What is the Oldsmobile Toronado?
The Oldsmobile Toronado was a luxury vehicle first released in 1966. The car was an attempt by Oldsmobile to maintain their place at the top of General Motors ' lineup. Oldsmobile wanted to create a luxury coupe to rival Pontiac and Buick Riviera and that is where the Toronado came in.
When did the Ford Toronado come out with front wheel drive?
Notably, the development also coincided with the completion of John Beltz’s front-wheel drive, and it was also integrated into the design. The Toronado was produced from 1966 to 1970 for the first-generation models of the brand.
What is the command center on a 1973 Oldsmobile Toronado?
From 1971 to 1973, the Toronado's "Command Center" wrap-around instrument panel was similar to other full-sized Oldsmobiles featuring a large squared speedometer directly in front of the driver, heating/air conditioning and lights/wipers switches on the left hand side and the radio controls and cigar lighter on the right hand side.
What kind of car is a Chevy Toronado?
With heavily revised styling from the first generation, the Toronado transitioned from a "GT"-style car into a more traditional luxury car. It was now more similar to the Cadillac Eldorado than the Buick Riviera (which would be redesigned in 1974, then again in 1977), with styling taking several cues from the 1967–70 Eldorado.
What year was Olds Toronado front-wheel drive?
Long, smoky front-wheel burnouts follow. The 385-hp 1966 Toronado was America's first front-driver since the 1930s, though GM had been playing with the idea for more than a decade.
Is 1967 Toronado front-wheel drive?
However, the Oldsmobile Toronado was produced with a transaxle version of GM's Turbo-Hydramatic transmission effectively reintroducing front-wheel-drive automobile to the U.S. market. Notably, the front-wheel-drive Cadillac Eldorado also featured the E platform in 1967.
Is a 1985 Oldsmobile Toronado front-wheel drive?
This 1985 Olds Toronado Rides High, Has A 455, and Is Still Front Wheel Drive! This is an interesting car.
Is the 1970 Oldsmobile Toronado front-wheel drive?
This “personal luxury car” featured a long, sleek profile, concealed headlamps, and big V-8 power. But the biggest news was what was underneath. The Toronado was front-wheel drive.
What was the first FWD car?
1929 Cord L-29The 1929 Cord L-29 (Phaeton) was the U.S.' first front-wheel drive production car, as well as the world's first to sport constant-velocity joints.
What was the first front-wheel drive Oldsmobile?
the ToronadoThen, in 1966, Oldsmobile introduced the first American front-wheel-drive car in thirty years: the Toronado. The luxurious coupe was one of GM's many ripostes to Ford's Thunderbird, but the Olds stood out for its advanced powertrain in a dramatic package that was a showstopper in its day. And still is.
How much is a 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado worth?
Vehicle Valuation AnalysisBodystylesMedian SaleCoupe$16,825Deluxe Coupe$19,163
How much is an Oldsmobile Toronado worth?
The value of a used 1990 Oldsmobile Toronado ranges from $767 to $3,233, based on vehicle condition, mileage, and options.
What is special about the 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado?
The front suspension has torsion bars, and, while all other Olds models used four-wheel coil springs, the Toro has leaf springs in back to lower the silhouette....Rule Breaker: 40 years On, It's still the most radical olds ever.1966 Oldsmobile ToronadoSpecifications:Weight:4496 lb*Performance:0-60 mph: 9.5 sec12 more rows•Aug 10, 2005
Was the Toronado a muscle car?
The car stayed in production a few years down the line which brought out the 1968 Oldsmobile Toronado which is now an iconic classic muscle car. The Oldsmobile's futuristic looks and innovation have been attributed to fuel the spark of the muscle car craze.
What engine did the Olds Toronado have?
The Oldsmobile Toronado is a personal luxury car manufactured and marketed by the Oldsmobile division of General Motors from 1966 to 1992 over four generations....First generation (1966–1970)First generationLayoutFF layoutPowertrainEngine425 cu in (7.0 L) 385 hp (287 kW) Rocket V8 455 cu in (7.5 L) Rocket V812 more rows
Is there a front-wheel drive muscle car?
Yes, most traditional muscle cars are rear-wheel drive instead of front-wheel drive. What is the difference? Of course there is an issue when the front wheels are used for both steering and power. But there is something else - traction.
How thick is the chain on an Oldsmobile Toronado?
It’s a chain that makes the Oldsmobile Toronado go. Two inches thick with multiple links, it rides on sprockets inside a carrier bolted to its three-speed Turbo-Hydramatic transmission, which is turned 180 degrees.
How many horsepower was the 1966 Toronado?
Long, smoky front-wheel burnouts follow. The 385-hp 1966 Toronado was America’s first front-driver since the 1930s, though GM had been playing with the idea for more than a decade. “The Toronado venture was born of a desire to create a better automobile, one with more usable room and roadability,” Olds chief engineer John B.
How much torque does a 1967 Toronado have?
The 4500-pound coupe got finned 11-inch cast-iron drum brakes. Front discs became optional in 1967. Getting the Toronado’s 475 lb-ft of torque to the ground was challenging without a limited-slip differential, despite having 60 percent of its weight up front.
Is a Toronado a 98?
GM’s first unitized structure made the Toronado roughly twice as stiff as an Olds 98, according to Car and Driver.
What year was the Toronado made?
When the Toronado debuted for 1966 , it was the first U.S.-made front-wheel drive automobile since the Cord in 1937. The breakthrough car for GM was notable for using a transaxle version of the Turbo-Hydramatic transmission that would also see duty later in a GMC motor coach. It would share the platform introduced by the rear-wheel drive Buick Riviera in 1963 and adopted for the front-wheel drive Cadillac Eldorado in 1967. This first year Toronado is a nice survivor, but not without flaws under close scrutiny. Brought to our attention by Patrick D, this car is located in sunny Miami, Florida and available here on eBay for the Buy It Now price of $12,000.
When was the Toronado introduced?
It would share the platform introduced by the rear-wheel drive Buick Riviera in 1963 and adopted for the front-wheel drive Cadillac Eldorado in 1967. This first year Toronado is a nice survivor, but not without flaws under close scrutiny.
Where is the Toronado located?
Brought to our attention by Patrick D, this car is located in sunny Miami, Florida and available here on eBay for the Buy It Now price of $12,000. Besides being the first domestic FWD car in 30 years, the Toronado was also the first one in the growing personal luxury car segment.
What is the first thing you notice about a 1960s car?
Inside the car, one of the first things that you might notice is the lack of a transmission hump, i.e., it has a flat floor. An uncommon sight on an American car of the 1960s. The use of FWD made for much more leg room for passengers to ride in comfort.
When did Buick make the Riviera?
In 1963 , Buick struck a chord for GM buyers with its newly developed Riviera – a sleek and powerful luxury coupe born from the inspiration of Europe’s automotive elite. It drove well, it sold well, and – with its striking appearance – it embodied a winning image.
Is Toronado a front wheel drive car?
As you know, front-wheel-drive isn’t exactly a popular term in most muscle car circles. Happily, though, the Toronado had the power and the handling to back up its aggressive looks and full size two-door proportions.
Does the Oldsmobile Riviera have a subframe?
Oldsmobile engineers sourced the same GM E-body chassis that the popular Riviera used. However, they fitted the Toronado’s FWD drivetrain atop a unitized subframe, which supported the engine, transmission, front suspension and floorpan – a first for GM.
What engine did Oldsmobile use in 1964?
Former Oldsmobile engineer Bill Thomas says Oldsmobile wanted to use the 60-degree V-6 — which had no relationship to the 90-degree Buick Fireball V-6 — in the 1964 F-85, but lost out to the cheaper Buick engine. Engineer Jim Dawson believes the Oldsmobile engine’s architecture later became the basis of GM’s 60-degree corporate V-6 family, ...
What was the first front wheel drive car in 30 years?
78 Comments. Both technologically and stylistically, the 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado was a landmark — a striking, sophisticated big GT that was also the first front-wheel-drive American production car in nearly 30 years. This week, we look at the origins of the 1966-1970 Toronado and the evolution and development of its unusual FWD Unitized Power ...
What cars were introduced in 1961?
The result would be the introduction for 1961 of GM’s “senior compacts”: the Buick Special, Pontiac Tempest, and Oldsmobile F-85. Watt and Oldsmobile assistant chief engineer John Beltz thought the F-85 would be an ideal application for front-wheel drive, allowing greater interior space despite the smaller external dimensions.
Why is front wheel drive so expensive?
Front-wheel drive also tends to be expensive, in part because of the multiple universal joints needed to allow the driveshafts to accommodate the full range of wheel motion. One of the very few American FWD cars to make it to production before World War II was the remarkable “coffin-nose” Cord 810/812.
What type of joint did the A20A use?
The differential halfshafts used a combination of Rzeppa-type constant velocity joints and universal joints. A second prototype, the A20A, was completed by early 1960. Different sources variously describe the A20A as being based on a 1959 Rambler Six, a Chevrolet Corvair, or a preproduction Oldsmobile F-85.
When was the Cutlass made?
More profitable dress-up models like the sporty Cutlass, launched in May 1961 , seemed a safer bet for the compact market, particularly since the Ford Falcon ‘s triumph over the Corvair suggested that economy car buyers had little appetite for technical novelty.
What engine did the L'Universelle have?
Like the the Citroën Traction Avant and DS-19 (which bowed around the same time), L’Universelle had a longitudinal engine, rotated 180 degrees and mounted behind the transaxle; the differential gears reversed the transmission’s rotation so the van wouldn’t move backward in Drive.
How fast was the original Oldsmobile Toronado?
The Toronado was capable of going from 0-60 ph in 7.5 seconds and had a top speed of 135 mph.
When did General Motors stop making the Oldsmobile Toronado?
The Oldsmobile brand lies somewhere between the greatest cars General Motors ever built and those they wish they never made. The Oldsmobile brand spanned over 108 years before being shut down in 2004.
What transmission did the original Toronado have?
The front-wheel-drive was not the only piece of innovation introduced by the original Toronado. The Toronado introduced a three-speed TurboHydramatic automatic transmission. Oldsmobile was able to place the transmission alongside the engine of the Toronado because at the time Americans were pretty massive.
What was the first front wheel drive car?
In the beginning, the Oldsmobile Toronado was stylish, luxurious, and powerful. It was America's first front-wheel driven car since the Cord 812 of the 1930s. The original Toronado first began as a painting by Oldsmobile stylist David North in 1962 the car was then chosen to go into production in 1966.
Why was the Oldsmobile Toronado recalled?
The Oldsmobile Toronado was a dangerous luxury car. Many of these cars had to be recalled because of a wide variety of safety concerns. Over the years the car became increasingly unreliable and unsafe to drive, this eventually led to the car being discontinued in 1992.
What was the inspiration for the Cadillac Eldorado?
Oldsmobile took pride in their engineering and their innovative ideas were the hallmark of their company. The Oldsmobile Toronado was so innovative that many people believe that it was the car that inspired the Cadillac Eldorado that was built a year after the Toronado was first released.
What chassis was used in the Buick Riviera?
via pinterest.com. The Oldsmobile Toronado was built using the same General Motors E-body chassis that was used in the Buick Riviera, and it is reported that engineers tested the original Toronado one million times before it was released.
UPP For You And Me
The story of the Toronado really begins nearly a decade earlier, when GM first began investigating the potential of a front-wheel drive layout for its entry-level cars that paired the engine and transaxle together as a single unit dubbed the 'Unitized Power Package,' or UPP.
Oldsmobile's Personal Luxury Coupe
Around the same time period, Oldsmobile was chomping at the bit for a car that it could throw up against the Ford Thunderbird, which had fully transitioned from sporty roadster to personal luxury coupe, as well as its corporate cousin the Buick Riviera.
Making A Splash
When the Oldsmobile Toronado finally debuted in 1966 it wasn't just visually stunning, but also exceptionally advanced compared to other big coupes of the time.
Ahead Of Its Time
Despite its fantastic looks and advanced design, the first-generation Oldsmobile Toronado wasn't exactly a success. The Toronado's sporty ride stood in stark contrast to the pillow-soft suspensions found on most other personal coupes at the time, and this plus its luxury pricing played a role in pushing buyers towards rivals.
What transmission did the Oldsmobile Toronado use?
However, the Oldsmobile Toronado was produced with a transaxle version of G M’s Turbo-Hydramatic transmission effectively reintroducing front-wheel-drive automobile to the U.S. market. Notably, the front-wheel-drive Cadillac Eldorado also featured the E platform in 1967.
When was the Toronado made?
The Toronado was produced from 1966 to 1970 for the first-generation models of the brand. Being the maiden generation, it also represented the purest form of the Toronado marque, exuding great innovation and uniqueness characteristic of the widely adopted personal luxury car.
What engine did the 1967 Toronado have?
The engine remained unchanged for the 1967 model of the Toronado from what it was at launch. It featured a 7-liter overhead valve (OVH) V8 engine rated at 385 horsepower with a torque of 480 lb-ft at 3200 rpm. Notably, this engine is mated to a 3-speed automatic, Turbo-Hydramatic 425 transmission. via Auto Well.
How many units did the 1966 Toronado sell?
1 Sales. via Pinterest. The Oldsmobile Toronado’s 1966 model year represents the best sales year for the brand in its first generation. Starting with over 40,000 unit sales in 1966, it took the brand a heavily revised styling into a more traditional luxury car to put the sales trajectory on an upward scale.
How fast was the 1967 Toronado?
Hence, the car could accelerate from rest to 60 mph in 7.5 seconds and a quarter-mile in 16.4 seconds, at 93 mph. via Top Car Rating.
What was the name of the car that David North painted in 1967?
The 1967 Toronado’s design wasn’t intended for production – as it originated from David North’s (Oldsmobile stylist) 1962 private painting of a compact/personal car called the “Flame Red Car.”. However, Oldsmobile got the permission to build its version of a personal car for the 1966 model year, hence, North’s design got the nod.
When did the GM E platform come out?
The GM E platform was introduced in 1963 for the rear-wheel-drive Buick Riviera. Being a personal luxury car as well, the Oldsmobile Toronado adopted this platform for a major part of the car’s production history including the 1967 model year.
