Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Coupe

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Founded in 1897 by Ransom E Olds, Oldsmobile was to become the oldest American automobile marque, surviving right up until 2004 when parent company General Motors finally pulled the plug on this 107-year-old brand.

The first production Cutlass was introduced in 1961 and was the top spec model in Oldsmobile’s compact F85 range, aimed at the younger, sportier driver. Small and light by American standards, the Cutlass was powered by Buick’s new all-alloy 3.5-litre V8 (made famous in the UK as the Rover V8). Restyled for 1963 with newly fashionable squared-off lines, it became longer and heavier with a cast-iron V8 replacing the all-alloy Buick unit.

The Cutlass went through numerous upgrades throughout the 1960s and 1970s, with changes to the styling reflecting the fashions of the day in the USA. By the late 1970s, the car bore little resemblance to the original Cutlass with the wide, square, styling of the period.

The 1978 Cutlass was actually downsized to the new version of GM's A-body with a shorter, 108-inch wheelbase. This Cutlass was lighter than earlier versions, but still heavy by UK standards at around 3,300lbs, and it could be ordered with any of several engines built by GM's different divisions; a Buick 231 (3.79-litre) V6, Oldsmobile 260 (4.3-litre) V8, Pontiac 301 (4.9-litre) V8, or Chevrolet 305 (5-litre) V8s with either 2 or 4 barrel carburettors.

Numerous alternative grilles were used on the different equipment levels for 1978 and 1979, including two sets each of slotted, waterfall, and eggcrate style designs. By the 1980s, the Cutlass had become so popular that Oldsmobile was using the name as a sub-marque, with many vehicle lines bearing the name simultaneously. The Cutlass continued with regular re-designs and a bewildering array of models, the name only dying out when the final sixth generation ceased production in July 1999.

This 1978 Cutlass Supreme Coupe has the 4.9-litre V8 and was first registered in the UK in 1989, being acquired by John Saunders in 1992, shortly after it’s only recorded MOT expired which states that the mileage was 57,136 at that date. It has been with the Saunders family and museum ever since, the DVLA website confirming that it has not been taxed and on the road since 1992.