Segment: Coupe
Production years: 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970
In 1965 Oldsmobile introduced one of the most revolutionary cars in the American automotive industry, the front-wheel drive Toronado.
Even though it wasn't the first FWD vehicle in the American automotive world, it was a big change. It came in the mid-60s, at the beginning of the muscle car era. Its styling was dynamic, its drivetrain was unique, and the interior featured unusual amenities. For short, it was a revolution.
The styling showed a clean design with flat, slightly curved surfaces but with enlarged wheel arches. At the front, the pop-up headlights were flanked by taller fenders that pointed up and forward like aerodynamic knives. Its grille was also spread from one side to another of the vehicle, lower than the headlights and above the chromed, integrated metallic bumper. From its profile, the sloped-down greenhouse and trunk line offered a dynamic look for the vehicle.
Inside, the automaker placed a pair of bucket seats at the front and a bench in the back. On the dashboard, the speedometer showed a "slot-machine" styling, where the numbers were marked with white letters on a barrel that rotated behind a thin line. But that was not the only peculiarity of the vehicle. The doors featured opening handles on their rearmost side, so the back-seat passengers could open them by themselves.
Under the hood was a longitudinally mounted V8 powerplant paired with a newly developed three-speed automatic transmission that sent the power to the front wheels.
ENGINE SPECS - 7.0L V8 3AT (390 HP) | |
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Cylinders: | V8 |
Displacement: | 6970 cm3 |
Power: | 287 KW @ 4800 RPM 390 HP @ 4800 RPM 385 BHP @ 4800 RPM |
Torque: | 475 lb-ft @ 3200 RPM 644 Nm @ 3200 RPM |
Fuel System: | Carburetor |
Fuel: | Gasoline |
PERFORMANCE SPECS | |
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Top Speed: | 130 mph (209 km/h) |
Acceleration 0-62 Mph (0-100 kph): | 8 s |
TRANSMISSION SPECS | |
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Drive Type: | Front Wheel Drive |
Gearbox: | 3-speed automatic |
BRAKES SPECS | |
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Front: | Drums |
Rear: | Drums |
TIRES SPECS | |
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Tire Size: | 8.85 X 15 |
DIMENSIONS | |
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Length: | 211 in (5359 mm) |
Width: | 79 in (2007 mm) |
Height: | 54.3 in (1379 mm) |
Front/rear Track: | 63.5/63 in (1,613/1,600 mm) |
Wheelbase: | 119 in (3023 mm) |
Cargo Volume: | 14.5 cuFT (411 L) |
Aerodynamics (Cd): | 0.5 |
WEIGHT SPECS | |
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Unladen Weight: | 4669 lbs (2118 kg) |
FUEL ECONOMY (NEDC) | |
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City: | 7.2 mpg US (32.7 L/100Km) |
Highway: | 13.1 mpg US (18 L/100Km) |
Combined: | 11.8 mpg US (19.9 L/100Km) |
CO2 Emissions: | - |