Much like old TVR 280i’s, I have a deep obsession with the Oldsmobile Toronado Trofeo. It’s a purely cosmetic attraction, as I still consider this Olds to be one of the most visually intriguing cars GM has ever made. The combination of striking looks, reliable 3800 V6 power, and a healthy amount of new-fangled technology made for an intriguing package, but not enough to stay in the lineup for very long. Find this Toronado Trofeo listed here on Facebook Marketplace for $5,000.
In the late 80s and early 90s, GM was facing stiff competition across a few different vehicles segments. The Japanese were dominating the entry-level car market with overbuilt machines, while the Germans were producing sports sedans with willing engines and rear-wheel drive. Oldsmobile had decent product designers, but struggled to put a package together the didn’t offend its core customers while attempting to attract BMW shoppers into the showroom. It didn’t quite work out, as the Toronado still mostly spoke to its existing customer base. Still, what a phenomenal design. It still looks sharp decades later.
Still, here’s the hard truth: I spent an hour or so in my 1987 BMW 325is this past week, a car I’ve now owned for 15 years. It has a 5-speed, inline-six, limited-slip differential, and a decent computer for tracking fluid levels and fuel consumption. In reality, it has everything the Oldsmobile has, plus you can genuinely drive the stuffing out of it and have a blast doing so. Packaging-wise, the Toronado Trofeo had a lot going for it, but without three pedals, it seemed destined to always be perceived as the 90s version of a personal luxury coupe.
With 170 b.h.p. and 220 lb.-ft. of torque, it was more powerful than my 3-Series by a healthy amount. And the 3800 V6 is a legendary powerplant both in terms of reliability and performance, but the latter was almost certainly stunted by the standard automatic transmission. The seller reports that his Toronado was off the road for many years before he revived it, and I’m curious if it’s the same one I spotted at an auction in New Mexico last year. The asking price of $5,000 seems fair for a runner, but it may take a slightly lower offer to sell this obscure classic.
I was a teenager working at a Chev-Olds dealership body shop when these were new in the early 90ās. I thought they were so cool and futuristic. So expensive and out of reach of course of an 18 year old saving for college.
I remember driving one on the dealership lot and dreaming of the future. I think Iād rather go back to that time š .
Did you make it to college on body shop wages?? I worked in a machine shop in high school. I made enough to join the Marines by the time I graduated in 1995.
I went to college back in the early 70’s and I did manage to make enough money working summers in a hospital storeroom to pay for my tuition. Tuition was a lot less back then but for some reason, tuition seems to have gotten so far out of whack the last few decades that I don’t see how anybody could make enough during a summer job nowadays to pay for a year’s tuition.
I too always loved the way these looked. Sadly, they didn’t have the power to match the looks, though 170 HP was respectable for the times. Too bad the L67 supercharged 3800 never found its way into these.
In an alternate reality, this styling is wrapped over a RWD platform, with a Quad 4 turbo that won’t blow its head gaskets and a six-speed manual. Alas, that’s not what we have, but these are damn good-looking cars.
I dunno SirRaoulDuke. That 3.8l was a dead reliable piece of iron, decent power, and coupled to the 4T60 transaxle, cockroaches will be driving them after a nuclear attack. I definitely prefer RWD for high-speed driving, but for anything not involving tire smoke, FWD is just fine. I think GM made the right call.
I’m especially fond of the back view on these, and the wheels & tires seem oversized in a way that is pleasing to the eye. The special factory wheels certainly make the design stand out.
Plastic intake manifold wasn’t dead reliable. One failed on an Intrigue we had and blew the engine.
Looks to me like it was huffing a little smoke out behind it in the lead pic. Anyone else notice that?
Now that you mention it, yes. Or maybe it’s just a misty morning out in the country. Interesting car but the that rear end looks too blocky.
nice but from the listing sounds like there a bunch of gremlins lurking in this toro that could pinch your wallet. too many things that don’t work. be a great deal @2500.00.
Wow – nice car and starting at a decent price. I had a 1989 Buick Riviera with their version of the crt (VCC – Vehicle Control Center). I saw a Toro with the same screen only COLOR. I had CRT envy for the Toro from then on.
Not a fan of the 3800’s. It had plenty of power but the the inner plenum was the problem. I had three different vehicles with that engine and all failed. One vehicle failed twice . Never again.