The Oldsmobile Aurora is a mid-size luxury sports sedan made by Oldsmobile from 1994 to 2003. The Aurora rides on the same Cadillac-derived G platform as the two-door Buick Riviera.
The Aurora became the high-end sport sedan Oldsmobile, powered by a four-cam, 32-valve 4.0Â L V8 supplanting the Oldsmobile Toronado coupe and eventually the Oldsmobile 98, in the lineup. The Aurora offered both a V8- and a V6-powered version in 2001 and 2002 but returned to being V8-only in 2003. It is equipped with a four-speed automatic transmission with performance algorithm shifting. No manual transmission was ever offered on the Aurora.
Introduction
Since the late 1980s GM had wanted a new car to rejuvenate Oldsmobile; thus the Aurora was developed, with several styling cues taken from the 1960s Oldsmobile Toronado. Stylistically, the Oldsmobile Aurora was based on the 1989 Oldsmobile Tube Car concept car and, mechanically, it adopted a version of Cadillac's Northstar 4.6-liter V-8 engine.
By the time the Aurora was released, Oldsmobile badly needed hope for a comeback of the marque (Oldsmobile sales had plummeted from 1,066,122 in 1985 to 402,936 in 1993). As a symbol of its clean break from other cars in the lineup, the Aurora bore no Oldsmobile badging or script save for the radio-CD-cassette deck and engine cover. Instead, a new emblem consisting of a stylized A was used, foreshadowing a similar restyling of Oldsmobile's corporate "rocket" emblem for 1997.
With the Aurora, Oldsmobile tried to ride the praise of the car by launching other models that borrowed styling cues from the Aurora such as the mid-size Intrigue and compact Alero, as well as the redesigned Eighty-Eight, Silhouette, Cutlass, and Bravada. The Oldsmobile "rocket" logo was even updated to be more in-line with the Aurora's emblem.
Conceptualization
Early design work on what would become the Aurora began as early as the late 1980s and manifested itself with a 1989 engineering concept known as the Oldsmobile Tube Car designed by Bud Chandler. Beyond the overall similar shape, the Tube Car featured many detailed elements that were later found on the production automobile, including a full-width taillamp, wraparound rear windshield, and frameless windows. Unlike the eventual production car, the Tube Car was of a pillarless hardtop design with suicide doors. The final production design was signed off on in July 1989, originally set for a 1992 start of production.
First generation (1995â€"1999)
After much research and development, the Aurora went into production on January 24, 1994, and was released for the 1995 model year. It hosted a number of luxury and technologically advanced standard features including dual-zone climate control, driver and front passenger airbags, leather seating surfaces, genuine burl walnut interior accents, six-speaker sound system with in-dash cd-cassette, and eight-way power adjustable front seats with two-position memory. An onboard computer displaying the date, current gas consumption, and other information was also standard, and was mounted in the center of the dashboard, above the factory radio and climate controls. Only a few options were available on the Aurora including power sunroof, Bose Acoustimass premium amplified sound system, heated front seats, and Autobahn package.
The Aurora also came standard with Oldsmobile's 4.0 L (244 cu in) L47 V8 engine, a DOHC engine based on Cadillac's 4.6 L Northstar V8. The Northstar engine and 4T80-E had been exclusive to Cadillac prior to the Aurora. The L47 put out 250 hp (186 kW) at 5600 rpm and 260 lb·ft (353 N·m) torque at 4400 rpm. The Aurora used a four-speed automatic transmission with driver selectable "normal" and "power" shift modes. A highly modified 650 hp (485 kW) version of this engine was used by General Motors racing division initially for Indy Racing League competition starting in 1996, then was later used in the Cadillac Northstar LMP program in 2000. Both engines retained the 4.0 L capacity, but the Northstar LMP version was twin-turbocharged. The Aurora had a drag coefficient of 0.32.
The Aurora was highly regarded at the time for its refined engine, excellent build quality, well-balanced ride, and structural integrity. During normal crush-to-failure tests done by automakers to evaluate body rigidity, the Aurora's unibody construction broke GM's testing machine. A frame-crusher otherwise used to test stronger truck frames had to be used instead, with the car exceeding federal standards for passenger cars by two times.
All first-generation Auroras were built in Lake Orion, Michigan, along with the Buick LeSabre, Buick Park Avenue, Buick Riviera, Oldsmobile 88, Oldsmobile 98 and Pontiac Bonneville. Production for this generation ended on June 25, 1999.
Year-to-year changes
1996
For 1996, Oldsmobile made some minor revisions to the Aurora including new rear glass which has less distortion than previous models. Further revisions include daytime running lights and OBD II compliant on-board diagnostic systems, tweaking the climate control and safety alarm, a revised keyless entry system with new features was and the short list of optional equipment was expanded to include chrome wheels and a gold trim package. The 1996-'99 models also had the passenger temperature toggle buttons on the middle right portion of the instrument panels replaced with air recirculator buttons.
1997
There were minor changes for the Aurora in 1997. A new in-dash CD player for the Bose sound system highlighted the improvements. Another new feature was a tilt-down right-outside mirror that enhances the driver's view of close objects, whenever the shifter is placed in reverse. The underside of the door handles were slightly recontoured to minimize slipping fingers when the handles are pulled. Seat belt release buttons were moved from the face of the buckle to the end for improved convenience. An electronic compass was added to the inside rear-view mirror. Larger front brakes came along with cast aluminum front control arms and steering knuckles. The rear ashtray assembly was changed from a click-lock face to a pull-up face. Finally, the spare tire cover and jack cradle assembly was changed from the jack and cover being bolted down to one where the jack sat in a plastic "bucket" inside the spare with the cover simply placed on top. On some 1997s a modest "Oldsmobile" badge returned to the right-rear corner of the car along with the Aurora name.
1998
The 1998 model had a few minor refinement changes to the brakes, suspension, steering and emissions controls. A new front control arm design with front hydraulic bushing and rear cross axis ball joint for enhanced ride smoothness and better isolation from road noise and vibration. Internal rebound springs added to front struts for improved body motion control and to minimize crash-through. Increased wheel travel (3Â mm) and redesigned jounce bumpers for softer feel at full travel. Dual durometer cradle mounts for improved isolation. Premium valving and damping in the front and rear struts for a higher refinement in calibration. There were more accurate wheel sensors for improved ABS actuation. New steering calibration for more on-center feel and reduced parking effort.
GM's previously optional OnStar system, standard for this year, uses a dedicated button on the cellular telephone putting drivers in contact with an information center that can provide them with emergency assistance. The system uses no transmitters to determine the vehicle's location and provide route information to any destination.
Almost all of the changes made to the Aurora for 1998 were aimed at refining what was already a highly regarded suspension system.
1999
The last year for the first generation Aurora; changes for 1999 included additional engine mounts for improved engine stability. No 2000 models were produced.
Second generation (2001â€"2003)
Oldsmobile's original intention for the second generation was to move the Aurora further upmarket, retaining its V8-only drivetrain and sharing a platform with the new Buick Riviera, as the original Aurora had done. This would have created more room within the Oldsmobile lineup for a four-door Eighty-Eight successor known as the "Antares". However, Buick dropped its Riviera development plans and fiscal trouble found Oldsmobile, so Oldsmobile was forced to re-engineer the Antares into an acceptable Aurora in short time. Still using the G-body design, the re-engineered Aurora was the result, but retaining its 4.0 V8 Northstar still mounted to a 4T80-E.
Oldsmobile also offered a V6 engine in the Aurora for the first time. The V6 in question was the LX5, a cut-down relation of the DOHC Aurora V8, dubbed the "Shortstar." The V6-powered Aurora was produced for the 2001 and 2002 model years only, with production ceasing in mid-2002.
This Aurora, though still a competitive luxury sedan, did not attract the attention, nor sales that the original did. This can be blamed on several reasons. Most of all was that the new Aurora, as well as the new 2002 Bravada, was overshadowed by GM's announcement in December 2000 that the Oldsmobile marque was to be phased out over the next several years. Though still retaining its unique styling, it now shared design cues from other Oldsmobiles, as well many parts in common with other GM vehicles. This took away the "separateness" from other Oldsmobiles that the original had. Also, the second generation Aurora was over six inches shorter than was the first generation. Automobile magazine wrote that "The Aurora's new look is not quite as sensuous or elegant as that of the outgoing model," but the Auto Channel review said, "it was better in every respect."
The second generation Aurora went into production on November 1, 1999, and went on sale in February 2000 as a 2001 model. The last V6-powered Auroras rolled off the assembly line on June 21, 2002. The final 500 Auroras ended production on March 28, 2003. These were all a special burgundy color (called "dark cherry metallic"), had special chrome wheels, and "Final 500" badging. The Orion, Michigan plant built a total of 71,722 second-generation Auroras; 53,640 in 2001, 10,865 in 2002, and 7,217 in 2003.
Standard and optional equipment
The second-generation (2001-2003) Oldsmobile Aurora was very well equipped from the factory, as was expected of a luxury vehicle. Standard features on the Aurora were as follows: keyless entry, a security alarm, luxury leather-trimmed seating surfaces with power adjustments for the driver's seat, an AM-FM stereo with radio data system (RDS) and cassette and single-disc CD players, a six-speaker sound system, leather door panel inserts, wood interior trim, automatic climate control, OnStar in-vehicle telematics system (later introduction), steering wheel-mounted climate and radio controls, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, power trunk release from the keyless entry remote, a multi-function driver's information center mounted above the factory radio and climate controls, a rear bench seat with fold-down center armrest, luxury-styled alloy wheels, a spare tire and wheel, automatic front head and fog lamps, a 3.5L V6 engine, a 4-speed automatic transmission, front-wheel-drive (FWD), front and side SRS airbags.
While there was not an abundance of optional equipment on the Aurora, the few additional options included a driver's memory package with memory front driver's seat and memory for radio presets, heated dual front bucket seats, a premium audio system with external amplifier by Bose, a power tilt-and-sliding sunroof, chrome-finished alloy wheels, a gold emblem package for the front and rear Oldsmobile emblems, Aurora emblem, and 3.5 or 4.0 emblems, and the 4.0L Northstar V8 engine (this engine became standard equipment in 2003 for the Aurora's final year of production). Starting in 2002, a voice-activated, CD-ROM based navigation system was available.
Engines
- 2001â€"2002• LX5 3.5 L (212 in³) V6, 215 hp (160 kW) @ 5600 rpm, 234 lb·ft (317 N·m) torque @ 4400 rpm.
- 2001â€"2003• L47 4.0 L (244 in³) V8, 250 hp (186 kW) @ 5600 rpm, 260 lb·ft (353 N·m) torque @ 4400 rpm.
Production numbers
The production numbers for both generations of the Aurora:
Pace car
Aurora was the official pace car of the 1997 and 2000 Indianapolis 500. At the beginning of the race in 1997, the pace car was driven by three-time Indy 500 winner Johnny Rutherford. At the beginning of the 2000 race, the pace car was driven by actor Anthony Edwards. These cars marked the ninth and tenth time an Oldsmobile had paced the Indianapolis 500 race.
See also
- Northstar engine series
References
Further reading
- Matt Delorenzo. "Oldsmobile's Slide to Oblivion". Legendary American Cars (2007).Â
External links
- Aurora Club of North America (ACNA) Forums
- The Oldsmobile Connection Forums
- Oldsmobile Club of America