Oldsmobile Aurora
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| Oldsmobile Aurora | |
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| Manufacturer: | General Motors |
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| Production: | 1995–2003 |
| Assembly: | Lake Orion, Michigan |
| Predecessor: | Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight |
| Class: | Full-size luxury car |
| Body style: | 4-door sedan |
| Layout: | FF layout |
| Platform: | GM G platform |
| Related: | Buick Riviera Buick LeSabre Buick Park Avenue Pontiac Bonneville Cadillac Seville Cadillac DeVille |
| Similar: | Chrysler LHS Infiniti I30 Lincoln Continental |
| First Generation | |
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| Production: | 1995–1999 |
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| Engine: | 4.0 L L47 V8 |
| Transmission: | 4-speed automatic |
| Wheelbase: | 113.8 in |
| Length: | 205.4 in |
| Width: | 74.4 in |
| Height: | 55.4 in |
| Curb weight: | 3967 lb |
| Fuel capacity: | 20 US gal |
| Second Generation | |
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| Production: | 2001–2003 |
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| Engine: | 3.5 L LX5 V6 4.0 L L47 V8 |
| Transmission: | 4-speed automatic |
| Wheelbase: | 112.2 in |
| Length: | 199.3 in |
| Width: | 72.9 in |
| Height: | 56.7 in |
| Curb weight: | 3627 lb |
| Fuel capacity: | 18.5 US gal 17.5 US gal |
The Oldsmobile Aurora was a luxury automobile made by the Oldsmobile division of General Motors and launched in 1995. It was a luxurious 4-door sedan riding on the same Cadillac-derived G platform as the 2-door Buick Riviera. Since the demise of the Ninety Eight in 1996, the Aurora became the flagship Oldsmobile. Also, in a way, it is the successor of the Ninety-Eight or the Eighty-Eight (at least for 2000). A V6-powered version was introduced in 2001 to supplant the Eighty-Eight and the LSS. It was introduced to bring new life to Oldsmobile, but the first few years of the Aurora did not feature the Oldsmobile name. There was also a rumor at the time that the name of the whole Oldsmobile marque would be changed to simply "Aurora."
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[edit] First generation (1995-1999)
The 1995 Aurora introduced Oldsmobile's "Aurora" L47 V8, a DOHC engine based on Cadillac's 4.6 L Northstar V8. The Aurora was highly regarded at the time for its refined engine, excellent build quality, well-balanced ride, and structural integrity. In fact, during normal crush-to-failure tests done by automakers to evalute body rigidity, the Aurora's unibody construction actually broke GM's testing machine. A frame-crusher otherwise used to test stronger truck frames had to be used instead, with the car exceeding federal standards for passenger cars by two times.
As a symbol of its clean break from other cars in the lineup, the Aurora bore no Oldsmobile badging or script, except on the cassette deck and engine cover. Oldsmobile quickly launched other new models with the Aurora "look," including the all-new Intrigue and Alero, the refreshed Eighty-Eight, and even updated the division's "rocket" logo to be more visually in-line with the Aurora's emblem. The 1997 redesign of the Silhouette and the 2002 redesign of the Bravada also saw the "Aurora look" on their front fascia.
The first generation Aurora went into production on January 31, 1994. All Auroras were built in Orion, Michigan, along with the Buick LeSabre, Buick Park Avenue, Buick Riviera, Oldsmobile 88, Oldsmobile 98 and the Pontiac Bonneville. Production of the first generation Aurora ended on June 25, 1999.
[edit] Engines
[edit] Year-to-year changes
1996: Daytime running lights were installed in 1996 Auroras, and Oldsmobile claimed to have eliminated the distortion in the rear window, which had produced many complaints.
1997: An electronic compass was incorporated into the inside rear-view mirror this year. The right-hand outside mirror now tilted down when the car was put into reverse, allowing the driver to see the curb edge. An in-dash CD player joined the optional Bose sound system, and a 12-disc CD player could be ordered with the Bose setup.
1998: For 1998, GM modified the suspension and steering to provide a more comfortable ride and better low-speed steering feel. Also new was an optional satellite navigation system/cellular phone called OnStar.
1999: Changes for 1999 included automatic level-control suspension, and a power down-reverse passenger-side mirror. Aurora production continued through the year, but no 2000 model was offered. A redesigned 2001 model debuted early in 2000.
[edit] Second generation (2001-2003)
Oldsmobile's original intention for the second generation was to move the Aurora further upmarket, retaining its V8-only drivetrain and sharing a platform with the new Buick Riviera, as the original Aurora had done. This would have created more room within the Oldsmobile lineup for a four-door Eighty-Eight successor known as the Antares. However, Buick dropped its Riviera development plans and fiscal trouble found Oldsmobile, so Oldsmobile was forced to re-engineer the Antares into an acceptable Aurora in short time. The Aurora was downsized as the successor for the H-body Eighty-Eight on the short-wheelbase G-body (on which the Buick LeSabre and Pontiac Bonneville joined, as they used to be on the H-body). The 2001 Aurora was the product of that re-engineering.
The second generation Aurora used a new, less-expensive version of the G platform with a shorter wheelbase.
Oldsmobile also offered a V6 engine in the Aurora for the first time. The V6 in question was the LX5, a cut-down relation of the DOHC Aurora V8, dubbed the "Shortstar." The V6-powered Aurora was produced for the 2001 and 2002 model years only, with production ceasing in mid-2002.
The second generation Aurora went into production on November 10, 1999. The last V6-powered Auroras rolled off the assembly line on June 21, 2002. The Final 500 Auroras ended production on March 28, 2003. The Orion, Michigan plant built a total of 71,722 second-generation Auroras (53,640 in 2001, 10,865 in 2002, 7,217 in 2003).
[edit] Engines
- 2001-2002: 3.5 L (214 in³) LX5 V6, 215 hp @ 5600 rpm, 230 ft·lbf torque @ 4400 rpm.
- 2001-2003: 4.0 L (244 in³)L47 V8, 250 hp @ 5600 rpm, 260 ft·lbf torque @ 4400 rpm.
[edit] In pop culture
- The Aurora was the Indianapolis 500 pace car for 1997 and 2000.
- The character of Bob Cutlass (voiced by Bob Costas) in the 2006 Disney/Pixar animated film Cars is a 1999 Aurora.
- The car that an Upgrade Agent jumps on in the movie The Matrix Reloaded from a cop car is a 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- The Aurora Club of North America - For the Aurora Enthusiast
- The Oldsmobile Connection - The Site For Oldsmobile Enthusiasts
- Dred98's Classic Aurora pages
| Oldsmobile | Category | Vehicles | | |
| Cars: | 40 | 53 | 66 | 88 | 98 | 442 | Achieva | Alero | Aurora | Curved Dash | Custom Cruiser | Cutlass | Cutlass Calais | Cutlass Ciera | Cutlass Cruiser | Cutlass Supreme | F-85 | Firenza | Intrigue | Limited Touring | Omega | Series 60 | Series 70 | Oldsmobile Series 90 | Starfire | Toronado | Vista Cruiser |
| SUVs / Minivans: | Bravada | Silhouette |
| Oldsmobile road car timeline, 1980-2004, North American market - | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Type | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| Compact | Starfire | Firenza | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Omega | Cutlass Calais | Achieva | Alero | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mid-size | Cutlass | Cutlass Ciera | Cutlass | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cutlass Cruiser | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cutlass Supreme | Intrigue | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Full-size | Eighty-Eight | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ninety-Eight | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Toronado | Aurora | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Custom Cruiser | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minivan | Silhouette | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SUV | Bravada | Bravada | |||||||||||||||||||||||
