A lot of Present, Very Little Go.
Would you purchase low cost tickets to see the Rolling Stone carry out reside, if the worth discount meant the band would play very quietly? Wouldn’t it be sufficient to simply see Mick and Keith, or would you need to hear them as properly?
Whereas this query could appear absurd, Oldsmobile determined to ask clients roughly the identical query again in 1977. The Seventies have been a darkish time for auto followers, what with low-lead fuel cramping efficiency, excessive gasoline costs, and inflation-inflated sticker costs, automobile possession was by no means much less enjoyable.
1977 Oldsmobile Omega
Diminished Expectations
Worse, carmakers have been below strain from the federal authorities to enhance gasoline economic system, this at a time when Individuals had not but totally embraced downsized, or small-displacement engines.
So, in a mild—and maybe misguided—try to lure sporty-car intenders away from fuel-thirsty engines, Oldsmobile provided buyers free sporty stuff—however provided that they went with the bottom V6 engine. Let’s name the entire fiasco an experiment.
One Yr Solely
We’re speaking in regards to the compact Olds Omega, a likable clone of the Chevrolet Nova, and doubtlessly sporty when correctly geared up. And the “free” stuff was truly fairly compelling.
For 1977—and solely 1977—Oldsmobile provided without charge the SX Options Group when buyers bought 4 different enjoyable gadgets. That’s “9 gadgets for the worth of 4” as famous within the advert seen right here.
Right here’s what you needed to buy:
V6-Sports activities Pack
Sport Gauge Group
Tremendous Inventory Wheels
Raised white-letter tires
Bucket seats
Right here’s what you bought without spending a dime:
SX Options Group
SX Décor
Customized Sport Steering Wheel
Twin Outdoors Sport Mirrors
“Open Street” FE2 Suspension
Rocker-panel/wheel-opening molding trim
Good, however Gradual
What this acquired you, as an Omega proprietor, was a very nice, handsome automobile with a succesful sport suspension that couldn’t get out of its personal approach. The automobile appeared nice, and the game suspension actually did enhance dealing with. However below the hood…nothing however remorse and unhappiness.
Engines
As famous above, to get the free SX Options Group, clients needed to persist with the bottom engine. And that engine was the 105-horsepower Buick-sourced 3.8-liter V6. And whereas most have been hooked to a 3-speed automated transmission, a 3-speed guide may be had.
Now, a 145-horsepower Chevy-built 5.0-liter V8 was additionally accessible, however ordering it forfeited the SX Group low cost. Observe that California residents might additionally order a 170-horsepower 5.7-liter V8, which got here solely with an automated. Both V8 would have been a dramatic step up from the V6, and would have made this sporty-looking Oldsmobile enjoyable to drive, as properly. One evaluate had the Omega with V6 and automated transmission reaching 60 mph from a cease in 14.5 seconds, whereas an identical Omega fitted with the accessible 5.0-liter made the run in about 10.0 seconds.
Value
And what was that the free bundle value? For 1977, the SX Options Group retailed for $187, that’s about $1000, inflation adjusted.
No phrase on what number of buyers availed themselves of the promotion, however it’s value noting the free-package deal disappeared for 1978. We suspect most SX-group-equipped Omegas have been ordered with one of many V8 choices, making for a great-looking, fairly sporty—by 1977 requirements—compact coupe.
“Rugged” V6
We hope the copywriter accountable for this sentence by no means discovered advert work once more:
“To make it go, there’s a rugged 231 V-6 that’s acquired loads of muscle…”
Undecided what’s meant right here by rugged, however we’re certain nobody accustomed to the automobile ever described the V6’s output utilizing the phrase “a lot.” The man who wrote that line would in all probability purchase low cost Rolling Stones tickets.
Hearken to the Automobile Stuff Podcast
Oldsmobile Omega SX photos
Click on beneath for enlarged photos
1979 Oldsmobile Starfire: Favourite Automobile Advertisements