Overview & Reviews

At the dawn of the automobile, Oldsmobile was there. Owned by General Motors, Oldsmobile was the most senior domestic marque and one of the oldest automobile brands in the world, with a run that spanned some 107 years.

Ransom E. Olds was born in Ohio, but moved to Lansing, Michigan, to work in his father's machine shop. His experiences there helped whet his appetite for all things automotive, and he soon garnered enough expertise to develop a gasoline-powered vehicle. Joining forces with other partners, Olds cofounded the Olds Motor Vehicle Company in 1897. By the early 1900s, the company had introduced the nation to upscale models like the Curved Dash and had risen to become the best-selling car company in the United States.

Ransom Olds eventually left the company and it was sold to General Motors in 1908, where it became known as the Oldsmobile Division. More than ever, Oldsmobile became the brand of choice for car buyers seeking vehicles steeped in luxury and sophistication. Early models like the 1915 Model 42 Touring Roadster offered sleek lines and style aplenty. The 1918 Model 37 was its first model to offer a closed top, ensuring that the brand's well-heeled buyers had protection from the elements.

Oldsmobile had another hit in the 1920s with the Model 46, a V8-powered touring car that seated seven. The manufacturer did its part to make sure that the decade's elegance wasn't lost on its automobiles. It introduced fancy chrome-plated trim that served to raise the glamour quotient of its already eye-catching vehicles.

The '30s was a decade of innovation for the brand. The company wooed customers with its "Knee-Action" independent front suspension, an affordably priced option that served to improve ride quality. The company also offered one of the earliest automatic transmissions, freeing drivers from the rigors of the clutch with its four-speed "Hydra-matic" system.

Postwar, Oldsmobile gave consumers the Rocket 88. The car offered new levels of performance, giving the North American market its first taste of the short-stroke, overhead-valve V8. The car was adored by enthusiasts, and was chosen to serve as the pace car for the 1949 Indy 500.

The 1950s saw Olds continuing to distinguish itself as a purveyor of fine performance machines. With a name inspired by the Lockheed Starfire fighter plane, its 1953 Starfire show car offered a fiberglass body, a stylishly low beltline and most importantly, a 200-horsepower engine. The car was one of the first to display a wraparound windshield, and in the years following, many other manufacturers adopted this styling cue.

Oldsmobile's innovations continued into the 1960s. The manufacturer was the first since the 1930s Cord to taste success with a front-wheel-drive vehicle, in the form of its sporty Toronado. The '70s saw Olds breaking new ground in the area of safety. In 1974, it introduced a Toronado equipped with a driver-side airbag; Olds was the first domestic automaker to offer this feature. Around this time, the company's Cutlass had also become one of America's favorite cars.

Less successful was the company's effort to get on board with diesel technology. In 1978, Oldsmobile introduced a 5.7-liter V8 diesel engine as a response to that decade's fuel crisis; the engine was meant to appeal to buyers desperate to save money at the pump. Rising diesel prices and the unreliability of the engines caused the program to suffer, and Oldsmobile was eventually forced to terminate its efforts on this front.

In the '80s, Oldsmobile left its competitors in the dust when its Aerotech — piloted by noted racecar driver A.J. Foyt — set a closed-course world speed record of 257 mph. The company continued to have a huge hit with its Cutlass; the model spent much of the decade atop the sales charts.

The '90s saw Oldsmobile's introduction of Guidestar, the first onboard navigation system combining mapping and satellite positioning. The company made history yet again when its race-modified Aurora V8 won the Indy 500, making Olds the first manufacturer to pace and win the race in the same year.

By the dawn of the new millennium, Oldsmobile's sales were in a rut. The brand's identity had suffered over the years due to parts-sharing and rebadging within the GM camp. GM ultimately decided to pull the plug, and the last Oldsmobile rolled off the assembly line in model-year 2004.

User Reviews:

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  A decent car if you buy a cheap used one - 2000 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By someone behind you - June 5 - 2:00 am

  Could have been a great car if Oldsmobile would have stayed around. Steering is sort of strange, I feel pulses when I turn, it is not very smooth. Dont know if this a problem with all of them. Power and fuel econ. are very good for its size. Seats on the GX are uncomfortable. Transmission is not the greatest, hesitates when you accelerate at higher speeds, like its hunting for gears.

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  nice car for the money - 2004 Oldsmobile Alero
  By baddog - June 1 - 10:00 am

  like the way it looks mine is RED and looks great. Nice car for the money. wish Olds didnt end.

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  Geat Car - 1998 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By Michael J. Murphy - May 29 - 10:00 am

  Have had this car since new and have really enjoyed the performance, fuel economy and reliability.

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  Should have gotten rid of Buick - 1999 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By johnryan1077 - May 27 - 2:16 am

  I have owned my 99 Intrigue for 2 years and it only has 78,000 miles on it and it drives like new. I realize it is going to be 10 years old next year but it drives so well and its looks stood the test of time. I have the 3.5 liter engine and it cooks on the highway. I think GM made a mistake buy getting rid of Oldsmobile instead of Buick. How many ten year old Buicks do you see on the road compared to Aleros and Intrigues. Great vehicle!

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  Good sedan gone bye-bye - 2001 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By Olds31 - May 20 - 10:00 am

  This is my first and probably my last Olds. It was a good choice I think. No real glaring faults with the car but the exterior design could of been a little better. Thinking about putting some after market fog lamps on the car. If I trade it in, I probably go with either Toyota or Honda. Sorry GM, Ford lovers out there.

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  Never a GM product again - 2002 Oldsmobile Silhouette
  By Mike - May 20 - 3:53 am

  We were quite fortunate we bought this during a promoton where GM was selling it with 60,000 mile, 60 month warrantries. We used it. The seat warmers constantly failed. One of the power slide doors failed. The rear tail lights constantly burned out, and GM refuses to admit a flaw. Even the DVD remote is a disappointment ... it is constantly running down the battery. We know have plenty of batteries and a screw driver to deal with this.

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  Absolutely decent midsize sedan - 2001 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By gabe - May 18 - 9:50 pm

  I bought my 01 Intrigue in 2001, as a program car, (28K mi), because it seemed a very good deal (half price). I didnt need another car, but , a few years later, Im still happy with this purchase. It was one of the sportiest American midsize sedans of the day. The major critique it received was about finish quality; however, all I could find wrong with my car was a side dash plastic panel fitted poorly. GM management should have kept the oldest car brand existing, not dump it. I believe they should have upgraded the Oldsmobile lineup, instead of coming up with the dubious GTO, SSR, etc...

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  Not Your Fathers Oldsmobile - 1998 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By Burt Swanson - May 12 - 10:00 am

  This car has been an outstanding vehicle. Not wanting to buy an Oldsmobile, mostly from lack of anyone younger than myself ever having owned one and not being able to get a good feel for them, I acquiesced to my wifes desire to purchase it. I bought it used with slighlty less than 40k on it. In the nearly two years I have owned it we have pushed the mileage to 77k with no problems other than a derailed coffe cup holder that took two minutes to fix. Fit and finish are good and the car is a joy to drive. Quick, responsive and good on gas, it fits my family of four quite nicely. I would have NO problem entertaining the purchase of another Oldsmobile product.

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  powerful van - 2000 Oldsmobile Silhouette
  By lovethevan - April 28 - 11:50 am

  I purchased this van used it was nice and loaded leather captain seats vcr very comfortable and stylish. Had some front end work sensors replaced, back shock problems driver window recall on sliding side door head gasket leakage cylinder head going radiator coolant problems. was told not to repair but trade in for another vehicle. i do not want to get rid of this van. I love driving it. The gas mileage could be better.

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  Not Impressed - 2001 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Tony - April 27 - 9:53 pm

  If you happen to purchase this vehicle and their is a option to get an extended warranty I would highly recommend it. Very unhappy with the mechanical problems. At 58k I had to replace both front wheel bearings. Blower switch would only operate at high speeds. Replaced thermostat. The big one was at 78k the head gasket had to be replaced. Thirteen months later had to replace another front wheel bearing, ($500) out of my pocket because the warranty expired. The best investment in this vehcile was paying $35 dollars to transfer the original warranty to my name. Design of the interior isnt to bad except for cup holders in front. Gas mileage is good for a 3.4L, 26 city 31 hwy.