As well, with competition fierce for full-size personal luxury cars in the early ‘60s, competitors from within GM like the Buick Wildcat and Pontiac Bonneville gave it a tough time in the market. Selling 7,604 units in ‘61, the Starfire would never be a smash hit, and the Thunderbird it competed with sold 10 times that figure in ‘61. Powered by a 394 cu-in Rocket V8, a signature for Oldsmobile, the first Starfire laid down a whopping muscle-car like 330 hp and 440 lb-ft of torque through a 3-speed TurboHydramatic auto, and would only get stronger through its 1st gen. Not just flashy, a personal luxury car had to back its glamor up with power too, and that was provided in spades for the Starfire. As well, ‘61 Starfires only came as a convertible. For ‘61, this luxury-oriented trim became its own model, riding on a tougher version of the Super 88’s chassis, but adapting styling from the high-end 98 as a full-size personal luxury car.Īmong those cues carried over were several fighter jet inspiration, including the awesome rear fins, and side inlay that mimicked a jet fuselage. Turning that name into a designation for fully optioned, top-end 98 models in 1954, the Starfire 98 lasted until ‘57 and was a big luxurious beast. Being the Jet Age, this name was a direct reference to one of the most advanced fighter jets of the time, the P-80 derived Lockheed F-94 Starfire. Before being a trim level on the 98, the Starfire name already had plenty of glamor to it, being affixed to an incredible concept displayed alongside the first Corvette at GM’s 1953 Motorama show.
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