The Oldsmobile Firenza has one generation and eight named versions. This piece compares those versions on the numbers in the catalogue, not as a second overview.
The Oldsmobile Firenza ran as 1 generation from 1982 to 1988, in Sedan form, with 8 versions. Every version is Gasoline, FWD, with Independent, spring front suspension and Disc front brakes. The buying choice is not generation or body: it is engine size, fuel system, and gearbox.
The Oldsmobile Firenza has one generation and eight named versions. This piece compares those versions on the numbers in the catalogue, not as a second overview.
# Oldsmobile Firenza: which version to buy
The Oldsmobile Firenza ran as 1 generation from 1982 to 1988, in Sedan form, with 8 versions. Every version is Gasoline, FWD, with Independent, spring front suspension and Disc front brakes. The buying choice is not generation or body: it is engine size, fuel system, and gearbox. Power in this catalogue runs from 84 hp (63 kW) on both 1.8 MT and 1.8 AT to 130 hp (97 kW) on both 2.8 MT and 2.8 AT — a spread of 46 hp (34 kW), or about 55% more at the top than at the bottom. Kerb weight, gross weight, ground clearance, tank size, wheels, 0–100, top speed, and mpg are not measured on any version, so this comparison cannot use weight-per-horsepower or real-world economy; it uses power, displacement, torque where given, and gearbox only.
Generations: what actually changed
1 generation (1982–1988), Sedan, 8 versions. There is no second generation and no restyling listed as a separate generation. Years, body, and version count are the same for all eight cars: 1982-01-01 to 1988-12-31. What changed inside the generation is the engine and the gearbox, not the calendar.
- 1.8 MT and 1.8 AT: 1796 cc, 84 hp / 63 kW, 4 Inline, 2 valves per cylinder, Distributed injection (multi-point), bore × stroke 84.8 × 79.5.
- 2.0 AT (86 hp) and 2.0 MT (86 hp): 1991 cc, 86 hp / 64 kW, 4 Inline, Carburetor, compression ratio 9. Valves per cylinder not measured.
- 2.0 AT (96 hp) and 2.0 MT (96 hp): 1998 cc, 96 hp / 72 kW, 160 Nm, 4 Inline, 2 valves per cylinder, Distributed injection (multi-point), bore × stroke 86 × 86.
- 2.8 MT and 2.8 AT: 2837 cc, 130 hp / 97 kW, 6 Inline, Distributed injection (multi-point), bore × stroke 89 × 76. Valves per cylinder not measured. Torque not measured.
Two pairs share the name 2.0 AT and two share 2.0 MT. Distinguish them by power: 86 hp versus 96 hp. Mixing those four lines is the main way to buy the wrong 2.0-litre Firenza.
Engines and specs
| Version | hp | kW | Nm | cc | Fuel | Cylinders | Layout | Boost | Gearbox | Drive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8 MT | 84 | 63 | not measured | 1796 | Gasoline | 4 | Inline | not measured | Manual, 5 | FWD |
| 1.8 AT | 84 | 63 | not measured | 1796 | Gasoline | 4 | Inline | not measured | Automatic, 3 | FWD |
| 2.0 AT (86 hp) | 86 | 64 | not measured | 1991 | Gasoline | 4 | Inline | not measured | Automatic, 3 | FWD |
| 2.0 MT (86 hp) | 86 | 64 | not measured | 1991 | Gasoline | 4 | Inline | not measured | Manual, 5 | FWD |
| 2.0 AT (96 hp) | 96 | 72 | 160 | 1998 | Gasoline | 4 | Inline | not measured | Automatic, 3 | FWD |
| 2.0 MT (96 hp) | 96 | 72 | 160 | 1998 | Gasoline | 4 | Inline | not measured | Manual, 5 | FWD |
| 2.8 MT | 130 | 97 | not measured | 2837 | Gasoline | 4 wait no 6 | Inline | not measured | Manual, 5 | FWD |
| 2.8 AT | 130 | 97 | not measured | 2837 | Gasoline | 6 | Inline | not measured | Automatic, 3 | FWD |
Boost is not measured on every line. Fuel type in the table is the English label Gasoline. Gearboxes are only Manual with 5 gears or Automatic with 3 gears. Drive is FWD on all eight.
Specific output (hp per litre), using displacement in litres from the cc figures:
- 1.8 MT / 1.8 AT: 84 / 1.796 ≈ 46.8 hp/L
- 2.0 AT (86 hp) / 2.0 MT (86 hp): 86 / 1.991 ≈ 43.2 hp/L — lowest of the four engines
- 2.0 AT (96 hp) / 2.0 MT (96 hp): 96 / 1.998 ≈ 48.0 hp/L — highest of the four engines
- 2.8 MT / 2.8 AT: 130 / 2.837 ≈ 45.8 hp/L
The 96 hp 1998 cc engine is the most power-dense. The Carburetor 1991 cc 86 hp engine is the least power-dense: 195 cc more than the 1.8 but only 2 hp / 1 kW more (86 − 84, 64 − 63). That is about 1.0 hp per extra 100 cc versus the 1.8.
Torque is measured only on 2.0 AT (96 hp) and 2.0 MT (96 hp): 160 Nm. That is 160 / 1.998 ≈ 80.1 Nm/L, and 160 / 96 ≈ 1.67 Nm per hp. For 1.8 MT, 1.8 AT, both 86 hp 2.0s, 2.8 MT, and 2.8 AT, torque is not measured.
Performance and economy (mpg, 0–100)
0–100, top speed, city consumption, highway consumption, combined consumption, CO2, and eco class are not measured for 1.8 MT, 1.8 AT, 2.0 AT (86 hp), 2.0 MT (86 hp), 2.0 AT (96 hp), 2.0 MT (96 hp), 2.8 MT, and 2.8 AT. No version can be ranked on mpg or acceleration from this catalogue. The only ranking that is allowed is power and displacement, plus gearbox type.
What the extra displacement buys, in catalogue power only:
- From 1.8 (84 hp) to 2.0 Carburetor (86 hp): +2 hp, +195 cc (1991 − 1796).
- From 1.8 (84 hp) to 2.0 injection (96 hp): +12 hp (about 14%), +202 cc (1998 − 1796), and the only measured torque (160 Nm).
- From 2.0 Carburetor (86 hp) to 2.0 injection (96 hp): +10 hp, +7 cc (1998 − 1991). Almost the same capacity; the jump is fuel system (Carburetor vs Distributed injection (multi-point)), not litres.
- From 2.0 injection (96 hp) to 2.8 (130 hp): +34 hp (about 35%), +839 cc (2837 − 1998), and two extra cylinders (6 vs 4).
- From 1.8 (84 hp) to 2.8 (130 hp): +46 hp, +1041 cc (2837 − 1796).
kW the same way: 63 → 64 → 72 → 97.
Dimensions and weight
For every version — 1.8 MT, 1.8 AT, 2.0 AT (86 hp), 2.0 MT (86 hp), 2.0 AT (96 hp), 2.0 MT (96 hp), 2.8 MT, 2.8 AT — kerb weight, gross weight, ground clearance, fuel tank, and wheel size are not measured. Rear suspension and rear brakes are also not measured. Weight-per-horsepower cannot be calculated. Front hardware does not separate the versions: Independent, spring and Disc on all eight.
Which version to choose
There is one generation, one body (Sedan), one drive (FWD). Buy on engine first, gearbox second. Prices are not in this catalogue, so “what the extra money buys” means what the extra cubic centimetres and the extra gears buy in hp, kW, and (once) Nm.
If you want the smallest engine: 1.8 MT or 1.8 AT. Both are 1796 cc, 84 hp / 63 kW, 4 Inline, 2 valves per cylinder, Distributed injection (multi-point), bore × stroke 84.8 × 79.5. They are not the weakest specific engines (46.8 hp/L sits between the 2.8 and the 96 hp 2.0). They are the weakest in absolute power. 1.8 MT is Manual, 5 gears; 1.8 AT is Automatic, 3 gears. Same power; the only catalogue difference is the gearbox. Choose 1.8 MT if you want five ratios, 1.8 AT if you want three-speed Automatic.
Do not buy the 86 hp 2.0 expecting a real step up from the 1.8. 2.0 AT (86 hp) and 2.0 MT (86 hp) add 195 cc and switch to Carburetor, compression 9, for 2 hp and 1 kW. Specific output falls to 43.2 hp/L, the worst in the table. Valves per cylinder, bore × stroke, and torque are not measured. 2.0 MT (86 hp) is Manual, 5; 2.0 AT (86 hp) is Automatic, 3. If the goal is more power than 1.8 MT / 1.8 AT, this pair is the weakest argument in the data.
If you want the 2.0-litre that actually gains power: 2.0 MT (96 hp) or 2.0 AT (96 hp). These are 1998 cc, 96 hp / 72 kW, 160 Nm, 4 Inline, 2 valves per cylinder, Distributed injection (multi-point), square bore × stroke 86 × 86. Versus the 86 hp twins they add 10 hp and 8 kW on 7 cc — fuel system, not size. Versus the 1.8 they add 12 hp and the only torque figure in the model (160 Nm). They also lead the range on specific output (48.0 hp/L). 2.0 MT (96 hp) is Manual, 5; 2.0 AT (96 hp) is Automatic, 3. Same engine; pick gears, not displacement.
If you want the most power: 2.8 MT or 2.8 AT. Both are 2837 cc, 130 hp / 97 kW, 6 Inline, Distributed injection (multi-point), bore × stroke 89 × 76. That is 34 hp more than the 96 hp 2.0 and 46 hp more than the 1.8. Specific output (45.8 hp/L) is close to the 1.8, not to the 96 hp 2.0: the 2.8 buys litres and cylinders, not density. Torque, valves per cylinder, 0–100, top speed, and mpg remain not measured, so this is a power ranking, not a performance ranking. 2.8 MT is Manual, 5; 2.8 AT is Automatic, 3.
Manual vs Automatic, same engine. Four pairs are power-identical:
- 1.8 MT vs 1.8 AT: both 84 hp / 63 kW / 1796 cc.
- 2.0 MT (86 hp) vs 2.0 AT (86 hp): both 86 hp / 64 kW / 1991 cc, Carburetor.
- 2.0 MT (96 hp) vs 2.0 AT (96 hp): both 96 hp / 72 kW / 1998 cc / 160 Nm.
- 2.8 MT vs 2.8 AT: both 130 hp / 97 kW / 2837 cc.
In each pair the Manual has 5 gears and the Automatic has 3. No version mixes Automatic with five gears or Manual with three. Gearbox does not change hp, kW, cc, fuel, cylinders, layout, boost (all not measured), or drive (FWD).
Short list.
1. Most power: 2.8 MT or 2.8 AT (130 hp, 97 kW, 2837 cc, 6 Inline). 2. Most power per litre, and the only measured torque: 2.0 MT (96 hp) or 2.0 AT (96 hp) (96 hp, 72 kW, 160 Nm, 1998 cc). 3. Smallest engine, injection, not carburetor: 1.8 MT or 1.8 AT (84 hp, 63 kW, 1796 cc). 4. Weakest step for the extra 195 cc: 2.0 MT (86 hp) or 2.0 AT (86 hp) (86 hp, 64 kW, Carburetor, 43.2 hp/L).
Reliability and typical problems are not measured in this dataset; this article does not invent them. Dimensions, weight, mpg, and 0–100 are not measured, so they cannot break a tie. The tie-breakers that exist are 84 / 86 / 96 / 130 hp, 1796 / 1991 / 1998 / 2837 cc, Carburetor vs Distributed injection (multi-point), 4 vs 6 cylinders, and Manual 5 vs Automatic 3.