Word: toronado
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Dates: during 1960-1969
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...Detroit's most impressive innovation is a completely new car: the Oldsmobile Toronado, first U.S. model in 29 years with "front-wheel drive." A six-passenger sports coupe, it has an engine that feeds power directly to the front wheels. Because those wheels dig into a curve and pull the car along like a train or a trailer-truck, the Toronado corners as smoothly at 60 m.p.h. as many cars do at 35 m.p.h., does not need chains or snow tires. Test drivers who were assigned to overturn it found that almost impossible to do because...
...drive, and so had the U.S. Cord in the 1930s. Critics contend that the system has disadvantages, but Oldsmobile General Manager Harold Metzel argues that engineering advances eliminate them. Power steering prevents sway and loss of control on turns; an adjustable torsion-bar suspension system eliminates over-steering. The Toronado will cost about $5,000, and Metzel anticipates sales...
Oldsmobile introduced its racy, 375-h.p. Toronado, first U.S. car with front-wheel drive since the Cord phased out in 1937. Some foreign automakers, notably France's Citroën, also market front-wheel cars. According to Olds engineers, front-wheel drive offers more traction and stability than conventional rear drive; it also eliminates the hump on the floor (because the transmission and differential are up front). Other engineers contend that front-wheel cars tend to oversteer, and that the added weight forward causes greater wear on brakes. The Toronado, a two-door, six-passenger hardtop that is four...