Oldsmobile Touring Sedan

Oldsmobile Touring Sedan
Overview
Manufacturer	Oldsmobile (General Motors)
Also called	Oldsmobile 98 Touring Sedan
Production	1987–1990 (model) 1991–1993 (trim level)
Body and chassis
Class	Full-size
Body style	4-door sedan
Chronology
Successor	Oldsmobile Aurora

The Oldsmobile Touring Sedan is an automobile which was built by Oldsmobile from 1987 until 1993. Although based on the Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight, it catered to a younger and more driver-oriented audience. All Touring Sedans used a 3.8L (3800 Series) V6 engine mated to a 4 speed automatic transmission with overdrive and included a long list of standard equipment. This model was one of the first attempts to re-brand Oldsmobile as a more youthful, upscale division and better differentiate it from Buick in the GM line-up.

1987–1990

1988 Oldsmobile Touring Sedan

The model was introduced during Oldsmobile's 90th anniversary year to compete with the large sports sedans from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi and Saab. It was based on the regular production Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight and used its 165 hp 3.8L V6 but included the W12 Touring Sedan option package consisting of custom leather bucket seats with 6 way power, center console with floor shift, real wood interior trim, Treves anti-lock brakes, 15 (later 16) inch aluminum wheels, black wall tires, FE3 suspension, full gauge cluster (tachometer, 120 mph speedometer, oil, volts, temp, and fuel gauges), gray body side trim, custom steering wheel, special grille, special tail lamp trim, body color lower bumpers, fog lamps, sporty exhaust, and special Touring Sedan badges. There are no emblems or markings to signify the relationship to the Ninety-Eight model line.

The Touring Sedan carried a base price of just over $24,000 USD (approximately $50,074 in current dollars) in 1987. Given the car's late introduction in the 1987 model year, changes for 1988 were relatively minor. For 1989, the model line was updated with 16 inch wheels, minor grille changes and steering wheel controls for climate and stereo systems were made standard. A new optional CD-player was also added.

1991–1993

The Touring Sedan was redesigned with the rest of the full-size GM C body cars for 1991. It retained its special character but was marked more closely with the Ninety-Eight line-up and was offered as a trim level rather than as its own model. Oldsmobile added the optional supercharged 3.8 L V6 for the first time, good for 205 hp (compared to the regular 3.8 with 170 hp).

After the 1993 model year the Touring Sedan was removed from the Oldsmobile line-up in favor of the new Aurora which eventually replaced the Ninety-Eight (after 1996), Regency (after 1998), and Eighty-Eight & LSS (after 1999) to become the last full-sized Oldsmobile sedan.

See also

• Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight

References

1. ↑ Helen Jones Early and James R. Walkinshaw, Setting the Place: Oldsmobile's First 100 Years (Oldsmobile: Lansing, MI: 1997), 484-487.

• Setting the Pace: Oldsmobie's First 100 Years, pg 484-487.