The Aurora is a sedan built by General Motors under the Oldsmobile. It was a major departure for Oldsmobile when it came out, since it broke a lot of traditions within the brand and General Motors as a whole. Both the first and second generation Aurora were built on GM's G-Body platform.
First Generation: 1995-1999
The first generation Aurora can be traced back to the 1989 Oldsmobile Tube Car engineering concept, featuring a front end with no visible grille at the front and a large uni-taillight. The brand name was found almost nowhere on the vehicle, with even the badge on the hood being unique to the model.
The V8 gasoline engine in the Aurora was a 4.0L version of the Northstar V8, a 4.6L engine originally intended to be exclusive to Cadillac. It was given the name Aurora V8 (L47) and a different intake manifold to further distinguish itself from the Northstar. When new, the Aurora V8 produces a maximum power of 250 HP at 5600 rpm and a maximum torque of 260 lb. ft (353.0 Nm) at 5600 rpm.
Oldsmobile Aurora review by Doug DeMuro
In this video, Doug DeMuro explains the history of the Oldsmobile Aurora.
Doug Score
| Styling | 5 |
|---|---|
| Acceleration | 1 |
| Handling | 3 |
| Fun Factor | 3 |
| Cool Factor | 4 |
| Features | 3 |
| Comfort | 6 |
| Quality | 5 |
| Practicality | 5 |
| Value | 6 |
Doug gave this an overall score of 41 out of a perfect score of 100.
More Information: Doug Score
Second Generation: 2001-2003
The second generation Oldsmobile Aurora had styling based on the Antares concept car, with some of the unusual features of the first generation gone.
For only two model years (2001 and 2002), the Aurora could be purchased with a gasoline-fuelled 3.5L V6 version of the Aurora V8. This "Shortstar" was able to produce 215 HP (160 kW) at 5600 rpm, and 234 lb. ft (317 Nm) torque at 4400 rpm. Its engine code is LX5.