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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  Ugh - 2002 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By Judy - June 4 - 10:00 am

  This bravada is my first SUV. Talked my husband out of the Acura MDX due to price/american made. I have logged many hours in the service dept. as well. Problems: Paint job (2x) due to snow/salt in New England, pass. window wont go back up, air leak in pass door. I have had an accident in this truck - airbags did NOT inflate. I am seriously considering trading in - 3 recalls already on truck, one they wont fix until it DIES for no apparent reason?? Shouldve gone foreign...

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  2001 Silhouette (Electrical Issues) - 2001 Oldsmobile Silhouette
  By P. Koester - June 3 - 5:03 pm

  Plenty of room for hauling kids, work stuff, etc. MAJOR ISSUE with electrical system. One little short in electrical system and you will have constant problems that pop up out of nowhere. Especially with so many features requiring that electrical system to stay up and running.

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  Decent Car - 1998 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By Ktrud - May 26 - 10:00 am

  Bought my 98 Intrigue at 64,000 in May of 09, got a great deal on it from the dealership I worked at. Old guy owned it before, hardly drove it. After owning it a year and a half it is still a nice car. The interior has held up nicely. 3 of the 4 power window motors went out due to car being from TX, lots of dust and dirt in the track caused windows to fall out of tracks. Replaced serpentine belt at 72k. Quarter panels seem to dent very easily with the slightest impact. Currently has 87k on it and everything is going well! Paint holds up, electric system, brakes.. ride is very smooth and pretty quiet for being 12 years old. All around nice car for the average driver.

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  The best car I ever owned - 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora
  By triad33 - May 22 - 2:00 am

  This car is great, but I guess all good things must eventually come to an end. Shame on you General Motors for discontinuing Oldsmobile and for failing to transfer the Aurora to another line, such as Buick. You have alienated this lifelong GM customer. Hellooooooo Lexus!

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  Value Purchase - 2002 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By swagled - May 21 - 10:00 am

  This is a real bang-for-the buck vehicle. Well optioned, nice handling, and styling still competitive for a 1997 design. There are some annoying design flaws (popping sounds in the steering, flickering headlights) common to this car, but no problems in the sense of reliability. The car is very long-legged and drives quite confidently at 90MPH.

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  The "Newmobile" Alero - 1999 Oldsmobile Alero
  By AliasX - May 21 - 10:00 am

  My father bought his Alero a couple of years ago, and I have to admit that at first I was rather appalled by his decision to get this car. However, whatever opinions I had about the car quickly changed after a few errand runs. The Alero has a way of growing on you. This cars traction control system works wonders in the snow. It got me out of a bad situation real quick...

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  My Alero - 2002 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Not Fathers Olds - May 18 - 6:56 am

  I bought my Alero after lots of rentals, and loved it at first. However, all of the typical quirks I read about on this car have occurred. Steering cylinder failure; plugged heater core (Dexcool) b/c sediment collects at lowest point=heater; Intake gasket=Dexcool problem; ABS sensor failure; Early transmission slip failures; gas tank solenoid (check engine); alloy wheels corrode/leak at tire lips; premature serpentine belt wear/squeaking. Too bad, as it would be a great car if GM would have address the reliability issues before tiring the line.

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  Poor choice - 2000 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By Lauralita - May 16 - 2:00 am

  I live near Lansing, MI where olds is touted as the king of GM... its the luxury priced mid- size SUV with luxury priced repair bills. Ive spent over $2000 in repairs. I still have to replace gas gauge sensor, weather stripping/seal. At 62,000 mi, the transmission was rebuit to the tune of over $1000, at my cost. Ive never been in an accident or in the ditch, yet had to replace both front wheel bearings. 3 months after the tranny went bad, yet another expensive gas fuel senser went bad.... sorry...but Ive had it with this one...poor investment for a $38,000 vehicle.

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  Larrys Oldsmobile - 2000 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By LARRY FERNSTROM - May 15 - 4:25 pm

  This is a great older car.

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  Really Like This Car - 1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass
  By kaye alexandra - May 15 - 4:03 am

  Like this car - have had no problems with it. Like all the little luxuries included. Very comparable to a Camry.