Things had certainly changed at Oldsmobile by 1991 – but then they had changed for everyone in the automobile biz by that point. The Doctor’s sales leviathan, the rear-wheel drive Cutlass/Cutlass Supreme had gone away and Cutlass was now represented by a new FWD Cutlass Supreme along with the Cutlass Ciera and various Cutlass Calais models like today’s 1991 “International” edition. Yes, it’s a far cry from what once was, but this car is harboring some interesting features so let’s see what GM’s middle-tier division was pushing in ’91. Located in Buffalo, New York, this stylish coupe is available, here on Facebook Marketplace for $6,500. Thanks are due to Tony P. for this tip!
The Cutlass Calais International, offered as a two-door coupe and a four-door sedan, occupied the top Calais rung, surpassing the standard Calais, Calais S, and Calais LS SL. There was even a 442 variant but I’d prefer to forget about that one and move on. The big news with the Calais International was its 180 net HP, 2.4-liter “Quad 4 W-41” dual overhead cam engine, and in this case, it’s tethered to a five-speed manual transaxle. The Quad 4 engine was a big deal when introduced for the 1988 model year – it was one of the last significant Oldsmobile-developed mechanical powertrain components and saw duty in other GM cars. The seller mentions that this is the original engine and was rebuilt in 2015 – how much mileage it has experienced, however, is not said but the car has racked up a total of 165K.
The body and finish look great! The bright red finish, a shade known for fading, is still surprisingly deep – the seller mentions that it’s garaged in winter months. Styling is always subjective, I have to say, compared to earlier Cutlass Supremes this one doesn’t really cut it, but again, it’s all a matter of preference. Particularly, the trunk lid wrap-around spoiler seems like a miss on a car with supposed “International” flair. The three-spoke wheels aren’t helping the cause either.
Things are looking up inside! For a car with 165K miles of use and 33 years of age, I’d expect a more worn bearing but the environment shows as clean and gently used. The fabric upholstery, dash pad, door panels, carpet, and console all present themselves well. Of note, check out that white ball-topped Hurst shifter!
My research source indicates that this Calais International coupe is one of only 671 produced, and the four-door sedan is even scarcer managing only 379 copies – I’d say that’s rather rare. And that leaves me with a question of collectibility. As certain late fifties, sixties, and early seventies cars are beyond the $$$ reach of mere mortal men (and women) will cars similar to this 1991 Oldsmobile Calais International become the next big thing on the enthusiast front?
I do remember the Cutlass Calais but I’m not sure I remember the International model. Overall it doesn’t look bad. The red paint is eye-catching. From the brief write-up it sounds like it has had some care and attention. I don’t think I have ever seen a three-spoke wheel design that I liked. With the manual transmission it might be kind of fun. And cheap.
Good job Jim.
When I was growing up in sw PA, the local pizza shop owner bought one of these brand new. 180hp from a 2.4l I4 is a heckuva lot more impressive than the 175hp 307 v8 from just a few years prior that the “442” came with, and the Quad 4 could be had with a 5speed! It was substantially quicker than the final 4-4-2, even if it was wrong wheel drive. And he claimed that it handled exceedingly well on twisty Pennsylvania roads while also getting 30 mpg’s.
I doubt these are ever going to be collectible, except for extremely low mileage examples but I would be proud to own and drive one, and you’d definitely be the only one at the car show and c&c. The interior of this one is either reupholstered or the owner went to great lengths to preserve the seats, because they didn’t really stand up to heavy use without the side bolsters wearing thin. And I really dig the hurst shifter!
I have to admit that the power output is pretty fair!
JO
Jim:
I believe the trim level above the base S was the Calais SL, not LS.
I owned two different ’88 I-Series cars. Very fun to drive and economical. torque-steer out the wazoo. One of the few cars I regret selling when the last two kids came along. These N-body cars were just a variation of the J-cars I believe, but felt much more substantial to me.
You’re right, it’s all those comments about “put an LS in it” that got me crossed up…
Fixed.
JO
I didn’t know the 4 door was so rare. My father, a retired GM employee, ordered a 4 door for my sister. It was nice, leather seats, side emblem that looked like it came off a military uniform. I think it may have had the controls in the steering wheel, and heads up display. Or I may be confusing it with the Bonneville SSEI.
The ad says that the body was done in 2015. I would assume that the car was repainted at this time as well.
It’s a nice car. I’ve personally seen it. Definitely had a repaint and some custom appearance work done. It’s a blend of 2 or 3 different cars to make one nice one. They never made a w41 International so my guess is someone has added the appearance package to a QUAD442. None the less it shows nice and turns heads.
I was a little confused by this one. I didn’t think the Internationals had the W41, I thought only 442s got that. Also crank windows seem odd in an international. So this was a 442 that got the trim, seats, wheels from an international?
From what I’ve seen of it. It’s definitely a Quad442 wearing an international body kit and interior. Has a steering wheel from an Olds Cutlass. Custom shifter handle. It has the correct rpo codes from the 442. Too bad too. It would be 1 or 204 or so that had the w41 opinion.
I actually bought a brand new 1990 olds 442 package with the quad 4. It was awesome!! Biggest regret is selling it. If he was closer I’d buy it for sure.
Just a historical footnote at this point, but the Quad 4 engine team bought several low-mileage Cosworth Vega engines for reference during its development. The CV was originally to debut with ~170 HP (gross as measured at the time), so the Quad 4’s 180 HP (net) is pretty impressive.
I think this would be a fun ride…
I owned a 89 calais with a 3.0 V6. 2 door black with red pinstripes and red velour interior. It was a blast to drive. Quick for what it was and really handled well. It was super comfortable. Drove great at about 90 miles an hour on the freeway all the way from Salt Lake City Ut. to Wendover Nevada. Sold it to a couple who drove it to Washington. It had 202,000 miles on it when we sold it to them and they drove it around for another 2 years without having to put anything into it that I know of before we lost touch. Far more dependable than I think anything I’ve ever owned before or after. Also it wasn’t ugly or at least I didn’t think so. Worst part about that car was at the time I didn’t know anything about the distributorless ignition and crankshaft positioning sensor went out and I ended up selling my 78 Black Beauty Trans Am in order to get that car fixed for my wife. The Trans Am was a running and driving 400 Pontiac motor automatic T-top car black with gold Pinstripes and the gold prism Dash. Was going to be a really nice car but happy wife happy life. So you do what you have to do.
You should have gotten a divorce. Enough of this having to make other people happy nonsense.
Also, the W41 was good for 190 hp. I drove one of these and they were stronger than chicken crap for their day.
Not sure where chicken crap places among all of the he other barn yard animals crap?
Obviously stronger!
I don’t hate it and I’d drive it, but having never driven one I’m looking at that tiny back window and the spoiler sticking up off the trunk and me thinks rearward visibility is compromised. Not Lamborghini Countach level, but probably annoying.
Bought a quad 442 brand new 1998, 1991 it was a big POS five rebuilds on factory recalls on the heads parts are impossible to find for the jack chefs to rebuild a CV joints, one big hunk of junk
I’d opt the Beretta GTZ if you wanted a little nicer looking car with the Quad 4 and 5 speed.
My 1989 Grand AM SE with the base Quad 4 had torque steer like crazy, and a propensity to blow head gaskets.
205/55-16 tires were pretty big for such a small car.
But man those were fun back in the day.
The power to weight ratio of the high output version rivalled the early 5.0 Mustangs.
Just lacked bottom end torque, no replacement for displacement.
Later versions added a balance shaft, took some of the fun out.
The head gasket issue was a problem with early Quad 4s. Did your car get recalled for it or was it just repaired under warranty?
JO
The Grand Am, bought new in 1989, replaced my first ever car, a 1975 Malibu, also bought new off the lot.
First time gasket replacement done under warranty, 2nd not.
At that point I hated the dealer and GM.
3rd time it showed signs of giving out, ran it, changed oil frequently, and the one spark plug that fouled, did so for a year, replaced it with a Ford product in 1998.
Let the Grand Am rot in peace behind the barn. 0 resale value.
Traded that Ford in 2010 with another Ford.
Still have it.
About the time in bought my last car, I sold the Malibu (which also was retired to behind the barn,) to a local dirt track star, Hi Derek! He turned it into a dirt car, where some of it still is out there being raced.
4 cars for 48 years, I got my money’s worth.
Bought an Olds Alero in 1999..2000 model year for the wife. Had the Quad 4. Although a nice performing engine..oil leaks were not that easily fixed. I believe…Alldata stated 8 hours to reseal the rocker cover..very labor intensive for a ” valve cover” reseal. I let it leak till I sold it when the compressor gave out. Just wasn’t a car worth putting the money/labor in.
I have a complete (except for headliner) 1988 red leather 5-speed International series interior with power window door panels out of a 32,000 mile car that I bought new in ’88 and was sadly totaled in ’92 when someone turned left in front of me. Parts have been stored indoors for 30 years. Includes, full dash, seats, rear side panels, visors, console, and carpet. Reply if anyone needs such parts.Basically stripped the entire car of anything that wasn’t damaged.
Hello Poopy Do you have a power window regulator for a 81 Chrysler New Yorker?
I was also wondering if you had the dome light switch along with the dodge diplomat blinker stock you said you had last week
Yes, Poopy, I still have that window regulator. Do you still need that muffler bearing for your 1995 RectumXL?
I don’t believe the International Series was available with the W41. 671 coupes were built, of which 179 had a manual transmission.
Based on what???
Note the attached and read the “Cutlass Calais Powertrain Specifications” section. The H.O. Quad Four, also known as the W-41, is listed as standard equipment on the International, not to mention that it’s clearly cast into the valve cover in the engine image.
JO
Sorry Jim, but the H.O. version was only 180 hp. The W41 was a step up from the H.O. and produced 190 hp. In one of the SCCA classes, GM produced a limited number of W41’s which were outfitted with lightweight forged cranks and titanium rods and produced about 240 hp. Jay Leno’s garage on Youtube has a fantastic video about this series. I think only about 15 of those were made. I don’t recall there being a W41 option for the international series. If this car is a legit W41 AND a legit international series, it would be one of the most rare cars turned out GM.
Well, if it’s not, the seller must have poached the valve cover from one or acquired it somehow – which seems unlikely, though not impossible, I suppose. Regardless, the VIN wasn’t included in the listing and that would have really helped put the debate to rest.
JO
As some have posted elsewhere, it appears this car started life as a W41 442(1 of 204 cars). At some point it was dressed up with most of the International series bits and pieces. But it’s not an actual Intl series.
Wouldn’t it be more desirable as a W-41 442? And if so, it makes me wonder why it would have been redressed as an International. Yes, it’s a rhetorical question but I’m not sure what this car is at this point.
JO
I had new a 1991 Grand Am LE with the W32 Sport Performance Packsge and the standard 160 horse LD2 Quad 4 with automatic. It was a very quick car for the times and I liked it a lot
This one is a little bit too cobbled together for me but I would love to find an original Calais IS or.W32 or SE Grand Am with 5-speed and the LG0 H.O Quad 4.
I had an ’86 Calais Supreme 4 door (first year for the 4 doors). It had the V6 and it had loads of pop! It was fully equipped with electric windows and automatic transmission – I put 130,000 miles on it before I traded it in for a ’92 Acura Integra GS-R. I did miss the Calais, but the GS-R was a rocket! Looking at this one, it reminds me of olden days with one – they are very nice cars and not too problematic. The Quad 4 is a very good engine if taken care of properly, and if I didn’t already have too many cars, I’d jump on this one. BTW, the comment about rear visibility isn’t too bad – the C-pillars are more of a problem than the rear window. That was also the reason why I opted for the 4 door, which has smaller pillars and better visibility.
I owned this car and bought it used. It wasn’t the International but was the 442. The car was a repaint and after owning it for one year it started to d rust and when I brought it to a body shop a friend owned, he told me to drive it as it is because it wouldn’t pay to fix. I will tell you it was on of the fastest cars I owned and didn’t realize how fast it was till I had to floor it to get into merging traffic. That car put me banoticed other carsck into my seat in first, second and third gears. It was a shame when the car rusted out so badly, it wasn’t safe to drive it anymore. I noticed other cars in this year rusted out every where too. Not sure if it was because of the repaint or using rusted medal to build
them.
https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2019/07/rare-rides-the-1991-oldsmobile-cutlass-calais-quad-442-w41/
Same car?
It could be. It’s curious that the Facebook Marketplace listing refers to as an “International” and that’s what it looks like. In the TTAC post it’s referred to as a W-41 442 but a 442 would have had “Quad 442” badging on the door bump strips – and it doesn’t. It’s dressed like an International. As I stated earlier, the VIN is necessary to determine what this car really is.
JO
Hi, I’ve asked the seller for the VIN : it’s a Cutlass Calais, “S” trim, manual transmission, engine code “A”, LG0, 2.3l.
Replying to SleekMachine, in those year Quad4s LG0 means it was either a 180 or 190 hp 2.3. The W41 didn’t have a separate VIN code. BUT if it’s a Calais S, that would suggest it’s a 442, not an International.
Nice car. More interesting is the red Buick LeSabre T-type in the background.
Jim, I know the guy who built this car. He took a W41 Quad442 and added the interior and ground effects package from an International Series. It is a nice look with the added performance of the W41 package. I own both a ’91 International Coupe and a ’91 Quad 442 W41.