Oldsmobile 442 (1978-79)
Back in the late ’60s, the Oldsmobile 442 was a well-respected car. During the heyday of this model, the name stood for 400 cubic inch engine, four-barrel carburetor, and dual exhaust, but after the introduction of the big block and other options, this changed while the name stuck. Although many legendary muscle cars died in the early ’70s, Oldsmobile kept the 442 alive but far from the standards of its predecessors. The mid-’70s 442 was just an option on mid-size luxury coupes as a marketing gimmick rather than a full-fledged muscle car with powerful engines and crazy acceleration times. We have to admit that Oldsmobile tried to keep the 442 legend alive. Still, the industry’s restrictions at the moment kept it from being more than just a couple of stickers on regular models (via Autopolis).
The lowest point in the 442’s evolution was in 1978 when the model was offered as an option for a smaller Oldsmobile, the compact Cutlass. The max power was 160 hp for 1978 and 170 hp for 1979, which was about a third of what a true Oldsmobile 442 would generate back in the day. The other shocking fact is that the 442 option could be had on a hatchback body style, which was absurd. Fortunately, in the early ’80s, 442 returned as a more serious performance machine, but 1978-79 was the lowest point in the history of this legendary muscle car.