2001 Oldsmobile Aurora - Page 1 Review

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Shopping for a 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora? MSRP: $30,619 - $34,794

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MARINA, Calif. — This is the image that Oldsmobile wants you to equate with their brand — good weather, great scenery, a sinuous road along the ocean with rolling hills close at hand, and a comfortable, responsive car to help you enjoy it.

In the past five years, Oldsmobile has redefined their brand from dowdy to just a little daring. If you caught their Super Bowl ad, a spoof on Gap clothing commercials, you’ll sense the difference in the mission.

That new mission began five years ago with the debut of the first Aurora, which spearheaded the division's revitalization. Now, with the introduction of the second-generation Aurora, the renovation of the Olds lineup seems to be complete.

The new Aurora uses a more rigid chassis, enabling solid roadholding, even higher quality and better safety. And to create a lower-priced answer to its established Japanese competition, Oldsmobile engineers lopped two cylinders off the potent V-8 and created a V-6 that will eventually be borrowed by the other divisions to power their premium models. The V-6 provides a value-priced model, about $4000 less than the V-8 version.

Both engines provide state-of-the-art performance and refinement. The V-6 was recognized as one of Ward Auto New's 10 Best Engines for 1999, in its first year of eligibility. It’s based on racing-derived technology such as a forged crankshaft and chain cam drive that never needs replacement. (These are more of value for durability than performance). Only in rare situations would someone puncture the cooling system and need the "limp home" feature but having it alone is a great confidence builder.

The forte of the new Aurora is its handling, and the test is whether the new engine is blended to the demands. The V-6 is in fact so good, in normal back road meandering, there is little to recommend the larger engine. The V-8’s extra 35 horses are rarely missed.