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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  Crack made car - 2000 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By GA - December 28 - 7:06 am

  This vehicle is a signature of GMs failure to create reliable and economical vehicles. Heres a list of repairs done through out my 10 yr ownership: all PWR windows, climate control, blower motor resistor, instrument panel, steering system, A/C compressor, cracked ac vents, wheel bearings, coil packs, crank sensor, cam sensor, oil seals, engine, transmission(2x), lower control arms, valve cover seals, EGR sensor, coolant reservoir, starter (x2)!

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  What a mistake - 1999 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By Why oh why did I buy - December 11 - 1:00 pm

  This vehicle represents the worst decision of my life. The Bravada rides bone-jarringly stiff, and cant handle rural Illinois roads. I thought it was just bad shocks, so I put on expensive ones. No improvement. Tried replacing bushings, ball joints, tires - nothing. The Bravada is just plain dangerous on bumpy, crowned rural highways. On a smooth, level highway, it tracked funny, hunting from side to side. Several mechanics claimed that the vehicle was fine... After three months of white knuckle driving, hanging on to the wheel for dear life at 40 mph, I gave up and sold the thing. Good riddance. A full size 4x4 gets the same horrible MPG, but can actually hold the road and tow something!

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  Worst Car Ever Owned; A Real Lemon - 2003 Oldsmobile Alero
  By joners - July 11 - 9:09 am

  Paid 8,000 for car and put 3,000 into engine, mostly seals, major problem in coolent system, cracked engine block, the list goes on and on.... this was the worst engine GM ever built, I dont reccommend it. Replaced fuel pump, then it was needing repairs twice a year. Joined a class action lawsuit and GM got out of it by filing bankruptcy. If your buying an Alero plan on spending alot for repairs, due to cheap parts and a poorly running engine.

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  Aleros are really death traps - 1999 Oldsmobile Alero
  By sherri bett - April 25 - 5:30 pm

  I would have my brake pedal go to the floor with no warning. Once this happened I quickly released the pedal and then the pedal worked. Except one time. I was going down a steep hill, and when I put my foot on my brake pedal, I felt NOTHING! Talk about having my heart fall into my stomach, it scared me to death!! I pushed harder and harder on my brake pedal but nothing happened, and when it hit the floor, my life flashed in front of my eyes! I pushed and pumped my brake pedal but nothing happened, my brakes were failing!! I just went into shock when I touched my brake and felt nothing. I was almost at the guard rail, I pumped them one more time and they finally came back and I didnt die

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  no no no dont buy this car - 2000 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By oliver liebermann - February 16 - 5:16 pm

  500 miles passed warranty my transmission went bad. Then the sungear went bad. wheel bearing went bad. Had to replace the computer. worst vehicle ive ever owned