Cars - Oldsmobile Silhouette

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	Cars - Oldsmobile Silhouette

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The Oldsmobile Silhouette, along with its siblings the Pontiac Trans Sport and Chevrolet Lumina APV, were a trio of minivans that débuted with radical styling in fall 1989 as 1990 models.

The first generation Silhouette was prominently featured in the 1995 film Get Shorty where it was repeatedly referred to as "The Cadillac of minivans". GM's attempt of releasing their ever-first minivans in 1990 pursued the company to create one of the very-first luxury minivans, and at the same time, Chrysler released the Town & Country minivan.

=1990 - 1996 1st Generation=

Background

General Motors first attempt at producing a minivan to compete with the Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager, the body-on-frame Chevrolet Astro and its twin, the GMC Safari failed to make a noticeable dent in Chrysler's near monopoly of the minivan market in the 1980s, so this second attempt was made. The Oldsmobile Silhouette and its sibling models, while more successful than the Astro/Safari duo in terms of market share, had significant perceived flaws, primarily centered around its unconventional styling that ultimately limited its appeal and sales.

Original concept

First shown to the public in 1986, the Pontiac Trans Sport concept car was extremely well received. It featured futuristic styling, individually removable bucket seats with built-in stereo speakers, a gull-wing rear passenger door and extensive use of glass including a glass-paneled roof as well as many other "dream car" features.

Based on the warm reception the concept vehicle received, the Pontiac Trans Sport was approved for production, but as is often the case, the styling and features showcased on the concept did not make the translation to the mass-produced edition.The gullwing door was deemed too expensive to produce and would probably have impacted overhead garage doors in suburban garages. The glass roof was too heavy and too expensive, so the resultant production vehicle made-do with high-gloss black painted panels for the roof to suggest the glass canopy the concept sported.

Chevrolet and Oldsmobile were also given production vehicles based on the Trans Sport in order to cover the widest possible range of potential customers. It was intended that the Lumina APV would be the value-priced version, The Trans Sport would net the more "sport & style" oriented buyers, and the Silhouette would be the minivan for the premium, luxury market.

Technology and innovative features

The very first 1990 Oldsmobile Silhouette rolled off the assembly line on August 1, 1989. Assembled in the now extinct General Motors Tarrytown, NY assembly facility, these U platform vans consisted of a galvanized steel space frame wrapped in composite plastic body panels that were impervious to rust and minor dents and dings, a manufacturing technique developed on the Pontiac Fiero and also used extensively on General Motors' Saturn line of vehicles.

The Silhouette was available with seating for seven, with the five lightweight (34 lb.) rear seats being individually reconfigurable and removable. In 1994 built-in child seats were added to the option list, which provided the ability to switch two of the rear seats between adult and child seating with the pull of a seat-mounted tab.

Included with the level ride package, which utilized a compressor and air-pressurized rear shock absorbers to maintain vehicle height regardless of load, was a control panel and air hose kit that allowed the vehicle to be used to inflate tires, air mattresses, sporting equipment and the like.

In 1994, a remote-controlled power sliding door feature was added, a General Motors innovation, which is now found in almost every other minivan available.

For the 1994 and 1995 model years traction control was available with the 3800 engine option.

Engines:

1990–1995 3.1 (191 in³) V6
1992–1995 3800(231 in³) V6 (optional)
1996 LA1 3400 (207 in³) V6

Modest sales success

The design of these minivans was controversial. At the time that the Oldsmobile Silhouette and its siblings were conceived, no one had tried to market a stylish or sporty minivan, and GM felt that that represented a potentially large market segment. They styled these minivans to be lower and sleeker than any of the competing brands on the market. The extremely large, long and sloped windshield and the resultant long distance to the base of the windshield when sitting in the drivers seat made for a disconcerting driving experience until a person could adjust to the "different" proportions. Automotive magazines christened the new minivans "dustbusters" after a certain household appliance that shared a similar side profile.

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Oldsmobile Silhouette ]

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Cars - Oldsmobile Silhouette

Background

Original concept

Technology and innovative features

Modest sales success

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