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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  99 Trouble~ - 1999 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By 99Trouble - December 26 - 12:53 am

  I also had trouble with the AWD chatter..fortunately the dealer replaced the fluid for free (KMX). The brakes and rotors wore prematurely and the shocks are inadequate. Very comfortable inside though. Tows my boat nicely. Would like to see Big Threes quality improve. Next SUV will be a QX4...Ive learned my lesson!

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  Intrigue - 2002 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By lg - December 23 - 10:00 am

  I have been very satisfied with my purchase. The Intrigue is one of the most comfartable cars that I have driven.

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  Awesome first Car - 1996 Oldsmobile Eighty Eight
  By mancheskia - December 21 - 2:41 pm

  This was my first car that I owned when I got my license. Gas mileage was great 28 mpg hwy with a V6 and about 16 city for a 1996 I would consider that very good especially since car these day arent getting much better mileage if they are at all better in the same class. Car was very comfortable and reliability wasnt much of an issue until I had about 200,000 miles on the car.

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  KICKS! - 1999 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Bekki - December 15 - 8:43 pm

  This is an awesome car, turns heads, cause its red and sporty! Excellent body and interior, the GLS is the ONLY way to go!

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  This car is a treasure! - 2002 Oldsmobile Silhouette
  By voodoolilly - December 13 - 7:00 pm

  I loved my Town N Country but It kept having mechanical issues. Its style was what drew me. Recently I purchased a silluette and have found all the features love in the TnC without mechanical problems.

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  so so - 2000 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By Rylee - December 4 - 10:00 am

  I have wo main issues with this Bravada: 1)The turning radius is quite large for a smaller suv. Dont like it. 2) The exterior desiegn with all the molded rounded corners make washing it difficult. It is always a 2 time wash over. On the flip side, the interior is very comfortable, easy to reach for us shorter people and has a good sound system. Wish resale was better!! need to sell and hard to a find buyer, and trade in is terrible.

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  I love my car - 1994 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme
  By Paula H. - December 3 - 10:56 pm

  I have over 309 thousand miles on my car. It is still the original everything. The only things I have had to replace on this car is the water pump and the break pads. It has been great! I suffer from driving anxiety and I would trust it to go to California and back to Wisconsin with no problems. I am currently looking to get another one, due to the fact my son took this one from me. This is not your gutless Cutlass.

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  Dont buy an Intrigue - 2000 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By blu_by_u - November 30 - 10:00 am

  This is our first new car. At around 40k miles it developed an oil consumption problem. Now it consumes 1qt in about 1200 miles. There is no oil on the garage floor and it doesnt somke. I personally change the oil and perform most maintenance. I have never seen a car burn out so many dash bulbs like this does. I hate the rock hard arm rests, my FORD F350 had FAR superior arm rests. Im 63" (not terribly tall) and my head rubs the ceiling of the car, I would hate to be any taller! The throttle valve has a problem of getting coated with gunk and making the pedal stick closed and the car leaps forward when you finally break the throttle loose.

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  Still loving it - 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora
  By Rick - November 27 - 6:53 pm

  Bought my 2001 4.0 in 2002 with 10000 miles. It now has 67500 miles and it looks like a brand new car. It turns heads and people ask what kind of car it is, is it new, can you still buy them

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  Buy something else - 1999 Oldsmobile Silhouette
  By DA - November 27 - 5:40 am

  I was against the purchase of this vehicle from the beginning as I was suspect of GMs ability to provide a quality product. My suspicions were accurate. This week I forked out $1,550 for a new head gasket. Two years ago, it needed an intake manifold gasket for $800. VHS system is broken, trim and molding parts falling off van. A/C will not work, keyless entry broken, rear wheel cylinder needed replacement, TCM sensor broken, its just endless. GM should be embarrassed for the lack of build quality in this vehicle. I am still waiting for the recall notices. As for my Honda and Nissan purchases prior to buying this van, I never had any of these problems.