Oldsmobile Toronado
Today’s enthusiasts may not remember Oldsmobile since the brand was retired in 2000. But back in the 1960s, the company enjoyed a reputation for inventive technology, style, and luxury. Oldsmobile represented the cutting edge of GM at one point in time, presenting models that were far ahead of their time while displaying power and style on the global market. One such car was the Oldsmobile Toronado (via Car and Driver).
This was a big, powerful personal luxury coupe with a twist since it had front-wheel drive. In those days, only a few imports were front-wheel drive, while all domestic cars were rear-wheel drive. However, Oldsmobile wanted to introduce something else and constructed an ingenious FWD system. Designers drew a fantastic-looking shape with a low roof and hidden headlights. Power came from a big block 455 V8 with 385 hp. The Toronado was a success and introduced superb driving characteristics that left competitors in the dust. The first two generations were the best while the later Toronado was just a Cadillac Eldorado with a different grille.