
For Release: July 1, 2003
OLDSMOBILE - AMERICA'S OLDEST
AUTOMOBILE NAMEPLATE - CONTINUES TO WIND DOWN PRODUCTION
Oldsmobile, America's longest-standing
automobile nameplate, will continue to wind down production run
in the 2004 model year. The company founded by Ransom E. Olds
in 1897, one of the earliest in the General Motors family, will
deliver its grand finale with Alero, Bravada and Silhouette.
While the number of products in the
Oldsmobile lineup has grown smaller, Oldsmobile's commitment to
quality has remained intact, reflected by the brand's extended
five-year/60,000 mile warranty, the most extensive in the GM lineup.
To commemorate its long, glorious history, Oldsmobile is making
Collector Editions of the last 500 vehicles of each nameplate
that rolls off the line. These special vehicles will feature unique
embroidery, wheels, ornamentation, color, and badging, as well
as a certificate for the owner. Alero, Bravada and Silhouette
Collector Editions will be produced during the 2004 model year.
New for Bravada in 2004, Oldsmobile's
upscale SUV will join Alero in offering the optional XM Satellite
Radio system (continental U.S. only). Silhouette will come standard
with remote keyless entry, and new colors will be available.
Over its 106-year history, Oldsmobile
developed a rich heritage, earning an early reputation for performance
and technological innovation. In 1939, Oldsmobile introduced the
Hydra-Matic, the first high-volume automatic transmission. Even
more sensational was the 1949 introduction of the Rocket V-8,
an engine that caught the public's imagination and led the way
for a new generation of high-performance powerplants. Based on
the public's fascination with space exploration in the 1950s and
'60s, the rocket became an official Oldsmobile symbol.
Oldsmobile performance reached its peak with the 4-4-2 of 1970,
which, according to official figures produced 365 horsepower (272
kw). Tests performed by Hot Rod magazine said the real figure
was more in the range of 425 horsepower (317 kw).
Although the 1970s were challenging
times for automotive engineering and design in Detroit, Olds struck
gold with its immensely popular Cutlass Supreme. Thanks to the
Cutlass Supreme's remarkable success, the division's sales figures
exceeded 1 million in 1978, and again from 1983 to 1986, making
Olds the third-most popular brand in the United States.
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