1966 Toronado
Standard Equipment

Front Seat Center Armrest (Deluxe Model only)
Deluxe Side Armrests
Pedal-Ease Power Brakes
Rear Armrest Cigar Lighters
Electric Clock
Deluxe Easy-Grip Door Releases
Toronado Rocket V-8 Engine (Includes Dual Exhaust Outlets)
Wall-to-Wall Floor Carpeting
Heater and Defroster
Instrument Panel Safety Padding
Parking Break Signal Lamp
Instrument Panel Courtesy, Map, and Glove Box Lamps
Roof Rear Quarter Courtesy Lamps
Automatic Door Lamp Switches
Outside Rearview Mirror
Chrome Inside Rearview Mirror Bracket
Chrome Rocker Panel and Wheel Opening Mouldings
Chrome Roof Drip Mouldings
Chrome Side Window Sill Mouldings
Chrome Windshield and Window Interior Mouldings (Deluxe Model only)
Strato Bench Front Seat (Deluxe Model only)
Front and Rear Seat Belts
Foam-Padded Front and Rear Seat Cushions
Roto-Matic Power Steering
Deluxe Steering Wheel
8.85 x 15" Blackwall Tires
Turbo Hydra-Matic Automatic Transmission
Front Wheel Drive
Padded Sun Visors
Wheel Trim Rings (Deluxe Model only)
2-Speed Windshield Wipers and Washers

The personal luxury car market was growing rapidly in the mid-sixties, and in keeping with standard practice in this field, Oldsmobile's new Toronado for 1966 emphasized styling and unique features over all else. This meant that in standard form, the Toronado was a nicely equipped automobile, but the standard amenities package included fewer luxury features than the 1966 Ninety Eight Luxury Sedan.

Of course, the big news for Toronado was its front wheel drive, a radical concept for 1966, but one that would gain an additional member in 1967 with Cadillac's all new Eldorado personal luxury coupe. Front wheel drive improved vehicle traction on slick surfaces, and has proved itself to be a very dependable drive train over the years, a testimony to the intense testing that was undertaken prior to releasing any cars to the public.

There were a few issues related to this concept, however. Front tires led a very short life if the car was driven hard. This was magnified if tire pressures and alignment weren't properly maintained. Oldsmobile engineers were so concerned about tire wear that they teamed up with Firestone to create a special Toronado Front Drive (TFD) tire. The new 8.85" x 15" tire was designed with a reinforced, stiffer sidewall to minimize flexing and provide better stability and additional mileage. These tires were easy to spot due to their pencil thin white sidewall stripe, which was unique to the Toronado in 1966.

The 1966 Toronado instrument panel (shown at left; click to view larger image in new window), was unique in its appearance, providing a sporty look with functional placement of controls and instruments. At center, a drum-type speedometer rolls to indicate current speed. Below speedo, an odometer and transmission gear window appear.

To the left of the steering wheel are gauges for fuel and temperature, controls for heating and air conditioning, headlights, wiper and washer controls, and optional cruise control.

To right of steering wheel is an oil pressure warning light, amperage gauge, and electric clock. Below are the radio, optional rear defrost control, electric antenna switch (optional), and ignition switch. If equipped with the optional Flarestat Emergency Flashers, a control for that would be mounted on the lower edge of the instrument panel to the right of the steering wheel.