Although nobody probably realised it at the time, when Oldsmobile introduced its Futuramic body design in 1948 it heralded the dawn of what were to become some of the most glamorous and exciting times ever experienced by American car owners. The picture was completed the following year when Oldsmobile unveiled its legendary overhead-valve Rocket V8 engine. Lighter, more compact and much more powerful than the old eight-cylinder, inline L-head engine, the Rocket V8 pioneered what historians would later come to describe as the first generation of muscle cars.
The new Oldsmobile was generally acknowledged as the fastest US production car available and examples soon began winning stock car races and setting speed records. The quantum leap in performance achieved by the Rocket V8 caused consternation amongst rival manufacturers who struggled to introduce their own version of the trend-setting powerplant in order to close the gap that had been opened up by Olds. Never was this disparity more clearly illustrated than in the early 50s when a group of visitors from a British car company were met at Detroit airport by a GM representative driving an Oldsmobile. As soon as the car reached the freeway it became obvious to the overseas sales team that their journey had been a complete waste of time - even though it was fully loaded with five people and their luggage, the Oldsmobile cruised effortlessly and serenely at a speed well above the absolute maximum that their cars struggled to reach!
Traditionally, Oldsmobile had been positioned in between Pontiac and Buick in the General Motors pecking order (with Chevrolet at the bottom and Cadillac occupying the top spot), but as time went on the divisions started to overlap and the differences between them became increasingly blurred. Nevertheless, Oldsmobile was among the first to adopt the hardtop body style and wraparound windshield, design features that would eventually be used by all automakers.
Aesthetically speaking, 1958 was the low point for Oldsmobile in the Fifties, when dreadful styling studio excesses created some huge, chrome-laden automobiles of questionable taste. Sales were not helped by an economic downturn which meant that most customers were looking for cheaper forms of transport rather than bulky and glitzy gas guzzlers. Even so, Oldsmobile survived the slump and entered the 1960s offering further performance innovations, including the world's first turbocharged series production model, the Jetfire.
Some Oldsmobile model names have gone on to become part of American folklore - the Rocket 88 was featured in at least one 50s rock 'n roll hit and as long as the cars are preserved the heritage of the marque will be secure for future generations to enjoy.
This book traces the Oldsmobile story from 1948 up to 1963. Models reported on include the Rocket 88, Super 88, Dynamic 88, 98, Futuramic 98, F-85, Starfire and turbocharged Jetfire. Featured are road tests new model intros, drive reports & consumer analysis.
