Blue Brocade: 1977 Oldsmobile Toronado Brougham 43K Mile Survivor – Sold?

February 12, 2023, Update – We confirmed the listing for this “Classifind” expired, so with no replacement found, we’re assuming this ride is “Sold?” While this one got away, please reach out either by email or call us directly if you’d like to be informed when we come across something similar.

January 28, 2023 Update – After nearly three weeks of keeping their original Craigslist ad’s asking price at $15,600, the seller lowered it to $13,500 with one week left before it expires.

​1977 was an odd model year in Cadillac and Oldsmobile showrooms. With parent company General Motors downsizing its full-size “B” and “C” body car lines, the front-wheel-drive “E” body-based two-door Eldorado and Toronado personal luxury coupes had the dubious distinction of being larger than the newer, squared-off style cars.  Making matters worse was the horrible fuel economy these land yachts achieved. Leather also fell out of favor as Oldsmobile offered intricate Brocade cloth interiors on the Brougham models.

This survivor-quality 1977 Oldsmobile Toronado, last listed in January 2023 on Craigslist in Chicago, Illinois, is a 43K original mile, survivor-quality example. The seller reports they have owned their Toronado for ten years and that it features no rust and is in excellent condition.

Last offered for $15,900, Classic.com, the analytics and search engine for the collector car market, confirms the ask is above the one-year rolling average of this guide’s summary for second-generation Oldsmobile Toronados produced between 1971 and 1978.  By clicking on the green dots in the graph below, you can navigate to each comparable car sold as a way to help you evaluate the price of the Toronado featured here:

As a second data point, the  Collector Car Market Review Online Tool reveals the seller’s ask falls above this guide’s #1 “Excellent” appraisal of $14,900.

Oldsmobile stunned the automotive world when it launched its new front-wheel-drive Toronado personal luxury car in 1966.  While we take the powertrain layout for granted today,  in ’66 the Toronado was the first U.S.-produced front-wheel-drive car since the 1937 Cord.  GM called the front-drive powertrain the Unitized Power Package (“UPP”) as its goal was to fit both an engine and transmission into an engine bay no larger than one for a then conventional rear-drive car. The UPP relied on modified TurboHydramatic components and a HY-VO silent that proved to be so well-built that GMC later used the drivetrain in their innovative motor home.  While better traction in foul weather was a benefit of the new front-wheel-drive system, Oldsmobile touted the completely flat floor as a more comfortable experience for middle seat passengers front and rear.

Unfortunately, in GM’s infinite wisdom, the second generation Toronado debuted in 1971 transitioned from a “GT”-style car into a more traditional luxury car.  Unlike the out-of-the-box first-generation design, the redesigned Toronado looked similar to the Cadillac’s E-Body than the Buick Riviera, with styling taking several cues from the 1967–70 Eldorado. Like it or not, sales increased dramatically.  By 1977 when the example here was made, it featured a smaller 403 cubic inch V8 but was now the largest Oldsmobile as the full-size models were downsized that year.  One cool feature of this generation of Toronados was the duplicate turn signal and brake lights mounted under the rear window.  While a styling exercise on these cars, they foretold the advent of the third brake light or “CHMSL” that became a Federal requirement in 1986.

The Osborne Tramain YouTube Channel features this 1974 Oldsmobile Toronado commercial:

Finding a low-mileage survivor car that’s been neglected is one thing. The great thing about this 1977 Oldsmobile Toronado for sale is that the current caretaker maintained their car and has the receipts to prove it.  It sounds like this Toronado is ready for anything, as long as you like cruising in a land yacht only capable of getting ten miles per gallon.

Here’s the seller’s description:

Show or go: What would you do with this 1977 Oldsmobile Toronado Brougham for sale?  Please comment below and let us know!