One of the many design elements that made the Toro a classic was its vacuum-operated pop-up headlights that gracefully rose and fell, giving the car a stately appearance.
The long hood and uniquely shaped greenhouse appeared to melt into the lower part of the body, helping place the car’s visual mass as low as possible, which received a lot of praise in its day. It’s definitely a classic Olds that’s worth your attention today.
With a body that has a very pronounced tumblehome design, narrowing the further up it goes, the wheel arches are very pronounced. They are so big that they seem to be an homage to car designs of the 1930s, as are the factory 15-inch wheels, which look a lot like those from a Cord 810.
Designers carried over some of the exterior’s sporty elegance inside the Toronado. The car had deep, sporty-looking seats and a (small for the era) 15.5-inch steering wheel that provided an engaging drive. The steering wheel could also be adjusted for height, the seats were electrically operated, and it could even be equipped with remote-controlled mirrors.
What makes these elements special is that they didn’t last long. The Toronado ended up being completely changed, and by the first generation’s final year of production, 1970, even its characteristic rounded wheel wells were more squared off. This made it look quite different from the original 1966 design.
Michael Johnson is a tech enthusiast with a passion for all things digital. His articles cover the latest technological innovations, from artificial intelligence to consumer gadgets, providing readers with a glimpse into the future of technology.
