Oldsmobile Alero Concept, 1997

Oldsmobile Alero Concept, 1997

The Oldsmobile Alero was introduced in spring 1998 as a 1999 model to replace the Achieva and Cutlass. The Alero went into production on April 6, 1998. All Aleros were built in Lansing, Michigan. The Alero was Oldsmobile's last compact car as well as the last vehicle sold under the brand. Production ended on April 29, 2004.

History
The design of the Alero was originally previewed in 1997 with the Alero Alpha concept car, a futuristic V6-powered sport coupe that featured many design elements seen in the production Alero as well as some that were never meant for production.

The Alero was sold either as a 4-door sedan or as a 2-door coupé. It shared its chassis and many parts, including engines, with the Pontiac Grand Am. It was part of the GM N platform.

In 2003, the Alero's daytime running lights were changed from high-beam to low-beam.

The Alero was also sold in select European countries as the Chevrolet Alero, although only available as a sedan. The car still featured its Oldsmobile badges even though sold under the Chevrolet brand, since most European consumers would not recognize what the badge stood for. Chevrolet badges were added to the grille and rear fascia during the 2000 model year. The Toronado was sold similarly.

Alero production ended with a special Final 500 Edition. These last 500 Aleros featured custom graphics inspired by vintage Oldsmobile logos, dark cherry metallic paint, and a plate featuring the car's number out of 500.

The final Alero Final 500 Edition (#500 of 500) also happened to be the final Oldsmobile ever built, and was signed under its hood by the employees of the General Motors Lansing plant and then given to the R.E. Olds Transportation Museum.

A preview of the planned replacement for the Alero was seen in 2001 with the unveiling of the "O4" concept, designed by Bertone. The car was an open top 4-seater with European styling but some Oldsmobile traits, and powered by the latest Ecotec I4 engine. The name had multiple meanings, including "Oldsmobile 4-Seater" as well as implying the year 2004 as a planned date for production.

Unfortunately, the O4 concept was unveiled a few weeks after General Motors announced that they would be phasing out the Oldsmobile brand, meaning that production possibilities of the O4 would never see reality. Because of this, a second generation Alero was never built and the car was phased out in 2004.

Variant prototypes
General Motors commissioned the construction of Alero prototypes either for testing or to gather public opinion on possible future plans for the Alero. These variants:

• Alero OSV - "Oldsmobile Speciality Vehicle", an experiment in an aftermarket parts brand for Oldsmobile. Featured a body kit, supercharged I4, custom interior, and special cherry red paint.
• Alero OSV II - Another experimental vehicle, this time featuring an LX5 DOHC 3.5L V6 (used in the Oldsmobile Intrigue and Aurora and featured custom dark green paint.
• Alero 442 - A set of show cars based on the Alero coupe fitted with a body kit similar in design to the Oldsmobile 442. Each Alero 442 show car had a unique color, including white with gold stripes and white with pink stripes.
• Alero California - A custom built version of the Alero coupe featuring racing parts including a large rear wing, racing seats, sport tires, and custom graphics painted in brown and yellow.
• Alero Convertible - An experiment in the possibility of creating an Alero with a convertible soft top to help broaden the appeal of the car to young buyers. The Oldsmobile O4 concept also hinted that the next generation Alero could have had a convertible model.
• Alero Pace Car - Built by General Motors as part of their fleet of Oldsmobile safety cars for the Indy Racing League, featuring custom yellow and white checkered flag graphics.

Oldsmobile Aerotech Concept, 1988

Oldsmobile Aerotech Concept, 1988

Oldsmobile Aerotech Concept, 1988

Oldsmobile Cutlass S, 1976

Oldsmobile Cutlass S, 1976

The Oldsmobile Cutlass was an automobile made by the Oldsmobile division of General Motors. The Cutlass was introduced in 1961 as a unibody compact car competing with the Dodge Lancer and Mercury Comet.

Over the years, the Cutlass name was used by Oldsmobile as almost a sub-marque, with a number of different vehicles bearing the name simultaneously. This was probably shrewd, because the Cutlass name had great equity and became one of the most popular nameplates in the industry in the 1970s. However, the proliferation of Oldsmobile Cutlass models caused confusion in the market-place in the 1980s, when three different vehicles (the Cutlass Calais, Cutlass Ciera, and Cutlass Supreme) all shared the name.

Fourth Generation
The F-85/Cutlass was redesigned for 1973 using GM's new "Colonnade" A platform. The model lineup consisted of the Cutlass "S", Cutlass Supreme, Cutlass Salon, Vista Cruiser station wagon, and the 442 appearance package on the Cutlass "S" colonnade coupe.

The Cutlass Salon was added in 1973 as an upscale model, first as a 4-door, then 1974 brought the 2-door Salon. Also, this was the first Oldsmobile with the 'international' flags emblem which was later carried into the Cutlass Ciera.

For 1975, Cutlass featured the Oldsmobile 260 V8 with a 5-speed manual transmission (T-50 - optioned in 1976 and 1977) or optional automatic transmission (TH-200 or TH-350).

Optional engines were the Olds 350 or Olds 455, but only with automatic transmissions. The Buick 231 in³ V6 was added for 1977. The Olds 403 replaced the 455 that same year, and a restyle was done.
In 1976 the Oldsmobile Cutlass was America's best selling car.

Oldsmobile 442, 1971

Oldsmobile 442, 1971

The Oldsmobile 442 was a muscle car produced by the Oldsmobile division of General Motors. It was introduced as an option package for F-85 and Cutlass models sold in the United States beginning with the 1964 model year. It became a model in its own right from 1968 to 1971, then reverted to an option through the mid-1970s. Oldsmobile revived the name in the 1980s on the rear-wheel drive Cutlass Supreme and early 1990s as an option package for the new front-wheel drive Cutlass.

1968
The 442 became a separate model from 1968 through 1971. The wheelbase was 112 in, and over 33,000 were sold for 1968. Despite the engine displacement staying at 400 in³, the stroke was increased and the bore decreased to increase torque and improve emissions. However, its long stroke affected performance and they were deemed not as fast as the '67s. The base motor was still rated at 350 hp, but only with the standard 3-speed and optional 4-speed; automatics were rated at 325 hp. W-30s were rated again at 360 hp. All standard 1968 442 engines are painted a bronze/copper color, as with the 1967's, topped with a fire red air cleaner. W-30 option cars were equipped with Ram Air intake hoses leading from a chrome topped dual snorkle black air cleaner to special under bumper air scoops and set off by bright red plastic fender wells. In addition, a Turnpike Cruiser option was made available with a 2bbl. carb; this was previously available on the Cutlass Supreme for 1967.

It was in 1968 that Oldsmobile first partnered with Hurst Performance Research Corporation to create the Hurst/Olds rather than just adding Hurst shifters as with earlier models. The limited regular production run of 515 Hurst/Olds (459 Holiday Coupes/56 Sport Coupes) started out as regular 442s, but were treated to numerous distinct enhancements both cosmetic and mechanical. All cars were painted Peruvian Silver (a Toronado color) with liberal black striping and white pinstipes, exterior and interior H/O badging (unique to '68), and a real walnut wood dash insert. Mechanically, the cars left the factory with 2 drivetrain combinations. Red 455 in³ engines were backed by modified W-30 Turbo 400 automatic transmissions. A/C cars got a W-46 engine with a 3.08:1 rear while non-A/C cars got a W-45 engine with a 3.91:1 rear. While both engines were rated at 390 hp, the W-45 engine received the cylinder heads from the W-30 and the camshaft from the W-31 making it more suitable for higher rpms. All cars came with bucket seats and a Hurst Dual-Gate shifter in a mini-console. Also standard were numerous regular 442 options like disc brakes, heavy duty cooling, and FE2 suspension. They shared the red fender wells and ram air setup with the W-30. Popular, but not standard, additional options included the tic-toc-tach and wood-grained steering wheel.

1969
1969 442s were very similar to the 1968. Changes to the engine and drivetrain were minimal, but the Turnpike Cruiser option was deleted. However, another hi-po engine was offered. Called the W-32, it came with the Forced Air Induction plumbing found on the W-30s, but it had a milder cam like the base engine. It was only available with an automatic, and 297 were built, including 25 sport coupes and convertibles each.

1970
1970 saw the introduction of the Olds 455 V8 as the standard 442 engine. Output was 365 hp and 500 ft·lbf, with a 370 hp W30 option available. The 365 and 370 hp (272 and 276 kW) power ratings were conservatively underrated at a lower rpm. Both engines are believed by some to produce 410 to 420 hp (306-313 kW). It was the pace car at the Indianapolis 500 race in 1970, along with the Cutlass Supreme.

In addition to the standard 442 offerings, W-30's received a W-25 fiberglass OAI (Outside Air Induction) hood to replace the bumper scoops that were on the 68 and 69 W-30's, an aluminum intake manifold, special camshaft, cylinder heads, distributor, and carburetor.
Engine output was down for 1971 due to a lower compression ratio, which affected all of GM's engines. The base 455 was rated at 340 hp, with the W-30 achieving a rating of 350 hp. The sport coupe disappeared for the first time since 1964, only to return the following year.

Oldsmobile Cutlass

Oldsmobile Cutlass

The Oldsmobile Cutlass was an automobile made by the Oldsmobile division of General Motors. The Cutlass was introduced in 1961 as a unibody compact car competing with the Dodge Lancer and Mercury Comet.

Over the years, the Cutlass name was used by Oldsmobile as almost a sub-marque, with a number of different vehicles bearing the name simultaneously. This was probably shrewd, because the Cutlass name had great equity and became one of the most popular nameplates in the industry in the 1970s. However, the proliferation of Oldsmobile Cutlass models caused confusion in the market-place in the 1980s, when three different vehicles (the Cutlass Calais, Cutlass Ciera, and Cutlass Supreme) all shared the name.

Origins of the Cutlass

The first Oldsmobile Cutlass was an experimental sports coupe designed in 1954. It rode a 110 in (2794 mm) wheelbase, and had a dramatic fastback roofline, with a stock Oldsmobile V8 engine. Its platform was quite similar to the later compact Olds F-85, which was not introduced for seven more years.

First-Generation Compact
General Motors began developing its first compact cars in 1956, beginning with the Chevrolet Corvair. The following year a second series of somewhat larger cars was planned for Buick, Oldsmobile, and Pontiac, what would be termed "senior compacts." They would share the same body shell and lightweight engine. Oldsmobile designer Irving Rybicki began work on the Olds model in 1957. It finally went on sale in 1960 as a 1961 model.

The Oldsmobile, dubbed F-85, shared a new A-body platform, using a 112-inch (2845 mm) wheelbase and still-novel unibody construction, with the Buick Special and Pontiac Tempest. It was Oldsmobile's smallest, cheapest model -- some two feet (60 cm) shorter and $451 cheaper than the next-smallest Olds. The F-85 had double wishbone front suspension and a four-link live axle in the rear, suspended with coil springs all around. Standard engine was the new small V8, all aluminum, displacing 215 cu. in. (3.5 L). With a two-barrel carburetor, it was rated 155 hp (115.6 kW) and 210 lb-ft (284 N-m). Transmission options were initially three-speed manual or the newly introduced three-speed Roto Hydramatic. The F-85 had drum brakes of 9.5 in (241 mm) diameter. Overall length was initially 188.2 in (4780 mm), and curb weight was around 2,800 lb (1,270 kg).

1961
The first-year F-85 was offered as a two-door sedan, a four-door sedan in base or Deluxe trim, or a four-door station wagon with either two or four seats, in base or Deluxe form. Initial sales were somewhat disappointing, but were soon picked up by the May introduction of the Cutlass sports coupe (a pillarless two-door hardtop), sporting unique trim, an interior with bucket seats and center console, and a four-barrel version of the V8 engine, rated at 185 hp (138 kW). This engine was optional on other F-85s, as was a four-speed manual transmission. 80,347 F-85s were built in total.

Car Life magazine tested a F-85 with the standard engine and automatic transmission, and recorded a 0-60 (0-96 km/h) time of 14.5 seconds, with a top speed just over 100 mph (160 km/h). They praised its construction, but found its steering too slow and its suspension too soft for enthusiastic driving.