"Holy stretchjobs, Batman!" Oldsmobile has come up with its very own Batmobile for 1990 with a completely restyled Trofeo coupe.
Only this one is for any Caped Crusader - in or out of Gotham City - willing to spend about $25,000 for the performance version of Oldsmobile's Toronado luxury coupe.Both the Trofeo and Toronado are over a foot longer for 1990 and draped in almost entirely new sheetmetal, including a rounded "turret top" roof. Their new interiors have analog instruments in place of digital displays, and a driver's air bag is standard equipment.
Its 108-inch wheelbase and front-drive layout, including a 3.8 liter V6 engine rated at 165 horsepower at 5,200 rpm and a 4-speed automatic transaxle with overdrive, is carried over from 1989.
Also unchanged from 1989 are base prices, despite millions of dollars spent by GM to redesign these cars - indicating a serious bid by the giant carmaker to revitalize Oldsmobile's image as a stylish, technologically advanced nameplate.
The Toronado, loaded with all the usual amenities like air conditioning and power-operated accessories, still starts at $21,995. The Trofeo, which adds leather upholstery, anti-lock brakes, a stiffer suspension and larger tires on 16-inch rims, is unchanged at $24,995.
New for 1990, and driven for this review, is a Trofeo model drenched in black paint from its hidden headlamps back to its dual exhaust tips, making it look like the Caped Crusader's very own personal transportation.
The only extra on this Batmobile look-alike was a $550 destination fee, raising its sticker price to $25,545. Available options include a Batphone (cellular telephone), Batroof (electric sunroof) and a Batdisc (compact disc player).
Batophiles will delight in the Trofeo's dashboard, which has no fewer than 52 buttons in its center to operate the stereo and ventilation, and a trip computer that provides everything from fuel economy data to the remaining life of the engine oil.
Thank goodness for the Batbag (airbag), because those buttons sure can distract one's attention from the road. Also confusing are the small look-alike gauges for the fuel and temperature, surrounded by the larger look-alike speedometer and tachometer.
The Trofeo has comfortable and supportive seats, offering adequate room for four adults. Its interior is trimmed in soft leather - right down to the cover of the owner's manual - and there is just about every amenity imaginable.
One convenience previously offered, however, has been ousted in the interest of safety. Gone are the redundant controls in the center of the steering wheel that allowed drivers to adjust the stereo and ventilation with minimum distraction. The driver's side air bag now resides in their place.
The 3,556-pound Trofeo was found to give a smooth and well-controlled ride after driving hundreds of miles under a wide variety of conditions. The key seems to be a revised suspension that offers measurably improved ride and handling from earlier models.
Its 3.8 liter V6 engine is responsive and certainly adequate for a car this size. But observed fuel economy after mostly freeway driving was 18.7 mpg, which is on the low end of the 18 city-27 mpg highway EPA rating.
Oldsmobile hopes the stretch job and restyling of the Toronado and Trofeo for 1990 will reverse sagging sales of its flagship models, which were shrunk in size for 1986 in what appeared to be some diabolical plot hatched by the Joker at General Motors.
Oldsmobile now hopes to sell about 21,000 Toronados for 1990, with nearly 12,000 of them expected to be the sporty Trofeo. That compares with total sales of only 9,349 units for 1989.
Each 1990 Oldsmobile is covered by a three year/50,000 mile comprehensive warranty, plus a 30-day exchange program and 24-hour roadside assistance plan.