1966 Oldsmobile Toronado

1966 Oldsmobile Toronado Deluxe — 425ci V8, Front-Wheel Drive, 2025 National Autorama Class Winner

The 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado Deluxe is one of the most technically significant American cars of the postwar era. When Oldsmobile introduced the Toronado for the 1966 model year, it became the first American front-wheel-drive car in over three decades — the first since the Cord 810 of 1936. That alone would have earned it a place in history. But the engineering team at Oldsmobile went further, pairing the front-wheel-drive system with a 425 cubic inch V8 producing 385 horsepower and 475 lb-ft of torque. To route that much power through the front wheels required an entirely new drivetrain architecture. The Turbo-Hydramatic transmission was mounted alongside the engine, connected to the differential by a roller chain running through an oil bath. It was a purpose-built solution with no precedent in American production cars, and it worked. Motor Trend named the Toronado its Car of the Year for 1966.

That distinction matters to collectors. Roughly 40,963 Toronados were built for the 1966 model year, spanning both trim levels, and the Deluxe represents the fully optioned expression of what Oldsmobile intended.

The car has been driven approximately 2,000 miles under current ownership. The odometer reads approximately 7,675 miles, with the bulk of those accumulated prior to 2013. It is garage stored and part of a larger personal collection. In February 2025, the car took a class win at the National Autorama in Dallas — a national traveling show that draws serious competition — a result that reflects the quality of this restoration.

Included with the car is a separate provenance piece: a factory bronze-colored Toronado ashtray signed by David North, the designer credited with the Toronado's exterior styling, obtained at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale. The inscription includes a personal dedication to the current owner. The ashtray is not installed in the car — it is a display piece kept separately — but it transfers with the sale.

Key details
Transmission: Turbo-Hydramatic Automatic
VIN / chassis: 396876M515932

Offered by Skyway Classics, 14805 Venture Dr, Farmers Branch, TX 75234. Taxes, title and fees not included.

Photos courtesy of Skyway Classics.