Oldsmobile Cutlass in Context
The Cutlass name first appeared on the compact F-85 line, but for 1964 Oldsmobile rebuilt it around General Motors' new A-body intermediate platform shared with the Chevrolet Chevelle, Pontiac Tempest and Buick Special. That shift placed the Cutlass squarely in the growing midsize market, where buyers wanted more room and power than compacts offered without the bulk of a full-size car. Among Oldsmobile Cutlass generations, this one is remembered for introducing the 4-4-2 performance package, which turned an ordinary intermediate into a credible muscle car and set the tone for the decade.
Understanding 2 generation
Oldsmobile Cutlass body styles in the catalog for this generation are the two-door coupe and the convertible, the pairs that carried the sporty image, though sedans and wagons also existed in the broader lineup. Styling evolved from the crisp, boxy 1964 and 1965 cars to the rounder, more sculpted 1966 and 1967 models, with the later years adopting a flowing roofline on the hardtop coupe. Engine offerings ranged from economical V6 and small V8 units to the larger V8s reserved for performance versions. Production ended after 1967, when a redesigned Cutlass on a revised A-body took over.