From 1974-1976 the Toronado quietly became a GM test bed for driver and passenger airbags — the 'Air Cushion Restraint System' — a full decade before airbags became an industry standard.
Lead trim: Toronado 403 cu in Oldsmobile V8 (185 hp, 1977) · up to 350 hp
Oldsmobile Toronado1971–1978
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Oldsmobile Toronado 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.
FactFrom 1974-1976 the Toronado quietly became a GM test bed for driver and passenger airbags — the 'Air Cushion Restraint System' — a full decade before airbags became an industry standard.
With heavily revised styling the second-generation Toronado (1971–1978; designer David North) transitioned from a "GT"-style car into a more traditional luxury car more like the Cadillac Eldorado than the Buick Riviera; sales increased dramatically and front disc brakes became standard. All overall dimensions grew: wheelbase from 119 to 122 in, only 2 in less than the full-size Delta 88, length 219.9 in, width 79.8 in, height 54.7 in, curb weight 4,841 lb, with a separate body-on-frame in place of the first generation's subframe design and coil springs in place of rear leaf springs. The 1971 Toronado's 455 cubic-inch V8 was rated at 350 hp with an 8.5:1 compression ratio (down from 375 hp and 10.5:1 in 1970), for 1972 the advertised rating dropped to 250 hp on the "net" measurement, and by 1976, the last year for the 455, the net rating dropped to 215 hp. For 1977 the 455 was replaced by a smaller 403 cu in (6.6 L) engine rated at 185 hp and 325 lb-ft.
Collectors Spotted in the Oldsmobile Toronado Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Oldsmobile Toronado yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
4 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toronado 403 cu in Oldsmobile V8 (185 hp, 1977) | 1977–1977 | 6.6 L V8 | 185 hp | 325 lb-ft | — | FWD | — | — |
| Toronado 455 cu in Rocket V8 (215 hp net, 1976) | 1976–1976 | 7.5 L V8 | 215 hp | — | — | FWD | — | — |
| Toronado 455 cu in Rocket V8 (250 hp net, 1972) | 1972–1972 | 7.5 L V8 | 250 hp | — | — | FWD | — | — |
| Toronado 455 cu in Rocket V8 (350 hp gross, 8.5:1, 1971) | 1971–1971 | 7.5 L V8 | 350 hp | — | — | FWD | — | — |
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
In 1992 GM and Avis tested TravTek, a GPS navigation system with a synthesized voice, in rental Troféos at Orlando's airport.
In 1992, Oldsmobile and Avis quietly piloted a GPS nav system called TravTek in rental Toronado Troéfos at Orlando airport — built-in cell phone and spoken directions included, a decade before nav screens went mainstream.
The third-gen Toronado's independent rear suspension wasn't Oldsmobile's own work — it was designed by Cadillac engineers, and it bought back the rear-seat and trunk room the smaller body had taken away.
From 1974-1976 the Toronado quietly became a GM test bed for driver and passenger airbags — the 'Air Cushion Restraint System' — a full decade before airbags became an industry standard.
Squeezing a big V8 into the front-drive Toronado took an odd trick: the automatic's torque converter wasn't bolted to the gearset at all — it spun it through a silent Hy-Vo chain.
The Toronado's speedometer looked like a slot machine: a fixed needle stayed still while a rotating drum of numbers spun past behind it, climbing as the car gained speed.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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