Solved - NEH 2962: Oldsmobile Toronado GT 2+2

[Carnut]

What's this and what's the story behind it, for 1 point?:

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[Carnut]

Experts?

[billtorrance9999]

Oldsmobile Toronado

[Carnut]

Oldsmobile Toronado

Well, yes, but if it was quite as easy as that it wouldn't be on AutoPuzzles..
Full story of exactly what it is and why is required for the point!

[fyreline]

1968 Oldsmobile Toronado Granturismo, a show car built by GM Styling. The wheelbase was reduced by 9 inches, and the springs were modified to reduce the ride height. It also featured a modified Olds big-block V-8 bored out to 475 cubic inches with three two-barrel carburetors. The interior also received some special attention with digital instruments (pretty advanced for 1968!), a 4-overhead-speaker stereo system, and what are called a "special ventilation system" and a "safety warning system". Painted an electric blue color, the car represented the direction that some GM executives thought that the Toronado ought to go . . . A smaller, sportier more luxurious Camaro-sized car.

[Carnut]

That's it, yes.
If I may quote from the story on a well-known website:

QUOTE
In a larger story about the development of the Toronado I came across this photo of the same car. It seems Oldsmobile – and David North specifically – wanted the Toronado to be a smaller car, about the size of a Camaro, but GM insisted it use the larger E-body (Riviera, Eldorado) shell. Bill Mitchell even sided with North and Oldsmobile to maintain the smaller dimensions and had a shortened Toronado mocked up, to no avail. This car, however, appears to be a later attempt to pitch the same idea; GM Design staff cut a foot from the wheelbase of a 1969 model and shortened the overhang to create an AMX-like Toro.
UNQUOTE

Here's another picture of the puzzle car:

[fyreline]

In relation to the people in the background of your second photo, this car looks a LOT smaller than the standard Toronado. As far as selling the Toro as a Camaro-sized car, I don't know. Seems like it would have had too high a price point if equipped as most Toronados were . . . But an Oldsmobile version of the actual Camaro might have been interesting.

[Otto Puzzell]

Nice color pic of the Toronado XP-866