Yahoo Autos Junkyard Gem: 1990 Oldsmobile Toronado Troféo
General Motors has made some impressive technological breakthroughs over the decades, including the first genuinely successful automatic transmission, the manufacturing techniques that made cheap V8 engines available to the masses, the first head-up display in a production car and the first working touchscreen dash computer. Today's Junkyard Gem, found in a Phoenix car graveyard, incorporated that last innovation and was priced similarly to the Audi 100 and BMW 325i.
The Oldsmobile Toronado spent its 1966-1992 career as sibling to the Cadillac Eldorado and Buick Riviera (interestingly, the Riviera spent many years with rear-wheel-drive on the same chassis as its front-wheel-drive platform-mates), entering its fourth and final generation as a 1986 model. The first- and second-generation Toronados were lumbering behemoths, but became smaller and nimbler when the third-generation cars debuted as 1979 models.
The Troféo (you need the accent for correct spelling, just as you do with the Plymouth Volaré, Cadillac Allanté and Mazda Protegé) was a sportier Toronado model available from 1987 through the end of Toronado production in 1992. It had the FE3 suspension package, giving it better handling than the regular Toronado. GM used the FE3 designation until fairly recently.
Starting with the 1989 model year, Troféos didn't get any visible Toronado badging. However, marketing materials retained the Toronado Troféo name until the end.
The Troféo's seats are "deeply cushioned and leather-covered in seating areas," while its electronics "would do a corporate jet proud."
