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 our Oldsmoble - 2004 Oldsmobile Silhouette
  By Tom - January 27 - 10:00 am

  We love our Oldsmoble it rides very compvertable and mileage is notbad. On long trips excellent. rides like a dream,

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  A truly fantastic American car! - 2004 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Peter_J - January 21 - 2:00 am

  My husband and I compared several cars when considering our next purchase. I was wanting to sell a Honda Accord that I had been talked into buying, and it turned out to be an expensive car to maintain and keep on the road as it got older. I looked at the Pontiac Grand Am, the Alero, and just to be fair, another Honda. The Olds was simply the best looking, best driving, most comfortable and well thought out car out there . . . and I love it!

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  My car is my baby. - 2004 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Happy Girl - January 10 - 10:00 am

  I have had nothing but good things happen in this car. It gets good mileage.

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  Love it! - 2000 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By Blazer Engineer - January 8 - 10:00 am

  I love the Car! Ive never had any problems. Good Power & Ride. Fun to Drive. I could use a little more leg room

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  runs good, and lasts long - 1999 Oldsmobile Alero
  By simmons1890 - December 29 - 3:16 pm

  everything in this car worked out really good. it runs great. ive never had any problems with it. before i bought it i heard it wasnt a good car to have. but i love it. the look is great to, its a nice car to have, im glad i bought it

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  2003 Bravada - 2003 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By rrpr - December 15 - 10:00 am

  This vehicle steers and handles well, is quiet with a car-like ride, and fun to drive. There are lots of standard and optional features. Our choice was between a Bravada and a Rainier. The Buick dealership told us the only differences between the Bravada and the Rainier were the extra material to deaden noise, wood-trimmed metal door handles, Buick grill and optional V8 engine. The inside of the two vehicles looks the same. The Buick dealership told us the ride and driving abilities are the same, the parts are the same, and you can have the Bravada serviced at a Buick dealership. With all this in mind, we bought the better-priced Bravada.

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  Great One - 2002 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By cobrak - December 9 - 2:00 am

  Excellent vehicle, exceptionally comfortable on long trips. Not off roader but great on snow or ice.

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  Great Car - 1998 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By The Real AROD - December 1 - 10:00 am

  I bought a used Intrigue just a few weeks back, and I am really enjoying it. I have the 3800 V-6 and the car really moves. Handles great. Have gotten tons of compliments on the look of the car.

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  why my olds? - 2001 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By hope2 - December 1 - 10:00 am

  great auto, better than my 1998 intrigue

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  Great - 2001 Oldsmobile Alero
  By spotgal - November 29 - 10:00 am

  I agree,when first driving it,fell in love, but the cupholder is just above the gear shift. pinched my fingers,but overall once you get used to that, and purchase a smaller coffee cup....everything is wonderful!