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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  The cadillac of minivans - 2000 Oldsmobile Silhouette
  By Lovin it so far. - December 27 - 2:50 am

  My wife and I bought this minivan to help with our problem of fitting too many kids into our old autos. For a minivan it has some punch, gets comparably great gas mileage, and our minivan though it has 111,000 miles rides as smooth as the day it was bought i suspect. The interior was well thought out though, I find that the cup holders are in some odd places. all in all pretty happy with our purchase. 3600 out the door at the local dealership with a tank full of gas and an oil change.

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  cheap car with expensive price tag - 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora
  By heathercorday - December 26 - 10:00 am

  I didnt get the extendend warranty and wish that I had. The steering pops, in the winter the temperature dosent get warm enough to make the heater blow hot, the window switch went out, now the window regulator is shot, and the rotors are warped.

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  Love This Van So Far! - 1999 Oldsmobile Silhouette
  By gspot - December 24 - 10:00 am

  I bought this van 2 months ago used and think it rocks. I have a 1999 premiere edition. The only problem that I had when it was bought was the auxiliary inputs are not working for the TV, but the VCP works good. Unfortunately, it costs up to $500.00 to repair those inputs. The kids keep very quiet on long trips due to the TV/VCP. We have already driven to California from Washington and back without any issues. The ride is very smooth. Im not fond of the gas milage of about 20mpg, however you cant expect much more out of a minivan.

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  Still a good car - 2001 Oldsmobile Alero
  By GoingStrong - December 17 - 10:16 am

  My father paid $10,000 for the 2001 Alero with 12,000 miles for my brother and I in 2002 when we were in high school. I wasnt really crazy about it then because it seemed like EVERYONE had one but now I look back and see what a good car it was and still is. The only problem we have with it is the blinkers. They ALWAYS CLICK! It takes them a couple minutes to stop clicking even after they switch off. The car is now my brothers and he hasnt had a single problem with it since the battery died last year leaving him stranded in the mountains haha. Overall, great car for the money as long as its taken care of.

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  Aurora, gone but not forgotten - 1999 Oldsmobile Aurora
  By MTIMMONS - December 17 - 2:00 am

  Best car GM has ever built

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  Old Reliable - 2003 Oldsmobile Silhouette
  By js - December 15 - 9:20 am

  Ive been hard on this car; regular oil changes, but thats it. At 185,000, I can say it has never not started, even though we live in the Midwest with harsh winters and its not always garage-kept. It only died one time when the alternator went out at 175,000 miles, and I had a full days warning with the battery light flashing, so I was pulling into the driveway when it died. The interior is very comfortable and well-designed. It has very low highway noise. I trust it and would definitely buy another one.

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  2001 olds - 2001 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By Zimmer59 - December 7 - 10:00 am

  Only negative is interior noise

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  Get an extended warranty!!! - 2002 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By Mike M - December 4 - 5:46 pm

  I never believed in extended warranties, but this vehicle has made me a believer. I bought the vehicle with 40,000 miles on it. The AWD has failed twice on this vehicle for the same reason. The mirrors never adjust to the drivers setting (which was supposedly fixed), the serpentine belt shredded because of a bad pulley, the shifter cable got caught on the drive train, along with several other (but expensive) nuisances.

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  Save your pennies and buy something else - 1999 Oldsmobile Alero
  By muldoon - December 3 - 8:20 pm

  This vehicle has to be a big joke. Yes the acceleration is somewhat spirited. However, it is not that great. My sisters 4-cylinder Galant keeps up with its V6. Plus it has 98,000 miles and no problems. My Alero on the other hand has been in the shop 5 times. Right now at 85,000 the transmission is starting to slip and the air conditioning blower switch and a/c level selector dont work right. This car is trash! Take my advice and buy foriegn.

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  Hate to Trade It, but... - 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora
  By Frank - December 1 - 8:10 pm

  We bought this car as an early lease return and paid half of what a new one cost. It has had the typical repairs (dimming headlight problem and ignition switch failure) but overall it has been reliable and a head turner whenever we take it out. It has never seen snow or winter roads (a garage queen) but the resale value is plummeting, parts seem to be in short supply, and my extended warranty is up, so it will be traded in shortly for a fraction of what should be worth. I, too, am sorry GM bailed out on this one. It was my third Olds and by far the best. I tried a Cadillac CTS but it just doesnt come close. Looks like an Acura may be the next step.