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American Muscles | Episode 04 – Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser
OLDSMOBILE VISTA CRUISER
Words Christian Parodi / Photos courtesy of Orlando Classic Cars
Not the American one you’d expect. At least not the classic way in which we figure the image of cars you can’t wait to drive once in the US. Actually, the Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser here is one of those models that I have always seen in the post-war Stars and Stripes everyday life snaps and therefore has always represented the image of everyday America, not necessarily the one always ready to grunt, maybe main character in some iconic chase. It is a family car, designed for the family and produced for over three generations between 1964 and 1977. The second series (1968-1972) is undoubtedly the most representative and, if you like, also the luckiest.
The dimensions are mammoth: 5.5 meters in length, just under two meters in width and with a good 3 meters wheelbase. Five/six people can comfortably fit inside, but if the model provided, there was the possibility of having a third row of extra seats out of the enormous trunk, which – not extremely practical in old continent car parks – opens via a side hinge mechanism. The Vista Cruiser that I have the opportunity to drive for (unfortunately) a few hours is powered by a 5.7-liter 350 V8, which delivers a remarkable power of 310 horsepower. The weight is instead surprisingly lower than I thought and stops the scale at just over 1,800 kg, guaranteeing the possibility of moving your wife and at least three children – as expected – from 0 to 100 kph in about 8 seconds and a half.
Obviously, when you approach a bend, body roll is more than evident, so it is good to keep in mind that the Vista Cruiser is to all intents and purposes to be considered a family car perfectly suited to long distances, certainly not a sports car. The peculiar wooden panels in the lower portion of the body have the scent of a small provincial town, the leather of the seats tries in every way to resist the test of time, but some cracking is inevitable. Different story for the engine, a real jewel, like the other more generous Rocket V8s available for this model. A taste, once again, but that’s enough to confirm that on the other side of the world, it’s possible to fall in love with even an unsuspecting family car.
… to be continued
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