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:

• 

  a excellant car - 2001 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By rodney s. smith - September 21 - 10:00 am

  i have had this product 10 months all i get is the rave revewis on its looks and how the ride is very smooth i love it for its mileage around the city and on the open road the maintencence is very nice on telling you the oil change and ect ect, the workmanship is anothere thing it is well put togheter, there are no little squecks and no wind sounds at all, no engine nosie can hardly be heard when the car is running,a very well fine engerieed product

• 

  Baracuda96 - 2002 Oldsmobile Alero
  By BAracuda96 - September 21 - 10:00 am

  Very nice, but bad brakes... :( so far, so good. :) Very impressed with acceleration and torque power.

• 

  Oldsmobile 99 Intrique, 4 dr Sedan - 1999 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By R. E. - September 20 - 2:00 am

  The 99 Intrique is a 4 door sdn, In Excellent condition, Color Steel Gray Current Inspection to April 2003

• 

  Consumer - 2002 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By Moldst - September 14 - 10:00 am

  Very impressed with the quality of ride, power of engine, and the quietness overall. I have driven Toyota 4runner for several thousand miles, and it doesnt compare in aforementioned qualities. The Toyota interior, layout of instrumentation, quietness, not nearly as good. The Toyota engine sluggish compared to the Oldsmobile 4.2L 6.

• 

  value and room for the long haul - 2002 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By seaduck - September 3 - 2:00 am

  My first SUV, previous owner of 4 mini vans. Better handling, plenty of power,not quite as much room for gear, but better suited for around town use.

• 

  03 Bravada in Colorado - 2003 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By cebteb - August 28 - 2:00 am

  The ride quality with the pneumatic rear springs is outstanding. Better than most autos. The inline 6 is smooth & powerful. No wonder it is rated one of the top engines by automotive engineers. Brakes are best Ive every used. Response is perfectly proportional to force applied to the pedal. The ABS stops fast & true, even on snow-packed surfaces. Handling is very responsive. The stuff about back-end sway in the twisties is true, but this is a truck, not a sports car. The only downer with the Bravada has been an inability to match EPA mileage ratings.

• 

  02 GLS - 2003 Oldsmobile Alero
  By ghelwig - August 28 - 2:00 am

  Very good performance out of a 87 octane engine. Transmission shifts very smoothly. Nice seats both front and back. Rather large trunk for a midsize car.

• 

  Love this car - 2001 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By HollySw3 - August 21 - 9:53 pm

  I am married with 3 kids. I used to drive a Chevy Blazer and suprisingly enough the back seat in the intrigue is wider than the Blazers back seat. The car runs great and is very comfortable. I just got it but bought it used and to this day I have had no problems with it. It is a sharp car!

• 

  Great Vehicle - 1998 Oldsmobile Eighty Eight
  By Mr. Toyota - August 11 - 2:00 am

  This is a great vehicle for the money. Powerful, comfortable, and reliable all desribe this car perfectly. The car has very responsive handling and get great fuel milage.

• 

  dav- #1 - 1998 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By Rabonza - August 8 - 2:00 am

  Not having a long experience it is a very nice car