The Chevrolet Alero was the European and Israeli version of the Oldsmobile Alero, a compact front-wheel-drive car built by General Motors from 1998. Sold as a Chevrolet between 1999 and 2001, it was offered only as a four-door sedan and was replaced by the Daewoo-built Chevrolet Evanda.
Chevrolet Alero at a glance
| Oldsmobile production | 1998–2004 |
|---|---|
| Sold as Chevrolet | 1999–2001, Europe and Israel |
| Body styles | Sedan only for Chevrolet; coupe and sedan for Oldsmobile |
| Platform | GM N-body, shared with the Pontiac Grand Am |
| Engines | 2.4 L four-cylinder and 3.4 L V6 |
| Trims | GX, GL, GLS |
| Replaced | Oldsmobile Achieva and Cutlass |
| Replaced by | Chevrolet Evanda |
| Last car built | Final 500 Edition, 29 April 2004 |
The article is based on the English Wikipedia page on the Oldsmobile Alero; the Chevrolet version is described in its export-markets section.
History of the Chevrolet Alero
The Alero was introduced in 1998 as a 1999 model and replaced both the Oldsmobile Achieva and the Cutlass. Its shape had been previewed in 1997 by the Alero Alpha concept, a V6-powered sport coupe that revived the ‘coke bottle’ styling of the 1960s. The production car shared its chassis and engines with the Pontiac Grand Am and came as a four-door sedan or a two-door coupe in GX, GL and GLS trim.
In selected European countries and in Israel the car was sold as the Chevrolet Alero between 1999 and 2001, only as a sedan. It kept its Oldsmobile badges at first, but because European buyers did not recognise the name, Chevrolet emblems were added to the grille and rear for the 2000 model year; in Israel the car wore Chevrolet badges throughout. The Alero was replaced in Europe, Israel and Canada by the Chevrolet Evanda, which came from GM Daewoo.
The Oldsmobile version changed little over five years, most updates concerning engines and equipment; in 2003 the daytime running lights switched from main beam to dipped beam. Production ended with the Final 500 Edition, whose cars wore dark cherry metallic paint, vintage-inspired logos and a numbered plate. The last of them, a GLS sedan, was the final Oldsmobile ever built and left the Lansing plant on 29 April 2004; it was sold at auction in 2017 for 42,000 dollars. A planned second generation never appeared, because General Motors announced the end of the Oldsmobile brand.
Design and features
- Chevrolet badges on an Oldsmobile: the European model kept the American body but gained Chevrolet emblems for 2000.
- Sedan only: unlike the Oldsmobile, the Chevrolet Alero was never offered as a coupe.
- Two engines: a 2.4-litre four in the GX and a 3.4-litre V6 in the GL and GLS.
- End of a brand: the Alero was the last new Oldsmobile nameplate and the last Oldsmobile built.
Chevrolet Alero versions
- GX: the base trim with the 2.4-litre four-cylinder and a five-speed manual gearbox.
- GL: mid-range trim with 16-inch alloy wheels and an optional V6.
- GLS: the luxury trim with leather, a premium sound system and the V6 as standard.
- Final 500 Edition (2004): 500 cars in dark cherry metallic with numbered plates.
The Alero was replaced in Europe by the Chevrolet Epica, which was also sold as the Evanda. More cars are in the Chevrolet collection.
Sources
- Oldsmobile Alero, English Wikipedia: history, export markets, trims, engines
