Just over two decades ago in April 2004, the Oldsmobile Division of General Motors was shut down for good. But it was many years before that when the brand produced its last convertible. That car was the Cutlass Supreme. When it launched in 1988, the Cutlass Supreme convertible was marketed as the pace car for the Indianapolis 500.
The Pick of the Day is a low-mileage 1995 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme convertible listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Webster, New York. (Click the link to view the listing)
“This is a pristine original example from the last model year of the Cutlass convertible,” the seller (who is the third owner) says. “The Dark Teal Metallic exterior / Arctic White leather interior combination was one of only 104 made of the 1995 model.”
By way of a history lesson: Beginning in 1982, Oldsmobile started using the Cutlass name as a sub-marque. It can get a little confusing to map them all out, so here are some fundamentals about the three nameplates marketed underneath the Cutlass name in the 1980s and into the early 1990s:
- Cutlass Ciera: Used General Motors’ front-wheel drive A-body platform and was produced in coupes, convertibles, sedans, and station wagons. (See Diego’s recent story on a Ciera)
- Cutlass Supreme: Initially used the rear-wheel drive G-body platform but moved to the midsized W-platform using front-wheel drive in 1988.
- Cutlass Calais: Rode on the front-wheel drive N-body shared with the Pontiac Grand Am and Buick Skylark.
Today’s featured car is of course the Supreme. Riding on a 107.5-inch wheelbase, the Cutlass Supreme’s fifth generation debuted in 1988 shared chassis underpinnings with the Buick Regal, Chevrolet Lumina, and Pontiac Grand Prix. The Grand Prix, as it turns out, shared the same unique “mini quad” rectangular headlamps that adorned the Cutlass Supreme.
According to the window sticker in the listing, the car carried a retail price of $27,806 and it was originally delivered to Farabaugh Oldsmobile in Ligonier, Pennsylvania. The “1SC” option package added lighted visor vanity mirrors, a six-speaker “Dimensional” sound system, variable-effort power steering, dual-zone automatic climate control, and a leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel.
The powertrain was also upgraded: Base Cutlass Supremes came with a 3.1-liter motor, but this car’s momentum comes from a larger transverse-mounted 3.4-liter DOHC V6 mated to a 4T60 four-speed automatic transmission. This engine was an $1,185 upgrade when new, and it came as a package that also included a unique suspension and a dual exhaust system. The seller says that recent maintenance included replacement of the timing belt, brake pads, and brake rotors.
The asking price is $14,000, which will include the convertible boot, service records back to new, the window sticker, an owner’s manual, service manuals, and two original keys.
Don’t miss your chance to own an artifact of Oldsmobile history!
To view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com, cruise on over to the listing.
