Sleek and aerodynamic, with windswept lines and sculpted corners, the Aurora is
light years removed from the Delta Eighty Eights and Ninety Eights of yore. The Aurora
looks especially impressive from a three-quarter angle, front or back.
Recessed door handles, monochrome trim, tinted windows and aluminum wheels
announce that Oldsmobile is serious about competing with the upscale European and
Japanese imports. The catlike headlights and low-slung foglights peered out from our
Aurora's silver metallic finish.
And, as with the '95 debut, the '96 Aurora shuns the venerable Oldsmobile
rocket-logo hood decal in favor of an elegant "A" logo--revealing that Oldsmobile is
still taking great pains to distance the Aurora from the more matronly models from the
division's past.
Rearward, the expansive taillights stretch all the way across the trunk lid,
ensuring high visibility after dark. One press on the keyless remote fob pops the
trunk lid open, revealing 16.1 cu. ft. of cargo space.
The Aurora's flair for styling extends into the cabin, evidenced by the modular
instrument panel, supremely comfortable leather bucket seats and leather-wrapped
steering wheel. Luxury-line amenities include the 8-position power seats, lumbar
support and the memory switches that permit the driver to program his or her preferred
seat and outside-mirror positions--and then return them to those positions with a
simple push of the button. The ceiling and inside-door fabric is plush and tasteful.
Let's take a moment to discuss the little touches that mean so much to a car buyer
who is spending $36,000-plus. Anyone knows how maddening it can be, on a sunny day, to
have to keep flipping the sun visor from the windshield to the side window after every
turn.
Well, the Olds designers have solved that problem with a seemingly minor addition
that we'd like to see as standard equipment on all cars: A dual visor. A flip of the
main visor to the side position reveals another, smaller visor underneath--which means
the driver gets simultaneous front-and-side protection from potentially dangerous
glare. Plus, the main visor is equipped with an extender, offering even more sun
blockage when the main visor is in the side-window position. Kudos, Olds designers.
The driver's information system, located in the middle of the sweeping dashboard,
is also quite civilized. Upon pushing a tiny button, a small door hovers open--in the
manner of a miniature garage door--revealing the 12-button, computerized digital info
system. This baby not only keeps track of oil life, fluid levels, engine temp, airbag
function, battery charge level, etc., it also notes time, date, average speed, miles
to destination, duration of trip, fuel economy, and the number of miles remaining
until the gas tank is empty.
Another nice interior touch is the hanger hook that snaps down above the rear
passenger-side door. The grab handles above the passenger doors are recessed, and can
be flipped down when needed.
The climate control system is operated by two very large knobs, with illuminated
dials for easy adjustment. The floor vents took longer to produce sufficiently warm
air than we would have liked--but then, this was Detroit in February.
To head off potential spousal bickering over interior temperature, the front-seat
passenger has been afforded with his or her own climate control system, which sets the
temperature on that side of the cabin--even if it's different from the driver's side.
The stereo system delivered some impressive sonics, although this driver is a
stickler for separate bass- and treble-control knobs: On the Aurora, one tiny spindle
operates both--requiring incessant pulling and pushing of the knob to figure out which
position controls which mode.
Above the rearview mirror is a homing transmitter that allows the consolidation of
three separate hand-held transmitters into one device--such as garage door opener,
exterior light switch, etc.
For a vehicle that offers luxo-sport performance, the Aurora is just roomy enough.
Five adults can sit comfortably in the Aurora, as long as the middle person in the
back seat is petite. Otherwise, there's sufficient hip, head and legroom for four
fully grown homo sapiens.
Aurora's advantage over the imports in its price class boils down to cylinders--two
of them. While its rivals are powered by 6-cylinder engines, the Aurora boasts a
4.0-liter all-aluminum V8, adapted from Cadillac's lauded Northstar 4.6-liter
powerplant. The Aurora's V8 produces 250 horsepower, compared to the 275 ponies in the
standard Seville 4.6-liter engine. But the Aurora is quick off the mark, posting a
zero-to-60 time of 8.2 seconds, even though it weighs a hefty 3970 lbs.
Hitched to the Aurora's 4.0-liter V8 is one of GM's silky-smooth 4-speed
electronically controlled Hydramatic transmissions, which operates so smoothly that
the driver can barely discern shifts in gears during normal acceleration. Of course,
when making getaway bursts from a dead stop--or summoning all of the V8's freeway
passing power with a heavy stomp on the pedal--the transmission announces its presence
with authority. And that's a good thing.
Meanwhile, the Aurora's exceptionally sturdy body structure and gently tuned
suspension makes for a hovercraft-plush ride, whether hustling down the interstate or
darting through crosstown traffic.
In one situation--in which bone-rattling railroad tracks intersected a hairpin
curve on a rough, crumbling road--the Aurora rose to the occasion. Body roll and bounce
were relatively minimal considering such a rude combination--while the
speed-variable-assist steering effortlessly navigated the maneuver with precision and
grace. And freeway traffic-sorting maneuvers can be executed with just a single digit
on the wheel.
The Aurora's brakes are equally alert, bringing this massive vehicle to a
controlled stop without a hint of swerve or fade. Antilock braking is, of course,
standard.