlass Supreme wagon and carried the Vista Cruiser nameplate rather than the Cutlass nameplate. The optional third seat was rear-facing in the third-generation Vista Cruiser.
*
Oldsmobile Starfire
The Oldsmobile Starfire is an automobile nameplate used by Oldsmobile, produced in three non-contiguous generations beginning in 1954. The Starfire nameplate made its debut as a convertible concept car in 1953 followed with the 1954–1956 Nine ...
(1961–1966) – a sporty and luxurious hardtop coupe and convertible based on the 88. The Starfire featured interiors with leather bucket seats and a center console with floor shifter, along with a standard Hydra-Matic transmission, power steering and brakes (and power windows and seats on convertibles). It was powered by Oldsmobile's most powerful Rocket V8 engine, a 394 CID engine from 1961 to 1964 rated from 330 to , and a larger 425 CID Super Rocket V8 from 1965 to 1966, rated at .
*
Oldsmobile Jetstar I
The Oldsmobile Jetstar I is a sporty, high-performance full-sized car produced by Oldsmobile for the 1964 and 1965 model years. Based on the upscale Starfire model, the Olds 88's B-bodied Jetstar I lacked many of the Starfire's standard luxuries ...
(1964–1966) – life for the somewhat obscure Jetstar I started in 1964. It was designed to be a low-cost option to the successful full size Starfire series – more of a direct competitor to the
Pontiac Grand Prix
The Grand Prix is a line of automobiles produced by the Pontiac Division of General Motors from 1962 until 2002 for coupes and 1989–2008 for sedans.
First introduced as a full-size performance coupe for the 1962 model year, the model varied ...
. Standard equipment included the 394ci Starfire engine, vinyl bucket seats and console. Keeping the “sport” part of the Starfire, it possessed less of the luxury and glitz. It weighed in at 4028 pounds, and 16,084 were produced for 1964. It was a Starfire without the frills and was informally dubbed “the poor man’s Starfire”. Proving to be an ill-fated model, 1965 concluded the 2-year run for the Jetstar I. Only 6,552 were sold. The introduction of the Pontiac GTO and Oldsmobile 4-4-2 in 1964 insured the future of the musclecars were the intermediates, and the front-drive Toronado loomed big in Oldsmobile's future taking over the flagship status from the Starfire. Further confused with its lesser brethren with the Jetstar 88 nameplate, there was no way but out for the Jetstar I. And close examination of prices revealed that unless one bought a sparsely optioned JS1, there was little financial incentive to buy a JS1 over the Starfire. But lost in the mix was a high-performance car in the ’65 Jetstar I. Trimmed down to 3963#, the ’65 model was an overlooked performance car. The new 425ci Starfire engine delivered of torque, was durable, and was quite an improvement over the ’64 394. The new Oldsmobile Turbo Hydra-Matic transmission was a vast performance improvement over the previous “slim-jim” Hydra-Matic transmission. Also, Oldsmobile offered the Muncie 4-speed with Hurst shifter in ’65. Oldsmobile boasted in a 1965 press release that “a Jetstar I proved to be the top accelerator of the entire event” at the 1965 Pure Oil Performance Trials in Daytona beach. Those trials were sanctioned and supervised by NASCAR. ''Note'': between 1964 and 1966, Oldsmobile named its least expensive full size model the Oldsmobile Jetstar 88 which the Jetstar I was not related to, and priced $500–$600 below the Jetstar I.
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Oldsmobile Delta 88
The Oldsmobile 88 (marketed from 1989 on as the Eighty Eight) is a full-size car that was sold and produced by Oldsmobile from 1949 until 1999. From 1950 until 1974, the 88 was the division's most profitable line, particularly the entry level mod ...
(1949–1999) While the "88" series of Oldsmobile's date back to the 1940s, and were offered in a variety of trim levels, the introduction of the Delta 88, which superseded the Super 88 line as Olds' mid-level full-sized vehicles, was a watershed event for the division. Better trimmed than the low price Dynamic 88 range, but available in a wider range of body styles than the Super 88 had been, the Delta range was an immediate hit with car buyers. It quickly overshadowed the Dynamic 88 line. To pump life into the Dynamic 88 range, Oldsmobile renamed it the Delmont 88 for 1967. However, the Delta continued to climb in popularity to the point where Oldsmobile dropped the Delmont range at the end of the 1968 model run. Eventually the Delta 88 was joined by the Delta 88 Royale, a premium trimmed Delta. The Delta continued to be Oldsmobile's most popular full size line. In an attempt to modernize marketing efforts as Oldsmobile's fortunes declined, the "Delta" name was dropped in 1989, but the car lived on as the Eighty-Eight until Oldsmobile ended its production in 1999.
*
Oldsmobile Toronado
The Oldsmobile Toronado is a personal luxury car manufactured and marketed by the Oldsmobile division of General Motors from 1966 to 1992 over four generations. The Toronado was noted for its transaxle version of GM's Turbo-Hydramatic transmission ...
(1966–1992) – a front-wheel-drive coupe in the
personal luxury car
Personal luxury car is a North American car classification describing somewhat sporty, sophisticated mass-market coupés that emphasized comfort over performance. The North American manufacturers most often combined engineering, design, and ma ...
category, introduced in 1966. At the time, the largest and most powerful front-wheel-drive car ever produced, and one of the first modern front-wheel-drive cars equipped with an automatic transmission. The original Toronado was powered by a 425 CID Super Rocket V8 engine rated at , mated to a three-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic transmission. The Toronado was ''
Motor Trend
''MotorTrend'' is an American automobile magazine. It first appeared in September 1949, and designated the first Car of the Year, also in 1949.
Petersen Publishing Company in Los Angeles, California, Los Angeles published ''MotorTrend'' until 19 ...
'' magazine's 1966 "car of the year".
1970s-1980s
![Oldsmobile Alero sedan -- 03-16-2012](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a9/Oldsmobile_Alero_sedan_--_03-16-2012.JPG)
The 1970s and 1980s were good years for the Oldsmobile division; sales soared (reaching an all-time high of 1,066,122 in 1985) based on popular designs, positive reviews from critics, and perceived quality and reliability, with the
Cutlass
A cutlass is a short, broad sabre or slashing sword, with a straight or slightly curved blade sharpened on the cutting edge, and a hilt often featuring a solid cupped or basket-shaped guard. It was a common naval weapon during the early Age of ...
series becoming North America's top-selling car by 1976. By this time, Olds had displaced Pontiac and Plymouth as the third best-selling brand in the U.S. behind Chevrolet and Ford. In the late 1970s and again in the mid-1980s, model-year production topped one million units, something only Chevrolet and Ford had achieved.
The very popularity of Oldsmobile's cars created a problem for the division in the late 1970s, however. At that time, each General Motors division produced its own V8 engines, and in 1977, Oldsmobile, Chevrolet, Pontiac, and Buick each produced a unique 350-cubic-inch displacement V8. It was during the 1977 model year that demand exceeded production capacity for the Oldsmobile V8 and as a result, Oldsmobile began equipping most full-size Delta 88 models (those with Federal emissions specifications) with the Chevrolet 350 engine instead. Although it was widely debated whether there was a difference in quality or performance between the two engines, there was no question that the engines were different from one another. Many customers were loyal Oldsmobile buyers who specifically wanted the Rocket V8, and did not discover that their vehicle had the Chevrolet engine until they performed maintenance and discovered that purchased parts did not fit. This became a
public relations
Public relations (PR) is the practice of managing and disseminating information from an individual or an organization (such as a business, government agency, or a nonprofit organization) to the public in order to influence their perception. P ...
nightmare for GM.
Following this debacle, disclaimers stating that "Oldsmobiles are equipped with engines produced by various GM divisions" were tacked onto advertisements and sales literature; all other GM divisions followed suit. In addition, GM quickly stopped associating engines with particular divisions and to this day, all GM engines are produced by "GM Powertrain" (GMPT) and are called GM "Corporate" engines instead of GM "Division" engines. Although it was the popularity of the Oldsmobile division vehicles that prompted this change, declining sales of V8 engines would have made this change inevitable as all but the Chevrolet version of the 350-cubic-inch engine were eventually discontinued.
Oldsmobile also introduced a 5.7L (350 cu-in) V8
diesel engine
The diesel engine, named after Rudolf Diesel, is an internal combustion engine in which ignition of the fuel is caused by the elevated temperature of the air in the cylinder due to mechanical compression; thus, the diesel engine is a so-call ...
option on its Custom Cruiser, Delta 88 and 98 models in 1978; and a smaller 4.3L (260 cu-in) displacement V8 diesel on the 1979 Cutlass Salon and Cutlass Supreme/Cutlass Calais models. These were largely based on corresponding gasoline engines but with heavier duty cast blocks, redesigned heads and fast glow plugs; and on the 5.7L, oversized cranks, main bearings and wrist pins. There were several problems with these engines, including water and corrosion in the injectors (no water separator in the fuel line); paraffin clogging of fuel lines and filters in cold weather; reduced lubrication in the heads due to undersized oil galleys; head bolt failures; and the use of aluminum rockers and stanchions in the 4.3L V8 engines. While the 5.7L was also offered on various Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, and Pontiac models, it was eventually discontinued by all divisions in 1985. V6 diesels of 4.3L displacement were also offered between 1982 and 1985. In 1988 the then all-new 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Pace car was the 1st production car with
heads up display
A head-up display, or heads-up display, also known as a HUD (), is any see-through display, transparent display that presents data without requiring users to look away from their usual viewpoints. The origin of the name stems from a Aircraft pil ...
.
Notable models:
*
Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme
The Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme is a mid-size car produced by Oldsmobile between 1966 and 1997. It was positioned as a premium offering at the top of the Cutlass range. It began as a trim package, developed its own roofline, and rose during the mi ...
(1966–1997) – more performance and luxury than the lower-priced Cutlass and Cutlass S models, fitting in at the lower end of the
personal luxury car
Personal luxury car is a North American car classification describing somewhat sporty, sophisticated mass-market coupés that emphasized comfort over performance. The North American manufacturers most often combined engineering, design, and ma ...
market. Models were similar to the
Pontiac Grand Prix
The Grand Prix is a line of automobiles produced by the Pontiac Division of General Motors from 1962 until 2002 for coupes and 1989–2008 for sedans.
First introduced as a full-size performance coupe for the 1962 model year, the model varied ...
,
Chevrolet Monte Carlo
The Chevrolet Monte Carlo is a two-door coupe that was manufactured and marketed by the Chevrolet division of General Motors. Deriving its name from the city in Monaco, the Monte Carlo was marketed as the first personal luxury car of the Chevr ...
, and
Buick Regal
The Buick Regal is a line of mid-size cars marketed by Buick since 1973. For nearly its entire production, the Regal has served as the premium mid-size/intermediate offering of the Buick product range. Introduced as a submodel of the Buick Cent ...
.
*
Oldsmobile 88 (1949-1999) – Oldsmobile full-sized family coupe and sedan. Led Oldsmobile sales from 1950 to 1974. Downsized in 1977, became front-wheel-drive in 1986. The first-generation 88 is reputed to have inspired the song "
Rocket 88
"Rocket 88" (originally stylized as Rocket "88") is a song that was first recorded in Memphis, Tennessee, in March 1951. The recording was credited to " Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats", who were actually Ike Turner and his Kings of Rhythm. T ...
" – arguably the first rock & roll record.
*
Oldsmobile 98
The Oldsmobile 98 (spelled Ninety-Eight from 1952 to 1991, and Ninety Eight from 1992 to 1996) is the full-size flagship model of Oldsmobile that was produced from 1940 until 1942, and then from 1946 to 1996. The name – reflecting a "Serie ...
(1941–1996) – Oldsmobile full-sized luxury coupe and sedan that was downsized in 1977 and 1985, became front-wheel-drive in 1985.
*
Oldsmobile Toronado
The Oldsmobile Toronado is a personal luxury car manufactured and marketed by the Oldsmobile division of General Motors from 1966 to 1992 over four generations. The Toronado was noted for its transaxle version of GM's Turbo-Hydramatic transmission ...
(1966–1992) – personal luxury coupe, major redesign downsized the car in 1979 then again in 1986, ''Motor Trend'' Car of the Year in '66.
*
Oldsmobile Omega
The Oldsmobile Omega is a compact car manufactured and marketed from 1973-1984 by Oldsmobile, as the brand's most affordable, entry level vehicle — across three distinct generations.
The first two generations of the Omega used rear-wheel ...
(1973–1984) – European flavored compact car originally based on the Chevrolet Nova and later the
Chevrolet Citation
The Chevrolet Citation is a range of compact cars that was produced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors. The first Chevrolet sold with front-wheel drive, a single generation of the Citation was sold from the 1980 to 1985 model years. The s ...
.
*
Oldsmobile Calais (or Cutlass Calais) (1985–1991) – popular compact coupe and sedan on GM's "N-body" platform, similar to the Pontiac Grand Am. The series' name was taken from what was formerly the high-end option package for Cutlass Supreme models.
*
Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera
The Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera is a mid-size car that was manufactured and marketed from the 1982 through 1996 model years by the Oldsmobile Division of General Motors. It shared the front-wheel drive A platform with the Buick Century, Pontiac 60 ...
(1982–1996) – popular selling upscale mid-sized car based on GM's
A platform. During its run, the Cutlass Ciera was Oldsmobile's best-selling model. It consistently ranked among the highest-rated vehicles by J. D. Power and Associates; it was ranked the "Best in Price Class" on July 30, 1992, and the "Top-Ranked American-Made Car" on May 28, 1992. It was also named "Safe Car of the Year" by ''Prevention'' magazine on March 6, 1992.
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Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser
The Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser is an automobile that was manufactured and marketed by Oldsmobile in three generations from 1971 until 1992. The first full-size station wagon produced by Oldsmobile since the 1964 Oldsmobile 88 Fiesta, the Custom ...
(1971–1992) – full-size station wagon. Downsized in 1977. Within Oldsmobile, the Custom Cruiser shared its trim with either (or both) the Oldsmobile Delta 88 or Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight; following the further downsizing of Oldsmobile sedans in 1986, the Custom Cruiser effectively became a stand-alone model line. With the discontinuation of the
Cutlass Supreme Classic in 1988, the Custom Cruiser became the sole Oldsmobile sold with rear-wheel drive.
*
Oldsmobile Starfire
The Oldsmobile Starfire is an automobile nameplate used by Oldsmobile, produced in three non-contiguous generations beginning in 1954. The Starfire nameplate made its debut as a convertible concept car in 1953 followed with the 1954–1956 Nine ...
(1975–1980) – sporty
subcompact
Subcompact car is a North American classification for cars smaller than a compact car. It is broadly equivalent to the B-segment (Europe), supermini (Great Britain) or A0-class (China) classifications.
According to the U.S. Environmental Prot ...
,
hatchback
A hatchback is a car body configuration with a rear door that swings upward to provide access to a cargo area. Hatchbacks may feature fold-down second row seating, where the interior can be reconfigured to prioritize passenger or cargo volume. ...
coupe similar to the
Chevrolet Monza
The Chevrolet Monza is a subcompact automobile produced by Chevrolet for the 1975 through 1980 model years. The Monza is based on the Chevrolet Vega, sharing its wheelbase, width, and standard inline-four engine. The car was designed to accommoda ...
, which was itself, based on the
Chevrolet Vega
The Chevrolet Vega is a subcompact automobile that was manufactured and marketed by GM's Chevrolet subdivision from 1970 to 1977. Available in two-door hatchback, notchback, wagon, and sedan delivery body styles, all models were powered by an ...
.
*
Oldsmobile Firenza
The Oldsmobile Firenza was a compact car which was produced by Oldsmobile from 1982 to 1988. It was based on the front-wheel drive GM J platform, which was shared with the Buick Skyhawk, Cadillac Cimarron, Chevrolet Cavalier and Pontiac Sunbird. ...
(1982–1988) – compact sedan, hatchback, coupe, and station wagon based on GM's J-body, sharing the same platform with the
Chevrolet Cavalier
The Chevrolet Cavalier is a line of compact cars produced by Chevrolet. Serving as the replacement of the Chevrolet Monza, the Cavalier was the second Chevrolet model line to adopt front-wheel drive. Three versions of the Cavalier have been so ...
,
Pontiac Sunbird
The Pontiac Sunbird (also known as the Pontiac J2000 and Pontiac 2000) is a model line that was manufactured and marketed by Pontiac from the 1976 to the 1994 model years. Loosely deriving its name from the Pontiac Firebird, the Sunbird was intr ...
, and
Buick Skyhawk
The Buick Skyhawk is an automobile produced by Buick in two generations for the 1975 through 1989 model years.
The first generation (1975-1980) were two-door hatchbacks using the subcompact, rear-wheel drive H-body platform, a badge engineere ...
.
1990s
After the tremendous success of the 1970s and 1980s, things changed quickly for Oldsmobile, and by the early 1990s the brand had lost its place in the market (as annual sales had fallen from a record high of 1,066,122 in 1985 to just 402,936 in 1993), squeezed between other GM divisions, and with competition from new upscale import makes
Acura
Acura is the luxury vehicle, luxury and performance division of Japanese automaker Honda, based primarily in North America. The brand was launched in the United States and Canada on March 27, 1986, marketing luxury and performance automobiles. It ...
,
Infiniti
is the luxury vehicle division of the Japanese automaker Nissan. Infiniti officially started selling vehicles on November 8, 1989, in North America. The marketing network for Infiniti-branded vehicles included dealers in over 50 countries in ...
and
Lexus
is the luxury vehicle division of the Japanese automaker Toyota. The Lexus brand is marketed in more than 90 countries and territories worldwide and is Japan's largest-selling make of premium cars. It has ranked among the 10 largest Japanese ...
. GM continued to use Oldsmobile sporadically to showcase futuristic designs and as a "
guinea pig
The guinea pig or domestic guinea pig (''Cavia porcellus''), also known as the cavy or domestic cavy (), is a species of rodent belonging to the genus ''Cavia'' in the family Caviidae. Breeders tend to use the word ''cavy'' to describe the ani ...
" for testing new technology, with Oldsmobile offering the
Toronado Trofeo, which included a visual instrument system with a calendar, datebook, climate controls and several prototypes built in conjunction with Avis with an early satellite-based navigation system. For 1995, Oldsmobile introduced the
Aurora
An aurora (plural: auroras or aurorae), also commonly known as the polar lights, is a natural light display in Earth's sky, predominantly seen in high-latitude regions (around the Arctic and Antarctic). Auroras display dynamic patterns of bri ...
, which would be the inspiration for the design of its cars from the mid-1990s onward. The introduction of the Aurora marked as General Motors' catalyst to reposition Oldsmobile as an upscale import fighter. Accordingly, Oldsmobile received a new logo based on the familiar "rocket" theme. Also in 1995 Oldsmobile introduced the first satellite navigation system available in the United States, the
Guidestar
Candid is an information service specializing in reporting on U.S. nonprofit companies. In 2016, its database provided information on 2.5 million organizations.Wyland, Michael. "GuideStar Introduces Program Metrics Section for Nonprofit Profile ...
on the
1995 Oldsmobile 88. Nearly all the existing model names were gradually phased out: the Cutlass Calais in 1991, the Toronado and Custom Cruiser in 1992, the Ninety-Eight and Ciera (formerly Cutlass Ciera) in 1996, Cutlass Supreme in 1997, and finally the Eighty-Eight and Cutlass (which had only been around since '97) in 1999. They were replaced with newer, more modern models with designs inspired by the Aurora.
Redesigned and new models introduced from 1990 to 2004:
*
Oldsmobile Achieva
The Oldsmobile Achieva is a front-wheel drive compact sedan and coupe that was introduced by Oldsmobile for the 1992 model year. The Achieva was based on the GM N-body platform, which it also shared with its siblings the Pontiac Grand Am and Buic ...
(1992–1998) – compact sedan & coupe
*
Oldsmobile Alero
The Oldsmobile Alero is a midsize car that was produced by General Motors for its Oldsmobile division. Introduced in 1998 as a 1999 model, the Alero was the replacement for both the Achieva and Cutlass. The Alero was Oldsmobile's last new model ...
(1999–2004) – compact sport sedan & coupe
*
Oldsmobile Aurora
The Oldsmobile Aurora is a luxury sports sedan, manufactured and marketed by General Motors from 1994 until 2003 over two generations — sharing platforms with Buick Riviera and using the Cadillac-derived G platform. At the time of produc ...
(1995–2003) – full-size luxury/performance sedan (redesigned for 2001)
*
Oldsmobile Bravada
The Oldsmobile Bravada is a four-door mid-size SUV manufactured and marketed by the Oldsmobile division of General Motors. The Bravada was built across three generations as a rebadged variant of the Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Jimmy. It was the on ...
(1991–2004) – mid-size premium
Sport utility vehicle
A sport utility vehicle (SUV) is a car classification that combines elements of road-going passenger cars with features from off-road vehicles, such as raised ground clearance and four-wheel drive.
There is no commonly agreed-upon definitio ...
(redesigned for 1996 and 2002)
*
Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser
The Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser is an automobile that was manufactured and marketed by Oldsmobile in three generations from 1971 until 1992. The first full-size station wagon produced by Oldsmobile since the 1964 Oldsmobile 88 Fiesta, the Custom ...
(1971–1992) – full-size station wagon. (Redesigned for 1991)
*
Oldsmobile Cutlass
The Oldsmobile Cutlass was a series of automobiles produced by General Motors' Oldsmobile division between 1961 and 1999. At its introduction, the Cutlass was Oldsmobile's entry-level model; it began as a unibody compact car, but saw its greates ...
(1997–1999) – mid-size sedan
*
Oldsmobile Eighty Eight (1949–1999) – full-size premium sedan (redesigned for 1992)
*
Oldsmobile Intrigue
The Oldsmobile Intrigue is a mid-size sedan that was manufactured from 1997 through 2002 by Oldsmobile. The Intrigue's design cues were first seen in 1995 with the Oldsmobile Antares concept car, being unveiled in production form in January 1996 ...
(1998–2002) – mid-size luxury/sport sedan
*
Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight
The Oldsmobile 98 (spelled Ninety-Eight from 1952 to 1991, and Ninety Eight from 1992 to 1996) is the full-size flagship model of Oldsmobile that was produced from 1940 until 1942, and then from 1946 to 1996. The name – reflecting a "Series ...
(1941–1996) – full-size luxury sedan (redesigned for 1991)
*
Oldsmobile Silhouette
The Oldsmobile Silhouette is a minivan manufactured by General Motors for model years 1990–2004 over two generations.
Production ended when General Motors discontinued its Oldsmobile brand in 2004. GM continued to market badge engineered v ...
(1990–2004) – premium
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 ...
(redesigned for 1997)
2000s
In spite of Oldsmobile's critical successes since the mid-1990s, a reported shortfall in sales and overall profitability prompted
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 ...
to announce in December 2000 its plans to shut down the Oldsmobile organization. That announcement was officially revealed two days after Oldsmobile distributed the
Bravada SUV
A sport utility vehicle (SUV) is a car classification that combines elements of road-going passenger cars with features from off-road vehicles, such as raised ground clearance and four-wheel drive.
There is no commonly agreed-upon definiti ...
– which became another critical hit for the division but turned out to be the final new model for the Oldsmobile brand.
The phaseout was conducted on the following schedule:
* February 2001: The 2002
Bravada, the company's last new model, hits Oldsmobile showrooms
* June 2002: Production ends for
Intrigue
Intrigue may refer to:
TV and film
* ''Intrigue'' (1920 film), a 1920 German silent drama film
* ''Intrigue'' (1942 film), a Spanish film
* ''Intrigue'' (1947 film), 1947 film directed by Edwin L. Marin
* ''The Intrigue'', 1916 silent film dra ...
and the
Aurora V6 sedans
* March 2003:
Aurora V8 sedan production ends
* January 2004:
Bravada SUV
A sport utility vehicle (SUV) is a car classification that combines elements of road-going passenger cars with features from off-road vehicles, such as raised ground clearance and four-wheel drive.
There is no commonly agreed-upon definiti ...
production ends
* March 2004:
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 ...
minivan production ends
* April 2004:
Alero
The Oldsmobile Alero is a midsize car that was produced by General Motors for its Oldsmobile division. Introduced in 1998 as a 1999 model, the Alero was the replacement for both the Oldsmobile Achieva, Achieva and Oldsmobile Cutlass, Cutlass. Th ...
compact car
Compact car is a vehicle size class — predominantly used in North America — that sits between subcompact cars and mid-size cars. "Small family car" is a British term and a part of the C-segment in the European car classification. However, p ...
production ends
The last 500 Aleros, Auroras, Bravadas, Silhouettes and Intrigues produced received special Oldsmobile heritage emblems and markings which signified 'Final 500'. All featured a unique Dark Cherry Metallic paint scheme. Auroras and Intrigues would be accompanied by special Final 500 literature. However, only the Intrigue, Aurora, Bravada, and Alero had all Final 500 models built; the Silhouette only had 360 built as a result of the plant running out of out of production capacity due to fleet order obligations for minivans on the same assembly line. The Oldsmobile division's last completed production car was an Alero GLS 4-door sedan, which was signed by all of the Olds assembly line workers. It was on display at the
R. E. Olds Transportation Museum
The R.E. Olds Transportation Museum is named for Ransom E. Olds, founder of Oldsmobile and REO , and is located in Lansing, Michigan. It is one of the top-rated automotive museums in the United States.
It houses a diverse collection of Oldsmobi ...
located in Lansing, Michigan until GM's bankruptcy, when it retook possession of the car. It was then located at the
GM Heritage Center in
Sterling Heights
Sterling Heights is a city in Macomb County of the U.S. state of Michigan, and one of Detroit's core suburbs. As of the 2020 Census, the city had a total population of 134,346. It is the second largest suburb in Metro Detroit, and the fourth la ...
, Michigan. In December 2017, the car headed to New York where it was auctioned off at a dealer-only auction for $42,000 to a Florida dealer. Also sold at the auction were a 1999 Cutlass and a 1999 Ciera.
Firsts
During the 107 years of Oldsmobile's existence, it was known for being a guinea pig for new technologies and firsts.
* 1898 – Olds Motor Works exports a steam powered automobile to Mumbai, India, making it the first exported American car.
* 1901 – The first speedometer to be offered on a production car was on an Oldsmobile Curved Dash.
* 1901 – Oldsmobile became the first car company to procure parts from third-party suppliers.
* 1901 – Olds produces 635 cars, becoming the first high-volume producer of gasoline automobiles.
* 1901 – Oldsmobile was the first auto manufacturer to publicly promote their vehicles.
* 1902 – The Oldsmobile Curved Dash becomes the first mass-produced vehicle in America.
* 1903 – Olds builds the first purpose built Mail Truck.
* 1908 – Oldsmobile becomes a division of GM, and rebadges the
Buick Model B
The Buick Model B was Buick's first model as an independent company, later becoming part of General Motors in 1908. It was built in Jackson, Michigan. A model B was exhibited in 1905 at the New York Auto Show as a promotion of the model C which wo ...
as the
Oldsmobile Model 20
The Series 20 was an automobile produced by Oldsmobile Division of General Motors in 1909. When the Oldsmobile Company joined General Motors in 1908, the Series 20 was one of the first examples of platform sharing that became GM's most notable bu ...
, creating arguably the first badge-engineered automobile.
* 1915 – First standard windshield.
* 1926 – Oldsmobile was the first car company to use chrome plating on its trim.
* 1929 – Oldsmobile creates the first Monobloc V8 engine in its Viking Sister-brand.
* 1932 – Oldsmobile introduces the first automatic choke.
* 1935 – Oldsmobile offers the first all steel roof on an automobile.
* 1940 – Oldsmobile introduces the
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 ...
, the first production fully automatic transmission.
* 1948 – Oldsmobile, along with Buick and Cadillac begin offering one piece compound curved windshields. Prior to this, windshields were split in the middle.
* 1949 – Oldsmobile introduces the first high-compression, OHV V8 engine the ''Rocket''.
* 1952 – Oldsmobile, introduces the "Autronic Eye" – the first automatic headlight dimming system.
* 1953 – Oldsmobile becomes one of the earliest automakers to switch their complete line up to the newly standardized 12v charging system. Buick Roadmasters and Cadillacs were other early adopters.
* 1962 – Oldsmobile creates first production turbocharged car, the Oldsmobile F-85 Jetfire.
* 1962 – Oldsmobile creates first production car with water injection, the Oldsmobile F-85 Jetfire.
* 1966 – The Toronado is the first mass-produced front-wheel-drive American car.
* 1969 – First use of chromed ABS plastic exterior trim, on the 1969 Oldsmobile Toronado.
* 1969 – First production electric grid window defogger on an American car, the 1969 Oldsmobile Toronado.
* 1971 – The Oldsmobile Toronado was arguably the first production car with a high mouted brake light. The taillights were supplemented by a pair of eye-level stop and signal lamps set in slots just below the rear window.
* 1974 – The Toronado is the first American car to offer a driver-side airbag, a feature later shared with Buick and Cadillac.
* 1977 – The Toronado is the first production American car with a microprocessor to run engine controls.
* 1982 – First use of high-impact moulded plastic body components – 1982 Oldsmobile Omega
* 1986 – Oldsmobile along with Buick introduces the
Delco VIC touchscreen interface on the Oldsmobile Toronado and the Buick Riviera first of its kind on a production Automobile.
* 1988 – The first production heads-up display system – 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Indy Pace car.
* 1988 – Oldsmobile broke a world closed-course speed record with the Oldsmobile Aerotech at 267 mph, driven by legendary race car driver
A. J. Foyt
Anthony Joseph Foyt Jr. (born January 16, 1935) is an American retired auto racing driver who has raced in numerous genres of motorsports. His open wheel racing includes United States Automobile Club Champ cars, sprint cars, and midget cars. H ...
.
* 1990 – Oldsmobile introduces an updated color Touchscreen interface with built in cellular phone (a predecessor to modern infotainment systems) on the 1990 Oldsmobile Toronado Trofeo.
* 1995 – Oldsmobile presented Guidestar, the first on-board navigation system to be offered on a US production car.
* 1997 – Oldsmobile is the first American car company to turn 100.
* 2001 – The fully redesigned 2002 Oldsmobile Bravada SUV became the first truck ever to pace the Indianapolis 500.
Oldsmobile Administrative Building
The 200,000 square-foot Oldsmobile Administration Building, also known as Building 70, was completed in 1966 to accommodate the company's major administration departments. Located at 920 Townsend Avenue, at what is currently the GM
Lansing Grand River Assembly
Lansing Grand River Assembly (LGR) is a General Motors owned and operated automobile assembly facility located in Lansing, Michigan, United States. Lansing Grand River Assembly produces vehicles built upon the GM Alpha platform including the Cad ...
plant,
the project was constructed by Michigan contractor Utley-James, with architectural design contracted by GMAC.
The headquarters accommodated about 900 employees in a
Modern
Modern may refer to:
History
* Modern history
** Early Modern period
** Late Modern period
*** 18th century
*** 19th century
*** 20th century
** Contemporary history
* Moderns, a faction of Freemasonry that existed in the 18th century
Phil ...
design with exterior marble and
curtain walls reminiscent of the
General Motors Technical Center
The GM Technical Center is a General Motors facility in Warren, Michigan. The campus has been the center of the company's engineering effort since its inauguration in 1956. In 2000 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places; fourtee ...
. Approach walkways integrated snow melting units, and the design incorporated interior and exterior artwork. The building has two prominent interconnected towers in the northeast corner: a six-level north wing and a four-level south wing. The building's two-story lobby featured a sunken visitor waiting area, a place to display a current Oldsmobile, and a reception area, 'floating' within a water pool.
Oldsmobile commissioned two prominent sculptures by noted sculptor
Samuel Cashwan, who had previously served on the General Motors Styling Staff. The exterior Cashwan sculpture, titled ''Open Cage'',
previously located outside the Admin Building's primary entrance, was donated in 2006, to be placed at the entrance to the
R.E. Olds Transportation Museum.
The east wall of the penthouse featured the brand's name, spaced out letter by letter — signage which was removed in 2006
and subsequently also gifted to the Lansing R.E. Olds Transportation Museum.
By 1996, the company's remaining employees relocated to Detroit's
Renaissance Center
The Renaissance Center (also known as the GM Renaissance Center and nicknamed the RenCen) is a group of seven connected skyscrapers in Downtown Detroit, Michigan, United States. The Renaissance Center complex is on the Detroit International Riv ...
.
Production
Models
*Oldsmobile Six (Series F)
*Oldsmobile Eight (Series L)
*Oldsmobile Deluxe
*
Oldsmobile 66 and 68 (1939–1948)
*
Oldsmobile 76 and 78 (1946–1950)
*
Oldsmobile 98
The Oldsmobile 98 (spelled Ninety-Eight from 1952 to 1991, and Ninety Eight from 1992 to 1996) is the full-size flagship model of Oldsmobile that was produced from 1940 until 1942, and then from 1946 to 1996. The name – reflecting a "Serie ...
(1941–1996)
*
Oldsmobile 88 (1949–1999)
*
Oldsmobile F-85
The Oldsmobile Cutlass was a series of automobiles produced by General Motors' Oldsmobile division between 1961 and 1999. At its introduction, the Cutlass was Oldsmobile's entry-level model; it began as a unibody compact car, but saw its greatest ...
(1961–1967)
*
Oldsmobile Starfire
The Oldsmobile Starfire is an automobile nameplate used by Oldsmobile, produced in three non-contiguous generations beginning in 1954. The Starfire nameplate made its debut as a convertible concept car in 1953 followed with the 1954–1956 Nine ...
(1961–1966 & 1975–1980)
*
Oldsmobile Jetstar I
The Oldsmobile Jetstar I is a sporty, high-performance full-sized car produced by Oldsmobile for the 1964 and 1965 model years. Based on the upscale Starfire model, the Olds 88's B-bodied Jetstar I lacked many of the Starfire's standard luxuries ...
(1964–1965)
*
Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser
The Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser is a station wagon manufactured and marketed by Oldsmobile over three generations from 1964 to 1977.
The first and second generation Vista Cruisers are noted for their fixed-glass, roof-mounted skylights over the sec ...
(1964–1977)
*
Oldsmobile Cutlass
The Oldsmobile Cutlass was a series of automobiles produced by General Motors' Oldsmobile division between 1961 and 1999. At its introduction, the Cutlass was Oldsmobile's entry-level model; it began as a unibody compact car, but saw its greates ...
(1964–1977, 1980–1981 & 1997–1999)
*
Oldsmobile Toronado
The Oldsmobile Toronado is a personal luxury car manufactured and marketed by the Oldsmobile division of General Motors from 1966 to 1992 over four generations. The Toronado was noted for its transaxle version of GM's Turbo-Hydramatic transmission ...
(1966–1992)
*
Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme
The Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme is a mid-size car produced by Oldsmobile between 1966 and 1997. It was positioned as a premium offering at the top of the Cutlass range. It began as a trim package, developed its own roofline, and rose during the mi ...
(1967–1997)
*
Oldsmobile 442
The Oldsmobile 4-4-2 (also known as the 442) is a muscle car produced by Oldsmobile between the 1964 and 1987 model years. Introduced as an option package for US-sold F-85 and Cutlass models, it became a model in its own right from 1968 to 197 ...
(1968–1980 & 1985–1987)
*
Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser
The Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser is an automobile that was manufactured and marketed by Oldsmobile in three generations from 1971 until 1992. The first full-size station wagon produced by Oldsmobile since the 1964 Oldsmobile 88 Fiesta, the Custom ...
(1971–1992)
*
Oldsmobile Omega
The Oldsmobile Omega is a compact car manufactured and marketed from 1973-1984 by Oldsmobile, as the brand's most affordable, entry level vehicle — across three distinct generations.
The first two generations of the Omega used rear-wheel ...
(1973–1984)
*
Oldsmobile Cutlass Salon (1973–1980 & 1985–1987)
*
Oldsmobile Cutlass Cruiser
The Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera is a mid-size car that was manufactured and marketed from the 1982 through 1996 model years by the Oldsmobile Division of General Motors. It shared the front-wheel drive A platform with the Buick Century, Pontiac ...
(1978–1996)
*
Oldsmobile Firenza
The Oldsmobile Firenza was a compact car which was produced by Oldsmobile from 1982 to 1988. It was based on the front-wheel drive GM J platform, which was shared with the Buick Skyhawk, Cadillac Cimarron, Chevrolet Cavalier and Pontiac Sunbird. ...
(1982–1988)
*
Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera
The Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera is a mid-size car that was manufactured and marketed from the 1982 through 1996 model years by the Oldsmobile Division of General Motors. It shared the front-wheel drive A platform with the Buick Century, Pontiac 60 ...
(1982–1996)
*
Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais
The Oldsmobile Calais is a compact car that was manufactured and marketed by Oldsmobile from 1985 through 1991, superseding the Oldsmobile Omega and named after the city of Calais, France. Renamed the Cutlass Calais for 1988, and briefly availab ...
(1985–1991)
*
Oldsmobile Touring Sedan
The Oldsmobile Touring Sedan (informally "OTS") is trim level of the eleventh generation ''Ninety-Eight'',a full-size car manufactured and marketed by Oldsmobile from 1987-1993 across two generations, both using the front-wheel drive GM C-platf ...
(1987–1990)
*
Oldsmobile Silhouette
The Oldsmobile Silhouette is a minivan manufactured by General Motors for model years 1990–2004 over two generations.
Production ended when General Motors discontinued its Oldsmobile brand in 2004. GM continued to market badge engineered v ...
(1990–2004)
*
Oldsmobile Bravada
The Oldsmobile Bravada is a four-door mid-size SUV manufactured and marketed by the Oldsmobile division of General Motors. The Bravada was built across three generations as a rebadged variant of the Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Jimmy. It was the on ...
(1991–2004)
*
Oldsmobile Achieva
The Oldsmobile Achieva is a front-wheel drive compact sedan and coupe that was introduced by Oldsmobile for the 1992 model year. The Achieva was based on the GM N-body platform, which it also shared with its siblings the Pontiac Grand Am and Buic ...
(1992–1998)
*
Oldsmobile Aurora
The Oldsmobile Aurora is a luxury sports sedan, manufactured and marketed by General Motors from 1994 until 2003 over two generations — sharing platforms with Buick Riviera and using the Cadillac-derived G platform. At the time of produc ...
(1995–2003)
*
Oldsmobile Intrigue
The Oldsmobile Intrigue is a mid-size sedan that was manufactured from 1997 through 2002 by Oldsmobile. The Intrigue's design cues were first seen in 1995 with the Oldsmobile Antares concept car, being unveiled in production form in January 1996 ...
(1998–2002)
*
Oldsmobile Alero
The Oldsmobile Alero is a midsize car that was produced by General Motors for its Oldsmobile division. Introduced in 1998 as a 1999 model, the Alero was the replacement for both the Achieva and Cutlass. The Alero was Oldsmobile's last new model ...
(1999–2004)
Concept
*
Oldsmobile Starfire
The Oldsmobile Starfire is an automobile nameplate used by Oldsmobile, produced in three non-contiguous generations beginning in 1954. The Starfire nameplate made its debut as a convertible concept car in 1953 followed with the 1954–1956 Nine ...
(1953)
*
Oldsmobile Cutlass
The Oldsmobile Cutlass was a series of automobiles produced by General Motors' Oldsmobile division between 1961 and 1999. At its introduction, the Cutlass was Oldsmobile's entry-level model; it began as a unibody compact car, but saw its greates ...
(1954)
*
Oldsmobile F-88
The Oldsmobile F-88 was a dream car created by Oldsmobile in 1954, with initial sketches made by Bill Lange. It used the chassis of the Chevrolet Corvette and shared its wheelbase. Like the Corvette, and the Pontiac Bonneville Special, the F-88's ...
(1954)
*Oldsmobile 88 Delta (1955)
*
Oldsmobile Golden Rocket
The Oldsmobile Golden Rocket was a two-seater show car built by Oldsmobile for the 1956 General Motors Motorama. The radically styled fiberglass concept, designed to resemble a rocket on wheels, was revised several times and displayed at various ...
(1956)
*
Oldsmobile F-88 Mark II (1957)
*
Oldsmobile F-88 Mark III (1959)
*Oldsmobile X-215 (1962)
*Oldsmobile El Torero (1963)
*Oldsmobile J-TR (1963)
*Oldsmobile Thor by Ghia (1967)
*Oldsmobile Incas by ItalDesign (1986)
*
Oldsmobile Aerotech (1987)
*
Oldsmobile Aerotech III (1989)
*
Oldsmobile Tube Car
The Oldsmobile Tube Car was a 1989 concept vehicle built by Oldsmobile that was the basis for the eventual 1995 production vehicle, the Oldsmobile Aurora
The Oldsmobile Aurora is a luxury sports sedan, manufactured and marketed by General Motor ...
(1989)
*
Oldsmobile Expression
The Oldsmobile Expression was a 1990 concept car, concept vehicle built by Oldsmobile. The Expression was a 4-door wagon that featured fiberglass exterior panels and 6 passenger (2+2+2) seating. Among other features showcased were: rain-sensing wi ...
(1990)
*
Oldsmobile Achieva
The Oldsmobile Achieva is a front-wheel drive compact sedan and coupe that was introduced by Oldsmobile for the 1992 model year. The Achieva was based on the GM N-body platform, which it also shared with its siblings the Pontiac Grand Am and Buic ...
(1991)
*Oldsmobile Anthem (1992)
*
Oldsmobile Antares
The Oldsmobile Antares was a 1995 concept car built by Oldsmobile. The Antares's design was heavily based on Oldsmobile's new "Aurora-look". Contrary to belief, the Antares' design cues were not used in the Oldsmobile Intrigue. Rather, the Intrigue ...
(1995)
*
Oldsmobile Alero Alpha (1997)
*
Oldsmobile Recon
The Oldsmobile Recon was a 1999 concept car built by Oldsmobile. It was a compact crossover SUV that featured 5 doors, 5 seats, a dual panel panoramic sunroof and rear suicide doors. Another unique feature was a reconfigurable instrument panel. T ...
(1999)
*
Oldsmobile Profile
The Oldsmobile Profile was a 2000 concept car built by Oldsmobile. The Profile was a compact crossover SUV, with rear sliding doors and 5 seats. The Profile came with a supercharged 3.5 L V6 engine with 250 horsepower, all-wheel drive, and ...
(2000)
*
Oldsmobile O4 (2001)
Export markets
Canada
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 ...
the range was limited, with the
Oldsmobile Silhouette
The Oldsmobile Silhouette is a minivan manufactured by General Motors for model years 1990–2004 over two generations.
Production ended when General Motors discontinued its Oldsmobile brand in 2004. GM continued to market badge engineered v ...
and
Oldsmobile Bravada
The Oldsmobile Bravada is a four-door mid-size SUV manufactured and marketed by the Oldsmobile division of General Motors. The Bravada was built across three generations as a rebadged variant of the Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Jimmy. It was the on ...
being unavailable to Canadian consumers until much later in their production life.
* The Oldsmobile Cutlass (1997 – 1999 version) was not offered there.
* The
Oldsmobile Silhouette
The Oldsmobile Silhouette is a minivan manufactured by General Motors for model years 1990–2004 over two generations.
Production ended when General Motors discontinued its Oldsmobile brand in 2004. GM continued to market badge engineered v ...
was sold in Canada from 1998 onwards, unlike in the United States.
* The
Oldsmobile Bravada
The Oldsmobile Bravada is a four-door mid-size SUV manufactured and marketed by the Oldsmobile division of General Motors. The Bravada was built across three generations as a rebadged variant of the Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Jimmy. It was the on ...
was unavailable in Canada until its third generation in 2002; previous models sold in Canada were
grey import vehicle
Grey import vehicles are new or used motor vehicles and motorcycles legally imported from another country through channels other than the maker's official distribution system. The synonymous term parallel import is sometimes substituted.
Car make ...
s.
Mexico
In
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
all Oldsmobile models were sold under the
Chevrolet
Chevrolet ( ), colloquially referred to as Chevy and formally the Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors Company, is an American automobile division of the American manufacturer General Motors (GM). Louis Chevrolet (1878–1941) and ous ...
brand.
Europe
![Black Pontiac Trans Sport fr](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ab/Black_Pontiac_Trans_Sport_fr.jpg)
For the
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 market, the
Oldsmobile Silhouette
The Oldsmobile Silhouette is a minivan manufactured by General Motors for model years 1990–2004 over two generations.
Production ended when General Motors discontinued its Oldsmobile brand in 2004. GM continued to market badge engineered v ...
was sold between 1994 and 1997 as 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 ...
by replacing the Oldsmobile badging with
Pontiac 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 D ...
badging, along with Pontiac wheels. Sales in Europe were good for an American import, but did not represent enough volume to make a distinct model economically feasible for the European market. Its successors were both the
Chevrolet Trans Sport (Second generation Pontiac Trans Sport rebadged as a Chevrolet) (LWB), and the
Opel / Vauxhall Sintra (SWB).
![Chevrolet Alero front 20080121](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/44/Chevrolet_Alero_front_20080121.jpg)
The
Oldsmobile Alero
The Oldsmobile Alero is a midsize car that was produced by General Motors for its Oldsmobile division. Introduced in 1998 as a 1999 model, the Alero was the replacement for both the Achieva and Cutlass. The Alero was Oldsmobile's last new model ...
was sold in select countries in Europe (and
Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
) between 1999 and 2001 as the
Chevrolet
Chevrolet ( ), colloquially referred to as Chevy and formally the Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors Company, is an American automobile division of the American manufacturer General Motors (GM). Louis Chevrolet (1878–1941) and ous ...
Alero, and was only available as a 4-door
sedan. The car still featured its Oldsmobile badges even though sold under the Chevrolet brand, but since most European consumers would not recognize the badging,
Chevrolet
Chevrolet ( ), colloquially referred to as Chevy and formally the Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors Company, is an American automobile division of the American manufacturer General Motors (GM). Louis Chevrolet (1878–1941) and ous ...
badges were added to the grille and rear fascia for the 2000 model year. The Alero featured Chevrolet emblems throughout its entire run in Israel. The Alero was replaced in
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 ...
and
Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
by the
GM Daewoo
GM Korea Company ( ko, 한국지엠주식회사) is the South Korean subsidiary of multinational corporation General Motors. GMK is also the third largest automobile manufacturer in South Korea. GM Korea's roots go back to the former Daewoo Motor ...
-sourced
Chevrolet Evanda / Epica.
Marketing themes
Early on in its history, Olds enjoyed a healthy public relations boost from the 1905 hit song ''
In My Merry Oldsmobile''. The same theme—a fast, powerful Olds car helping the driver romance the opposite sex—was updated in the 1950s with the iconic hit ''
Rocket 88
"Rocket 88" (originally stylized as Rocket "88") is a song that was first recorded in Memphis, Tennessee, in March 1951. The recording was credited to " Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats", who were actually Ike Turner and his Kings of Rhythm. T ...
''.
The strong public relations efforts by GM in the 1950s was epitomized in the
Motorama
The General Motors Motorama was an auto show staged by GM from 1949 to 1961. These automobile extravaganzas were designed to whet public appetite and boost automobile sales with displays of fancy concept cars and other special or halo models. Mo ...
, a "one company" auto show extravaganza. Millions of Americans attended, in a spirit not unlike a "mini-
World's Fair
A world's fair, also known as a universal exhibition or an expo, is a large international exhibition designed to showcase the achievements of nations. These exhibitions vary in character and are held in different parts of the world at a specif ...
". Every GM division had a "Dream Car". Oldsmobile's dream/concept car was called "The Golden Rocket".
![1970 Oldsmobile 442 07-27-2019](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/39/1970_Oldsmobile_442_07-27-2019.jpg)
The Dr. Oldsmobile theme was one of Oldsmobile's most successful marketing campaigns in the early '70s, it involved fictional characters created to promote the wildly popular 442 muscle car. 'Dr. Oldsmobile' was a tall lean professor type who wore a white lab coat. His assistants included 'Elephant Engine Ernie' who represented the big block 455 Rocket engine. 'Shifty Sidney' was a character who could be seen swiftly shifting his hand using a Hurst shifter.
'Wind Tunnel Waldo' had slicked back hair that appeared to be constantly wind blown. He represented Oldsmobile's wind tunnel testing, that produced some of the sleekest designs of the day. Another character included 'Hy Spy' who had his ear to the ground as he checked out the competition.
A public relations campaign in the late 1980s proclaimed that this was "not your father's Oldsmobile." The company produced a series of television ads during this time; said ads featured the offspring of various celebrities, and sometimes the celebrity in question. These ads included:
*
Frankie Avalon
Francis Thomas Avallone (born September 18, 1940), better known as Frankie Avalon, is an American actor, singer, and former teen idol. He had 31 charting U.S. ''Billboard'' singles from 1958 to late 1962, including number one hits, "Venus" an ...
Jr.
*
Noel Blanc
Noel Barton Blanc (born October 19, 1938) is an American commercial producer and retired voice actor. He is the son of the late cartoon voice actor, Mel Blanc.
Early life and career
Blanc was born on October 19, 1938 in Los Angeles, California ...
, son of
Mel Blanc
*Amanda Graves, daughter of
Peter Graves
Peter Graves (born Peter Duesler Aurness; March 18, 1926 – March 14, 2010) was an American actor. He was best known for his role as Jim Phelps in the CBS television series ''Mission: Impossible (1966 TV series), Mission: Impossible'' from 1967 ...
*
Deborah Moore
Deborah Maria Luisa Moore (born 27 October 1963) is an English actress. She is the daughter of actor Roger Moore and Italian actress Luisa Mattioli.
Career
She made her debut on TV as a child in ''The Persuaders!'' episode "The Long Goodbye" ...
, daughter of
Roger Moore
Sir Roger George Moore (14 October 192723 May 2017) was an English actor. He was the third actor to portray fictional British secret agent James Bond in the Eon Productions film series, playing the character in seven feature films between 19 ...
*Julie Nimoy, daughter of
Leonard Nimoy
Leonard Simon Nimoy (; March 26, 1931 – February 27, 2015) was an American actor, famed for playing Spock in the ''Star Trek'' franchise for almost 50 years. This includes originating Spock in the original ''Star Trek'' series in 1966, then ...
*
Lisa Marie Presley
Lisa Marie Presley (born February 1, 1968) is an American singer-songwriter. She is the only child of singer and actor Elvis Presley and actress Priscilla Presley, as well as the sole heir to her father's estate. Presley has developed a career ...
, daughter of
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...
*Jodi Serling, daughter of
Rod Serling
Rodman Edward Serling (December 25, 1924 – June 28, 1975) was an American screenwriter, playwright, television producer, and narrator/on-screen host, best known for his live television dramas of the 1950s and his anthology television series ' ...
*
Melanie Shatner, daughter of
William Shatner
William Shatner (born March 22, 1931) is a Canadian actor. In a career spanning seven decades, he is best known for his portrayal of James T. Kirk in the ''Star Trek'' franchise, from his 1965 debut as the captain of the starship USS Enterpri ...
*Lee Starr, daughter of
Ringo Starr
Sir Richard Starkey (born 7 July 1940), known professionally as Ringo Starr, is an English musician, singer, songwriter and actor who achieved international fame as the drummer for the Beatles. Starr occasionally sang lead vocals with the ...
*David and Gina Belafonte, son and daughter of
Harry Belafonte
Harry Belafonte (born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr.; March 1, 1927) is an American singer, activist, and actor. As arguably the most successful Jamaican-American pop star, he popularized the Trinbagonian Caribbean musical style with an interna ...
Ironically, many fans of the brand say that the declining sales were in fact caused by the "this is not your father's Oldsmobile" campaign, as the largest market for Oldsmobiles was the population whose parents had, in fact, owned Oldsmobiles and that by going away from the traditional vehicles that Oldsmobile's brand was built upon, lost many loyal buyers and put the brand on a collision course with
Pontiac 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 D ...
and
Buick
Buick () is a division of the American automobile manufacturer General Motors (GM). Started by automotive pioneer David Dunbar Buick in 1899, it was among the first American marques of automobiles, and was the company that established General ...
, which led to internal cannibalization and a downfall from which it could never recover. Oldsmobile's final major ad campaign had the slogan "Start Something" in a last-ditch effort to market to younger buyers at the turn of the millennium.
In the '90s, General Motors hired marketers from outside the auto industry -- gurus of selling soap, toothpaste, disposable diapers and the like. But given the blunders behind Oldsmobile's failure, perhaps GM should have taken its marketing lessons from radio instead!
WINTER, 2001, RESEARCH INSIGHTS.
Corporate image
Logo evolution
Advertisements
File:Oldsmobile 1902-1228.jpg, ''Galveston Daily News'', December 28, 1902
File:Oldsmobile Ad 1905.jpg, ''Detroit Medical Journal'', 1903
File:Oldsmobile 1904-0930.jpg, ''Syracuse Post-Standard'', September 30, 1904
File:Oldsmobile 1906-0407 model-s.jpg, ''Syracuse Herald'', April 7, 1906
File:Oldsmobile 1906 Ad.jpg, ''Sunset'', June–July 1906
File:Oldsmobile 1908-0508.jpg, ''La Crosse Tribune'', May 8, 1908
File:Oldsmobile 1910-0423.jpg, ''Mansfield News'', April 23, 1910
File:Oldsmobile 1910-0611.jpg, ''Syracuse Post-Standard'', June 11, 1910
Motorsport
NASCAR
Oldsmobile is especially known for its competition in NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. The privately owned company was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, and hi ...
. Beginning with the Rocket 88
"Rocket 88" (originally stylized as Rocket "88") is a song that was first recorded in Memphis, Tennessee, in March 1951. The recording was credited to " Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats", who were actually Ike Turner and his Kings of Rhythm. T ...
, Oldsmobile proved heavily competitive in stock car racing
Stock car racing is a form of automobile racing run on oval tracks and road courses measuring approximately . It originally used production-model cars, hence the name "stock car", but is now run using cars specifically built for racing. It ori ...
. In the Sixties, the Rocket 88 was replaced by the 442. Eventually, the Cutlass would lead Oldsmobile into the Eighties before GM reduced its entries to Chevrolet and Pontiac in the Nineties. It was the restyled body of the Cutlass Supreme that (along with the Chevrolet Monte Carlo
The Chevrolet Monte Carlo is a two-door coupe that was manufactured and marketed by the Chevrolet division of General Motors. Deriving its name from the city in Monaco, the Monte Carlo was marketed as the first personal luxury car of the Chevr ...
, Buick Regal
The Buick Regal is a line of mid-size cars marketed by Buick since 1973. For nearly its entire production, the Regal has served as the premium mid-size/intermediate offering of the Buick product range. Introduced as a submodel of the Buick Cent ...
, and Pontiac Grand Prix
The Grand Prix is a line of automobiles produced by the Pontiac Division of General Motors from 1962 until 2002 for coupes and 1989–2008 for sedans.
First introduced as a full-size performance coupe for the 1962 model year, the model varied ...
) ushered in the downsized cars into NASCAR cup competition. While the Cutlass looked almost identical to the Buick Regal
The Buick Regal is a line of mid-size cars marketed by Buick since 1973. For nearly its entire production, the Regal has served as the premium mid-size/intermediate offering of the Buick product range. Introduced as a submodel of the Buick Cent ...
(which scored 35+ victories in the 1981 thru 1985 seasons), the Cutlass (like the Dodge Mirada
The Dodge Mirada is a mid-sized, rear-wheel drive coupe manufactured and marketed by Dodge for the model years 1980 to 1983, sharing the Chrysler J platform along with its badge engineered variants, the second generation Chrysler Cordoba and the ...
) didn't take one checkered flag, and many teams moved away from it in 1983 to the Regal, Grand Prix, and restyled Monte Carlo SS. This was a rude awakening to Oldsmobile, which was getting used to wins on the NASCAR circuit. The body style of the 1988-92 Cutlass proved to be a winner for NASCAR competition and it visited the victory circle 13 times between 1989 and 1992, when Oldsmobile ended its racing program.
IMSA GT
In the IMSA GT Championship
IMSA GT was a sports car racing series organized by International Motor Sports Association. Races took place primarily in the United States, and occasionally in Canada.
History
The series was founded in 1969 by John and Peggy Bishop, and Bill ...
, Oldsmobile would provide power for IMSA GT Prototypes alongside Chevrolet and Buick. The Cutlass was used in IMSA GTO along with other vehicles also being used in Trans Am and NASCAR.
IndyCar
Oldsmobile was an engine supplier in the IndyCar Series
The IndyCar Series, currently known as the NTT IndyCar Series under sponsorship, is the highest class of regional North American open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars in the United States, which has been conducted under the auspices of ...
along with Infiniti starting in 1997.
Trans Am Series
The Cutlass was used in the Trans Am Series
The Trans-Am Series is a sports car racing series held in North America. Founded in 1966, it is sanctioned by the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA).
Primarily based in the United States, the series competes on a variety of track types includ ...
during the 1980s. Many vehicles also being used in NASCAR at the time were used in Trans Am and IMSA GTO.
See also
*List of automobile manufacturers
This is a list of notable automobile manufacturers with articles on Wikipedia by country. It includes companies that are in business as well as defunct manufacturers. Only companies that have articles here are included.
A
Algeria
* SNVI
...
* List of defunct automobile manufacturers of the United States
*Oldsmobile Diesel engine
The Oldsmobile Diesel engine is a series of V6 and V8 diesel engines produced by General Motors from 1978 to 1985. The V8 was introduced in 1978, followed by a V8 only for the 1979 model year. In 1982, a V6 became available for both front an ...
* Oldsmobile Quad 4 engine
* Oldsmobile straight-6 engine
*Oldsmobile V8 engine
The Oldsmobile V8, also referred to as the Rocket, is series of engines that was produced by Oldsmobile from 1949 until 1990. The Rocket, along with the 1949 Cadillac V8, were the first post-war OHV crossflow cylinder head V8 engines produced b ...
*Irving Jacob Reuter
Irving Jacob Reuter (1885–1972) was an automotive leader in the early 1900s. In 1925 he was named general manager and president of Oldsmobile after rising through the ranks at Remy Electric and then General Motors after the two companies merged ...
References
Further reading
*
*
*
*
External links
Official website
(Archived, 22 July 2003)
Encyclopedia of Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile Club of America
*
OutrightOlds.com
— ''Oldsmobile'' ''photo archive, history, concepts, vintage ads, videos, and owners registry''.
Vintage Oldsmobile Ads
Radiolive.co.nz: Alan Lewenthal interview, Oldsmobile F88 owner
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