When it launched in 1961, the Starfire wasn’t just Oldsmobile’s priciest car — pricier than the full-size Ninety-Eight — it was the first full-size American car with the automatic shifter on a floor console.
Lead trim: Starfire 394 cu in Skyrocket V8 (330 hp at 4600 rpm, 1961) · up to 375 hp
Oldsmobile Starfire1961–1966
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Oldsmobile Starfire yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactWhen it launched in 1961, the Starfire wasn’t just Oldsmobile’s priciest car — pricier than the full-size Ninety-Eight — it was the first full-size American car with the automatic shifter on a floor console.
The Oldsmobile Starfire (named after the Lockheed F-94 Starfire jet fighter) began as a one-off 1953 Motorama dream car and the 1954–1956 Ninety-Eight convertibles; the 1961–1966 Starfire was a performance-oriented grand tourer on the B-body sharing its body and 123.0 in wheelbase with the Super 88 and Dynamic 88, introduced in January 1961 as a convertible (a two-door hardtop was added for 1962). It was loaded with standard equipment including leather bucket seats and a center console with tachometer and floor shifter, the first U.S. full-size production car with a console-mounted floor shifter for its automatic, and at US$4,647 it was the most expensive Oldsmobile, more than the Ninety-Eight. The standard 394 cubic-inch Skyrocket V8 (Oldsmobile's most powerful in 1961) generated 330 hp at 4600 rpm; horsepower rose to 345 for 1962 and the Jetstar I of 1964 used the same engine. For 1965 the Rocket V8 grew to 425 cu in (7.0 L), generating 375 hp at 4800 rpm, with the three-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic and a rarely ordered four-speed manual; in 1966 the convertible was discontinued and the Starfire, moved downmarket, still produced 375 hp though the Toronado offered a similar engine at 385 hp. For 1967 the Starfire was discontinued and replaced by the Delta 88 Custom. Length 212 in (1961–63), 215.3 in (1964) and 217 in (1965–66); width 78 in, height 54.7 in.
Collectors Spotted in the Oldsmobile Starfire Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Oldsmobile Starfire yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
3 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starfire 394 cu in Skyrocket V8 (330 hp at 4600 rpm, 1961) | 1961–1961 | 6.5 L V8 | 330 hp | 440 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
| Starfire 394 cu in V8 (345 hp, 1962) | 1962–1962 | 6.5 L V8 | 345 hp | 440 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
| Starfire 425 cu in Rocket V8 (375 hp at 4800 rpm, 1965–1966) | 1965–1966 | 7.0 L V8 | 375 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
Oldsmobile's budget subcompact coupe wore styling that drew comparisons to a Ferrari — reviewers noted the Starfire's shape echoed the Ferrari 365 GTC/4.
When it launched in 1961, the Starfire wasn’t just Oldsmobile’s priciest car — pricier than the full-size Ninety-Eight — it was the first full-size American car with the automatic shifter on a floor console.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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Audi TTS Coupe · TTS Coupe (2016–2023) · 2016–2023.
A product of the DaimlerChrysler merger, the Crossfire shares 80% of its parts with the Mercedes-Benz SLK — German bones under American badges.