LaSalle was an American brand of luxury automobiles manufactured and marketed, as a separate brand, by General Motors' Cadillac division from 1927 through 1940. Alfred P. Sloan, GM's Chairman of the Board, developed the concept for four new GM marques - LaSalle, Marquette, Viking and Pontiac - paired with already established brands to fill price gaps he perceived in the General Motors product portfolio. Sloan created LaSalle as a companion marque for Cadillac. LaSalle automobiles were manufactured by Cadillac, but were priced lower than Cadillac-branded automobiles, were shorter, and were marketed as the second-most prestigious marque in the General Motors portfolio. LaSalles were titled as LaSalles, and not as Cadillacs. Like Cadillac — named after Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac — the LaSalle brand name was based on that of another French explorer, René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle.
The Series 60 "Special" is a full-size car made by Oldsmobile from the 1939 through the 1948 model years. It was their entry-level model using the GM "A" body platform, giving Oldsmobile an entry-level product with more standard features that would be optional on Chevrolet and Pontiac vehicles using the same platform. Initially, the engine size used was the company's flat head 6 cylinder, while senior models would use the flat head 8 cylinder. For marketing purposes, the Oldsmobile Series 60, or the Oldsmobile 66, took advantage of the national highway U.S. Route 66 established in 1926. It was with this generation that all GM vehicles experienced increased width dimensions to accommodate three passengers on the front bench seat and an additional three passengers on rear bench seat installed vehicles. This was accomplished with the deletion of running board thereby adding additional room inside the passenger compartment and upgrading the floor mounted gearshift to a steering column installed transmission gear selector for the Hydramatic automatic transmission.
The Oldsmobile Series 70 is a full-size midrange automobile produced by Oldsmobile between the 1939 and 1950 model years. Oldsmobiles of this time period were in an unusual "middle" position in GM's hierarchy of automobile brands. Chevrolet and Pontiac were the budget priced models, while Buick and Cadillac were the luxury brands. GM would share their "A" body platforms between Chevrolet, Pontiac, and "B" body on Oldsmobile and Buick, while leaving Cadillac on the senior "C" platform. Oldsmobiles were then branded as "luxury level" Chevrolets and Pontiacs, while Oldsmobiles using the "B" platform were "budget priced" Buicks and Cadillacs.
The Oakland Motor Car Company of Pontiac, Michigan, was an American automobile manufacturer and division of General Motors. Purchased by General Motors in 1909, the company continued to produce modestly priced automobiles until 1931 when the brand was dropped in favor of the division's Pontiac make.
The Buick Master Six, also denoted Series 40 and Series 50 based on the wheelbase used, was an automobile built by Buick from 1925 to 1928 and shared the GM B platform with the Oldsmobile Model 30. Previously, the company manufactured the Buick Six that used the overhead valve six-cylinder 242 cu in (4.0 L) engine in their high-end cars, and the Buick Four for smaller, less-expensive cars. After 1924, they dropped the four-cylinder engine and designed a small six, which they called the Buick Standard Six, to replace that end of the market. They coined the name "Master Six" for the high-end cars, now powered by the 255 cu in (4.2 L) engine released the year before. The yearly changes were a result of a new business philosophy called planned obsolescence.
The Buick 4 was a series of passenger cars produced by the Buick Division of GM from 1909 through 1918, and was available as a touring car, phaeton or roadster. It was available with the Buick Model B as a larger alternative offering a larger engine and better durability. It became the junior sedan in 1914 when the Buick Six was introduced.
The Oldsmobile Model 30, which continued to be known as the Oldsmobile Six, was built from the 1923 through 1927. Each year it was built, it was given the suffix 30-A, 30-B, 30-C, 30-D and 30-E for the last year of production, all having been manufactured in Lansing, Michigan. General Motors used the GM A platform, shared with the Buick Standard Six and the Oakland Six, and the yearly changes were the result of a new business philosophy called planned obsolescence. The Model 30 was Oldsmobile mid-level product and introduced the flathead Oldsmobile straight-6 engine, while the Oldsmobile Model 43 with a four-cylinder engine remained the entry level product. When the top level Oldsmobile Light Eight, with the flathead Oldsmobile V8 engine was cancelled in 1923, the Oldsmobile Six became the top level vehicle. It replaced the Oldsmobile Model 37 introduced in 1917, and was replaced by the Oldsmobile F-Series introduced in 1928. In 5 years, 236,474 cars were built. The growing popularity of GM's brands, like Oldsmobile, contributed to becoming the largest automobile manufacturer when sales overtook the Ford Motor Company during this time period. Coachwork for the various bodystyles were supplied by Fisher Body of Detroit, MI, and starting with the 1923 model year, all GM products adopted a shared appearance, with brand specific unique appearance features. The retail price had dropped considerably from previous years due to the popularity and affordability of the Ford Model T, with the top level sedan at US$1,095.
The Model 42 was an entry-level four seat passenger car produced by GM's Oldsmobile Division in 1914. It was offered as a replacement to the Oldsmobile Curved Dash runabout when it was discontinued in 1908, and was the junior platform to the Oldsmobile Six introduced in 1913. GM had acquired Elmore Manufacturing Company, Oldsmobile and Oakland Motor Car Company in 1908 and Cartercar and Rainier Motor Car Company in 1909 as their entry-level models, and Oldsmobile products were being repositioned in their new hierarchy as GM began to consolidate operations after William Durant had left.
The Model 43 was an entry-level four seat passenger car produced by GM's Oldsmobile Division in 1915 and 1916, then again in 1921 and 1922. It replaced the Model 42 also known as the "Baby Olds", while the most significant improvement was a longer wheelbase shared with the Buick Series C. Until GM assumed control of Chevrolet in 1917, the previous Model 42 and the Model 43 were GM's entry-level cars which led to the interrupted production of the Model 43 as Oldsmobile was promoted as a higher content product. It was also known as the "Oldsmobile Four" and competed with the Chevrolet Series H as an entry-level model until GM bought Chevrolet. It was the junior level product to the upscale Oldsmobile Light Eight. It was Oldsmobile's last four-cylinder car until 1977 with the Oldsmobile Starfire.
The Model D was a four-seat passenger car produced by General Motors under the Oldsmobile brand in 1909, replacing the Model M. It was the last car engineered by Oldsmobile before it became a division of GM and began sharing a platform with Buick.
The Series 22 Special was a four-seat passenger car produced by the Oldsmobile Division of GM in 1910 and 1911. It was the first car engineered by Oldsmobile after it became a division of GM and began sharing a platform with the Buick Model 10. It became the entry-level model for Oldsmobile, replacing the discontinued 1909 Model 20 and the 1909 Model D, while Oakland Motor Car Company became GM's entry level brand as Chevrolet didn't join GM until 1917.
The Series 40 Defender was a four-seat passenger car produced by General Motors for its Oldsmobile division in 1912 and 1913, and was manufactured at Lansing Car Assembly in Lansing, Michigan. It continued to be the entry-level model for Oldsmobile, while Oakland Motor Car Company remained GM's entry level brand as Chevrolet didn't join GM until 1917. The Series 40 was the base model of three platforms sharing a platform with the Buick Model 10, with the mid-range Series 28 Autocrat, and the top level Series 23 Limited.
The Oldsmobile Six, also known as the Model 53, 54 and 55 (1913-1915) then a brief cancellation until it reappeared as the Model 37, 37A and 37B (1917-1921) was a top level sedan along with the Oldsmobile Series 40 junior vehicle produced by GM's Oldsmobile Division and was manufactured at Lansing Car Assembly in Lansing, Michigan. It replaced the Series 28 also known as the "Oldsmobile Autocrat" and was replaced by the Oldsmobile Model 30 in 1927, and shared wheelbases with the Buick Six. It continued to use the T-head engine for two years. The various bodystyles were supplied by Fisher Body of Detroit, MI. It competed with the Chevrolet Series C Classic Six as Chevrolet was an independent company before becoming a division in 1917. Oldsmobile also shared technology with GMC for commercial and industrial products.
The Oldsmobile Series 28, also known as the Autocrat, was a mid-level four seat passenger car produced by GM's Oldsmobile Division for 1911 and 1912. It was based on the top-level Oldsmobile Limited while using a four-cylinder engine, and was manufactured in Lansing, Michigan.
The Oldsmobile L-Series, or the Oldsmobile 8, was built from the 1932 through 1938. Oldsmobile hadn't offered a full-sized luxury flagship since the cancellation of the Oldsmobile Light Eight in 1923, and the Viking upscale companion brand to Oldsmobile didn't sell very well, being cancelled after two years. The 1933 model introduced a completely new body style influenced by the "streamlined" appearance, and it was shared with all GM brands due to GM's Art and Color Studio headed by Harley Earl. The appearance showed influences of Chrysler and Lincoln-Zephyr vehicles, and all Oldsmobiles were manufactured in Lansing, Michigan. Due to the popularity of the Oldsmobile F-Series, Oldsmobile recognized an opportunity to sell a similar sized alternative to the Buick Super, the Cadillac Series 355, and the "junior" companion brand LaSalle a platform the L-Series shared on the GM C platform. It was replaced by the Oldsmobile Series 90 introduced in 1938, and it was exported to Japan as a knock down kit and assembled at Osaka Assembly in Osaka, Japan.
The Oldsmobile Light Eight was an automobile produced by the Oldsmobile Division of General Motors in roadster, two-door coupe, four-door sedan from between 1916 and 1923. It was powered by a sidevalve V8 engine, the maker's first, and shared with the 1916 Oakland Model 50.
The Oldsmobile Limited was a top-level passenger car produced by GM's Oldsmobile Division in 1910, offered as an upgraded replacement to the Oldsmobile Model Z when it was discontinued in 1909. The Oldsmobile Limited was very large and expensive in comparison to vehicles offered by competitors, and was manufactured in Lansing, Michigan. It was the senior model to the mid-level Oldsmobile Autocrat of which it shared much of its technology while the Autocrat was smaller, and was replaced by the Oldsmobile Light Eight. It was also much larger than GM's lop level brand, the Cadillac Model Thirty which only had a four cylinder engine, and the Buick Model 10 which made the Limited the most expensive vehicle GM offered at the time.
The Oakland Model A was the first four-cylinder engine offered by the Oakland Motor Company in 1907, which became a division of General Motors in 1909. The Model A was developed and manufactured from former Oakland Motor Company sources while the engine was provided by Northway Motor and Manufacturing Division of GM of Detroit. The Model A was available in several body styles and prices ranged from US$1,300 to US$2,150. Once Oakland became a division of GM, Oldsmobile and Buick shared bodywork and chassis of their four-cylinder models with Oakland. Manufacture of the Oakland was completed in Pontiac, Michigan. Oakland (Pontiac) wouldn't use another 4-cylinder engine until 1961 with the Pontiac Trophy 4 engine.
The Oakland Six was the first six-cylinder engine offered by the Oakland Motor Company in 1913 which became a division of General Motors in 1909. The Oakland Six was offered in many different model names that changed every year, along with several body styles and engine displacements until 1929, when the V8 was reintroduced, then in 1931 Oakland was renamed Pontiac. When Oakland became a division of GM and introduced the Oakland Four, Oldsmobile and Buick shared bodywork and chassis of their six-cylinder models with Oakland. When Chevrolet became part of GM in 1917, Oakland chassis and bodywork were shared with Chevrolet. Manufacture of the Oakland was completed in Pontiac, Michigan.
The Pontiac 6 was a more affordable version of its predecessor Oakland Six that was introduced in 1926, sold through Oakland Dealerships. Pontiac was the first of General Motors companion make program where brands were introduced to fill in pricing gaps that had developed between Cadillac, Buick, Oldsmobile, Oakland and Chevrolet. The original marketing approach began when GM was incorporated in 1908 was to offer a range of vehicles in various body styles based on affordable to extravagant, and the customer base would gradually trade up every few years to the next hierarchy brand. Pontiac was introduced as an affordable Oakland, followed by LaSalle for Cadillac, Marquette for Buick and Viking for Oldsmobile. Pontiac's introduction was a sales success while customers shied away from the more expensive Oakland, and once the Wall Street Crash of 1929 and the Great Depression followed, both Pontiac and Oakland were being considered for cancellation but the decision was made to keep Pontiac as the economy began to recover.
