Oldsmobile Toronado: The Forgotten mid-'60s Icon With V8 Muscle, FWD, and Show Car Styling

When we think about four-wheeled American icons from the second part of the 1960s, the first examples that come to mind are the decade's high-powered muscle cars. Like most US manufacturers, Oldsmobile was heavily involved in this market segment.

While most agree that Pontiac was responsible for starting the muscle car craze with its GTO in 1964, Oldsmobile and its 442 was a worthy rival that appeared as an option for the Cutlass range during the same model year.

Besides offering a muscle car from the get-go, the now-defunct GM division was at the forefront of innovation during the 1960s. The most intriguing yet long-forgotten example was the Toronado, an exquisitely designed upscale intermediate that predicted the future with its novel front-wheel-drive system.

From design study to mass production

The story of the Toronado started in 1962, when the division’s assistant chief designer David R. North created some interesting sketches for what was initially a compact luxury car.

At the time, Olds management was researching the possibility of developing a worthy rival for the likes of the Buick Riviera, Pontiac Grand Prix, or the Ford Thunderbird. After reviewing several designs, they settled on North’s eye-catching concept known as the "Flame Red Car."

In the next two years, the project advanced to the point where a full-size mockup was put together. However, management decided the new model set to be introduced in 1966 would share the same E-body platform as the upcoming second-gen Buick Riviera. This mid-size (intermediate) platform was larger than North’s initial design, so he returned to the drawing board and reworked the whole without sacrificing any of the elegant shapes of the initial prototype.

One of the coolest intermediates of its era

The result was a sharp-edged couple that looked stunning from every angle. With a pillarless hardtop, bulged wheel arches, integrated bumpers, or hideaway headlights, it seemed destined for auto show podiums rather than mass production.

Innovative elegance was also present inside the cabin. Even though it was not small, the Toronado was surprisingly spacious, largely thanks to the FWD setup that eliminated the need for a transmission tunnel. Thus, six people (including the driver) could comfortably cruise in this beautiful ride courtesy of a standard front bench seat.

Created by a team of designers headed by Ed Donaldson, the Toronado’s cabin featured an intricate instrument cluster dubbed “driver podium.” It came with several switches, a drum speedometer, and even a radio, all grouped behind within the driver’s reach.

The first FWD car built in the US since the 1930s

As I mentioned, the first-gen Toronado was a muscle car in disguise. Under the hood, it initially came with a 425-ci (7.0-liter) Super Rocket V8 that could make 385 hp (390 ps) and 475 lb-ft (644 Nm) of torque. From 1968 to 1970, the model received a 455-ci (7.5-liter) V8 rated at 375 hp (380 ps) or 400 hp (405 ps) with the W-34 option, and no less than 510 lb-ft (690 Nm) of torque.

But what made it truly special was its FWD setup. The first American passenger car to send power to the front wheels since the 1936 Cord 810, the Toronado featured a redesigned version of the three-speed Turbo-Hydramatic transmission dubbed TH425, which was bolted to the engine block. It used a beefy, splash-lubricated chain to transfer torque from the planetary gears to the front wheels through an offset differential and a couple of equal-length shafts.

Apart from epic front-wheel burnouts, this setup allowed more cabin space. Furthermore, according to multiple magazine tests of the era, it improved the car’s handling, primarily through poor weather conditions.

Car of the Year in 1966

With gorgeous styling and an innovative drivetrain, the Toronado hit the streets during the 1966 model year and was an immediate hit. Oldsmobile managed to sell around 41,000 units, which made the new model one of GM’s most successful intermediates of the year.

The public, as well as the automotive press, were in awe of the new model. In one test performed by Car and Driver magazine, journalists quickly pointed out that the Toronado could only sprint to 60 mph (97 kph) from a standstill in 8.6 seconds, but this modest figure could be rapidly forgotten thanks to the refined handling. They went as far as calling it the fastest-cornering American-built intermediate that money could buy at the time.

MotorTrend, another prestigious publication, also tested the Toronado multiple times. At the end of the year, the magazine went as far as giving the new Olds its Car of the Year award. Also impressive, the Toronado finished third in the European Car of the Year standings, becoming only the second American vehicle nominated for this award – after the Mustang’s third-place finish a year earlier.

Although it was a success during its first year on the market, sales figures dropped by around 50% during 1967, mainly due to the introduction of Cadillac’s FWD El Dorado. Things didn't improve in 1968, despite the addition of the mighty 455 V8, and by the end of 1970 – the last year for the first-gen model – sales plummeted to an all-time low.

The first gen Oldsmobile Toronado today

Once a trendsetter in terms of design and technical innovation, the first-generation Toronado has been overshadowed by the era’s muscle cars in the hearts and minds of today’s classic car enthusiasts. Because of that, the current value for a low-mileage example in great shape rarely exceeds $35,000.

That makes it an absolute bargain for those that want one of the most stylish and innovative intermediates from the original muscle car era. It may not be a thoroughbred muscle car, and I understand that FWD can be off-putting to some, but it comes with plenty of V8 power when equipped with the epic, W-34 455, it has more torque than HEMI-powered Mopars, and it arguably handles better.

One of the coolest, most revolutionary American cars of the 1960s, the Oldsmobile Toronado, is still fascinating today. It’s both a timeless and a unique combination of style, performance, and innovation that deserves to be remembered and celebrated.

You can learn more about this awesome ride in the YouTube video below by Rare Classic Cars & Automotive History.