Oldsmobile Toronado History

Launched for 1966, the Toronado was a front-wheel-drive personal-luxury coupe — the first front-drive car built in the United States since the demise of the Cord 810/812 in 1937. Oldsmobile had been developing front-drive since 1958, with engineer John Beltz shepherding the project.

Its 'Unitized Power Package' mated a 385-hp 425-cubic-inch Super Rocket V8 to a 180-degree-turned Turbo-Hydramatic transaxle driven by a heavy multi-link chain. The clean, fastback first-generation styling and engineering won Motor Trend's 1966 Car of the Year and other awards; 40,963 were built that first year.

The Toronado ran four generations through 1992, shrinking dramatically with GM's downsizing while remaining the brand's front-drive personal-luxury flagship.