The story made the evening news in Phoenix, Arizona. Shortly after Christmas, 1993, a sleek sedan appeared on the television screen, driving along roadways 2,000 miles away near Detroit, Michigan. The newscaster announced the video segment as the first official look at the car that would snatch Oldsmobile from death's door. The all-new 1995 Aurora luxury car was a glimpse into the future.
By April of the following year, the Aurora was sharing floor space with the likes of the Achieva, Cutlass Supreme, Ciera, and Ninety Eight; like a gleaming Scarab speedboat among decaying Chinese junks. With beautifully sculpted sheetmetal and a 4.0-liter version of Cadillac's Northstar engine under the hood, Aurora became Oldsmobile's flagship. Automotive journalists praised the car, but we had our doubts. The Aurora was designed to usher in a new era at Oldsmobile, one that would produce import-fighting designs. Yet, here was an overweight V8 front-driver filled with cost-cutting plastic parts and selling for as much as a Lexus ES300. Oldsmobile nomenclature appeared only on the stereo faceplate, lest jesting neighbors roast an Aurora buyer for bringing home their father's car. We wanted to like the Aurora, but really didn't, feeling it emphasized style over substance.
Now we've spent a week behind the wheel of a 1997 model. Do we like the Aurora? Yes, but we still have reservations about recommending the car. Several hundred miles have proven our suspicions; this Oldsmobile is all about style. Inside and out, designers have created a sophisticated, contemporary automobile. A sweeping cockpit dash puts all controls within easy reach of the driver, but the cruise control is still hidden on the left turn signal stalk, and vents for heat and air conditioning are compromised somewhat to fit in their respective places. Unlike other GM products, the Aurora is hard to cool down after a day sitting in the hot sun.
Cupholders flip out of the center console with a rickety click. Open the storage armrest and you'll find irritating audio slots that won't accommodate double-CD sets; when you let the lid drop down on its own, the cupholders are jarred loose, deploying unexpectedly. Small squared-off vents look conspicuous in the curved control panel, particularly in contrast to the large round knobs that control the automatic climate control system. Our test car was speed limited to 109 mph (according to the speedometer), yet designers crammed increments to 140 mph on the tightly packed speedometer dial. Why? Idiot lights are stuffed into the inch-wide trim above the gauge cluster. One editor on staff thought the door panel-mounted power seatback adjusters and memory system were cheap looking and overly fussy. Overall, the Aurora's interior design disappointed with its glossy surfaces, over-styled appearance, plastic trim pieces of dubious quality, and deep panel cutlines more reminiscent of a GMC pickup than an Infiniti J30.
But, the rest of the Aurora was a real treat. For example, the leather-clad seats were infinitely comfortable both front and rear. Legroom was generous in the Aurora, thanks in part to cab-forward design that allows for expansive rear accommodations. Four adults could travel long distances in the Aurora with minimal discomfort. With such a sweeping roofline, you might not expect visibility to be so great, but seeing out of the Aurora was easy. We think the nose of this Olds is a few inches too long, but we never found difficulty gauging where the front end was in relation to its surroundings. The distorted lower edges of the rear window, however, provided a funhouse image of cars following behind.
Under the long hood sits a 4.0-liter dual overhead cam V8 engine, which produces 250 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 260 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,400 rpm. The heavy Aurora needs all this oomph to get its nearly two ton girth motoring down the road. Fortunately, the car doesn't feel quite so heavy. With a stout four-wheel independent suspension (struts up front, aluminum semi-trailing arm with coil springs out back) and automatic load leveling, the Aurora's 65/35 weight distribution only makes itself evident on sharp bumps, deep dips, and fast corners. Surprisingly, we averaged nearly 24 mpg in a mix of city and highway driving, which makes us wonder if the trip computer had some wires crossed while computing the average.
On the open road, the Aurora's shape slices through the wind without creating much of an aural disturbance. We noted a slight hint of whistle around the tops of the frameless side glass, but only in a crosswind. More bothersome was the road roar transmitted by the Goodyear Eagle GA tires, and a noise similar to a not-quite-boiling teakettle while accelerating around town. Our test car also exhibited the most irritating squeak from the rear of the passenger compartment. Fortunately, the excellent combination CD and cassette Bose sound system easily drowned out road drone and the maddening squeak.
Performance is adequate for a car of this size. Acceleration won't prompt you to run the Aurora at Pomona next weekend, but will get you into heavy traffic when the opportunity presents itself. Handling is quite taut, but in tight curves the car plows while the Eagles shriek under the strain. Braking is very good, and the standard anti-lock braking system works flawlessly. Unlike many GM products, the Aurora provides substantial brake pedal feel, and the steering is nicely weighted. Don't drive this Oldsmobile hard, and its performance is satisfying.
Styling is always a subjective point, and it's one of our favorites to discuss. From the front wheels back, the Aurora's sheetmetal is stunning. Up front, however, we don't feel that the seed-like lidded headlamps and fog lights are particularly attractive. Also, in profile the Aurora appears to have far too generous a front overhang, which proved true when the small air dam beneath the bodywork scraped on measly three-inch high driveway curbs. We also take issue with the design of the alloy wheels. Paint them green, and they'd resemble those snack trays you find every year at the holiday party, stacked with sweet pickles and black olives. Round off the creases in the spokes and add the stylized Aurora symbol, and the wheels would look much better. One drawback to the Aurora's shape is the tiny trunk opening and high liftover. Packing for a long trip might be difficult without soft luggage, and our test car's painted rear bumper wore scars from under-muscled drivers pulling overstuffed suitcases out of the rear portal. Also disappointing was the lack of a split-folding rear seat. One staff member bought a torchiere lamp from Homeplace, and discovered in the parking lot that the floor model would require disassembly before transporting it home.
But, that's one of the concessions that must be made in the name of style. The Aurora looks great, handles well, and is quite comfortable. A full load of standard doo-dads provides the proper level of luxury equipment. But we still aren't convinced that import shoppers will go for this Oldsmobile. The car really feels heavy from behind the wheel, heavier than even an Infiniti Q45. The interior materials can't match those of a four-banger Toyota Camry in terms of quality and appearance. And our squeaky test car's right side mirror, which automatically tilted down while reversing so the driver could view the curb, often reset itself to provide a lovely view of the cumulonimbus clouds forming over the Rocky Mountains instead of a look at traffic in the right hand lane. True luxury is about style and substance. The Aurora is halfway there.
