Oldsmobile Ninety Eight

Oldsmobile Ninety Eight: which generation changed what

Arithmetic on those two measured masses: 11 generation carries about 6.6% more kerb weight (98 / 1493). You pay that 98 kg for Sedan packaging, independent rear spring suspension (measured here; not measured on 10 generation), ventilated front discs, and up to 243 hp.

9 generation Coupe, 1977–1984. Last RWD chapter in this data. Four versions, all 8 cylinders, V-shaped, boost No, Carburetor on the Gasoline trio. Displacement is large: 5031, 5735, 6603 cc. Front brakes Disc. Ground clearance 145 mm. Kerb weight not measured. Rear suspension, rear brakes, fuel grade, injection on the Diesel, valves per cylinder, compression, bore × stroke, engine position: not measured.

10 generation Coupe, 1985–1990. Drive becomes FWD. Cylinders drop to 6, V-shaped, on every version. The Gasoline 3.8 AT family (125 / 150 / 165 hp) uses Distributed injection (multi-point); the 3.0 AT 110 hp uses Carburetor. One Diesel appears: 4.3 AT 85 hp. Kerb weight 1493 kg. Ground clearance 140 mm — 5 mm lower than 9 generation and 11 generation. Front brakes Disc. Rear suspension and rear brakes not measured.

11 generation Sedan, 1991–1996. Body is Sedan, not Coupe. Three versions, all named 3.8 AT, all 3791 cc, 6 cylinders, V-shaped, Front, transverse, Distributed injection (multi-point), fuel 92, Independent, spring front and rear, Ventilated disc front, Drum rear. The only Compressor in the whole model is here (243 hp). Kerb weight 1591 kg — 98 kg more than 10 generation. Clearance returns to 145 mm.

Arithmetic on those two measured masses: 11 generation carries about 6.6% more kerb weight (98 / 1493). You pay that 98 kg for Sedan packaging, independent rear spring suspension (measured here; not measured on 10 generation), ventilated front discs, and up to 243 hp.

Specs: engines and versions (all 12)

Same catalogue name must be split by power. There are eight 3.8 AT rows and two 5.7 AT rows.

Power per litre (hp ÷ displacement in litres):

• 11 generation 3.8 AT 243 hp: 243 / 3.791 ≈ 64.1 hp/L (highest)
• 11 generation 3.8 AT 208 hp: 208 / 3.791 ≈ 54.9 hp/L
• 11 generation 3.8 AT 172 hp: 172 / 3.791 ≈ 45.4 hp/L
• 10 generation 3.8 AT 165 hp: 165 / 3.791 ≈ 43.5 hp/L
• 10 generation 3.8 AT 150 hp: ≈ 39.6 hp/L
• 10 generation 3.0 AT 110 hp: 110 / 2.966 ≈ 37.1 hp/L
• 10 generation 3.8 AT 125 hp: ≈ 33.0 hp/L
• 9 generation Gasoline 5.0 AT / 5.7 AT / 6.6 AT: ≈ 27.8–28.0 hp/L (140/5.031, 160/5.735, 185/6.603)
• 10 generation 4.3 AT Diesel: 85 / 4.261 ≈ 20.0 hp/L
• 9 generation 5.7 AT Diesel 105 hp: 105 / 5.735 ≈ 18.3 hp/L (lowest)

Kerb kg per horsepower (only where mass is measured):

• 11 generation 3.8 AT 243 hp: 1591 / 243 ≈ 6.5 kg/hp
• 11 generation 3.8 AT 208 hp: 1591 / 208 ≈ 7.6 kg/hp
• 10 generation 3.8 AT 165 hp: 1493 / 165 ≈ 9.0 kg/hp
• 11 generation 3.8 AT 172 hp: 1591 / 172 ≈ 9.3 kg/hp
• 10 generation 3.8 AT 150 hp: 1493 / 150 ≈ 10.0 kg/hp
• 10 generation 3.8 AT 125 hp: 1493 / 125 ≈ 11.9 kg/hp
• 10 generation 3.0 AT 110 hp: 1493 / 110 ≈ 13.6 kg/hp
• 10 generation 4.3 AT 85 hp: 1493 / 85 ≈ 17.6 kg/hp

The 98 kg jump from 10 generation to 11 generation is more than offset once you leave the 172 hp row: 208 hp still beats 165 hp on kg/hp (7.6 vs 9.0) despite the extra mass.

Performance and economy (mpg)

0–100 km/h: not measured on all 12 versions. Top speed: not measured on all 12. City / highway / mixed consumption: not measured on all 12. CO2 and eco class: not measured on all 12.

You cannot rank versions by acceleration or mpg from this catalogue. Rank them by output, torque, specific output, and kg/hp instead.

Torque that is measured (10–11 generation only):

• Peak torque: 380 Nm at 3600 rpm on 11 generation 3.8 AT 243 hp — 82 Nm above the 172 hp twin (298 Nm at 2000 rpm) and 68 Nm above the 208 hp twin (312 Nm at 4000 rpm).
• Same 298 Nm appears on 11 generation 3.8 AT 172 hp at 2000 rpm and on 10 generation 3.8 AT 165 hp at 2800 rpm: equal peak, 800 rpm earlier on the later car.
• Diesel 10 generation 4.3 AT: 224 Nm at 1600 rpm — more torque than the 3.0 AT (197 Nm at 2600 rpm) despite 25 hp less (85 vs 110).
• 9 generation: torque not measured on all four versions.

Compression (where measured, all 3791 cc Gasoline): 8.5 on most 3.8 AT rows; 9.4 only on 11 generation 3.8 AT 208 hp. That 0.9-point rise is the mechanical difference listed between 172 hp and 208 hp; both have boost No. The 243 hp row returns to 8.5 with Compressor.

Bore × stroke 96.52 × 86.36 is listed on every 3791 cc 3.8 AT. Not measured on 3.0 AT, 4.3 AT, and all 9 generation versions.

Dimensions and weight

• Kerb weight: 1493 kg (every 10 generation version), 1591 kg (every 11 generation version), not measured (every 9 generation version and generations 1–8).
• Gross weight: not measured on all versions.
• Ground clearance: 145 mm (9 generation and 11 generation), 140 mm (10 generation), not measured (generations 1–8).
• Fuel tank: not measured on all versions.
• Wheels: not measured on all versions.

Chassis items that do change your ownership case:

• 11 generation: Independent, spring rear (measured). 9 and 10 generation rear suspension: not measured.
• 11 generation front brakes Ventilated disc; 9 and 10 generation front brakes Disc.
• 11 generation rear brakes Drum; 9 and 10 generation rear brakes not measured.
• Engine position Front, transverse: measured only on 11 generation.

Which version to choose

If you want the most power in this catalogue: 11 generation Sedan 3.8 AT 243 hp / 179 kW / 380 Nm, Compressor. It is 58 hp above the strongest 9 generation car (6.6 AT 185 hp) while using 2812 cc less displacement (3791 vs 6603). Versus the 172 hp 3.8 AT in the same generation it is +71 hp and +82 Nm at the same 1591 kg. Versus the 208 hp 3.8 AT it is +35 hp and +68 Nm. Trade-off: Compressor is unique in the line, so that is the only boosted hardware to maintain.

If you want the strongest naturally aspirated FWD sedan: 11 generation 3.8 AT 208 hp / 153 kW. Boost No. Compression 9.4 versus 8.5 on the 172 hp and 243 hp siblings. +36 hp over 172 hp (+21%) for +14 Nm (312 vs 298), but peak torque moves from 2000 rpm to 4000 rpm — more peak, later. kg/hp 7.6 versus 9.3 on the 172 hp row.

If you want 11 generation Sedan hardware without chasing peak hp: 3.8 AT 172 hp / 127 kW. Same 3791 cc, same FWD Automatic 4, same 1591 kg, same 145 mm, same Ventilated disc / Drum, same Independent, spring at both ends. Torque 298 Nm arrives at 2000 rpm, the lowest peak-torque rpm among 11 generation Gasoline rows. You give up 36 hp to the 208 hp 3.8 AT and 71 hp to the Compressor 3.8 AT.

If you want a Coupe and FWD, and the most hp in 10 generation: 3.8 AT 165 hp / 121 kW / 298 Nm. 1493 kg, 140 mm. 7 hp below the later 172 hp sedan, 43 hp below 208 hp, 78 hp below 243 hp — but 98 kg lighter than all three. kg/hp 9.0 is slightly better than 11 generation 172 hp (9.3) and worse than 208 hp (7.6). Front brakes Disc, not Ventilated disc. Rear suspension not measured.

If you want a milder 10 generation 3.8: 3.8 AT 150 hp sits 15 hp below 165 hp and 25 hp above 125 hp (150 − 125). Torque 285 Nm at 2200 rpm versus 264 Nm at 2000 rpm (125 hp) and 298 Nm at 2800 rpm (165 hp). Same 3791 cc, same Distributed injection (multi-point), same fuel 92.

If you want the smallest Gasoline engine listed: 10 generation 3.0 AT 110 hp / 81 kW, 2966 cc, Carburetor. 825 cc smaller than the 3791 3.8 AT family. 15 hp below the weakest 10 generation 3.8 AT (125 hp) and 55 hp below the 165 hp 3.8 AT. Torque 197 Nm is the lowest measured Gasoline torque. Fuel grade not measured. Valves per cylinder, compression, bore × stroke, engine position: not measured.

Avoid the 10 generation 3.8 AT 125 hp if specific output is the test: 33.0 hp/L is the lowest Gasoline figure in 10–11 generation, below even the smaller 3.0 AT (37.1 hp/L). It exists as the entry 3791 cc injection car, not as the efficient one.

Diesel, 10 generation only among FWD cars: 4.3 AT 85 hp / 63 kW / 224 Nm at 1600 rpm, 4261 cc, 6 cylinders, V-shaped, boost No. Weakest hp in the entire measured model (85 vs 243 is 158 hp less; 85 is 35% of 243). Heaviest kg/hp at 17.6. Injection not measured. Choose it only if Diesel fuel and low-rpm 224 Nm matter more than horsepower; this catalogue does not give mpg to prove an economy case.

Diesel, 9 generation RWD: 5.7 AT 105 hp / 77 kW, 5735 cc, 8 cylinders, V-shaped. 20 hp above the later 4.3 AT Diesel, 1474 cc larger, two more cylinders. Fuel grade, injection, torque, weight: not measured. 18.3 hp/L is the lowest specific output in the table.

If you want RWD and the largest engine: 9 generation 6.6 AT 185 hp / 136 kW, 6603 cc, 8 cylinders, V-shaped, Carburetor, Automatic 4, RWD. Strongest 9 generation Gasoline (+25 hp vs 5.0 AT 140 hp; +25 hp vs 5.7 AT 160 hp). Still 58 hp behind 11 generation Compressor 3.8 AT. Specific output ~28 hp/L — less than half of 64.1 hp/L on the 243 hp car. Weight not measured, so kg/hp cannot be scored.

9 generation Gasoline middle and base: 5.7 AT 160 hp (5735 cc) and 5.0 AT 140 hp (5031 cc). Spread is 20 hp between 140 and 160, then 25 hp from 160 to 185. All Carburetor, all 8 cylinders, V-shaped, boost No, Disc front brakes, 145 mm clearance. No torque or mass to refine the pick: larger displacement is the only measured step up.

Generations 1–8 (1941–1976). 1 generation Sedan 1941–1947; 2 generation Cabrio 1948–1953; 3 generation Cabrio 1954–1956; 4 generation Cabrio 1957–1958; 5 generation Cabrio 1959–1960; 6 generation Cabrio 1961–1964; 7 generation Sedan 1965–1970; 8 generation Sedan Hardtop 1971–1976. Modifications listed: 0. Buy on body and years only; this file has no hp, kg, or mpg to prefer one of these over another.

Short decision map

1. Need measured rear independent spring suspension, Ventilated disc fronts, and Sedan: 11 generation only. Then pick 3.8 AT 243 hp (Compressor), 208 hp (highest compression 9.4, boost No), or 172 hp (298 Nm at 2000 rpm). 2. Need Coupe + FWD + a measured 1493 kg car: 10 generation. Then 3.8 AT 165 hp unless you specifically want Carburetor 3.0 AT 110 hp or Diesel 4.3 AT 85 hp. 3. Need RWD and 8 cylinders: 9 generation. Then 6.6 AT 185 hp for peak listed power, 5.7 AT 160 hp Gasoline as the middle, 5.0 AT 140 hp as the smallest Gasoline, 5.7 AT 105 hp if you want Diesel RWD. 4. Need mpg, 0–100, tank size, or wheel size to decide: those figures are not measured — do not invent them.

Prices are not in this data, so “what the extra money buys” is only what the extra hardware numbers buy: +36 hp and +0.9 compression from 172 to 208 on 11 generation 3.8 AT; +35 hp, +68 Nm, and Compressor from 208 to 243; +98 kg and Sedan / ventilated discs from 10 generation to 11 generation; FWD and 6 cylinders instead of RWD and 8 cylinders from 9 generation to 10 generation.