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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  Love it - 2003 Oldsmobile Silhouette
  By Don W - May 29 - 10:00 am

  This is my 2nd minivan purchase. This one is very different from my previous van-Windstar. It drives like a car not like a van. I hated driving a van until we purchased the Silhouette. The comfort & spacious interior are 2nd to none.

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  Aurora is a winner - 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora
  By Tom M - May 16 - 7:13 am

  Purchased the 2001 Aurora to replace my 185K mile Intrigue that I gave my college grad son. This Aurora has the exact same reliable, well performing power train. This car is VERY comfortable, quiet and loaded with features that are now showing up on 2008 models. Great gas mileage for a luxury car (28 on highway). Trouble free. One small air pump valve failed, simple replacement done myself with genuine GM parts from on-line supplier. My ex-Toyota co-worker was very impressed with how quiet and tight the car was after 65K miles. This car feels like brand new at 7 yrs old. Best car I have owned.

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  Excellent Olds! - 2002 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By K. Gilligan - May 9 - 1:36 am

  I bought a loaded up base model in a dealer end of year clearance. It is the best car Ive ever had (and I usually buy Mazda, Honda or Toyota). It has the best engine ever. Its smooth, powerful, quiet and yet gets great gas mileage. This cars understated styling still gets curious onlookers. Its beefy Goodyear tires, ABS, a smooth transmission are all excellent. My only gripe is the standard GM penchant for ill fitting dashboard plastics. I have had no squeaks, rattles, or maintenance issues with my Intrigue. It has been completely reliable and has plenty of power. The suspension eats up bumps. The handling is tight, especially for a deceptively large sedan. This car easily outperforms every other car in its size/class for much less money. I wholeheartedly recommend it!

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  I love this car - 2001 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By Papa Billnye - April 30 - 10:26 pm

  This car has been the best one I have ever owned out of 6 in my life of 22 years. I have had some small issues with it like a secondary air pump go out and a fast wearing set of rear brakes but since I have put 4 new tires on the car it rides like a Cadillac but better because it costs a lot less then a Caddy.

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  Midsized Luxury - 1998 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By Pharm96 - April 27 - 2:00 pm

  It is an excellent midsized SUV with all of the bells and whistles. The Bravada handles incredibly well in virtually all types of weather. Ive driven it in hard, driving rain storms and in the snow and ice and have never felt insecure or out of control in this vehicle. Another big plus is the gas mileage -- it averages about 19 miles per gallon. My Bravada has 94K miles and still runs like a top!

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  Great Business Car - 1998 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By jknapow - April 27 - 2:00 am

  Overall a great car. Bought new in Nov. 1998, only work other than maintenance was the antilock brake controller ($1000.00 ding) and an Oxygen sensor (under warranty). Took car on a 11,000 mile road trip across the USA. Very comfortable and reliable. Only complaint is the driver side visor need an extension to block the sun. Im 63" tall, and car has plenty of room. I drive as a salesman everyday, no complaints. 92,000 + miles and still going strong. Regards.

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  Definitely consider this van - 2001 Oldsmobile Silhouette
  By hawk27 - April 27 - 2:00 am

  This has been a very impressive vehicle. The ride is excellent, and the fit and finish are exceptional. We drove Honda, Toyota, Ford, and Chrysler, and this one had better acceleration and handled well both on the highway and around town. The seats are confortable and there is ample room inside for the family and friends. This van is also reliable, despite many hard miles on short trips.

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  200k and no major repairs - 2004 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Nathan - April 25 - 1:09 pm

  engine and trans going strong at over 200k. had to repair a rocker arm in engine as only major repair and it was only $300. weakness is wheel bearings but are easy to change. comfortable driver seat. good power in v6 and 27-28 mpg avg for my 90 mile commute with 70% of the commute on freeway at 70mph. nice padded interior vs the cheesy plastic interiors on new cars. Wish I could buy a new one.

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  GL2 - Great Buy, Fun to Drive - 2003 Oldsmobile Alero
  By paulc - April 25 - 10:00 am

  Have the pretty loaded Gold 4 Dr. GL2 that comes with the 3.4 6 cyl. engine, which Edmunds did not list. Bought it in April of 2004 used after finding it on the internet at Sandberg Olds in Seattle. It was a great deal too good to pass up at $8,995 with less than 30K miles, almost new condition as it was a former rental car. Drives and handles very well, hope its reliability holds.

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  Dont Love It As Much As BMatheis - 2000 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Jagster - April 11 - 10:00 am

  Although I love my car, the doors leak during hard rain and has been in the shop over 8 times for them to try to fix with no resolution. My brakes/rotors have been worked on twice, were replaced the second time before the vehicle reached 26000 miles! I will not buy another GM vehicle, but I have to admit that I love my car... its my first new car and Ive gone through too many of the same problems in less than 3 years of ownership.