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Jewelry Oldsmobile Toronado from 1966 - front-wheel drive in new dimensions

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Created on August 22, 2012

Reading time 15min

Written by:

Stefan Fritschi

Photos:

Daniel Reinhard

Archiv Stefan Fritschi

Archiv

Daniel Reinhard

Archiv Stefan Fritschi

Archiv

102

Oldsmobile Toronado (1967) - galt als einer der fortschrittlichsten Würfe des amerikanischen Automobilbaus der Zeit

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1967) - Die "Toronado-Linie" prägte manches Auto-Design der späten Sechzigerjahre

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1967) - Schlanke Form, monumentale Dimensionen

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1967) - die Klappscheinwerfer prägten die Buggestaltung

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1967) - Über zwei Meter breit, schon 1966

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1967) - Über 5,3 Meter lang, kein Kompaktfahrzeug

Bild von Partner Porsche AMAG November Foto-Galerie 2025

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Oldsmobile Toronado Deluxe (1967) - gutes Raumgefühl im grossgewachsenen Toronado

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1967) - ein angenehmer Cruiser

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1967) - die Klappscheinwerfer waren aus optischen und nicht aerodynamischen Gründen vorhanden

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1967) - die ersten Modelle hatten aus Kostengründen Trommelbremsen

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Oldsmobile Toronado Deluxe (1967) - wurde für sein gutes Fahrverhalten gelobt

Bild von Partner Planai Classic 2025 Inline 1

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1967) - damals eines der schnellsten Autos

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Oldsmobile Toronado Deluxe (1967) - trotz Frontantrieb gut beherrschbare Motorleistung

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1967) - ein schnelles Fahrzeug mit gutem Fahrverhalten

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1967) - die Heckgestaltung hatte nur für die ersten Baureihen Bestand

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1967) - sieht kompakter aus, als er es ist

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1967) - trotz ausladender Ausmasse ist der Platz hinten beschränkt

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1967) - hier besonder gut sichtbar, die berühmte "Toronado-Linie" von David North

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1967) - die Verkaufserfolge wussten nach gutem Start nicht zu begeistern

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1967) - bis heute einer der stärksten Fronttiebler geblieben

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1967) - kam ohne Design-Firlefanz aus - die schlichte Formgestaltung

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1967) - breite Sitze, kein Kardantunnel und dadurch mehr Innenraum

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1967) - etwas zerklüftetes Armatrurenbrett mit Walzentacho

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1967) - die Klimaanlage war damals kein verbreitetes Zubehör im Automobilbau

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1967) - Cruise-Control, ein wahrer Luxus in den Sechzigerjahren

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1967) - Zentralverriegelung

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1967) - viel elektrische Unterstützung, z.B. die Scheibenheber

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1967) - Fensterheber und Sitzverstellung elektrisch

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1967) - Der Siebenliter-V8

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1967) - 385 SAE-PS liess der Toronado auf die Vorderachse los

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1967) - die Klappscheinwerfer erlaubten eine flache Frontgestaltung

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1967) - auch geöffnet sehen die Klappscheinwerfer gut aus

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1967) - die Klappscheinwerfer werden pneumatisch angehoben und gesenkt

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1967) - die Klappscheinwerfer verschwanden bei späteren Baureihen

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1967) - Oldsmobile-Insignien auf dem Bug

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Oldsmobile Toronado Deluxe (1967) - grosser Überhang vorne

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Oldsmobile Toronado Deluxe (1967) - der aus dem Vollen geschnitzte Rückspiegel

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Oldsmobile Toronado Deluxe (1967) - breite Radläufe

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1967) - der Oldsmobile Toronado war in den ersten Jahren sehr beliebt

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1967) - Toronado-Schriftzug auf dem Kühlergrill

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1967) - Toronado-Schriftzug auf dem vorderen Kotflügel

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1967) - Toronado-Schriftzug am Heck

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1967) - auch der Karosseriebauer verewigte sich mit seinem Schriftzug

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Oldsmobile Toronado Deluxe (1967) - General Motors lässt grüssen

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1965) - Entwurfsskizze

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1966) - nur kleine Änderungen für den neuen Jahrgang

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1966) - charakteristische Silhouette

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1966) - breit wirkender Kühlergrill

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1965) - Silhouette des ersten Jahrgangs

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1966) - ein PS trifft auf viele PS

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1966) - an der GM-Motorama

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1966) - ausgestellt am Genfer Automobilsalon 1966

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1966) - Charkteristische Klappscheinwerfer

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1966) - Heckansicht

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1966) - Irene Bryant, Miss America 1966, vor dem Toronado

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1966) - dynamische Formgebung

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1965) - das 66-Modell, Platz für sechs Personen

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1965) - flacher Boden dank Frontmotor und -antrieb

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1966) - Durchsichtszeichnung des Fronttieblers

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1965) - keine schlanken Proportionen

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1965) - Demonstration der Seitenneigung mit einem Testwagen

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1965) - im harten Handlingtest auf losem Untergrund

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1965) - dem Testwagen sieht man die Strapazen an

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1965) - ein Testwagen in der Schweiz

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1965) - geöffnete Klappscheinwerfer bei einem Testwagen

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1965) - der Platz auf dem Rücksitz ist trotz der Grösse nicht oppulent - Testwagen

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1965) - Armaturenbrett eines Testwagens

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1965) - grosszügige Vordersitze eines Testwagens

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1965) - Blick auf die Rückbank eines Testwagens

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1965) - Blick in den Motorraum eines Testwagens

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1966) - Silhouette des 66-er-Modelles

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1966) - unterwegs auf dem Highway

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1966) - verladen für den weiten Transport

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1966) - Transient Responses

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1966) - Schallplatte als Marketinginstrument - Hülle hinten

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1966) - Schallplatte als Marketinginstrument - Hülle vorne

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1966) - Schallplatte als Marketinginstrument - Tonträger

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1966) - imposante Frontgestaltung

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1966) - Werbung in einem US-Magazin

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1967) - das Modell 1967 in einem Prospekt

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1966) - vor beeindruckender Kulisse

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1967) - Heckansicht des 67-er-Modelles - aus einem Prospekt

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1967) - Silhouetten-Darstellung

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1967) - Strassenkreuzer unter sich

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1967) - noch im alten und ursprünglichen Kleid

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1968) - das Modell 1968 zeigt sich wesentlich verändert

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1968) - das Nachfolgemodell unterscheidet sich deutlich vom Ur-Toronado

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1968) - Deluxe Hardtop Coupé in verändertem Kleid

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1969) - viel von der Eigenständigkeit ging verloren

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1970) - am Autosalon von Brüssel 1970

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1970) - das Modell des Baujahres 1970 in einem Verkaufsprospekt

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1970) - an einer Autoausstellung

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1970) - auf die Klappscheinwerfer wurde ab Ende der Sechzigerjahre verzichtet

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1970) - die schiere Grösse ist sichtbar

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1970) - immer noch elegant, aber nicht mehr so einmalig

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Oldsmobile Toronado (1970) - viele charakteristische Formelemente wurden bei späteren Modellen aufgegeben

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Summary

From October 1965 to 1992, the name Oldsmobile Toronado stood for the big step forward in four generations - at least as far as the drive of General Motors vehicles was concerned. The first generation from the model years 1966 to 1970 was a milestone in American automobile construction from a technical and design point of view. In some areas, however, it was too above average to be successful. This report portrays the 1967 Deluxe model and describes the environment, development and history of the vehicle, supplemented with many pictures and extensive original documents.

This article contains the following chapters

Oldsmobile builds the world's first production car and becomes GM's pioneering brand
Innovation no. 1: "Yes We Can" front-wheel drive
Innovation no. 2: innovative and US-typical styling
David North first designs an Oldsmobile pony car
The invention of the Toronado line
Very minimalist interior to match the body line
Launch in October 1965 - "brother" Buick Riviera with rear-wheel drive
Frame at the front, self-supporting at the rear
Complicated front-wheel drive technology with chain drive
7-liter big block, 385 hp and front-wheel drive - does it work?
Mixed sales success after a great start
Fundamental error - drum brakes
Many awards - also outside the USA
A facelift every year
Still the most powerful front-wheel drive car in the world today
In Switzerland only as a Deluxe
Further information

Estimated reading time: 15min

Preview (beginning of the article)

From October 1965 to 1992, the name Oldsmobile Toronado stood for the big step forward in four generations - at least as far as the drive of General Motors vehicles was concerned. The first generation from the model years 1966 to 1970 was a milestone in American automobile construction from a technical and design point of view. In some areas, however, it was too above average to be successful. To this day, the Oldsmobile brand stands for many innovations, some of which were unique in the world. Oldsmobile is the oldest car brand in the USA and the Curved Dash from 1898 is the first mass-produced car in the world. The first automatic transmission to be offered as standard was Oldsmobile's "Hydramatic" from 1940.

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