The Oldsmobile Limited was the top-level Oldsmobile of 1910 to 1912, replacing the Model Z and built in Lansing, Michigan. It was very large and expensive next to its competitors, and it was the most expensive vehicle GM offered at the time.
Oldsmobile Limited at a glance
| Maker | Oldsmobile, General Motors |
|---|---|
| Production | 1910–1912 |
| Class | top-level luxury car |
| Series names | Series 23 and 24, then 27, then 33 |
| Engine 1910 | 505 cu in (8,275 cc) T-head six, 60 bhp |
| Engine 1911 | 706 cu in (11,569 cc) T-head six |
| Gearbox | four-speed, lever outside on the right |
| Drive | rear wheels through a propeller shaft |
| Wheelbase | 130–140 in (3,302–3,556 mm) |
| Price | $4,600 to $5,800 |
| Body styles | touring car, four-door sedan, two-door roadster |
| Total built | more than 800 |
Based on one source: the English Wikipedia article on the Oldsmobile Limited.
History of the Oldsmobile Limited
A replacement for the Model Z
The Limited was introduced in 1910 as an upgraded replacement for the Model Z, which had been discontinued in 1909. It was the senior model to the mid-level Autocrat, with which it shared much of its technology although the Autocrat was smaller. It was much larger than GM’s other luxury cars — the four-cylinder Cadillac Model Thirty and the Buick Model 10 — which made it the most expensive vehicle GM offered.
Engineering and price
The Series 23 used a large six-cylinder T-head engine of 505 cubic inches (8,275 cc) developing 60 bhp, mounted at the front and driving the rear wheels through a propeller shaft. The gearbox had four forward gears, with the gearshift lever and handbrake outside on the right of a right-hand-drive car, and the brake pedal worked drum brakes on the rear wheels. Prices ran from $4,600 to $5,800 for the closed sedan, putting the car against the Pierce-Arrow Town Car. The wheelbase was 130 to 140 inches and the body could be a touring car, a four-door sedan or a two-door roadster. For 1911 the Series 27 engine grew to 706 cubic inches (11,569 cc) with the same wheelbases and bodies, and 1912 was the last year, as the Series 33, with the shorter wheelbase dropped. More than 800 were built between 1910 and 1912.
The race with a train
The Limited was raced against the 20th Century Limited train from Albany to New York City, and a painting was made of the race, which the car won. The model was replaced by the Oldsmobile Light Eight. Its sales were affected by the fact that Oldsmobile had also built the very small Curved Dash, which shaped how buyers saw the marque.
Design and features
- Huge T-head six: 505 cubic inches in 1910, growing to 706 cubic inches in 1911.
- Right-hand drive: gear lever and handbrake mounted outside on the right.
- Flagship price: $4,600 to $5,800, more than any other GM vehicle of the time.
- European rivals: aimed at Lorraine-Dietrich, Panhard & Levassor, Mercedes and Rolls-Royce.
Oldsmobile Limited versions
- Series 23 and 24 (1910): the 505 cu in car on two wheelbases.
- Series 27 (1911): the 706 cu in engine.
- Series 33 (1912): the final year, long wheelbase only.
- Touring car, sedan and roadster: the three body styles offered throughout.
The Limited was the senior model to the Autocrat and the Special. More models are in the Oldsmobile collection.
Sources
- Oldsmobile Limited, English Wikipedia: engines, prices, series, production
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