Oldsmobile Trofeo - I Want One

 Years ago, I wrote something about the early 90s Oldsmobile Trofeo. I still think it looks cool.


The Oldsmobile Trofeo began as a top trim level for the Toronado; later, it was its own distinct model 
- Photo by Cars for Sale.

I admit it - I like a lot of 80s and 90s GM cars. In my dream collection, I will have a 1996 Buick Roadmaster wagon and a 2003 Buick Park Avenue. Plus, a Reatta, Cadillac Allante, and probably a 1992 Oldsmobile Trofeo. It looks awesome. Like the Regal Grand National, the Trofeo looks like your grandparents' car with blacked-out trim, fog lights, and bigger wheels. Something about that formula is really cool. I know it's not blisteringly quick or even all that fast. Mechanically identical to the Toronado and Buick Riviera of the era, the Trofeo is little more than an appearance package, but it works. The covered headlights, masked taillights, curvy/straight body lines, turbine-looking wheels - it all just looks so cool. 


The Trofeo was powered by GM's prolific pushrod 3.8-liter V6, which was good for about 170 hp at the time. 1990 models have slightly less power. The '91 and '92 models had ABS standard and incorporated steering wheel audio and climate controls - pretty sweet for 1992. 0-60? Sure. Slalom? Maybe. But do I still want one?  Yep!

Originally, the Trofeo was the top trim level for the Olds Toronado. '87 and '88 models show this best. By '90, it was its own model. In 1992, 80 percent of Toronado sales were Trofeos. 

Hemmings has a '91 listed for sale at $12,000. That's not a bad price. However, on that same page, there's a '66, '70, and '78 Toronado listed for about the same price. Somehow, I don't think a '92 Trofeo is worth the same as a good condition older Toranado. Still, I'd like to find one that's fairlty clean and maybe around $8,000. 

I would like to dedicate this post to Joe Tralongo - because he has weird taste in cars too.

-Brian Moody
 
See more cool and odd cars on Instagram

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