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.
Lead trim: Toronado 252 cu in Buick V6 (125 hp, 1981–1984) · up to 170 hp
Oldsmobile Toronado1979–1985
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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.
FactThe 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.
The third-generation Toronado (1979–1985; Linden, New Jersey) was substantially downsized, losing nearly 1,000 lb and almost 16 in of length (206 in length by the page's text and 204 in in its infobox, on a 114 in wheelbase, width 79.9 in). It came with the smaller Oldsmobile 350 cu in (5.7 L) V8 rated at 170 HP and 270 lb-ft, giving a top speed of over 110 mph and a 0–60 mph time of 9.4 seconds; a 307 cu in (5.03 L) V8 (140 HP) was introduced in 1980 (and was standard in 1985), a 252 cu in (4.13 L) version of the Buick V6 (125 HP) shared with the Riviera was made available from 1981 to 1984 but proved unpopular, and Oldsmobile's diesel V8 was also offered and quickly acquired a terrible mechanical reputation. The three-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic was standard equipment from 1979 to 1981 and was replaced by the four-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic 325-4L from 1982 to 1985; independent rear suspension designed by Cadillac engineers was adopted.
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
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toronado 252 cu in Buick V6 (125 hp, 1981–1984) | 1981–1984 | 4.1 L V6 | 125 hp | 205 lb-ft | — | FWD | — | — |
| Toronado 307 cu in Oldsmobile V8 (140 hp, from 1980) | 1980–1985 | 5.0 L V8 | 140 hp | 250 lb-ft | — | FWD | — | — |
| Toronado 350 cu in Oldsmobile V8 (170 hp, 270 lb-ft) | 1979–1985 | 5.7 L V8 | 170 hp | 270 lb-ft | 9.4 s | 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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