My parents had a 73 Toronado when I was a teenager. It had the same red interior as shown in your video. The exterior was a cranberry red. Beautiful car and the 455 still had good performance in 73. Just hope you didn't mind the 8 MPG in the city!
@HomerJ1964 gm didn't have much of a choice. The government mandate that any new car during and after 73 had to take a 5 mph crash without damaging the lights. So what car company's did was they put shock absorbers (oil filled ones much like in your suspension) in between the frame and bumper. I have a 76 grandprix with large front and rear bumpers and if you go underneath you can see the shocks in place. Edit: I saw from one of your other comments that you have a 74 grand am, so you probably all ready knew all of this.
@@defcon1526 Ford advertised this in a commercial back in the early 80s, like it was some virtuous thing they were doing, when in fact it had been mandated 10 yrs ago. I geeked out after seeing that commercial. I thought it was such a genius thing to design and it really messed with me. I looked under all our cars and started looking under all the bumpers of the cars of everyone's house my parents went to, people who visited, etc to see if they had those shocks, too. I was such a nerd. When my sister was at our grandma's house one day she backed her 84 Escort into our grandma's 77 Sedan DeVille and only told me. I totally flipped. I talked her head off about why it didn't do any damage. 🤣
I worked at a Buick/Oldsmobile dealership in the 70’s. I remember how wonderful these Toronado’s were to drive. Unfortunately they were rust buckets. Before I worked at the dealership I worked with a man who owned a ‘73 Toronado. I remember rust blisters appearing on it after two winters. The rear bumper rusted too. I guess if you didn’t live in the rust belt you had a truly wonderful car.
2 years ago I had a 1973 Toronado, red-white top, red interior...In Alberta, Canada...one of the most conspicuous car on the road...During that winter the outside temp. was around -20 down to -36 Celsius, icy roads, blowing snow sometimes...It was driving nice on studded tires...though braking and stopping was an art (no ABS)... Nobody was driving an antique car in that weather except me... Anyway one day a big multigeneration family comes out together of the Cabelas store and among them the oldest man just stopped in disbelief what He was seeing and was just staring for a while at the red Toronado and I was pretty sure that I could see tears in his eyes...I always wonder since then what memories it brought back to him...
Cars in those days had style, grace, and performance. Complete individuality. These days, if you can't see the nameplate of the vehicle, you can't tell one from the other.
American cars like this were quite ornate. British and European economy cars like the Austin 1100 and Volkswagen Type 3, though? Not necessarily! It was more than possible to make unattractive cars in this era, British Motor Corporation arguably made several of them, arguably the Mini was the only attractive design they had in this era...
That was a Saturn Ion interior with the instrument pod mounted in the center top of the dash.. BTW, Adam: you are incredible how the things you bring up are exactly what we're thinking!
The shame of it was that the Saturn Ion replaced the Saturn SL1 and SL2 models after the 2002 model year. I had a 1999 and a 2002 SL2; both of these were excellent vehicles, far superior to the Ion in pretty much every way.
@@Dac54 Totally agree. Ion marked the beginning of the end for GM's bold experiment. Ion was not a true "Saturn" but a clone of the Chevrolet Cobalt... itself a lame followup to the unremarkable Cavalier. Remember the defective lock cylinder recall? Just two of the bad product decisions that steered GM into bankruptcy a few years later.
Great video! Had a number of Toros over the years.. 69, two 71s, 73, 76, 77 & 78 which had that wacky back window. That being said the 77 & 78 to me had the most comfortable interiors with that pillow top design. Miss them all !
I forgot about that 1978 wraparound rear window with it's angular sharp creased bends. Was there two roof styles and that was the XS? If you Google 1978 Toronado XS they all have to wrap around window, but if you just search for a 1978 Toronado there are others that have the more traditional roof and rear window. They sold both for 1978? Were there other GMs of that body style that also did the wraparound rear window thing too? Or just the Toro? It was an odd styling choice.
And they made 3 XSR models for '77. Those cars had the T-Top design plus the wrap around rear glass. I belong to a Toronado group where this has been discussed. We believe only two of those remain today and they are highly taken care of. They are garaged mostly all the time. @ButterfatFarms
I think that these were the cars that inspired the third brake light. They had high mounted brake lights up on the trunk lid, and insurance companies noticed that for some reason these cars were involved in very few rear end collisions. Research revealed that drivers look through the windows of the cars in front of them and they saw these brake lights far sooner than the brake lights of the cars directly in front of them and this reduced accidents. So a third brake light became mandatory in 1986. The seats remind me very vaguely of the seats in a Porsche 928. Great video!
Center and high-mount brake and turn signals were nothing new in '73. Look at the 1941-1948 Lincolns, just about all the Chrysler Corporation models from the late thirties to the early fifties, even the Shark-Nose "Spirit of Motion" Grahams to name just a few. Citroen ID and DS models from 1955 into the early '70s had rear turn signal flashers mounted on the trailing outboard corners of the roof.
@@5610winston True. What I read was that these Toronado's were what inspired the government to require a third brake light due to the surprisingly low rear end accident rate.
3rd brake lights were based upon a study by psychologist John Voedevesky who studied the effects of attention on driving safety. His study was based upon 345 San Francisco taxi cabs that had a 3rd brake light on their vehicles. His studied showed that these cars had 60% less rear end collisions vs those that didn't. NHTSA did a similar study and confirmed his study. It was mandated in cars i believe starting in 86. What hasn't been acknowledged is the reality of the Hawthorne effect which likely was the reason for the reduction in rear end accidents. Rear end collisions have not maintained the 60% reduction in the years following.
When I was a toddler my Dad drove ‘74 Toro green over green. My memories of the car are sketchy but looking at this video the ornamental door pulls flooded my head. That just is not being done anymore at all. I also recall sitting on top of the front seat arm rest on road trips. It was the 70s. It was fine.
1976 Toronado had optional Geometric Weave Velours with an abstract triangle/rectangle/square pattern in button tufted velour that wows me to this very day.
My grandmother had this geometric velour in her '76 Brougham, and black leather in her white '72. I remember riding in the 76, and the velour would literally swallow you up, it was so comfortable.
My dad was a car nut. New cars very often. We lived where there is salt on the roads and so he discovered used cars which he often drove in winters. One such car was a 72 Toronado. He liked it so well that he drove it numerous winters until the door skins began to rust loose at their bottom portions. Overall he kept driving it as it hugged the road better than any other car he ever owned. 7mpg city and 11mpg hwy but who cares when you are driving something you really love.
@@unclebob7937They would have benefited for sure, greatly I'm not so sure. They were after all nearly 4700 lbs curb weight, and with the aerodynamics of a barn when cruising in overdrive.
At home we had a 1972 Toronado. I knew that my parents had bought a new car but they refused to tell me which car they had chosen. I found out when I was picked up at the airport from summer camp. The car felt like an airplane. So much better than my mother's prior car, a 1968 Ninety-Eight Luxury Sedan. Furthermore it had an eight track player and came with a very good CD tape which was comprised of great songs chosen by someone at GM such as Here Comes the Sun by the Beatles. I became a great eight track tape collector. They must all be in some landfill today.
I remember when the '71 Toronado came out I really liked the twin grills in the front bumper and thought the second set of taillights were cool as hell - although I believe they were the brake/turn signal only, not running lights if I remember correctly.
I agree with you, this car has very unique and wonderful seat upholstery and door panels, that speak quality for the era. Especially in red! Certainly an improvement over the '71-'72 interiors! I can't say I like the exterior of these two years -- I find the earlier versions much more attractive.
Love this channel! Was one of the very first subscribers & absolutely love your car collection & the knowledge and wisdom you have about them all. Fellow Michigan man here too! I’m about 5 minutes outside of flint.
I agree with you on every count on the 73 vs the 74. The 73 is absolutely perfect in every way, IMHO. I would love to find a flawless 73. Thanks for pointing out the differences!
While the interior was distinct and certainly an impressive design I would lust after today, I've never been "sold" on the exterior of this second gen Toronado. They're handsome cars, certainly, but they're also very similar to the Eldorado. I think part of the issue is that, during the '71-'78 generation, the Eldorados have remained very common cars to see out and about today, arguably some of the most 'common' cars of the 70s. By comparison, I don't know that I've seen a '71-'78 Toronado in person, this side of the year 2000. If at all possible, a full breakdown comparison of the two cars (engines, suspension tuning, interior build and quality) would be a truly interesting comparison. I find it funny that, during this period and again during the next generation, the Toronado and Eldorado were so closely related in terms of design, while the Riviera managed to maintain a much more distinct overall appearance despite also sharing some of the same overall look. Maybe I'm just biased towards loving Rivieras, who knows?
You have a beautiful way of presenting the details of vehicles both inside and out. I gotta say, even if I am not particularly interested in the car you are showing, I still watch due to your stellar presentations. Great job! Thank you for your passion for these old cars. I would like to ask i you wouldn't mind taking a sweeping view if the inside of the cars. I love looking at the entire dash and such. Not a complaint, just a suggestion. Thanks again!
I love this car, and LOVE this interior! Dad got a ‘77 Toronado for Mom, and I loved it. I think most everyone did . It was an almost new GM factory official car, and Dad had gotten a few of those over the years. White with blue interior, and not the XS version. I loved the flat floor and the extra brake lights….they looked cool, especially with the snow on them. That car was fantastic in the snow! Later, I got a ‘74 Toronado, but my wife got early onset Alzheimer’s, and got rid of it, and most of my cars. My ‘74 had the valve covers stamped with Oldsmobile letters. I miss that car.
My high school buddy's father, back in mid 70's, had a white 74 Toro with red leather interior. It was Spec. Tac. U. Lar. We'd sneak it out after his parents went to bed. We were ballers in that car. Some Later toros had cool ribbed upholstery, and some had this ultra modern pattern that would blow your mind
So many of the design details remind me of our 1972 caprice hardtop, the way the pointed nose wraps down far in the front with a low grill, the general headlight and front turn signal arrangement/appearance, and especially the green with dark green roof as shown, I do miss that 72! We had other large GM and Ford cars from the 80s and 90s from LeSabre to Mark 8 and 92 Caprice and nothing matched the ride of that 72. The interior wasn't that different either from Toros, very ornate brocade textured fabric, driver focused dash and general sense of openness, thin pillars and width. For "only" a Chevy, often people mistook it for a Cadillac, (from the front), and many of my parents' friends who had moved to the square , downsized GM models said they regretted it after riding with us, especially a neighbor who had impulse-bought a smaller, chintzy, orange Coupe DeVille with many plastic and rubber exterior parts, fixed rear windows, hollow-seeming quality, much less power, for way too much money for such an inferior machine. They bought a used 74 Electra the next time!
Excellent. Thank you Adam. You covered things quite well. I recall the Ninety Eight, Eighty Eight and Toronado sharing a lot of parts over time. I liked the 1975-1976 Toronado from this generation( 1971-1978). I like all the Toronados, I have nothing to say or add as a 1992 Toronado owner as you did an excellent job on this video. Yes, the story you tell about the Eldorado influence is true. They went in a more luxury direction. In 1986, they went back to the 1966 direction.
We bought a new ‘71 Toronado and it was amazing. Finished in a gold exterior (not sure of the name) with ivory interior. I remember people loved the high rear taillights but many were confused where the vehicle ended. There were many accidents associated with the high placement of those lights. Also the hood length was astonishing sitting behind the wheel and looking over all that metal. I still loved the ‘69/‘70 designs as well
What's amazing about the Saturn I on was how many miles you could get out of it relatively trouble free That interior though had to be one of the worst especially that center speedometer
I think dash redesign for '74 is tied with airbag option introducing, I remember reading that those driver-centric dashes were incompatible with passenger airbags, so instead were developed flat ones. I'll be glad if you one day make a video about this restraint system by the way, since it's first in industry, it's definitely worth telling the story :)
Funny to see this today. I was watching a video ad for a '73 and was impressed by the interior and wondered if you'd ever profiled it. Apparently, the algorithm figured that out!
I appreciate how GM personal and luxury cars had the HVAC controls to the left of the steering wheel. This supported the notion that the driver is the commander of the vehicle. Sort of like the pilot of a plane.
I had a 1995 Lincoln MKVIII, it was silver with a black leather interior. It was like a cockpit inside and the seats were the nicest. Wish I had that car now!
The Oldsmobile Toronado introduced the “eye-level” brake/signal lamps which became federally mandated later on. A rear wheel ABS became an option. Its Rocket V8 engines had lower compression ratios to facilitate the use of unleaded fuel, and the anti-smog devices many of which did absolutely nothing but cause grief. These full-size cars actually got better gas mileage burning premium fuel with no smog controls. This generation of vehicles were doing a swan song and we didn’t realize that we were witnessing the last of the finest American automobiles we had ever seen…
Spot on, now I'm a Ford guy and I love my 73 T- Bird , but those Imperials and especially New Yorkers are just so plush like none other. My T- Bird interior is nice but in no way compared to the above mentioned. Thank you
I have to agree, those seats would probably be my pick for being the most luxurious looking seats in the industry at the time - although the seats in the Buick Park Avenue and Olds 98 of that period are a close second. Except for the seats in the some Continental MKV's - especially in the "Diamond Jubilee" edition, Ford really didn't have luxurious looking seats of that caliber that I can remember - although I really liked their high back "lounge" seats they offered in '71 thru I think '73.
@@TomSnyder-gx5ru Had a 71 Marquis Brougham as a kid on active duty . Was a coupe black gorgeous and yes those high back twin " Lounge" seats are incredible. Diamond Jubilee Gold , my all time favorite Lincoln in 78 anniversary edition. Someday. You mentioned those seats on the Chryslers, nothing like it period. Could sleep a family of four in the backseat. Ahhh, how I do miss the 70s. That's when Detroit used to build cars WE wanted, remember those days???
I loved my 1971 Toronado, and all these years later can't say I've had a more visually vivid car. The seats weren't as wonderful as the 1973, but the interior was otherwise arguably more tasteful, at least to the minimalist eye, lacking the large and intricate door pull anchor covers, for one. It drove wonderfully, although despite the huge radiator and clutch fan and underbody air scoop, was not thrilled with the desert heat.
"The second generation Oldsmobile Toronado were the last of the breed. The third generation Toronado was luxurious but it just wasn’t quite the same league as the first generations. From 1971 until 1978, these personal luxury cruisers were running neck to neck with the Cadillac Eldorado. They were powered by the legendary Rocket Olds V8 engine. The Oldsmobile Toronado had established itself as one of the world’s most unique personal luxury cars. It was so exclusive it had its own dedicated assembly line for quality control. The second generation Toronado with all of their elegance and the emphasis on personal luxury, attracted many new buyers. The highly styled Olds Toronado was always a trend setter from its inception, and an immediate hit with auto enthusiasts."
Always liked the wrap around rear seat on the T bird of 64. Loved Pontiac,Buick & Chrysler for dash/steering wheel. Those clear Lucite steering wheels were the stuff.
i had a 1973 Toronado...it was a yellow interior....and yes the gas and brake were color keyed....absolutely flawless...the car was the best of the best...of course....it was an Olds
Twilight Sentinel was "a feature that enabled the headlights to stay on for a period of time after the car was shut off"? Are you sure about that? The Twilight Sentinel I have known was the feature to automatically turn all your lights on when it was dark, and automatically back off after turning the car off. I suppose it was also what allowed the lights to remain on for a bit after car shut off, but that wasn't the main point of the option... Unless Twilight Sentinel changed over the years or in different applications.
Excellent video! With today’s electric cars it is really easy to tell when a manufacturer is using a recycled chassis because there will be a big transmission hump and a driveshaft/exhaust tunnel through the entire car.
Regarding the color-keyed pedal pads, I noticed that the rub-strip on the bumper of the tan Toro @6:31 appears to be color-keyed to the tan or beige paint. I've never noticed either feature.
2:02 - I saw somewhere else here that by 1971 as Cadillac restyled its Eldorado they passed on their styling cues from 1967 to Oldsmobile to restyle its next generation of Toronado, of course starting in 1971.
"From 1974 until 1976 the Toronado was part of GM’s first experimental production runs for driver and passenger air bags which GM named the Air Cushion Restraint System. These Toronados had a unique steering wheel. They were fitted with a knee bolster beneath the driver’s side of the dash as well "
I’d like you to talk about - or talking with one of your designer friends - about the differences between cheap interior plastics and ones that give a feeling of quality. What’s the difference in price? What are the tricks designers use to make things feel like high quality?
Basically, starting in '67, GM started to take money out of the interiors by going from real wood, to faux vinyl wood, and going from chromed metal trim parts, to plastic with bright nickel plastic coatings. Instead of looking to more modern, efficient engineering and manufacturing, they just took the make it plastic approach. Sadly, Ford jumped on board, joining the trend in 1970, no more wood interior paneling for the Marks, or Continentals 😮
There's no such thing as a high quality interior plastic! Either you glue foam-backed leather on top of the plastic or you don't. Gluing foam-backed rubber on top of the plastic doesn't really fool anyone. [Similarly you either have wood veener or turned aluminium inlays or you don't.]
For an elegant Mid-Century seat design, I prefer the 1972-76 Thunderbird, especially in black leather. Eames lounge chair motif, tasteful uncontrived design, supremely comfortable seats.
@44 seconds......any number of late 90's Saturn vehicles had that interior. Had a few rentals which had that exact forgettable drab-gray plastic fantastic interior you displayed. Forgot all about having driven those until you showed that picture. They were said to be long lasting cars though -oddly enough I still see some of those puttering around on the roads today yet 🙂
Oldsmobile really had a thing for the accelerator and brake pedals back in the 60s and early 70s...not only were they big chromed affairs but on the Toronado they were color keyed...which I never knew!
Our good friend Blaine Jenkins did the interior. In the interview I did with him, he talked about how John Beltz asked him to design a bargain basement base model interior they could use as a price point car. Beltz was not happy with the result, hence the move toward a more elegant interior over the 72.
That red interior you showed was exactly what my cranberry red 73 Toronado had, it was the deluxe interior with the model , I saw another 73 Toronado that had a planer door panels , I really liked the the taillights on the 73 Toronado. It was a huge car and was the worst mpg of all the 1973 automobiles.
@@califdad4 LOL I think you already said that. I still say that is BS, and that’s from someone who has owned and driven more than one. There was more than one gear ratio available in the Toronado, and there was more than one available in the other cars as well.
@@patrickflohe7427 I just gave a example of the mpg, it was a wonderful handling car and made tighter u turns than my previous smaller Riviera, but that was a news report in 1974, about it being the worst mpg of any other car but also gas was about .40 cents a gallon too then
"Introduced in 1966, with a shape vaguely reminiscent of a purportedly female Soviet discus hurler, the Olds Toronado never made much of a sales mark until it's image was changed from muscle to svelte in 1971."
I’ve learned from Adam that forgotten classic cars are some of the best classic cars. This Olds Toronado is right up there with the Dodge Magnum (well, a few notches ahead). And thank you, thank you, thank you for the explanation behind the decision to upscale the luxury of the Toronado…I always wondered about that. What a grand car. Those seats, that metallic looking dash & that iconic Olds “delta” steering wheel…(& yes! The seats! I had no clue). Thanks…it was Olds night tonight (the other video on your 98 was just as much fun). OK, now we need to find a Mercury Marauder….
"The second generation Oldsmobile Toronado is ultra-luxurious. They are so much like the Cadillac Eldorado that it takes the eagle-eye to tell them apart. The last full-size Toronado rolled off the assembly line in 1978. There is always power to spare in a Rocket Olds V8, a formidable experience awaited its owner. Oldsmobile had been making cars since 1897 and was America’s oldest continuous automaker."
I've heard people say that they personally liked the Toronado over the Eldorado. The Toronado wasn't as flashy or some say obnoxious as the styling of the Eldorado was. Without question I did prefer the next generation Toronado over the Eldorado. The Oldsmobile didn't have the Kiss of Death 4100 like the Cadillac did. The Olds had a tried and true 350 that made a lot more power.
The locking gas door @ 6:00 mark. I did a quick search and was unable to find it listed as a factory option. So perhaps it was a local dealer option, as I cannot see a buyer doing a DIY when locking gas caps were available from J.C. Whitney. While searching I did find you could get a tent package for you Omega hatchback in 74. Also "anti lock" brakes in 73 and 74 Toronado. I wonder how they were able to cool the cars with so little grill space. Those seats remind me of Eames chair, a wonderful looking interior. The door panels remind me of my boattail Riviera. A fun fact about this era of Toronado, is the drive line was used in the GMC motorhomes. Want to laugh, look up GMC motorhome burn outs.
As far as the cooling goes, I think they use duct work, scoops and deflectors behind the bumper. In the later years they did use a small grill opening in the center, above the bumper.
Wow that is VERY interesting.. the pedals are color coordinated, but the steering column and air vent are black... I love the roominess from front wheel drive.. .but I do like the 74 dash and steering wheel...
Hey Adam, while the seats in the Toronado are very attractive, for me the best & most comfortable seats of any cars are the high back twin comfort lounge seats in the early seventies Marquis Broughams & LTD Broughams!!! 👍👍🙂
While I agree this interior is quite nice, many of the mid 80s gm luxury car interiors were nicer in my opinion. Some of the buick and Cadillac interiors were quiet, soft, and very welcoming.
I jumped my Dads 1981 Tornado V8 307 so high when I landed it ripped the oil pan clean off. Welded it up at the local gas station before and kept my mouth shut. I was 17 in 1982. Cranberry red leather interior gun metal grey exterior. Clean missile to launch!
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My parents had a 73 Toronado when I was a teenager. It had the same red interior as shown in your video. The exterior was a cranberry red. Beautiful car and the 455 still had good performance in 73. Just hope you didn't mind the 8 MPG in the city!
I assume that 455 was a 4-barrel carburetor?
That would greatly cut fuel efficiency.
Your parent's car sounds BEAUTIFUL.......
Yes ..olds only made the 455 with a 4 bbl carb
@@richardc8333 No, Olds also made the 455 engine with a two barrel in some models
Love how that grill raps under the bumper and under the headlights. Such a unique look that nobody else did back then.
The Shark Gill Grille!
That bumper looks like a park bench though.
You could put an intercooler behind each on of them. 🤔
@HomerJ1964 gm didn't have much of a choice. The government mandate that any new car during and after 73 had to take a 5 mph crash without damaging the lights. So what car company's did was they put shock absorbers (oil filled ones much like in your suspension) in between the frame and bumper. I have a 76 grandprix with large front and rear bumpers and if you go underneath you can see the shocks in place.
Edit: I saw from one of your other comments that you have a 74 grand am, so you probably all ready knew all of this.
@@defcon1526 Ford advertised this in a commercial back in the early 80s, like it was some virtuous thing they were doing, when in fact it had been mandated 10 yrs ago.
I geeked out after seeing that commercial. I thought it was such a genius thing to design and it really messed with me.
I looked under all our cars and started looking under all the bumpers of the cars of everyone's house my parents went to, people who visited, etc to see if they had those shocks, too.
I was such a nerd. When my sister was at our grandma's house one day she backed her 84 Escort into our grandma's 77 Sedan DeVille and only told me. I totally flipped. I talked her head off about why it didn't do any damage. 🤣
I worked at a Buick/Oldsmobile dealership in the 70’s. I remember how wonderful these Toronado’s were to drive. Unfortunately they were rust buckets. Before I worked at the dealership I worked with a man who owned a ‘73 Toronado. I remember rust blisters appearing on it after two winters. The rear bumper rusted too. I guess if you didn’t live in the rust belt you had a truly wonderful car.
All cars were prone to rust, back then.
2 years ago I had a 1973 Toronado, red-white top, red interior...In Alberta, Canada...one of the most conspicuous
car on the road...During that winter the outside temp. was around -20 down to -36 Celsius, icy roads, blowing snow sometimes...It was driving nice on studded tires...though braking and stopping was an art (no ABS)... Nobody was driving an antique car in that weather except me...
Anyway one day a big multigeneration family comes out together of the Cabelas store and among them the oldest man just stopped in disbelief what He was seeing and was just staring for a while at the red Toronado and I was pretty sure that I could see tears in his eyes...I always wonder since then what memories it brought back to him...
I had an '84 Eldorado in winter. It's fwd & snow tires made it unstoppable!
@@jessebrueshaber6915 yes, for some reason the longitudinal FWD work better in snow than the transverse system!
Very 🆒!!
But you didn't stop and talk to him??
Cars in those days had style, grace, and performance. Complete individuality. These days, if you can't see the nameplate of the vehicle, you can't tell one from the other.
American cars like this were quite ornate. British and European economy cars like the Austin 1100 and Volkswagen Type 3, though? Not necessarily! It was more than possible to make unattractive cars in this era, British Motor Corporation arguably made several of them, arguably the Mini was the only attractive design they had in this era...
@@TassieLorenzo In my humble opinion, the Jaguar XJ6, style wise, will go down as the greatest in modern history.
I’m not the only one holding the fob up high pressing like crazy, trying to find my car
That was a Saturn Ion interior with the instrument pod mounted in the center top of the dash.. BTW, Adam: you are incredible how the things you bring up are exactly what we're thinking!
The shame of it was that the Saturn Ion replaced the Saturn SL1 and SL2 models after the 2002 model year. I had a 1999 and a 2002 SL2; both of these were excellent vehicles, far superior to the Ion in pretty much every way.
@@Dac54 Totally agree. Ion marked the beginning of the end for GM's bold experiment. Ion was not a true "Saturn" but a clone of the Chevrolet Cobalt... itself a lame followup to the unremarkable Cavalier. Remember the defective lock cylinder recall? Just two of the bad product decisions that steered GM into bankruptcy a few years later.
Your knowledge and presentation is impeccable. Thank you for sharing your passion with us.
Yes, he does give a lot of good information.
My uncle (RIP) had a new 1975 Toro dark blue with a white top and white interior. A very nice car.
Great video! Had a number of Toros over the years.. 69, two 71s, 73, 76, 77 & 78 which had that wacky back window. That being said the 77 & 78 to me had the most comfortable interiors with that pillow top design. Miss them all !
I forgot about that 1978 wraparound rear window with it's angular sharp creased bends. Was there two roof styles and that was the XS? If you Google 1978 Toronado XS they all have to wrap around window, but if you just search for a 1978 Toronado there are others that have the more traditional roof and rear window. They sold both for 1978? Were there other GMs of that body style that also did the wraparound rear window thing too? Or just the Toro? It was an odd styling choice.
And they made 3 XSR models for '77. Those cars had the T-Top design plus the wrap around rear glass. I belong to a Toronado group where this has been discussed. We believe only two of those remain today and they are highly taken care of. They are garaged mostly all the time. @ButterfatFarms
I think that these were the cars that inspired the third brake light. They had high mounted brake lights up on the trunk lid, and insurance companies noticed that for some reason these cars were involved in very few rear end collisions. Research revealed that drivers look through the windows of the cars in front of them and they saw these brake lights far sooner than the brake lights of the cars directly in front of them and this reduced accidents. So a third brake light became mandatory in 1986.
The seats remind me very vaguely of the seats in a Porsche 928.
Great video!
Center and high-mount brake and turn signals were nothing new in '73. Look at the 1941-1948 Lincolns, just about all the Chrysler Corporation models from the late thirties to the early fifties, even the Shark-Nose "Spirit of Motion" Grahams to name just a few. Citroen ID and DS models from 1955 into the early '70s had rear turn signal flashers mounted on the trailing outboard corners of the roof.
@@5610winston True.
What I read was that these Toronado's were what inspired the government to require a third brake light due to the surprisingly low rear end accident rate.
3rd brake lights were based upon a study by psychologist John Voedevesky who studied the effects of attention on driving safety. His study was based upon 345 San Francisco taxi cabs that had a 3rd brake light on their vehicles. His studied showed that these cars had 60% less rear end collisions vs those that didn't. NHTSA did a similar study and confirmed his study. It was mandated in cars i believe starting in 86. What hasn't been acknowledged is the reality of the Hawthorne effect which likely was the reason for the reduction in rear end accidents. Rear end collisions have not maintained the 60% reduction in the years following.
@@paddle_shift When did this study take place and can you site your source please?
@@Flies2FLL you can Google it. Bunch of links there. His study was done in 74
My first car was a '75 Toronado. My neighbor gave it to my dad to give to me by in 2000. I love that car. One day, I'll get her back on the road.
When I was a toddler my Dad drove ‘74 Toro green over green. My memories of the car are sketchy but looking at this video the ornamental door pulls flooded my head. That just is not being done anymore at all. I also recall sitting on top of the front seat arm rest on road trips. It was the 70s. It was fine.
Very interesting and comprehensive history lesson.
I owned a '73 Toronado Brougham in the early '90s. Those seats are every bit as comfortable as they look. I loved that car.
1976 Toronado had optional Geometric Weave Velours with an abstract triangle/rectangle/square pattern in button tufted velour that wows me to this very day.
My grandmother had this geometric velour in her '76 Brougham, and black leather in her white '72. I remember riding in the 76, and the velour would literally swallow you up, it was so comfortable.
Floor mounted headlight dimmer switch!!!! I forgot about those! THIS is why im always tuning in...😀
Love those 60’s and 70’s GM cars. This is a good looking tornado. My great Aunt had a navy blue 66 Tornado.
My dad was a car nut. New cars very often. We lived where there is salt on the roads and so he discovered used cars which he often drove in winters. One such car was a 72 Toronado. He liked it so well that he drove it numerous winters until the door skins began to rust loose at their bottom portions. Overall he kept driving it as it hugged the road better than any other car he ever owned. 7mpg city and 11mpg hwy but who cares when you are driving something you really love.
I had a 73 Toronado, and it did handle very well, but I never got over 10 mpg on the car. I bought it used from my older brother who bought it new
These would have benefited greatly from an overdrive.
@@unclebob7937They would have benefited for sure, greatly I'm not so sure. They were after all nearly 4700 lbs curb weight, and with the aerodynamics of a barn when cruising in overdrive.
@@ButterfatFarms Some pickups out weigh that by 2000 lbs. And they benefit from o/d.
@@unclebob7937 "greatly"? Are we speaking of vintage pickup trucks or do they have other advantages as well?
At home we had a 1972 Toronado. I knew that my parents had bought a new car but they refused to tell me which car they had chosen. I found out when I was picked up at the airport from summer camp. The car felt like an airplane. So much better than my mother's prior car, a 1968 Ninety-Eight Luxury Sedan. Furthermore it had an eight track player and came with a very good CD tape which was comprised of great songs chosen by someone at GM such as Here Comes the Sun by the Beatles. I became a great eight track tape collector. They must all be in some landfill today.
Cassette
Eight track tape is what I meant.
This interior is really nice. Had a 66 Olds 98 coupe that also had really neat interior.
Wow, the '73 is AWESOME, even with the ENORMOUS 5mph Impact Bumpers, Adam😎🤘
I remember when the '71 Toronado came out I really liked the twin grills in the front bumper and thought the second set of taillights were cool as hell - although I believe they were the brake/turn signal only, not running lights if I remember correctly.
First time I have seen color keyed pedals....beautiful
I agree with you, this car has very unique and wonderful seat upholstery and door panels, that speak quality for the era. Especially in red! Certainly an improvement over the '71-'72 interiors! I can't say I like the exterior of these two years -- I find the earlier versions much more attractive.
The seats are great. A sophisticated, modern look.
Love this channel! Was one of the very first subscribers & absolutely love your car collection & the knowledge and wisdom you have about them all. Fellow Michigan man here too! I’m about 5 minutes outside of flint.
I agree with you on every count on the 73 vs the 74. The 73 is absolutely perfect in every way, IMHO. I would love to find a flawless 73. Thanks for pointing out the differences!
The various brocade cloth interiors of the 1960 and early 1970s, are what I love most.
While the interior was distinct and certainly an impressive design I would lust after today, I've never been "sold" on the exterior of this second gen Toronado. They're handsome cars, certainly, but they're also very similar to the Eldorado. I think part of the issue is that, during the '71-'78 generation, the Eldorados have remained very common cars to see out and about today, arguably some of the most 'common' cars of the 70s. By comparison, I don't know that I've seen a '71-'78 Toronado in person, this side of the year 2000. If at all possible, a full breakdown comparison of the two cars (engines, suspension tuning, interior build and quality) would be a truly interesting comparison. I find it funny that, during this period and again during the next generation, the Toronado and Eldorado were so closely related in terms of design, while the Riviera managed to maintain a much more distinct overall appearance despite also sharing some of the same overall look. Maybe I'm just biased towards loving Rivieras, who knows?
You have a beautiful way of presenting the details of vehicles both inside and out. I gotta say, even if I am not particularly interested in the car you are showing, I still watch due to your stellar presentations. Great job! Thank you for your passion for these old cars. I would like to ask i you wouldn't mind taking a sweeping view if the inside of the cars. I love looking at the entire dash and such. Not a complaint, just a suggestion. Thanks again!
I love this car, and LOVE this interior!
Dad got a ‘77 Toronado for Mom, and I loved it.
I think most everyone did .
It was an almost new GM factory official car, and Dad had gotten a few of those over the years.
White with blue interior, and not the XS version.
I loved the flat floor and the extra brake lights….they looked cool, especially with the snow on them.
That car was fantastic in the snow!
Later, I got a ‘74 Toronado, but my wife got early onset Alzheimer’s, and got rid of it, and most of my cars.
My ‘74 had the valve covers stamped with Oldsmobile letters.
I miss that car.
My high school buddy's father, back in mid 70's, had a white 74 Toro with red leather interior. It was Spec. Tac. U. Lar. We'd sneak it out after his parents went to bed. We were ballers in that car. Some Later toros had cool ribbed upholstery, and some had this ultra modern pattern that would blow your mind
So many of the design details remind me of our 1972 caprice hardtop, the way the pointed nose wraps down far in the front with a low grill, the general headlight and front turn signal arrangement/appearance, and especially the green with dark green roof as shown, I do miss that 72!
We had other large GM and Ford cars from the 80s and 90s from LeSabre to Mark 8 and 92 Caprice and nothing matched the ride of that 72.
The interior wasn't that different either from Toros, very ornate brocade textured fabric, driver focused dash and general sense of openness, thin pillars and width.
For "only" a Chevy, often people mistook it for a Cadillac, (from the front), and many of my parents' friends who had moved to the square , downsized GM models said they regretted it after riding with us, especially a neighbor who had impulse-bought a smaller, chintzy, orange Coupe DeVille with many plastic and rubber exterior parts, fixed rear windows, hollow-seeming quality, much less power, for way too much money for such an inferior machine.
They bought a used 74 Electra the next time!
11:00 as a kid, I remember thinking the fully flat floors were WAY COOL.
Excellent. Thank you Adam. You covered things quite well. I recall the Ninety Eight, Eighty Eight and Toronado sharing a lot of parts over time. I liked the 1975-1976 Toronado from this generation( 1971-1978). I like all the Toronados, I have nothing to say or add as a 1992 Toronado owner as you did an excellent job on this video. Yes, the story you tell about the Eldorado influence is true. They went in a more luxury direction. In 1986, they went back to the 1966 direction.
"The Toronado of the 1970s refined the image even further. It was so exclusive that it had its own dedicated assembly line."
We bought a new ‘71 Toronado and it was amazing. Finished in a gold exterior (not sure of the name) with ivory interior. I remember people loved the high rear taillights but many were confused where the vehicle ended. There were many accidents associated with the high placement of those lights. Also the hood length was astonishing sitting behind the wheel and looking over all that metal. I still loved the ‘69/‘70 designs as well
What's amazing about the Saturn I on was how many miles you could get out of it relatively trouble free
That interior though had to be one of the worst especially that center speedometer
I think dash redesign for '74 is tied with airbag option introducing, I remember reading that those driver-centric dashes were incompatible with passenger airbags, so instead were developed flat ones. I'll be glad if you one day make a video about this restraint system by the way, since it's first in industry, it's definitely worth telling the story :)
Funny to see this today. I was watching a video ad for a '73 and was impressed by the interior and wondered if you'd ever profiled it. Apparently, the algorithm figured that out!
When I saw Oldsmobile I had come & check it out. Olds is my fave GM brand.
This Olds and the 74-78 Toronados and all of the 1970s Olds 98s. Regency especially. This was a beautiful decade.
I appreciate how GM personal and luxury cars had the HVAC controls to the left of the steering wheel. This supported the notion that the driver is the commander of the vehicle. Sort of like the pilot of a plane.
5mph number styling done very nicely.
I had a 1995 Lincoln MKVIII, it was silver with a black leather interior. It was like a cockpit inside and the seats were the nicest. Wish I had that car now!
Kind of a sleeper in the stying world of cars. Beautiful automobile. GM knocked it out the park with this one.
The Oldsmobile Toronado introduced the “eye-level” brake/signal lamps which became federally mandated later on. A rear wheel ABS became an option. Its Rocket V8 engines had lower compression ratios to facilitate the use of unleaded fuel, and the anti-smog devices many of which did absolutely nothing but cause grief. These full-size cars actually got better gas mileage burning premium fuel with no smog controls. This generation of vehicles were doing a swan song and we didn’t realize that we were witnessing the last of the finest American automobiles we had ever seen…
I still think the 1973 through 77 Chrysler New Yorkers and Imperials absolutely had the most luxurious seats😊
Spot on, now I'm a Ford guy and I love my 73 T- Bird , but those Imperials and especially New Yorkers are just so plush like none other. My T- Bird interior is nice but in no way compared to the above mentioned. Thank you
I have to agree, those seats would probably be my pick for being the most luxurious looking seats in the industry at the time - although the seats in the Buick Park Avenue and Olds 98 of that period are a close second. Except for the seats in the some Continental MKV's - especially in the "Diamond Jubilee" edition, Ford really didn't have luxurious looking seats of that caliber that I can remember - although I really liked their high back "lounge" seats they offered in '71 thru I think '73.
@@TomSnyder-gx5ru Had a 71 Marquis Brougham as a kid on active duty . Was a coupe black gorgeous and yes those high back twin " Lounge" seats are incredible. Diamond Jubilee Gold , my all time favorite Lincoln in 78 anniversary edition. Someday. You mentioned those seats on the Chryslers, nothing like it period. Could sleep a family of four in the backseat. Ahhh, how I do miss the 70s. That's when Detroit used to build cars WE wanted, remember those days???
I loved my 1971 Toronado, and all these years later can't say I've had a more visually vivid car. The seats weren't as wonderful as the 1973, but the interior was otherwise arguably more tasteful, at least to the minimalist eye, lacking the large and intricate door pull anchor covers, for one. It drove wonderfully, although despite the huge radiator and clutch fan and underbody air scoop, was not thrilled with the desert heat.
I agree, I prefer the earlier non-Riviera "driver-centric" dashboard.
I wish more cars had a completely flat floor like that.
That interior reminds me of of the "72 and later Ford Thunderbird and Mark IV. Thanx Adam for this video.
"The second generation Oldsmobile Toronado were the last of the breed. The third generation Toronado was luxurious but it just wasn’t quite the same league as the first generations. From 1971 until 1978, these personal luxury cruisers were running neck to neck with the Cadillac Eldorado. They were powered by the legendary Rocket Olds V8 engine. The Oldsmobile Toronado had established itself as one of the world’s most unique personal luxury cars. It was so exclusive it had its own dedicated assembly line for quality control. The second generation Toronado with all of their elegance and the emphasis on personal luxury, attracted many new buyers. The highly styled Olds Toronado was always a trend setter from its inception, and an immediate hit with auto enthusiasts."
Always liked the wrap around rear seat on the T bird of 64. Loved Pontiac,Buick & Chrysler for dash/steering wheel. Those clear Lucite steering wheels were the stuff.
i had a 1973 Toronado...it was a yellow interior....and yes the gas and brake were color keyed....absolutely flawless...the car was the best of the best...of course....it was an Olds
"It was so exclusive that it had its own dedicated assembly line. The second generation Oldsmobile Toronado was built from 1971 until 1978."
Saturn Ion was the plain plastic interior you asked for....love your videos keep up the great work...
I love those seats.
Twilight Sentinel was "a feature that enabled the headlights to stay on for a period of time after the car was shut off"? Are you sure about that? The Twilight Sentinel I have known was the feature to automatically turn all your lights on when it was dark, and automatically back off after turning the car off. I suppose it was also what allowed the lights to remain on for a bit after car shut off, but that wasn't the main point of the option... Unless Twilight Sentinel changed over the years or in different applications.
Excellent video! With today’s electric cars it is really easy to tell when a manufacturer is using a recycled chassis because there will be a big transmission hump and a driveshaft/exhaust tunnel through the entire car.
Regarding the color-keyed pedal pads, I noticed that the rub-strip on the bumper of the tan Toro @6:31 appears to be color-keyed to the tan or beige paint. I've never noticed either feature.
2:02 - I saw somewhere else here that by 1971 as Cadillac restyled its Eldorado they passed on their styling cues from 1967 to Oldsmobile to restyle its next generation of Toronado, of course starting in 1971.
"From 1974 until 1976 the Toronado was part of GM’s first experimental production runs for driver and passenger air bags which GM named the Air Cushion Restraint System. These Toronados had a unique steering wheel. They were fitted with a knee bolster beneath the driver’s side of the dash as well "
I’d like you to talk about - or talking with one of your designer friends - about the differences between cheap interior plastics and ones that give a feeling of quality. What’s the difference in price? What are the tricks designers use to make things feel like high quality?
Great question......hard to tell or explain, isn't it?
Basically, starting in '67, GM started to take money out of the interiors by going from real wood, to faux vinyl wood, and going from chromed metal trim parts, to plastic with bright nickel plastic coatings. Instead of looking to more modern, efficient engineering and manufacturing, they just took the make it plastic approach. Sadly, Ford jumped on board, joining the trend in 1970, no more wood interior paneling for the Marks, or Continentals 😮
There's no such thing as a high quality interior plastic! Either you glue foam-backed leather on top of the plastic or you don't. Gluing foam-backed rubber on top of the plastic doesn't really fool anyone. [Similarly you either have wood veener or turned aluminium inlays or you don't.]
@@TassieLorenzoStill, some tricks seem to work in that some plastic seems to have a better touch than others.
For an elegant Mid-Century seat design, I prefer the 1972-76 Thunderbird, especially in black leather. Eames lounge chair motif, tasteful uncontrived design, supremely comfortable seats.
72-76 is the middle of the century?
That interior is museum worthy, never saw that interior before, wonder if there's a black and red one with your name on it,
@44 seconds......any number of late 90's Saturn vehicles had that interior. Had a few rentals which had that exact forgettable drab-gray plastic fantastic interior you displayed. Forgot all about having driven those until you showed that picture. They were said to be long lasting cars though -oddly enough I still see some of those puttering around on the roads today yet 🙂
Would love to see a ride and drive comparison of your Lincoln Town Coupe vs your Mark III ! Both are gorgeous!!
Oldsmobile really had a thing for the accelerator and brake pedals back in the 60s and early 70s...not only were they big chromed affairs but on the Toronado they were color keyed...which I never knew!
É como uma joia feita com esmero cuidado e excelência, creio que os engenheiros da época eram pessoas que sabiam muito se divertir com o trabalho !!!
i like that generation of tornado. thanks.
Our good friend Blaine Jenkins did the interior. In the interview I did with him, he talked about how John Beltz asked him to design a bargain basement base model interior they could use as a price point car. Beltz was not happy with the result, hence the move toward a more elegant interior over the 72.
Indeed!
That red interior you showed was exactly what my cranberry red 73 Toronado had, it was the deluxe interior with the model , I saw another 73 Toronado that had a planer door panels , I really liked the the taillights on the 73 Toronado. It was a huge car and was the worst mpg of all the 1973 automobiles.
I seriously doubt that it got any worse mileage than the Custom Cruiser wagon we had, also with a 455.
@@patrickflohe7427 it was the worst mpg car of 1973-74. Even on a trip that car didn't get 10 mpg
@@califdad4
LOL
I think you already said that.
I still say that is BS, and that’s from someone who has owned and driven more than one.
There was more than one gear ratio available in the Toronado, and there was more than one available in the other cars as well.
@@patrickflohe7427 I just gave a example of the mpg, it was a wonderful handling car and made tighter u turns than my previous smaller Riviera, but that was a news report in 1974, about it being the worst mpg of any other car but also gas was about .40 cents a gallon too then
I had a 74 my seats was red velour outside black with a thin white pinstripe loved it as a road trip car.
"Introduced in 1966, with a shape vaguely reminiscent of a purportedly female Soviet discus hurler, the Olds Toronado never made much of a sales mark until it's image was changed from muscle to svelte in 1971."
That front bumper weighs more than many new vehicles of today!!!😉😁
Those seats look like they would be right at home in The Jetsons.
I’ve learned from Adam that forgotten classic cars are some of the best classic cars. This Olds Toronado is right up there with the Dodge Magnum (well, a few notches ahead). And thank you, thank you, thank you for the explanation behind the decision to upscale the luxury of the Toronado…I always wondered about that. What a grand car. Those seats, that metallic looking dash & that iconic Olds “delta” steering wheel…(& yes! The seats! I had no clue). Thanks…it was Olds night tonight (the other video on your 98 was just as much fun). OK, now we need to find a Mercury Marauder….
"The second generation Oldsmobile Toronado is ultra-luxurious. They are so much like the Cadillac Eldorado that it takes the eagle-eye to tell them apart. The last full-size Toronado rolled off the assembly line in 1978. There is always power to spare in a Rocket Olds V8, a formidable experience awaited its owner. Oldsmobile had been making cars since 1897 and was America’s oldest continuous automaker."
Couch front seat cars must be awesome
One of the best ever!
‘68 Toronado is favorite ❤️
I believe our tastes are quite different, I would prefer a Pontiac Valencia interior to this Oldsmobile Toro one. Interesting video.
I've heard people say that they personally liked the Toronado over the Eldorado. The Toronado wasn't as flashy or some say obnoxious as the styling of the Eldorado was. Without question I did prefer the next generation Toronado over the Eldorado. The Oldsmobile didn't have the Kiss of Death 4100 like the Cadillac did. The Olds had a tried and true 350 that made a lot more power.
Those seats remind me of the sets for 2001.
I would like to see a story on the Olds Delta 88 model oupes with the Y78 options. Pretty rare.
The locking gas door @ 6:00 mark. I did a quick search and was unable to find it listed as a factory option. So perhaps it was a local dealer option, as I cannot see a buyer doing a DIY when locking gas caps were available from J.C. Whitney. While searching I did find you could get a tent package for you Omega hatchback in 74.
Also "anti lock" brakes in 73 and 74 Toronado.
I wonder how they were able to cool the cars with so little grill space.
Those seats remind me of Eames chair, a wonderful looking interior. The door panels remind me of my boattail Riviera.
A fun fact about this era of Toronado, is the drive line was used in the GMC motorhomes. Want to laugh, look up GMC motorhome burn outs.
As far as the cooling goes, I think they use duct work, scoops and deflectors behind the bumper. In the later years they did use a small grill opening in the center, above the bumper.
My next door neighbor growing up had a Toro exactly like the one in this video. Seats and all. Saturn Vue?
Im still a sucker for the '71 b4 cataylitic converters 🎉😂 butbi love the '67b.
I never knew this. Thanks!
Wow that is VERY interesting.. the pedals are color coordinated, but the steering column and air vent are black... I love the roominess from front wheel drive.. .but I do like the 74 dash and steering wheel...
Wow! I used to get car sick as a little kid. That red would have done to me it just out of visual overload!
Hey Adam, while the seats in the Toronado are very attractive, for me the best & most comfortable seats of any cars are the high back twin comfort lounge seats in the early seventies Marquis Broughams & LTD Broughams!!! 👍👍🙂
That "plasticy" interior is defiently and early 2000' Saturn Ion. Thanks for another great video.
They should have left the ‘66 alone for the exterior. WOW! What a gorgeous car!
While I agree this interior is quite nice, many of the mid 80s gm luxury car interiors were nicer in my opinion. Some of the buick and Cadillac interiors were quiet, soft, and very welcoming.
Saturn Ion
0:39 Saturn ion sedan level 1 . Couldn't tell you the specific year but my dad had one when i was a kid.
The interior photo of a Saturn Ion sedan! Horrible interior but at least the exterior didn't rust.
Great vid!!!! 👍👍
I jumped my Dads 1981 Tornado V8 307 so high when I landed it ripped the oil pan clean off. Welded it up at the local gas station before and kept my mouth shut. I was 17 in 1982. Cranberry red leather interior gun metal grey exterior. Clean missile to launch!