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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  Fun and relax drive. - 1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass
  By Cliff Jackson - October 8 - 10:00 am

  I love to drive my cutlass, not much power but its fun to drive. The interior is great. Its an cant wait to drive car. Love It!!!!!!

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  Not your Granpas Olds!!! - 2001 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By papanetworkpro - October 4 - 7:26 am

  Im only the second-owner of this great medium-size family sedan. It was clean- quick and quiet then, and still is. We consistently got 33mpg on the road to KY. Its easy to park and drive...has fewer blind spots than the Lexus were buying. Great sound system...and lots of trunk space.

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  A Premiere Van ! - 2003 Oldsmobile Silhouette
  By Richard E. Poitras - October 2 - 10:00 am

  This Silhouette Premiere Edition is our first van ever after driving german cars for over 20 years... Well, it is a premiere experience ! WE LOVE IT ! Oours is white with its chrome mags and it always make heads turns... Driving is fun, interior is extremely confortable, the DVD sytem is perfect and overall we go for a drive more often than we never did before...

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  Hated to Give it Up - 1994 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme
  By Cherylanns - September 25 - 8:43 pm

  My Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme was the best car that I have ever owned! I used it for real estate and had to trade it for a minivan due to another pregnancy (this is #4). The car had 170,000 miles on it and still drove like the day it was purchased. It had an awesome sound system, hugged the road, was very comfortable, and had lots of power in its 3.4L V6 engine. I had minor problems with the ABS system (it tended to stick when the parking brake was released) and with the electronics (the check engine light and security lights never would turn off). Also, its electronics tended to have short out easily. Other than those problems, it was a wonderful vehicle. I hated to part with it. If you get one, you will love it too!

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  Nice SUV!! - 2001 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By Kevin - September 12 - 6:03 pm

  Very nice vehicle! Rides very nice, no sway like earlier SUV of its type. The leather seats are very supple and conforming, the lumbar support makes long drives even more comfortable. Excellent rear-round, all utility car, Ive got the power moonroof that I use all the time during warm weather. Plenty of storage space, but not too big of a car. The gas mileage could be a little better, but at about 16-17.5 mpg (depending on driving types) I guess its not too far off of any other large car. It has the power needed when its needed!! Used the hitch to pull 2 cars out of ditches last year, SmartTrack works great without any buttons to push as well! Recommend this vehicle!!

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  Mostly great, with a couple issues - 1999 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By El Manuel - September 10 - 6:06 am

  I love this car, Ive had it for 8 years and have only had minimum repairs required. One problem is that they seemed to make the power window assemblies poorly. The metal chord attached to a pulley and motor snaps in cold weather. Ive replaced 5 in my car. another problem is the vinyl where the passenger airbag is seems to be coming apart. Other than that its a great car. Comfortable, pretty decent gas milage for a 6 cyl, handles very well. If they still made these Id buy a brand new one.

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  Fun and reliable - 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora
  By srcorvettez06 - September 1 - 5:10 am

  The harder I beat on this car the more it asks for. I have a cool air intake and I painted the brakes and mufflers with rustoleum. Im 17 and really beat on my car. Its faster than it looks. After port and polishing the intake, I was able to keep up with a Camaro RS with a 305ci. The 3.5 has a lot of potential. Removing the Cat and Res boosted 12 Horses at the front wheels. Intake was about another 5 with port and polish adding 8. My only recommendation to everyday drivers is getting a set of Goodyear Assurance Luxurys. I ride on Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3. They can take the Aurora around corners at about 3X the speed limit. Really expensive but they last forever.

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  I love it! - 1999 Oldsmobile Cutlass
  By shellbells - August 31 - 2:00 am

  Just traded it in and I miss it already.

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  Olds Has A Winner - 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora
  By Leo Nolet - August 25 - 10:00 am

  Now that Olds has finally "got it right" they will be dropping the brand from the GM line up? Go figure!!!!!

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  I definitely got my moneys worth - 2003 Oldsmobile Alero
  By kjr75 - August 20 - 6:43 pm

  I bought a new 2003 Alero back in June 2003. I definitely got my moneys worth as I just passed the 183,000 mile mark. Sad to say the time has now come to get a new car as there are issues with the cylinder heads under the gasket not responding and long story short Pep boys wants to charge $3,000 to replace. The car itself is probably worth 1k with as many miles on it. After 9.5yrs and 183,000 miles it definitely has done its job. Looking for either a new Sonata Turbo or used 2012 Buick Lacrosse. I dont think I can go wrong either way as I take these cars to the grave so I really dont care much about resale value.