1995 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight Review (continued)
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Walkaround

Though the Ninety Eight has the same platform as the Park Avenue, there is no visual similarity between the two cars. For that matter, with its straight lines and hard angles, the Ninety Eight doesn't look like anything else, either.

As we noted, this is a big sedan - about the same size as a Lincoln Continental or Cadillac Seville, and only a bit smaller than the Chrysler New Yorker and Cadillac DeVille. And even though the Ninety Eight's external dimensions are very similar to the Aurora's, it's more than 400 pounds lighter.

Aside from some content juggling to bring the Ninety Eight into line with Oldsmobile's value-pricing program, there's only one significant change to this car for 1995.

A glance at the specifications table will show you that the engine options are the same as last year's: two versions of GM's corporate 3.8-liter V6, one supercharged, one not. However, the normally aspirated version, called the 3800 Series II, has been completely reengineered for '95, and it's a brilliant job - more compact, lighter, smoother and, with an increase of 35 hp, far more potent.

Because it's a traditional overhead valve design, with two valves per cylinder, this may seem like yestertech compared with the overhead camshafts and multivalve cylinder heads dominating the powertrain scene today.

Don't you believe it. Overhead cam-shafts and 4-valve cylinder heads are advantageous in engines that do a lot of their work at high rpm. But overhead valve designs, with the camshaft down inside the engine block, are far less bulky, lending themselves to easier packaging.

And they're also very good at producing torque at low engine speeds - the basic grunt we employ every time the light turns green, or when we want to hurry safely into some rapidly closing hole in the traffic stream.

Beyond that, the 3800 Series II em-ploys up-to-the-minute engine/automatic transmission control electronics.

For '95, the Ninety Eight comes in two editions: Series I, which qualifies as loaded by any reckoning; and Series II, which adds extras such as traction control, an automatic trunk pull-down, cornering lamps, a memory feature for the driver's seat, a heated driver-side mirror, and a Twilight Sentinel to save you from the fatigue of turning on your headlights at dusk.

The bottom line of the Series I window sticker is $26,695, including destination charge. The Series II costs $27,795. About the only significant options you can add are the supercharged V6 (225 hp, 275 lb.-ft.) and a sunroof (called Astroroof, in Oldsmobile-ese).

As much as we love self-indulgence, the Ninety Eight Regency Elite Series I (a mouthful of name if ever there was one) seemed luxurious enough, and that's what we drove.

Interior Features

Redesigned for the 1994 model year, the Ninety Eight's interior looks far more contemporary than its exterior, with a sweeping one-piece upper dashboard that embraces all the instruments and controls under one broad cowling that stretches two-thirds of the way across.

Controls for the power-window switches, set into the armrests, are softly backlit when the headlights are on, making night location easy. So are the auxiliary climate and audio controls, which are beautifully integrated into the steering wheel hub.

The Ninety Eight has dual airbags, of course, as well as side-impact protection that meets 1997 federal standards.

It also has acres of room inside, front and rear. This car is rated for six passengers, and it's wide enough up front for 3-across seating. However, the center passenger would have his or her legs perched on the center tunnel - that near-universal hump that was supposed to have disappeared from all front-drive cars.

It's interesting to note here that the Ninety Eight's rear-seat legroom beats the Aurora's by a couple of inches.

The seats are broad and comfortable, though they provide almost no lateral support. Our car's seats were leather clad, and we were intrigued to find that leather upholstery is a delete option. If you want good old crushed velour, you'll have to check a box on the order blank.

This brings us to the Ninety Eight's sensual catalogue of standard features.

Besides leather, the Series I suggested retail price includes anti-lock brakes, air conditioning, an 8-speaker AM/FM/cassette sound system, power windows, power mirrors, re-mote keyless entry, front power seats, power lumbar support, cruise control, tilt steering, lighted vanity mirrors, passenger-assist grips, remote fuel-filler door release, rear-window defogger, solar-control tinted glass, automatic load leveling and 15-in. aluminum wheels.