1956 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight

Oldsmobile introduced its 'Futuramic' 98 series in 1948, and a year later launched the first great American horsepower race with its all-new and powerful overhead-valve 'Rocket' V-8 engine. It delivered outstanding performance on the street and was very successful in AAA and NASCAR stock-car racing, and was influential in popular culture as the subject of arguably the first rock 'n roll song ever, 'Rocket 88' by Ike Turner and his Rhythm Kings. The styling was equally impressive and modern, with many design elements of the 1953 Fiesta and Starfire GM Motorama concept cars soon implemented into production models.

Oldsmobile of the mid-1950s resonated extremely well with buyers and by 1955 the company enjoyed its best-ever model year sales for the company and was ranked fifth in total industry sales.

The 1956 Ninety-Eight Series continued to be Oldsmobile's top-of-the-line model, joined by the entry-level Eighty-Eight and the mid-level Super-Eighty. The Ninety Eight came standard with a padded dash, courtesy lights, power steering, a Jetaway Hydra-Matic drive, an electric clock, back-up light moldings, windshield washers, and Deluxe steering wheel. The standard equipment found on the other two models were also included the long list of 98's standard amenities. Body styles included a 2- and 4-door Holiday Hardtop which accounted for over 61,000 combined sales, a four-door sedan, and a convertible. Prices ranged from $2,970 to nearly $3,400. The overhead-valve V-8 engine displaced 324 cubic-inches and delivered 240 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque.

by Daniel Vaughan | Aug 2020